8 dead fish in 2 days. Please help

[Ryanstobbs]

Could really do with some help and advice. We lost 3 fish over the weekend so we did a water change. On Wednesday 4 more fish died so I got a water test and the water was perfect. Another 4 more died so far today. Any ideas what could be happening thanks

 

[Mattyfelts]

how long has your tank been running, did you test with liquid or strips? what fish and any other info will help

 

[Masha]

How large is your tank?

What kind of fish do you have? Which of them died?

How were they acting before they died - what were the symptoms, if any?

Sorry you are going through this - horrible to lose fish.

 

[Ryanstobbs]

I've got a 260 litre tank which has been running since the beginning of June. We had 8 rummy nose tetras 4 balloon mollies 2 honey gouramis 1 platy 2 swordtails and 2 electric blue rams 1 gold nugget pleco we got a liquid test done and the fish lost were. 2 electric blue rams 2 swordtails and 6 rummy nose tetras

 

[Ryanstobbs]

All the fish seemed to be fine except 1 rummy which had a bright red patch next to its rear fin and seamed to be struggling to swim

 

[Mebbid]

What exactly are your parameter measurements?

 

[Ryanstobbs]

What exactly are your parameter measurements?

Sorry is that the result of the water test

 

[flitabout]

Yes that is your parameters
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
PH

 

[Ryanstobbs]

I got it done at pets at home and the man said it was if there was no fish in the tank. Ammonia nitrate and nitrite were 0 and he said the ph was exactly where it should be

 

[Mebbid]

I got it done at pets at home and the man said it was if there was no fish in the tank. Ammonia nitrate and nitrite were 0 and he said the ph was exactly where it should be

How long ago was this test? If there's 0 nitrates in the water then the test was VERY likely performed incorrectly unless you have a very heavily planted tank, do obscene numbers of water changes (50% or more daily), or run nitrate removing media.

 

[Masha]

I got it done at pets at home and the man said it was if there was no fish in the tank. Ammonia nitrate and nitrite were 0 and he said the ph was exactly where it should be

That is a strange test result, so strange that I doubt it can be correct.

Ammonia and Nitrite at 0 is believable, and what you want, but nitrate at 0 is very unlikely.

Did he use a liquid test, or strips? Liquid test is much more reliable.

Is there any chance you could get your own test kit? Very hard to know what to advise without knowing the water parameters.

 

[flitabout]

Ditto you need a liquid test kit and you should get your own. Amazon.com: API Freshwater Master Test Kit: Pet Supplies that way you will know your numbers.

 

[Ryanstobbs]

We only have 3 plants and only do a water change every 4 to 6 weeks and don't use any chemicals to remove things. The man at the shop did liquid test

 

[Mattyfelts]

We only have 3 plants and only do a water change every 4 to 6 weeks and don't use any chemicals to remove things. The man at the shop did liquid test

you should be doing water changes weekly-biweekly and need to use dechlorinator for your water enless you have well water or are using RO water that is remineralized.

 

[Sidman24]

We only have 3 plants and only do a water change every 4 to 6 weeks and don't use any chemicals to remove things. The man at the shop did liquid test

4-6 weeks??? Nooo. You should at least do a water change every week, once a week.

 

[Masha]

We only have 3 plants and only do a water change every 4 to 6 weeks and don't use any chemicals to remove things. The man at the shop did liquid test

In that case, you cannot go by that test result, it cannot be accurate. There is most certainly at least some nitrate in a tank with only a few plants, and in which you are not running any special nitrate removing filter.

It is possible that your water is fine, but you cannot know without doing an accurate test.

In the absence of anything else obviously wrong, the most likely cause of fish deaths are high levels of ammonia, or nitrite, or nitrates.

Doing water changes in the mean time is probably a good idea

 

[Ryanstobbs]

We do put tap safe in when we put new water in if that's dechlorinator. We only do it that often as that's what we were advised to do by someone

 

[Masha]

We do put tap safe in when we put new water in if that's dechlorinator. We only do it that often as that's what we were advised to do by someone

That's good, I assumed when you said "no chemicals" you did not mean "no dechlorinator" but were referring to the question about nitrate removing chemicals.

 

[Sidman24]

We do put tap safe in when we put new water in if that's dechlorinator. We only do it that often as that's what we were advised to do by someone

When you change the water you don't change it all do you? You should change according to your tank size and stock

 

[flitabout]

I hate to say this, but that was incredibly bad advice. I do 50% water change once and sometimes twice a week depending on my parameters.