HELP!! - 6 fish bought, 2 died and one is burying itself.

[Bradleyj539]

Hi all,

Recently got into owning fish. Bought a tank a few weeks ago and followed advice from my local fish store to cycle and treat it, which has been done. For a whole week, I tested the water with 6-in-1 tests and all came back in the clear! Awesome, time to get some fish!

Yesterday I bought 6 Guppies, which I introduced to the tank. However 3 of them have turned a bad way, two had buried themselves into the gravel I have and another is currently doing the same. I was concerned this was potentially a temperature problem, but surely all the fish in the tank would be affected the same!

It is bizarre as they never did it all at the same time and the other 3 are still swimming around perfectly fine.

I have tested the water this morning and the tests came back the same way as before. I understand guppies are no extravagant fish and I understand that they are generally hardy, this has just confused me and I can't find any other assistance online.

Worrying due to it being 24 hours since I've got them and half of them have died or seem to be doing so.

I have not treated the water since getting the fish, although I added some plants upon the introduction of the fish.

I have a 70L (15 gallons) tank, with a filter that came along with the tank itself. My temps are steady between 75-76F.

Any assistance or pointers would be great!

TIA!

 

[Syprus21]

"followed advice from my local fish store to cycle and treat it" - What was this advice? How did you cycle it? Did you add liquid ammonia? 1 week is fairly impossible to cycle a new tank so I don't think you had great advice.

Do some more research on how to properly cycle a tank and I think you'll see where you fell short.

 

[pwypGlofish]

"followed advice from my local fish store to cycle and treat it" - What was this advice? How did you cycle it? Did you add liquid ammonia? 1 week is fairly impossible to cycle a new tank so I don't think you had great advice.

Do some more research on how to properly cycle a tank and I think you'll see where you fell short.

I agree, I think you need to buy an API tap water conditioner that removes both chlorine and heavy metals; the other problem is that you didn't cycle it correctly... The best thing you can do to cycle it quickly is to get filter media from an active fish tank (you can ask to borrow it) or decorations like rocks and plastic algae from an active fish tank since those have bacteria that the fish need to survive, and that's it.

Hope your guppies get well!