Please help me, Im on new territory

I have a 360L tank, with a under gravel filter and a power head, a sub pump to keep my water clear, and my temperature is on a constant 24deg cel.

I had 5 Silver dollars, and 3 weeks ago I swopped them for a bunch of tettras, scissor tails, and plattys. I never had any casualties for 2.5 years, but now everything is going downwards. I lost 2 tetras and 3 plattys TODAY. What am I doing wrong. All that is new in my tank is some plants (could not have plants and silver dollars) and my new fish.

I try to do a 20% water change every week.

Anybody? I am desperate!!

 

What are your water parameters? Ammonium-Nitrite-Nitrate readings i.o.w?

Has this tank been running with the silver dollars before you added the new bunch, or is the tank "cleaned out"?

 

Have you tested your water recently? What are the Ammonia/Nitrites/Nitrates reading?

24 degress is a bit low for tropical, mayb turn up a degree today, and another degree on Monday.

What is your usual maintenence proceudre?

 

First of all chuck the U/G filter.Get one or two Waterfall filters instead.
I do not like the u/g filtters.

 

I SECOND THAT

They are the biggest load of junk sold at pet stores and they always rant and rave about how great they are and that they use them only... Um... HELLO.. their stock is turning over all the time!

 

Farryman, I did a nitrate/nitrite test this afternoon and according to the chart it is <0.3mg\L. I took the dollars out the morning and I've put in the "bunch" that same evening.

Zoom, I clean my sub pump's filter every 3rd day and try to do a 20% water change every week. I've learned one only need to do a 10% change, but out of desperation I now do 20%.

Slojo, Thanks for the advice, but why would everything been going well for so long?

 

How do you clean the sub pump?

 

I would think that your ammonia levels is too high.
5 Silverdollars as opposed to how many platys,tetras and scissor tails?
I think your tank started a minicycle again as the fishload is higher.

 

The new fish could also now be acclimatized to the pathogens left in the water from the dollars...

 

Zoom- I clean my sub pump's sponges in a bucket I only use for my aquarium.

Slojo- How do I lower my ammonia level? I swopped my 5 dollars for about 40 little fish. And then, what is a minicycle?

Sorry guys. I did do my homework, but I've never read these in books.

Zoom- how do I get rid of these pathogens?

 

MIni cycle means that the bacteria colony is re-establishing itself population wise according to the amount of waste being produced... which means your nitrite level will possibly spike soon.

The important thing to remember when cleaning your sponges is do it in a bucket dedicated to aquarium use... BUT do it in water from the aquarium and NOT tap water. Tap water has chlorine and will kill the bacteria.

 

how long does the minicycle usually take?

 

Hey Dougger - if your tank was cycled and has been good for 2 years or so - I think the best possibility is the fish themselves, as this is the only thing that has really changed. Also 2 tetras and 3 platys out of 40 fish being introduced in a new tank is not a huge number.

Where did the fish come from - If an LFS then there is no guarantee that they are all healthy, sorry to say.

 

If this tank has been runnng for 2.5 years I would expect the biofilter to be established. If these silver dollars were as big as 2.5 year old silver dollars can get, I don't think adding 40 little tetras in their place will cause a mini cycle. They'd have produced enough waste to ensure a decent bacteria population was built up. 40 small fish in a 360l tank? I can't see how these fish can produce more waste that 5 larg silver dollars. So I don't think waste poisoning. 24 degrees is fine for most tropical fish. Tetras might like it a bit higher, but as far as I know live bearers prefer the cooler side of tropical. In any case, most LFS keep their tanks at 24, so it ain;t temperature shock either. Maybe ph? What is your ph?

Also, if you want to be serious about plants then ditch the UGF.

Agree. With tetras you can almost always expect a casualty or two. Neons - almost for sure. They are mass bred in the East in sometimes fairly poor conditions. I've seen some terribly deformed neons for sale. No dissease, just bone structure defects.

Regards
Lauré

 

http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?t=245

take a gander at the link

 

I've read that plattys are hard fish and that it suggested for beginners. You see, my problem is not the five fish that died today. I started with 15 plattys 3 weeks ago, and I only have 6 left. Every morning there is a dead fish on the bottom. I thought that all was going well, but when the plattys started dieing, I knew that something is not normal. My scissor tails are doing brilliant.

 

ag, i didn't read page 2, ignore the link

 

Dougger - My feeling is it is a Platy problem - if you have a spare small tank - move the Platys to this tank and if no more die-offs in the big tank, then it was the Platys..

Platys are generally a hardy fish, but some spawns just seem to be weak and useless - happens with a lot of fish....

 

just a question... why would the dead fish sink to the bottom? dont dead fish usually float?

 

Zafgak- It could be true, I got the plattys from a friend, that kept them in a small pond outside her house. They were thriving there so I thought the would do so in my tank.

I don't know why the would sink.