What happened to my Hatchets?

[Fishyfanatic]

I have been gone for the last week and a half away from my tanks. James has been feeding the fish every day in the evening and counts them every morning. Tonight he was doing the water changes and he said that all my hatchets were dead. He has no idea why. He said this morning when he turned the lights on they were still alive, but after he did water changes he turned off the lights. Then when he turned them back on, they were all dead. He tested my levels and he said that I have .25 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 5 Nitrates, pH 7.6. I'm assuming the ammonia from the dead fish or could be that the Prime had not removed all of the ammonia yet (we have chloramines). The last fish that were added was on 9/24. Can someone tell me what is going on? And why did it kill my hatchets and not the Rams? They weren't sick. It's just odd that they ALL died.

 

[Acer]

i always have problems with dying hatchets everytime i do a pwc.. but thats because either when i am in the process of syphoning getting the water ready to transfer to the tank.. they get stressed or scared and jump out.. me like a dumby usually dont see them untill their all dried up..
just sharing my exeriance..

 

[Xzap]

From what I've read, that's a common charteristic of the hatchet. 2 outta 4 of mine died within a week or 2.

dave

 

[Fishyfanatic]

That's the thing though. I've had them for quite a while. At least 2 months. I would think that if it was the water quality, then the Rams would go first. They have me stumped and questioning if I should replace them with more hatchets or purchase a different type of fish, a top dweller.