My fish keep dying!!

[398008001]

I have a 50 gallon tank. At the bginning i got twenty fish 10 guppies and 10 platies and then irealized that was to many at a time so i returned dead ones and started adding about four every time but they keep dying i was doing water changes every week of 25% but now i do it every other day 10% beccause the fish store saiid so. Nitrite 0 nitrates are about 3 and the pet store said my ammonia was below lethal Ph is 7. I have lots of aeration and my filter is rated for up to 70 gallon and my heater works. I have a moss ball. It has been on month or so and i have stopped adding new fish but they are still continuing to die. All the fish include 10 platies 10 guppies 1 black skirt tetra and a cory i feed them a food with no fillers for the firt five ingredients and occassionaly frozen brine shrimp it is usually the female guppies that die and i have a ratio of 3 males to 7 females.

 

[StuG]

When the fish store says the ammonio is below toxic levels, how are they figuring this? Anything above 0 is, basically, toxic. Also, if they are using test strips they are, unfortunately, not terribly reliable.
You would be best to invest a little money and get yourself a good liquid test kit. (most people here use the API mastertest kit).
I think you'll probably find you have high Ammonio and/or Nitrite.
Also, get yourself some prime when you buy that test kit. This will help you a little bit in between water changes.

 

[librarygirl]

Hi, you need to properly cycle your tank. Here's what to do:

1) Stop getting more fish until the tank is stable
2) Do a massive 80% water change with a dechlorinator ASAP (whatever you have on hand for now is fine, but if you can get a bottle of Prime do so as it's one of the best
3) Get your own LIQUID test kit (API Master kit is best); don't trust the LFS to test your water
4) With your new test kit, test your water daily. Any time nitrite and/or ammonia are over .25, do a water change to get them down to as close to 0 as you can; same with nitrate over 20. This may mean a large water change, and it may mean back-to-back changes. This may also mean daily water changes. Don't worry; changing water won't hurt your fish or hurt your cycle; fish swimming in toxins is why they are dying and water changes will help. Just remember to always use dechlorinator on tap water and to match the temperature of the water going in with the tank water as closely as you can (feeling both with your hand is sufficient).
5) You'll be doing the testing, water change routine for quite a while until the tank cycles. 3-6 weeks on average. Don't give up and don't get lax with the testing and changes.
6) During the cycle ammonia will start rising (you'll notice it rising faster when you test even with the pwc); then it will drop to 0 and stay that way on its own. Then nitrite will show up and start to rise. This is dangerous also, so be sure to keep up with the water changes when it hits 0.25 or higher. Nitrates may take a bit longer to show up but when they do, they'll rise quickly also. Keep them below 40 at the highest, below 20 is optimum.

If you haven't seen it, there's a link in my signature called "new tank with fish;" read it and it'll guide you through the process. There's also a link called "what is cycling" that explains why you need to do this.

The other option (if a month of daily water changes doesn't do it for you lol) is to return the fish and do a fishless cycle (that's the other link in my signature: new empty tank).

Good luck. If you need help along the way just ask here!

 

[398008001]

I have already done a 50% water change a little over a week ago and it put my nitrites down to 4 (because they were at 8 yikes i know) but right now they are at 3 and i will continue doing water changes as it seems to be my best option

 

[Gboy66]

Your tank wasnt cycled? Ya stop adding fish and after abt 3 weeks or more youll b good

 

[bruinsbro1997]

As in 8 ppm or 80 ppm??? That extra 0 makes all the difference.

I suggest you find out HOW the pet store is finding your ammonia and nitrite because that does not sound right at all.

 

[steez]

Not to be rude..but doing water changes "a little over a week ago" isn't sufficient. You need to have a test kit and be testing daily and doing water changes if you have any trace of ammonia / nitrIte. A .25 ammonia or .25 nitrite level is toxic, so do a 25% water change if it's at .25. Do a 50% water change if they are at .5 or higher. Anything above that, you need to do massive water changes, maybe even two a day if you have to.


When I had an uncycled 55g tank, I was testing my water 3 times a day and doing PWC's 2 times a day for a couple weeks until it became stable.


edit: this is why people do fishless cycles, I'm doing one on my 10g right now. Much much more relaxing lol

 

[398008001]

They have fin rot
Anyway ime going to do a 40% water change
and ime continuing to add salt