Please help something gone wrong!

[Dave88]

Hello

I'm not sure where to go from here. For the last 2-3 weeks I've been losing a fish every couple if dats to something in the tank. I've lost 3 red tail black sharks, 4 guppy and 3 loaches.
Everything was fine until one day they started to die off. I had my water tested at lfs and they said it was all in order and couldn't give me a reason why. There's nothing new in the tank bar a new filter that I put in thinking it help the filtration. The only fish that seem unaffected are my Molly's and neons.
Today I've picked out a bumble bee platy and 2 toddler guppies!!
I've tried adding tiny but of salt but still has no affect on whatever it is.

Any ideas what to do now??


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[Dave88]

Sorry about the god awful spelling and grammar there lol


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fresh2o]

Don't worry about the spelling or grammar unless it is in all lowercase with no punctuation and has run on or incomplete sentences which makes it hard to follow if you no what I sayin hehehe?

Anyhow, what would be helpful are more details of the tank and some history. Tank size? Filter? Temperature? Number of fish? Feeding schedule? How much water is changed and how often? What supplements or other chemicals have been added?
When was the tank setup? How many and when were the fish added?
A lot of folks do their own testing. It saves a trip to the LFS and gives you a more accurate picture than "it's fine". A popular kit is the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Get it online for a better price. Also, if you are not familiar with the nitrogen cycle, then there are articles explaining the subject in the Stickies section of the Freshwater & Brackish>Getting Started section.

*********
Probably the #1 thing you can do for your fish is water changes. Usually performed weekly, 50% is often recommended but can be less depending on the stock.

 

[Dave88]

Well..... It's a trigon 190l. Been running since February. Filter is a bioflow 3.0 and I have a fuval 110l as an extra in there. Pads were changed about 2months ago.
I do my own tests with api but thought this time I'll let the lfs do it just incase.
I do weekly water changes from 30% to 50%. With these I add fuval tap safe stuff to neutralise the chlorine and bits. I also add few pure aquarium balls in as they do a good job of keeps nitrates and nitrites down.

Atm I have left
7 Molly's of Dalmatian,black and saffron.
6 neon terra
7 platty being wag, Hawaiian and blue
2 sailfin plecos about 2" atm
3 corycats
5 cherry red shrimp.

I did have sand but have recently about a month and half ago changed to soil and gravel substrates.
I have quite a few live plants and one fake one with drift wood and plastic caves for the plecos to hide.

I do also have a 63l tank set up for the fry but atm it's serving as a field hospital for some of the survivors lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Dave88]

Ahh temp is at 26-28c I feed twice a day but have lowered it to once a day atm as I'm trying different thing to locate this issue.
I feed a mixture of flakes, brine shrimp and Algae wafers (Molly's go mad for them)
Occasionally I drop in some kiwi or cucumber for the plecs


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fresh2o]

Well it appears you've covered all of the bases and provided great detail. I admit, I still have to do the liter>gallon and C>F conversion in my head.
The only thing that might be the culprit is the addition of soil. I'm thinking if there was an ammonia spike shortly after switching to it you would have detected it. Is there a possibility that something in the soil (chemical) is leaching into the water?

 

[Dave88]

I thought that but didn't do a test for like 5 days after.
Does ammonia kill overtime if they were subjected to a high dose in a quick time


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Dave88]

Apologies us English do like our c instead f lol


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fresh2o]

No apologies needed. All my science classes used the metric system.
I think ammonia is lethal whether short or long term. It (or some other substance) could be leaching out gradually.
My first thought is the try to find whatever it is. But I think the priority is to save whatever you have left. Not knowing what the cause is can be challenging. It might be better to increase the water changes just to be safe.
Exactly what toe/brand of soil did you use?

 

[Dave88]

I think it was api aquatic soil. The ammonia levels are pretty much 0 if not 0 atm. I haven't seen a spike since first cycling it months ago.
The Molly seem happy enough although they have started hitting the water with those tails but I think that's to attract the male.
Waters abit cloudy today as well.
I've moved the corys to the fry to tank and they seem to have perked up abit


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[MonkeyMonk86]

Idk. The fish in there look healthy. If another one dies take some close up pics. I wish you the best!


Friend of Bill W.
One day at a time