Help!! =[

[AliGee]

My fiancé said my cichlids were all alive and looking fine this morning at 8am.

I walked over to the tank at 10am and my stunning 7" male Venustus and small 2" clown pleco were both dead at separate ends of the tank.

I have had my tiny clown pleco for years and he has gone through it all!

A few of my other cichlids (but not all of them) and a standard 5" pleco seem to be hanging towards the top of the tank over by the filter/ air bubbles.

My parameters seem to be near perfect...



I did a nice, solid 40% water change a couple days ago.

No new fish, or decor have been added in weeks...

I did add two live plants about two weeks ago.


I'm worried I'm going to lose more and I have no idea what's going on! Any ideas!?!?


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[ImACoolguy]

My fiancé said my cichlids were all alive and looking fine this morning at 8am.

I walked over to the tank at 10am and my stunning 7" male Venustus and small 2" clown pleco were both dead at separate ends of the tank.

I have had my tiny clown pleco for years and he has gone through it all!

A few of my other cichlids (but not all of them) and a standard 5" pleco seem to be hanging towards the top of the tank over by the filter/ air bubbles.

My parameters seem to be near perfect...

View attachment 264146

I did a nice, solid 40% water change a couple days ago.

No new fish, or decor have been added in weeks...

I did add two live plants about two weeks ago.


I'm worried I'm going to lose more and I have no idea what's going on! Any ideas!?!?


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"A few of my other cichlids (but not all of them) and a standard 5" pleco seem to be hanging towards the top of the tank over by the filter/ air bubbles. "

Do you have a co2 system for your plants? If so, it could be a lack of oxygen. They are going to the top to breathe.


Caleb

~10g ghost shrimp
~45g ick is fixed! White skirt tetras.
~75g NEW! dojo loach, 5 black Skirt Tetras, 5 cherry barbs, live plants

 

[AliGee]

Nope, no CO2 of any sort added. I have very low maintenance plants... Anubias, hornwort etc.


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[Coursair]

I would do a 50% PWC and use Prime. Test Tap water also.
Regardless of tests if my fish act odd, I change water.

Let tap water run a bit before getting water for the tank.

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[Quest84]

even though ur test results seem fine, the first step is always doing a water change when something isn't right in the tank. Good advice Coursair.

what are the tankmates? temp? do you have airstones or good water agitation?


I would do a water change, and add more oxygen to the water to start

 

[Mogurako]

I would do a 50% PWC and use Prime. Test Tap water also.
Regardless of tests if my fish act odd, I change water.

Let tap water run a bit before getting water for the tank.

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Agreed, if you can use only cold water and bring them up to temp in buckets. It could be an issue with your hot water heater.


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[AliGee]

Yeah, water change was the very first thing I did after checking the parameters. I do have a 12" air stone that's running 24/7.

Tank mates are two 3" juvenile peacocks, one 4" electric yellow, one 4" parrot fish, one 5" Red Jewel, three giant danios.


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[AliGee]

I also lowered the water level so the water from the filter is creating a lot more agitation. The two that were hanging out at the top seem better... The pleco has ventured back down to his wood.

Still looking for answers as to what was/is going on. I'll be heartbroken if I lose more.


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[AliGee]

Another one bites the dust... Blue dolphin, dead.


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[Quest84]

Another one bites the dust... Blue dolphin, dead.


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do any of the fish look bloated? what are you feeding? watch your other fish..could be aggression? Keep an eye on that parrot, mine used to like ramming into the other fish.

Also what size tank is this?

 

[AliGee]

Took all remaining fish out and put in buckets of tap water... 5 more dead, including one I just added to the tank today.

Went to the store and got distilled water and put the remaining in there.



It's looking like a total loss.


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[Quest84]

was this tank cycled? are you using water conditioner? may be a silly question to an experienced fish keeper, but I have come across people that have no idea what it is.

can't help if you don't answer the questions asked earlier..

and why would you add new fish today to an already sick tank?

 

[Gillie]

Any chance of airborn toxins, air freshener sprays etc?

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[AliGee]

was this tank cycled? are you using water conditioner? may be a silly question to an experienced fish keeper, but I have come across people that have no idea what it is.

can't help if you don't answer the questions asked earlier..

and why would you add new fish today to an already sick tank?

I did answer the previous questions...


Yes it was a very established tank and water conditioner is measured exactly per water change.

The fish was shipped. He wasn't put in the tank he was put in a separate bucket, should have clarified.


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[AliGee]

Any chance of airborn toxins, air freshener sprays etc?

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No, covered tank and we don't use that stuff because our chihuahua is allergic. =[


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[AliGee]

do any of the fish look bloated? what are you feeding? watch your other fish..could be aggression? Keep an eye on that parrot, mine used to like ramming into the other fish.

Also what size tank is this?

No bloating. No aggression either... They actually all got along swimmingly... lol. Cichlid pellets... I'm laying in bed so I don't know the exact brand. It's a common one, bought at any LFS.


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[Quest84]

thx for the reply..now we know its not caused by an uncycled tank or bad water parameters. I would treat the rest of the fish with a general cure medication... I'm actually not sure whats going on, could be parasitic.

you can try soaking the food in metro and feeding. I would also add some aquarium salt to the tank

 

[AliGee]

thx for the reply..now we know its not caused by an uncycled tank or bad water parameters. I would treat the rest of the fish with a general cure medication... I'm actually not sure whats going on, could be parasitic.

you can try soaking the food in metro and feeding. I would also add some aquarium salt to the tank

I thought parasitic too until the new fish that wasn't even exposed to my tank died just from being in my treated tap water. It HAS to be in my water!????


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[Quest84]

test your tap water parameters..let me know what you get. It very well could be your tap water if the new fish was in a bucket with only tap water. Test the PH of the tank and the tap.

also what water conditioner are you using? I would recommend using Prime, and I would use double what the bottle calls for if you think the issue is in your water.

You can call your local water company and ask them what they add to the water. You might have high levels of chlorine or chloramine in the water

 

[Mogurako]

Like I said from the beginning it could be an issue with something inside your water heater. It's very common for all manner of stuff to start breaking down in there and make its way into the tanks.

I'm very skeptical that it is something coming from the actual water source that would kill the fish so rapidly. A good water conditioner like prime would take care of any chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals. Spikes in nitrates would also not kill that fast.

Is your heater working/intact? What's the temperature of the water? Is the heater cracked putting live current into the tank?


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