My fish are just dying?

[monte1214]

Ok, I need to figure out what's going wrong here...

- I have a good assortment in my 46g, and it seems in the last few weeks, there is a dead fish every other day.

- One day they look and act fine, then the next they're floating!

- I bought a really nice Tiger Pleco last Sunday, and he's the latest to go this morning.

- Any ideas on where I should start to figure this out?

- I have fish that have strived in there for the last three months and some that have been in there a few weeks. BUT, then I have some that have died under the same circumstances.

- Any help is greatly apprecaited!

 

[missileman]

Hard to say without more information.
What fish do you have in this tank?
What exactly are your water parameters?
Are there any visible symptoms? Discoloration or spots?

 

[monte1214]

- I know it's hard, but I wanted to short and to the point before listing all my info.
- Live Fish: 6 Silver Danios, 2 Platy's, 2 Australian Rainbow's, 6 Tetras, 3 Redline torpedo barbs, 6 kuhli loach's, 2 red-tailed sharks, 3 gourami's, 1 Tiger Pleco.
- Dead fish: 1 Platy, 1 Torpedo Barb, 1 shark and my pleco.

- No signs of distress, no spots, no nothing.
- NOTE: my torpedo barb looked like it had a "bite" out of it's side.

- All of these fish were fine when I saw them the night before, and dead the next morning.

- As for parameter's, I don't know. I never have done a water test. I cycled, then started adding fish.
NOTE: The original fish that I bought while cycling are still alive. (the Danios)

 

[neilanh]

Usually when you find dead fish for unknown causes, it's a good idea to test the basics (pH, ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte) just to make sure something's not wacky. Some fish are more hardy than others, so assuming because everyone else looks ok the water must be fine is a bad assumption.

How often do you change the water?

 

[monte1214]

- I'm going to have to get a water test kit.
- Any recommenddations?

- I do PWC's bi-weekly. Which I think is ok?

 

[robott]

how long has your tank been up and running?

 

[monte1214]

- It's in its 11 week.

 

[neilanh]

Get the API master freshwater test kit.

 

[monte1214]

- Ok Thanks!