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laura.dee

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Messages
3
Hi everyone,
Looking for a little advice re: some mysterious fish deaths I have been having recently. I have had a 54 gallon aquarium up and running for awhile now after upgrading from my 30 gallon. Last week I added 6 blueberry tetra to my community of 3 black skirt tetra, 9 Sterbai cory dora, and 6 zebra danios. Three days later the blueberry starting dying off one by one. They would be acting normally and then within a few hours I would find one dead on the sand. No signs of trauma. I tested my water at home and also brought it my aquarium store to be tested- no problems, zero ammonia, pH 6.8. I have also now lost 2 of my mature danios I have had for 6 months. Nothing has changed in my tank and the location is the same. Always do a 30% water change weekly and use water conditioner. Temperature is stable at 80F. Does anyone have any insight into these rapid deaths?
Thank-you for taking the time to read this. Any wisdom appreciated!
Laura
 
Hi Aiken,
I didn't test my nitrite/nitrate at home but they tested it at the aquarium store and told me all my levels were safe (and gave me a refund for the deceased fish) so I'm thinking it was all good. Any other ideas?
I appreciate your insight!
Laura
 
I would want to know what the nitrite and nitrate readings are, i wouldnt just accept a fish stores opinions that the parameters are safe.

For instance, a 0ppm nitrate reading would be safe, but is a sign of an uncycled tank and therefore the safe parameter cant be maintained.

Apart from a potential issue with your cycle caused by either the tank upgrade or adding in new bioload, possibly you introduced some sickness with the new fish. Is there any signs of this?

From your description there is nothing obviously wrong, so its just guesswork. I wouldnt have thought acclimatisation is the issue as they would have died much quicker and this wouldnt have affected the other fish in there.

Do you still have your 30g tank? Perhaps it could be put to use as a QT before you introduce new fish into your main display tank in the future. A bit big for a QT though i suppose.

BTW ive never heard of blueberry tetras. They look cool. Ive been looking for something with that colouring, unfortunately my LFS doesn't have them in their stocking list. Maybe it has an alternative name?
 
Hi Aiken,
I am going to go buy my own nitrite/nitrate testing kit tomorrow as I totally agree. I called the aquarium store back and talked to the man that ran the test. He said the levels weren't zero but where at a normal/acceptable level (whatever that means) and he did refund me the cost of the deceased fish. I'll keep you posted. No, no signs what so ever of disease in the tank and my other fish are acting totally normal for them.
Blueberry tetras are also known as Hyphessobrycon wadai. They are beautiful and I was very excited to find them. Apparently not very common as of yet in the aquarium trade.
Once again, thank-you for your insight!
Laura
 
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