Tank Problems - All fish dead, new yesterday

[Vampyleo]

Hello,

So I had decided to start up my tank again yesterday have it sitting still for almost 10 months. I have been doing water changes etc since I lost my last fish all that time ago.

Now I tested my levels yesterday and I also got the guys at the fish shop to test them as well.

PH - 7.7
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 0-0.5ppm
Ammonia - 0ppm

They got very similar results to me as I also had to top up the tank with water as it has been evaporating.

Now I brought 6 clown loaches (didn't want to buy too many fish just want to get the rest of the cycle going & slowly add to this), sat them in the bag for about 15 mins so the water could be at the same temp, then I slowly added the tank water. Now once they have been doing that for awhile I normally leave the bag open upside down & slowly let the fish find their own way out of the bag.

No problems, everything seemed fine. The fish were like loaches do swimming around all happy exploring their new home & finding their new hidy holes!. Woke up this morning & I have 6 dead loaches. Actually one was still going but by the time I found the missing others he was gone too.

The fish shop has a 48 hr refund policy so I'm covered there but what I need to know is have I missed something? I seriously cannot think if there is something amiss with my tank? I don't want to go spending all this money on re-stocking my tank to only have the fish die on me.

I have taken the fish out & now dosed the water with salt! Can never have too much of that. Waiting for a bit & then I will re-test & post up the results.

Anyone offer ideas or things to check to see if there is something I am missing?

Or else I'm going to go out of my mind!

 

[ejaramillo01]

If i understand correctly, you re-started the tank yesterday?
Obviously the tank was not cycled, but based on the results did not have ammonia or nitrites either,
I don't want to offend you but Did you added a dechlorinator to the water of the tank?

Evidently the loaches died too soon. I don't have a good idea to suggest than maybe some soap, or residue in the tank after being sitting for 10 months.

Think how did you washed before the restart?

My two cents.

 

[mfdrookie516]

My guess would be acclimation. How did you acclimate them? What method and for how long?

 

[HN1]

What are you testing with?

I suspect it's cycling too. Something was/is wrong with the water I'd guess. A contaminant is definitely to be considered if the tank is actually indeed cycled. Failed acclimation usually kills quick from what I've (regretably) seen.

 

[Vampyleo]

Crap, I re-started my tank by adding the fish to keep the rest of the cycle going. I have had it running, doing water changes etc for awhile. Didn't really want to leave the tank empty of water to have other issues with it.

Yes I've dechlorinatored the tank each time the water was changed & especially when I topped up the tank again yesterday. I never use any soaps or chemicals near my tank. I hate even using chemicals to correct sickness in my fish or to get rid of snails. If there is a natural way I will use that method first.

Everything I have for the tank, only gets used for the tank.

With my acclimation into the tank I have done the same thing I have always done with new fish. Never had a problem in the past. How do you suggest I acclimate them from your experience?

 

[mfdrookie516]

With my acclimation into the tank I have done the same thing I have always done with new fish. Never had a problem in the past. How do you suggest I acclimate them from your experience?

How did you? Can't suggest changing it unless we know how you have been doing it. HN1 says that it doesn't sound like acclimation issues, he's far more knowledgeable than me. I am interested in hearing your method though, as it's the only thing at this point that looks like a point of failure to me.

 

[Vampyleo]

How did you? Can't suggest changing it unless we know how you have been doing it. HN1 says that it doesn't sound like acclimation issues, he's far more knowledgeable than me. I am interested in hearing your method though, as it's the only thing at this point that looks like a point of failure to me.

See above in my original post.

 

[TML182]

Wouldnt all the good bacteria have died since there were no fish in the tank for a while there for having nothing to feed the good bacteria? And when he introduced the new fish the water had nothing to break down that ammonia and potentially had a ammonia spike? Just wondering cause without any source of waste wouldn't all the good bacteria die even if the tank was still up and running with the pwc?

 

[mfdrookie516]

wow... nevermind. I apologize, it has been a LOOOOONG day.

I never allow lfs water to go in my tank. It sounds like you did everything right though. I prefer to drip acclimate, but it's pretty similar to the method you used. Ok, going to bed now!

 

[ejaramillo01]

I understand the no cycled tank TML, but also no way to spike the ammonia to the levels of killing 6 fish in less than 24 hours, something else is going on, but it is hard to tell.

 

[daileene]

Now I brought 6 clown loaches (didn't want to buy too many fish just want to get the rest of the cycle going & slowly add to this), sat them in the bag for about 15 mins so the water could be at the same temp, then I slowly added the tank water. Now once they have been doing that for awhile I normally leave the bag open upside down & slowly let the fish find their own way out of the bag.

As far as my opinion is concerned, I think this is where you had the problem. The goldfishes can stand different water levels, but I think other fishes can't. You did the right thing in acclimating the fishes in the bag to the temperature of the tank water for at least 15 minutes (some say up to 20 minutes is good). But once it is acclimated to the temperature, the thing that is always good to do is get the fishes out from the LFS bag and put them in the tank. NEVER put the water from the LFS together with your tank water. I am not sure if I am all correct with this. But that was what I read and always followed. Fishes will be okay.

Hope that helps in the future when you decide to put fishes again in your tank.

But since you are still in the process of cycling, why not wait to get more fishes until the cycle is complete. In this way, the cycling will be faster and you will be assured that when you do put fishes after the cycling, no more fish will die.