steven the fish
Member
I've had my tank set up for about three months now and so far almost all my fish have died, all the fish that i have left now is a blue fin damsil.
Fish keep dying...why?
- Thread starter steven the fish
- Start date
T
thomas712
Guest
List everything you can about the system, filtration, all water paramiters that you can. Type of water used. type of substrate, type of rock, temp, salinity, check tank water with a voltage meter? Double check water with LFS. Anything that you can tell us that will help to figure it out.
Acclimation procedure?
Thomas
Acclimation procedure?
Thomas
steven the fish
Member
The fish that died were
4 blue velvet damsils
2 green chromis
1 coral cat
All the fish except the coral cat lived at least a month before they died. Durring this time i did not know about the drip method.
salindy- 1.021
ph- 8.2
ammonia- 0
temp- 79 F
i cheaked everything else at the LFS and they said that everything else was good.
When the fish died they just started to breateh very hard about a day before they died, no external parisites. I do not have a voltage meter, i have CC, about 6 pounds of LR, and 1 skilter 250, and 1 emperier 280 bio wheel.
4 blue velvet damsils
2 green chromis
1 coral cat
All the fish except the coral cat lived at least a month before they died. Durring this time i did not know about the drip method.
salindy- 1.021
ph- 8.2
ammonia- 0
temp- 79 F
i cheaked everything else at the LFS and they said that everything else was good.
When the fish died they just started to breateh very hard about a day before they died, no external parisites. I do not have a voltage meter, i have CC, about 6 pounds of LR, and 1 skilter 250, and 1 emperier 280 bio wheel.
steven the fish
Member
what??
steven the fish
Member
My emperier 289 spits out a lot of bubbles, could that be the cause?
steven the fish
Member
I ment 280 not 289
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Which of your tanks are you having this problem?
If you have not allowed the tank to run fishless for at least three continuous weeks, now would be a good time to do so. This will allow and fish born parasites (ICH) to die off from lack of a host fish.
I had similiar problems in my first 4 months or so on my 55g. Fish would last three weeks, start breathing hard and then die in a couple of days. In the process nitrItes would bump up then fall after not feeding for a couple of days. After additional running time the nitrites would not bump up and fish would live. Just had to build up the bacteria for the nitrogen cycle.
I also had low ph which killed some fish in days instead of weeks. again additionaly running of the system build up buffering and now ph stays at 8.2-8.4.
If you do not have macro algae or marine plants in the system, then I would add some. They filter out all types of bad stuff, remove carbon dioxide which allows more oxygen in the system, buffer ph, and generally balance out and stabilize the system.
Sorry about your losses, but hang in there and take it slow. We have all been there.
If you have not allowed the tank to run fishless for at least three continuous weeks, now would be a good time to do so. This will allow and fish born parasites (ICH) to die off from lack of a host fish.
I had similiar problems in my first 4 months or so on my 55g. Fish would last three weeks, start breathing hard and then die in a couple of days. In the process nitrItes would bump up then fall after not feeding for a couple of days. After additional running time the nitrites would not bump up and fish would live. Just had to build up the bacteria for the nitrogen cycle.
I also had low ph which killed some fish in days instead of weeks. again additionaly running of the system build up buffering and now ph stays at 8.2-8.4.
If you do not have macro algae or marine plants in the system, then I would add some. They filter out all types of bad stuff, remove carbon dioxide which allows more oxygen in the system, buffer ph, and generally balance out and stabilize the system.
Sorry about your losses, but hang in there and take it slow. We have all been there.
phil1964
Member
beaslbob's 3 weeks might be tough but I was in the same boat.
I had enough killing beautiful fish and did the 3 weeks. Then I added a bunch of LR and went another 3 weeks. Luckily it was a second tank so it was not too bad. Wait, yes it was ! Long wait but after 6 weeks I added fish and all made it thru the 1 month quarantine and are doing well in my main tank.
Or if they are not dying from ick, try just 1 fish for a month or so.
Good luck.
I had enough killing beautiful fish and did the 3 weeks. Then I added a bunch of LR and went another 3 weeks. Luckily it was a second tank so it was not too bad. Wait, yes it was ! Long wait but after 6 weeks I added fish and all made it thru the 1 month quarantine and are doing well in my main tank.
Or if they are not dying from ick, try just 1 fish for a month or so.
Good luck.
steven the fish
Member
So far my blue fin is still alive and doing well however do you think that shaving brush plants would make it under floureaent lights?
michaeltx
Moderator
My emperier 289 spits out a lot of bubbles, could that be the cause?
are these bubbles going into the tank?
if so it could be the bubbles they can get lodged in the gills of the fish and cause them major breathing problems.
All the fish except the coral cat lived at least a month before they died. Durring this time i did not know about the drip method.
this could be a contributing factor as well.
maybe a dissovle oxygen problem
this is the amount of oxygen in the tank that fish and critters can breathe if its low then the will sufficate slowly as the O2 gets consumed. the fix is more surface water movement and a skimmer helps as well.
all things or a combo of all could be the problem
Mike
are these bubbles going into the tank?
if so it could be the bubbles they can get lodged in the gills of the fish and cause them major breathing problems.
All the fish except the coral cat lived at least a month before they died. Durring this time i did not know about the drip method.
this could be a contributing factor as well.
maybe a dissovle oxygen problem
this is the amount of oxygen in the tank that fish and critters can breathe if its low then the will sufficate slowly as the O2 gets consumed. the fix is more surface water movement and a skimmer helps as well.
all things or a combo of all could be the problem
Mike
steven the fish
Member
The bubbles are going into the tank, currently i do not have the money to buy a new filther, could my tank run on one? And if it is an oxigen problem would shaving brush plants help and can they live under floresant lights?
michaeltx
Moderator
I really dont know anything about the shaving brush plants but I figure that they need a decent amount of light to live.
as far as the filters where are the bubbles coming from? might be something simple to correct on it
if you look into the chambers onthe back are there bubbles in there?
MIke
as far as the filters where are the bubbles coming from? might be something simple to correct on it
if you look into the chambers onthe back are there bubbles in there?
MIke
steven the fish
Member
The bubbles are comming from where the bio wheel is, i have already tried to remove the bio wheel to see if it was the cause of the bubbles, but i still had bubbles comming out.
steven the fish
Member
Its the one with the spray bar across it, i just took a look and all the bubbles start just after the bio wheel as the water falls into the tank, also there are a lot of bubbles on the bio wheel.
michaeltx
Moderator
in the very center of the spray bar there should be a lever type thing pushed down it shuts the spraybar off and all the way its full blast. what you might try doing is shutting the spraybar off. the water coming through the filter will still turn the biowheels. and if the water level is lower than the bottom lip of the filter outlet raise it up abit so that its above it. those 2 things together should take care of the bubble problem . let me knjow if it doesnt maybe something else.
MIke
MIke
steven the fish
Member
I searched throw my instructions and i could not find a way to turn off the spray bar, and there is no lever that i could find, in it on the spray bar?
michaeltx
Moderator
is this a dual filter with 2 diferent chambers in the back to hold filter pads in 2 different places?
if so it should be right in the middle above the intake.
if not you may have to pull the housing that covers the propeller and take the spray off completely. should be held on with slip type washer things LOL
Mike
if so it should be right in the middle above the intake.
if not you may have to pull the housing that covers the propeller and take the spray off completely. should be held on with slip type washer things LOL
Mike
steven the fish
Member
I pulled off the spray bar and that just makes moe bubbles, and it shoots water everywhere.