Lost 3 Tiger Barbs, what could be the cause?

[u2_Crazy]

I have a 29Gal Planted tank which has lost 3 tiger barbs in the last 10 days. The only change I can think of in the last 2 weeks is that I started adding Seachem Flourish (1/2 cap 2x a week). Here are the details:

29gal Planted tank
55W PC light
currently have 12 Tiger Barbs, 4 Cories, 2 Clown Plecos, 1 Red Gourami, 2 Apple Snails
DIY CO2 into a Jungle labs Fizz factory chamber (Sugar Yeast mix)
Dosing 1/2 cap FLourish 2x a week

PH 7.8
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 20ppm
Amonia - was up a tiny bit from 0, I think it was .2 (it second bar on the AP test kit)
did a pwc after the first 2 died (40%) third died yesterday after 2 days since the pwc.

I initially thought the first 2 died as a result of a a bully Gourami who was removed on Saturday and traded for 3 green tigers, but since he is gone a third has died, so maybe he didn't kill anything, he was a bully however so he had to go.

so changes in the last 2 weeks are:
Started Seachem Flourish, Removed 1 Blue Gourami, added 3 Green Tiger Barbs. The fish count at the top is the current total.

TIA

 

[rich311k]

I add excel everyday to my 29 and 36 I have had no unexplained fish deaths. What is your ammonia level now? How old is the tank?

 

[u2_Crazy]

The ammonia was just one bar above 0 last night. Didn't get a chance to test again yet today.

BTW, I'm not putting in Excel, just Flourish.

 

[rich311k]

Thanks misread that because I could not imagine regular flourish causing a problem. I assumed excel. I do not think it is the flourish. Retest the ammonia and then we can see what is going on.

 

[u2_Crazy]

Amonia seems to be back to zero. All my fish are going fine today. I guess it may be a mystery.

 

[CompMage]

When you added the 3 new tigers that probably made you tank do a MINI cycle.

We would love to help yea on this one but we need A LOT more info.

Please describe the manor that the fish died. Did they just swim happy good color and then just turn upside down and float dead?? Please describe how each fish died.

Personally I would stop dosing with anything for a while and do 20% water change EVERY DAY for a while to completely cycle out your water.

How long has this tank been setup. If you're just now realizing blue Gourami are mean I'm guessing not to long.

I would also raise the temp in your tank to 82, most of your fish will have no problem with that and if it's a parasite it will help to get rid of it. You might want to cut down on how much you feed them. Tiger barbs will eat ANYTHING you give them. At lest mine will.

Would love to help, but need more information.

 

[u2_Crazy]

Well. The info you need:

The tank has been up and running since December. This weekend I replaced a large (2.5") Gourami with 3 small Tiger Barbs into a tank with 10 Tiger Barbs, 4 Cories and 2 PLecos. I don't think there would be a mini cycle at all!

BTW, the Gourami only became a real nuisance in the last 3 weeks, he has always been aggressive but it's a fairly aggresive community to begin with.

How the 3 fish died, well, I haven't noticed any strange behaviour from any of the fish that died.

Fish 1 - Albino Tiger - died while Blue Gourami was in the tank. I found him floating, no warning that his death was near. No damage to his body that I could see.

Fish 2 - Albino Tiger - I found his bones with head on the bottom, again, Gouarmi still lived here, no warning. he must have died during the night and I didn't see him until 7pm when I normally go to feed and watch the tank for a bit. He left no remains to inspect, he became lunch.

Fish 3 - Larger Tiger Barb - Found stuck to the intake filter screen. No warning again and he died between 7pm when I fed and counted all my fish and 10:00pm when I found him DOA. Gourami was at the LFS and 3 new little Green Tiger Barbs had moved in. His body was fine as well, pretty big healthy looking Barb.

I currenlty have one small Albino Tiger who won't come out of hiding. He went into hiding last week and I was hoping since the Gourami was gone he would come out, but no luck yet. I took away his hiding spot hoping to coax him out but he found another spot. I don't believe he is eating and he will probably be victim #4 soon. He is swimming normally early in the mornings when the tank is dark, but hides when the lights are on. I suspect he is in fear and not sick.

The rest of the fish look happy, they are swimming through the middle, chasing each other and eating well.

As all Test results indicate everything is normal, I cannot figure this out?