New tank, with 2 fish dead :(

[Em29uk]

I got my tank 1 week 2 days ago, I got 4 Molly's to start with , Dalmatian one died 2 days later , orange/red died today. Water was tested as fine but the tank was in bacterial bloom when I put them in and now the water is nearly clear , I feed them once a day or every 2 days. Water change I've done twice in 2 weeks plus after each fish died and added water conditioner etc.
does anyone know why 2 fish have died? Is this common in new tanks??

 

[Canary bird]

I got my tank 1 week 2 days ago, I got 4 Molly's to start with , Dalmatian one died 2 days later , orange/red died today. Water was tested as fine but the tank was in bacterial bloom when I put them in and now the water is nearly clear , I feed them once a day or every 2 days. Water change I've done twice in 2 weeks plus after each fish died and added water conditioner etc. does anyone know why 2 fish have died? Is this common in new tanks??

Sorry your fish died but your tank isn't cycled ... There's a thread about cycling tanks I highly recommend reading it :/ and don't buy any more fish yet !

 

[Canary bird]

Oh and welcome to AA , I'm sure there will be others who will help you along the way

 

[Alyxx]

First off, welcome to AA!

Have you had your water tested since you added the fish? What is probably going on is high ammonia levels because you are still establishing your nitrogen cycle in the tank. If you haven't found it yet, read the article on this site called "I just learned about cycling but I already have fish" which will explain how to do a fish in cycle. Essentially, fish release ammonia, which is very toxic. Bacteria will build up in your filter over time that convert ammonia to nitrite, which is also toxic, and then once those bacteria get established another kind of bacteria will build up that convert nitrite into less toxic nitrate, which we remove with water changes. Until all of this beneficial bacteria gets colonized, you will need to do water changes very regularly to keep the toxin levels down. You should really consider getting your own test kit so you can monitor the levels closely. Liquid kits are much better than strips, and you can get the API freshwater master test kit online for pretty cheap. It's pretty much the best investment you can make for your fish right now.

Can we get a little more information about your tank? How big is it, how is it filtered? Also, we do love pictures here!

 

[Mebbid]

If you tested the water with the test strips rather than liquid test kits then that explains why you aren't seeing anything bad about the water quality. The test strips lack an ammonia test so you don't really know what your ammonia level is at. The bacterial blooms in your tank which caused the cloudiness is caused by ammonia in the water which is a signifier that your tank isn't cycled.

Take a look at this article.
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

 

[Em29uk]

Thanks for the replies my tank is 19L and I was told I can add fish even though the tank was cloudy. I don't have any testing kits as the guy in the aquarium shop said tropical fish are easier than cold water fish to look after and the water doesn't even need tests doing on it !!! I guess he was just saying anything to sell us a tank !! My last 2 fish seem very lively and I will buy a testing kit



This is how the tank was when I added my fish

 

[Em29uk]

Thanks for the replies my tank is 19L and I was told I can add fish even though the tank was cloudy. I don't have any testing kits as the guy in the aquarium shop said tropical fish are easier than cold water fish to look after and the water doesn't even need tests doing on it !!! I guess he was just saying anything to sell us a tank !! My last 2 fish seem very lively and I will buy a testing kit This is how the tank was when I added my fish

My other fish has just started to lie on the bottom of the tank , this is what happened before the others died looks like I will end up with no fish soon

 

[Alyxx]

Ok, 19 liters (roughly 5 gallons) is a very small tank, so toxins will build up pretty quick in there. I would recommend daily water changes of at least 50-75% until you can get a kit to monitor the cycle. Also, the tank is too small for mollies really. They are fairly "dirty" fish (lots of waste) and they can get pretty big, up to 4 inches. You will probably want to bring your remaining fish back and once the tank is cycled (a fish less cycle can be done, there are many helpful articles on it here) you can add a few very small fish, or a betta, or even do a shrimp tank. A 5 gallon just can't support larger fish or too many fish.

 

[FrankoQ]

kind of the same story when I got my 10g tank.
The guy said, wait 2 hours after filling and then pour in the fish!
they all died one by one.
Cycle, get water test kit, and add fish when water conditions are ok for the type of fish you want. good luck.

 

[Alyxx]

kind of the same story when I got my 10g tank.
The guy said, wait 2 hours after filling and then pour in the fish!
they all died one by one.
Cycle, get water test kit, and add fish when water conditions are ok for the type of fish you want. good luck.

That's some solid advice there! Yeah, a lot of people start out just like you are now. One of the best pieces of advice I can give is do not listen to the people at the pet store! Do your own research before buying anything and come here with any questions. 9 times out of 10, the person at the pet store has little specialized knowledge and their main goal is to sell you stuff whether you need it or not. That's why the pet store is there - to sell stuff.

 

[Em29uk]

That's some solid advice there! Yeah, a lot of people start out just like you are now. One of the best pieces of advice I can give is do not listen to the people at the pet store! Do your own research before buying anything and come here with any questions. 9 times out of 10, the person at the pet store has little specialized knowledge and their main goal is to sell you stuff whether you need it or not. That's why the pet store is there - to sell stuff.

That is terrible though, they are working with and selling the fish and not giving the correct advice, I thought people in that type of work would know better , they even told me in the shop about their big aquarium they have at home!! So there's is obviously ok, I wonder if they waited just 24 hours before adding their fish into a bacterial bloom poor fishes anyway my black fish is fine at the mo !!

