Neewbe Disapearing Fish

[cchristi]

Hi I have a new 55 gal tank -- and missing fish. I've read enough of the threads to know I've already made mistakes, but here's what happened.
I introduced 6 platys and 3 lyre tail mollys at the end of week 1. 2 Platys dissapeared. I got 3 more to replace end wk 2. Next wk I replace 3 more platy and add a cory. The platys chase each other around and the mollys chase each other. Next week I add 4 black stripe tetras. All 4 a dead or gone. That leaves 3 platys 3 mollys and the corry. Yesterdy I gave away with one of the mollys. Should I give away another molly? Am I missing something here?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

to AA!

Hi I have a new 55 gal tank -- and missing fish. I've read enough of the threads to know I've already made mistakes, but here's what happened.
I introduced 6 platys and 3 lyre tail mollys at the end of week 1. 2 Platys dissapeared. I got 3 more to replace end wk 2. Next wk I replace 3 more platy and add a cory. The platys chase each other around and the mollys chase each other. Next week I add 4 black stripe tetras. All 4 a dead or gone. That leaves 3 platys 3 mollys and the corry. Yesterdy I gave away with one of the mollys. Should I give away another molly? Am I missing something here?

You are missing quite a few things:
1. Prior knowledge of the nitrogen cycle. I assume you haven't cycled your tank so I ask you please to read these two links:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-Guide-and-FAQ-to-Fishless-Cycling/Page1.html
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

I would also suggest you buy a few things:
An API Freshwater Master Test Kit
A bucket and a gravel vacuum for water changes.

But, STOP buying fish.
Then if you can tell us your ammonia, nitrite And nitrate levels.

Good luck!

 

[librarygirl]

+1 to Bruinsbro. Read the links he gave you, particularly the second one since you already have fish (I have those same links in my signature too). There's also a link in my signature called "what is cycling;" give it a read. Buy a liquid test kit ASAP and test your water daily. First thing I'd do right now is a massive 80% water change with temperature matched dechlorinated water (if you can get Prime it's best but you can use whatever you have on hand right now). After the pwc, go to the store and get a bottle of Prime and the liquid test kit (API Master is best). Test your water daily for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Any time ammonia and/or nitrite are over .25, do a water change to get them as close to zero as possible (this may mean a very large water change, or even back-to-back water changes); same with nitrate over 20. You'll be doing this for some weeks until the tank cycles. Have patience, keep up with the testing and water changes, and do not add any more fish. You can also consider returning the fish and do a fishless cycle. Good luck.

 

[cchristi]

Im back from store. The pH level is a little bit more blue than 7.6.
High Range pH is 8.2.
Amonia is 0 ppm.
NO2 is 0 ppm.
NO3 is 0 ppm.
Thanks for your help. What next? Im going to read those articles. I changed out 10 gal of water.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Im back from store. The pH level is a little bit more blue than 7.6.
High Range pH is 8.2.
Amonia is 0 ppm.
NO2 is 0 ppm.
NO3 is 0 ppm.
Thanks for your help. What next? Buy some pH up?

Are the people using strips to test? If so then those aren't accurate readings ESPECIALLY because since is your tank is new you should have some sort of ammonia or nirtrites or nitrates.

No pH up. It's fine where it is.

 

[librarygirl]

Are the people using strips to test? If so then those aren't accurate readings ESPECIALLY because since is your tank is new you should have some sort of ammonia or nirtrites or nitrates.

No pH up. It's fine where it is.

+1 again. WIth fish in there you should have some ammonia. I wouldn't trust the LFS tests, most of them use strips which aren't accurate. If you can buy your own API Master Liquid kit it would be more convenient for you and much more accurate.

Your PH is Ok too, as long as it doesn't fluctuate. It's best not to tamper with PH unless you absolutely have to.

 

[cchristi]

Those readings are with the API Master Kit. I just did the amonia test again. Now it reads .25 ppm. (maybe I did the test wrong the first time?) Could it be low because I have 2 50 gal filters for my 55 gal tank? Or is it a bully fish after all?

 

[librarygirl]

Those readings are with the API Master Kit. I just did the amonia test again. Now it reads .25 ppm. (maybe I did the test wrong the first time?) Could it be low because I have 2 50 gal filters for my 55 gal tank? Or is it a bully fish after all?

What kind of fish and how many of each do you have in there now? The larger tank is actually a very good thing as long as it isn't overstocked, b/c it'll take longer for the toxins to build due to the larger volume of water. I'd still test every day of course. The ammonia test is hard to read at the lowest level, I've found. In the light it looks yellow, but when holding it up to the card it can look .25. If you can't tell, test it against some distilled or spring water and see if it looks the same. If it does, then it's 0, if not then it's 0.25. I wouldn't let it get any higher than that though, if it does it's time for a pwc (to be safe you could do a 50% now to keep the level from rising higher overnight).

 

[cchristi]

All I have left now are two lyre tail mollys, two mickey mouse platys and a cory. And 2 snails
I'll go do a pwc right now. Thanks a lot for all this advice.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

All I have left now are two lyre tail mollys, two mickey mouse platys and a cory. And 2 snails
I'll go do a pwc right now. Thanks a lot for all this advice.

Do you happen to know the nitrites and nitrates? If there still is none then I would say your ammonia is starting to build up slowly, keep monitoring it over a few days and whenever it gets around .5 ppm is a sign for a PWC.

Good luck!

 

[cchristi]

I just tested the water. Amonia is .25 ppm. Im not sure about Nitrite--its not purple, but its darker than 0 ppm. Nitrate is not orange, but it is a much deeper color yellow.
Yesterday I did a pwc of 20 gal. I'm going to change out another 10 now. I'll start testing the water regularly. Besides routine pwc, I need to do a pwc when the nitrites and nitrates get to what level?
When the test results reach what level is it safe to add a couple fish?

 

[cchristi]

please delete - duplication.

 

[librarygirl]

I just tested the water. Amonia is .25 ppm. Im not sure about Nitrite--its not purple, but its darker than 0 ppm. Nitrate is not orange, but it is a much deeper color yellow.
Yesterday I did a pwc of 20 gal. I'm going to change out another 10 now. I'll start testing the water regularly. Besides routine pwc, I need to do a pwc when the nitrites and nitrates get to what level?
When the test results reach what level is it safe to add a couple fish?

Hi!

Nitrites are probably starting to build; that purple should get darker fairly quickly. Nitrites are as toxic as ammonia to fish, so any time ammonia and/or nitrite are more than 0.25 (0.5 at max), do a water change to get them down. If one or the other is at .5 say, a 50% water change will only get you down to .25, which is borderline, so you could do another 50% pwc or just do a larger one initially. Nitrates aren't as toxic to the fish but they can be at very high levels; I'd say not to let it rise any higher than 40 at max, 20 or less is optimum.

I wouldn't add any more fish for a while. If nitrites are starting to show then you are going into the nitrite phase which is a dangerous time. Nitrites are going to rise fast and quickly, so keep on top of testing and pwc. Your tank is fully cycled when ammonia and nitrite stay at 0 on their own (without pwc to get them down). After that you'll just to a weekly pwc to keep nitrate low. A typical fish-in cycle can take at least a few weeks, even longer, so I wouldn't add any more fish until the tank is fully cycled.

There's a link in my signature if you haven't seen it: new tank with fish? It's a guide that will help. Good luck and keep posting questions!