New Tank Overstocked? Help please

[Heather93]

I just set up this tank two weeks ago and used Fresh Start. It's a 30 gallon freshwater tank that I had put two red tetras in (one died the next day, too stressed I guess) then two red and blue columbian tetras (both still alive), a dwarf Cory catfish (died the next day) an albino plecomas (alive), a peppered Cory (still alive) three dwarf Groaumis (alive), one panda molly(alive), two balloon molly(alive), 2 mikey mouse platy (alive), creamscile molly (alive), four hatchet fish (one died) two African dwarf frogs (alive), phantom tetra (alive) Now I had replaced my two dead fish with 2 jeweled Cory catfish the first week and one just died right now. I'm not adding anymore fish to the tank and I'm worried that either they died because of the move, or because at one point I had the water checked and it was fine and the next day the ph was so high that it was salt water. I fixed the ph level that day. Could that be the reason for the death of my hatchetfish and now my jeweled catfish? I'm doing a water change tomarrow and a filter change to see if that would help. This is my first big tank like this so I'm a little worked about my other fish. Sorry for the long post but any info would be much appreciated.

 

[Franwjr]

Was the tank ever cycled?

 

[Heather93]

Yes that was the started I used. The tank was already cycled and I acclimated them all.

 

[Franwjr]

Do you have a liquid test kit to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

 

[librarygirl]

Letting the tank run before adding fish doesn't cycle it. Adding bacteria starters are hit and miss at best; most don't work. I suspect your fish are dying due to ammonia and/or nitrite poisoning. It's also best not to mess with PH. YOu also do have a lot of fish for an uncycled tank so toxins are building up quickly. Here are two guides for you:
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

You're going to need to test the water daily with a good liquid test kit and do water changes any time ammonia and/or nitrite get over .25. Depending on how high they are now you may need to do multiple water changes to get levels down. I'd start with 50% water change daily with dechlorinator (Seachem Prime is best but use whatever you have for now) until you can get your test kit. Read the links above too, particularly the first one.

 

[Heather93]

Yes I have the test kits and yes I have tested them personally and so have the people at the pet store. I have never had an ammonia spike at all. I have had the water tested three times a week. The has been no problems in my tank except for a one day ph spike (which I said in my first post). Other then that everything has been normal and no I did not add any new fish or decorations.

 

[Heather93]

And I do know about the nitrate cycle I researched before I set up my tank thanks anyway for the links

 

[CharlieKlein]

I think another cause of the deaths is due to the fact that all tetras and Cory's are schoolers (5 or 6+) and you have mostly 1 or 2. You should pick 1 Cory species and get 6, and 2 tetras and get 6

 

[Heather93]

I had 5 tetras but two died

 

[Heather93]

My other catfish are doing great. No change in appetite or movements.

 

[Heather93]

I'm not going to fill my tank with tetras or Cory's I don't like them. My sister cried till my mother made me get some for her to watch in my tank.

 

[CharlieKlein]

Then don't get any. They will dye a suffering death unless in a school

 

[Mrs.h2012]

For starters... This tank way way way over stocked. I know you don't like them, but any type of cory or tetra is a schooling fish and need to be In a group of 5 or more. I have a 30g as well, and the most fish I had at once was was about 17 or 18 fish and I was at a 98% stocking level. Please be more conscious of your fishies needs.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Also removing your filter media will completely wipe out your BB (beneficial bacteria) that was built up during the cycle, which will in turn in cycle your tank and your stuck doing a fish in cycle. I don't see how you could handle a fish in cycle with that many fish, toxins would rise way to quickly (which in sure they are now).

 

[Heather93]

I only have 17 fish in my tank and all of them are doing fine.

 

[librarygirl]

Sorry you're upset, we're just trying to help. It isn't the amount of fish (the 1" per gallon rule is outdated and doesn't work) but the types. Mollys, platys and plecos are very messy which add to your bioload. Also I don't know what test kit you're using but strips aren't very accurate. Changing the filter is a bad idea as you'll remove any bacteria you are trying to form for the cycle. Messing with PH is also a bad idea as it can cause stress to the fish; whatever your PH is is fine, as the fish will adapt. Also I don't know how you acclimated them to the tank but just floating the bag doesn't really acclimate them correctly so it's possible the sudden change in water parameters harmed the fish in some way.

I''ll leave you with these two links and hope that you read them. I also hope you stick around; this site can be very helpful. Sometimes advice comes off more harsh than it is intended due to the nature of it being online.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I only have 17 fish in my tank and all of them are doing fine. I any of you morons had bothered to read anything I said, THE LEVELS ARE ALL NORMAL AND HAVE NOW BEEN TESTED DAILY! NOTHING HAS CHANGED! IM AM SO DONE WITH YOU IDIOTS YOU HAVE ALL BEEN NO HELP AT ALL AND ARE A COMPLETE WASTE OF MY TIME. I'm done with this idiotic site

The reason I said you were overstocked is by the first post you made telling us what fish and how many of each you had. I counted up how many fish you had (only the ones you said were still alive) and you had over 20 fish. If more have died off since then and you now have 17 fish then at this point you may not be overstocked, and my guess would be they died off because of the initial first stock you had was such an over load that toxins built up quickly and that you had some fish that are schooling fish and didn't have the correct numbers. We are only trying to help. Please take the advice of experienced members who are trying to help who are offering there advice to help you when you ask for it. This site
Is TRUELY a very good resource for the hobby and will help you more than you know. Please don't leave this site.

 

[Heather93]

Fine what ever I'm just extremely frustrated. I hate when things die. I just lost my grand mother four months ago and my 35 year old aunt whom I'm close to is dying from cancer and we don't think that she will last till Christmas. I only have one problem right now and that's my dalmation molly. One eye is popping out

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Fine what ever I'm just extremely frustrated. I hate when things die. I just lost my grand mother four months ago and my 35 year old aunt whom I'm close to is dying from cancer and we don't think that she will last till Christmas. I only have one problem right now and that's my dalmation molly. One eye is popping out

I hate to break it to you... But you do have more than that problem, the tetras that you do have and the one peppered Cory you have left alive are a schooling fish and NEED to be in groups of their own kind of atleast 5. I know you said you don't like them, try and see if you can re home them or return them to the store you got them from, it's in the fishes best interest to be in a group and their not. Either atleast get them up to a school of 5 or see if you can re home them.

 

[Samzter]

I only have 17 fish in my tank and all of them are doing fine.

Actually you have 23 fish in your tank, not 17. You ask for help and when something you don't like to here you go off in a strop? If your levels are fine you fishes eye wouldn't be popping out. Check again. You're not listening nor co-operating. You asked for help, and library girl and others have given you it. I advise people to just leave this thread alone.