Dead Angelfish and Gouramis

[smrlvn]

I had five silver dollar sized angel fish and two similar sized dwarf gourami in my 125 gallon planted tank. Three days ago I noticed a hole in the bottom fin of one gourami..the next day he was dead. Then yesterday I came home to find three of the angels dead. Today the other gourami has a small part of his tail fin missing. I tested the water, everything seems fine...exactly what the levels have always been. I've had the gouramis for a couple months and the angels all for about one month. I'm not sure what is happenig but due to the fin damage I'm thinking I have an attack fish on my hands. In the tank I also have a couple plecos, some neons, some different kinds of small tetras like serpae and red tipped, i have five dalmation/lyre tail mollies, some guppies/endlers, five small cherry barbs, a black ghost knife fish, two rainbow sharks and an albino rainbow shark, some nerite snaiks, some ghost shrimp and some cherry shrimp. Everything except the ghost shrimp have been in the tank for over a month...I added the ghost shrimp about a week ago...I also got new lights within the last week. I'm grasping at straws and wanted to give as much info as possible so maybe someone can help me save my last two angels and the gourami before its too late. Thanks!!

 

[maxwellag]

Is the tank cycled? If so, how did you cycle it? How long has the tank been set up? What test kit are you using? Are you sure you're doing the tests correctly?

 

[smrlvn]

It is cycled. The tank has been set up for almost a year. I cycled with neons and tetras...and most of them are still in my tank. I use 5 n 1 test strips by jungle. But also took my water to a local pet shop and they used a more official, ie drops in test tubes, water test kit about two weeks ago. When they tested everything was fine. They said my ph could come up a little, but that it shouldn't cause any problems since my tank was planted and the level was close to the 7.0 that I needed.

 

[maxwellag]

It is cycled. The tank has been set up for almost a year. I cycled with neons and tetras...and most of them are still in my tank. I use 5 n 1 test strips by jungle. But also took my water to a local pet shop and they used a more official, ie drops in test tubes, water test kit about two weeks ago. When they tested everything was fine. They said my ph could come up a little, but that it shouldn't cause any problems since my tank was planted and the level was close to the 7.0 that I needed.

The test strips usually are hard to read and you can't tell what the reading is because the colors mix. I suggest getting the API Freshwater Master test kit. I am almost positive that there's ammonia in that tank.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Are the serpae and red tipped tetras in large schools? Are they nipping? Small angels and DG are sensitive at the best of times.

 

[calfishguy]

+1 serpae tetras are almost always nippy IMO they should not be kept with Angels.

 

[smrlvn]

I know the test strips can be inacurate which is why I also have my local store test my water with their more advanced kit regularly. My schools are about 15 neons and 15 assorted tetras. But watching the tank this evening I think I may have identified the culprit...a larger black dalmation molly (about 3 inches long) was chasing the last two angels like it was his job! He (?) is also flairing his upper fin and circling and bumping into the white dalmation molly that is about his size. Is he courting and getting territorial enough to attack the angels?

 

[smrlvn]

As far as the tetras...just recently set up three new ten gallons...maybe I should transfer the tetras there...? I did read all about angels before getting them, and apparently was mislead into thinking any tetras were good tank mates, and food (neon tetras).