 

[huma-huma]

ahhh the 5g fluval chi!!! I love these, although mines empty right now. either way, as previously stated, id do DAILY water changes on it to ensure you do lose your remaining fish. once the test kit comes in, you can get a better idea of where you are. the thing we as hobbyists have to keep in mind is that we have to deal with humans, meaning that because money can be made from it, there is a huge line of worthless people willing to do anything to make a buck, therefore these stores exist, just to make a sale. only thing I can advise is to use this forum as much as possible. we care more about the health of your fish and we don't stand to make money from you, so the advice given here is significantly better than at most LFS.

 

[Zaphia1]

I find that the larger department stores are far worse, with more parasites and diseases, as they have a large turnover rate of both fish and knowledgable employees. My small LFS is good, but they are hit or miss. You may have an expert who really cares, or someone trying to meet the bottom line (they gotta eat too).

Best thing, as already said, is to research yourself. Also don't worry too much about losing some. In a brand new setup, even after cycling, it isn't rare to lose a few.

Do your best, don't give up, and eventually you will have a beautiful established tank!

 

[Em29uk]

I find that the larger department stores are far worse, with more parasites and diseases, as they have a large turnover rate of both fish and knowledgable employees. My small LFS is good, but they are hit or miss. You may have an expert who really cares, or someone trying to meet the bottom line (they gotta eat too). Best thing, as already said, is to research yourself. Also don't worry too much about losing some. In a brand new setup, even after cycling, it isn't rare to lose a few. Do your best, don't give up, and eventually you will have a beautiful established tank!

Thank you, with some miracle my black Molly is fine now, as well as the silver Molly it's strange coz when the other 2 died, the water smelt funny, but now it doesn't and I do water change 15% every day now and they seem much more healthy and active plus the water has no smell , I'm sure my tank is now ready for first fish if I didn't already have any. How long shall I wait to add 2 more fish ? Was thinking neon tetras but I was told I need 4 of those , or should I add some other kind of fish next ? My tank is 19L

 

[Zaphia1]

Thank you, with some miracle my black Molly is fine now, as well as the silver Molly it's strange coz when the other 2 died, the water smelt funny, but now it doesn't and I do water change 15% every day now and they seem much more healthy and active plus the water has no smell , I'm sure my tank is now ready for first fish if I didn't already have any. How long shall I wait to add 2 more fish ? Was thinking neon tetras but I was told I need 4 of those , or should I add some other kind of fish next ? My tank is 19L

The problem is that your tank is pretty small. The Molly's should be in a larger tank anyway ( close to 30g), but you can make due. Problem is that not much can thrive in there. Look for species that will not grow bigger than 1" as mature adults. You could also use the tank as a shrimp tank. Red cherry shrimp are relatively easy, and they help clean the tank!

 

[Em29uk]

The problem is that your tank is pretty small. The Molly's should be in a larger tank anyway ( close to 30g), but you can make due. Problem is that not much can thrive in there. Look for species that will not grow bigger than 1" as mature adults. You could also use the tank as a shrimp tank. Red cherry shrimp are relatively easy, and they help clean the tank!

Hi I really like shrimps , but don't they need to be in saltwater tank? Looks like I will just be looking for small fish next time

 

[Zaphia1]

Hi I really like shrimps , but don't they need to be in saltwater tank? Looks like I will just be looking for small fish next time

There are multiple varieties of freshwater shrimp, and many can be quite beautiful and colorful. I recommended the red cherry shrimp because they are one of the most resilient and hardy. However, be sure they have plenty of places to hide, or they will get eaten, like some of mine did.

 

[Caliban07]

I would still wait until you get your liquid test kit. It is unlikely that your tank has cycled already as this can take up to and beyond a month.

Your Molly seems fine now because you are diluting the toxins in the water with 15% daily water changes. If you stopped now I'm certain your Molly would die. Also oxygen levels drop during a bacterial bloom so couple that with high levels of ammonia would definitely result in poorly fish and possible death.

When I set up my first tank 40L I knew nothing. I had 1 gourami, an angel fish, 1plec, 3 swordtails, 5 neon tetras and 2 pangasius catfish. I can almost hear people screaming. Needless to say, I killed a lot of fish. Mainly neons. Oh and I had 3 zebra danios.

You need to wait until your test kit shows the right results which is 0ppm ammonia 0ppm nitrite and 5-20 nitrate. You can do this with your remaining Molly but it is going to take time. You are doing the right things now by changing water. Also make sure you don't put too much food in because this will create more toxins.

When your tank is cycled you can look at nano fish or a betta. There is a link on here for nano fish but I'm not sure how to post them.

Good luck

 

[Zaphia1]

Good advice. Wait till you've established a good cycle in your tank. This was the list of nano fish suggested to me. Make sure you do your research. Most of them are peaceful in a school, but can become mor aggressive or stressed if there aren't enough of them. Wait at least 2 weeks and continue to test the water till you get safe readings for your fish.

 

[Thumper828]

These guys/gals have gave you some great advice. I would say the api freshwater master kit is one of the greatest tools you can have. Might I also add when buying new fish, make sure they wasn't delivered that day. Going from their tank to yours is a lot of stress. They need to have been in the store tank at least 3 days before you acclimate them to yours...best of luck.....