Expected fish mortality - setting realistic goals

[JeffNebraska]

Okay. I've had my tank thriving for about four months now. It is 30G, nearly at full capacty, great levels on all my tests, full of live plants and seemingly happy fish. Yet, I have had one Rainbow and two Cardinals die this month.

What do you think is a reasonable amount of fish mortality? Do many of you with twenty or more fish (like me) manage to keep them all alive for months on end? Should I view the occasional croakage as part of the game, or should I blame myself for not holding up my end of the deal?

I'm really curious, because the more time I spend on this hobby, the more I suspect it's impossible to have all your little guys die of old age only.

Thanks.

 

[reberly]

if your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are all in the safe range... there's not much more you can do. Did you get all your fish from the same shop? Any signs of disease? Mixing of incompatible fish?

Ryan

 

[littlelouie]

It's a very interesting question to ask and I am one who is very interested in reading other members replies :?

I only have a 6gal tank and look to expanding to a lgr tank. I don't know if it will be an easier task or not having a bigger tank and more fish :|

I hope others add their experiences here.

Louise

 

[Guest]

This is an unpredictable hobby in some ways. Sometimes I go many months without losing any fish, othe times they croak on me with no sign of disease or bad water parameters. It's tough to say why. Only thing I can ever think of is that none of us really know the history of our fish (unless you bred them yourself, or know the breeder), so their past history may have had a hand in their shortened life span, or they may have been older than we thought when purchased.

Should I view the occasional croakage as part of the game, or should I blame myself for not holding up my end of the deal?

I would say part of the game, as long as you keep up your end of the deal, regular water changes, testing, good food, you know the drill. Close observation of your fish, to catch disease early on is crucial too, but not always possible, if you have a life!

I only have a 6gal tank and look to expanding to a lgr tank. I don't know if it will be an easier task or not having a bigger tank and more fish

LLouie, I highly encourage you to try a bigger tank. You prolly know this (in theory), but the bigger the tank, the easier it is to keep water parameters stable!

 

[wabyrd]

I'd say losing fish is just part of the game. Like CC said, I too sometimes go for months without a loss, and then all of a sudden one turns up stuck to the filter intake. I really don't look at it so much as keeping fish, but more a case of keeping water. As long as your water is good, you've done the most important part. Good food, and paying attention to their behavior is also important. Yeah it sucks to lose fish, but it's hard to make changes when all of your water tests come up normal.

they may have been older than we thought when purchased.

This is too true! Since I have been breeding my livebearers, I see how long it takes to get to full size. When you consider that they only have a lifespan of 3-4 years, they may have already lived 3 years when you get them. My experience has been that you don't have the fish loss when you buy long lived fish. Plecos last forever (almost anyway) and I have not lost a pleco in forever. I have 4 now that I've had for over 3 years.

I'm tired and babbling, but my point is that even though fish loss bites, it's one of those things that come with the hobby. Just take a look at one of your GOOD local fish stores and see how many they have floating belly up. The place close to me is GREAT, but when you go in right after opening, you see a few that just couldn't make it through the night. Sad, but death is a part of life.

 

[littlelouie]

Thanks for your input CC, I do want to upgrade, it's just a matter of living space atm.

Patience is a must but I don't have any
Louise

 

[Allivymar]

In the past year and a half I've lost 2 fish; one was my fault completely.

I bought 2 angelfish for a small tank someone gave me and did not do my research before purchasing. 9 months after I got them, the big one killed the smaller one. I didn't realise how territorial/aggressive they can be in a small tank (also didn't know they needed at least 10 gallons each!). Made some major changes; the 2nd angel is the king of my larger tank (as long as the plec is sleeping LOL) and a fat healthy pig.

I purchased 3 clown loaches almost 2 months ago; within 48 hours one of them was spiked in the eye by one of the others and killed (best we can figure they were huddled in a "loach pile" and one of the myriad of loud noises outside scared em and well...oops). The other 2 did fabulously, and I've since purchased a 4th to replace the deceased one.

Personally, I expect my fish to outlive me *grin* in the case of the plec and the loaches LOL they just might.

Bte littlelouiel, patience ain't one of MY virtues either LOL I hear ya.

 

[d9hp]

don't look at it so much as keeping fish, but more a case of keeping water

That is the coolest analogy I have ever heard on this forum. 50 kudos just cuz I like it so much

 

[wabyrd]

Hey, thanks! You know it's true though. I find that once I get my water parameters in check, keeping the fish is the easy part...not to mention the fun and relaxing part!

 

[Deliverme314]

Unless I had a very unexpexted nitrite spike like I did about five months ago I have not a had a fish die in a year. But my nitrite spike killed all but one iron neon tetra and two cories. Fish will live very good and long lives(most species) if water quality is high.

 

[wabyrd]

I'm guessing I've got about 40-50 or so fish in my tank and I lose about 1/2 a fish per month. I've been told that in a heavily stocked tank like that though, it's normal to have a regular fish loss. The water is fine, but with that many fish, you have a LARGE age range. When you consider Mollies, Platies, and Guppies, they only have a lifespan of about 3 years. That's not too bad to loose one every other month.

 

[JurassicRIP]

I'm not in a particulary good mood when it comes to this subject!! :x I've just lost two of my gorgeous goldfish in the space of three days, No signs of disease, waters good apart from the fact that we have had a very hot period over here in britain, and the tank temperature shot up, all i can think of is that they just found it too stressful. Temperatures gone down again (thank god!), but it does go to show, that all you can expect is the unexpected in this game!! ( i do have a couple of fish that have been with me since the beginning, all from one shop, so quality obviously comes into it!)

 

[wabyrd]

Well don't feel bad JurassicRIP, I woke up to find TWO dead fish in my tank this morning and one dead one yesterday morning. I haven't noticed any funny behavior from any of them, just dead. :x I've tested the water and everything seems fine. I hate when they die and I can't figure out why.

 

[JeffNebraska]

This is bringing me some solace over my three semi-recent casulties (over the last 6 weeks).

On day three of treating my main tank with Maracyn now. Everyone seems to be handling it well and the Rainbow with the body fungus is almost completely cleared. My water has become quite cloudy, probably all of my happy bacteria perishing, but fortunately I have a diatom filter.

This Sunday, I'll turn on the diatom, do a water change and hope things can go back to normal. I've also ordered Melafix to rebuild some lost fins and tails on a couple of my cardinals.

It's good to know that it's not only me that tears his hair out because of the occassional seemingly inexplicable loss. Thanks for the input and keep it comin!

 

[crocodylus]

Over the last month i have had a very large mollie and two of her 4 week old fry died, also a female guppy i bought at the local Petco croaked on me during the night after i put her in the tank, yet her 'sister' (i bought 2 ) is still thriving and has even given birth 2 times now !!!

So yes, for me fish dying once in a while is normal and acceptable, just as long as they don't make it a habit

 

[JamesMJ2]

My feeling is that if you do the neccessary work to keep your fish healthy they will generally stay that way. Pet stores have a lot to do with the health of your fish, and their life spans, also fish get breed and re-breed so many times that alot of them have "weak genes" so to speak, and there is nothing you can do about that. I hate losing fish, but it happens, and then you can't seperate them, or punish them when they attack each other. It's acceptable to me to lose maybe one fish every 3 or 4 months( even though I hate it)