Need help Please

P

panda

Member
Jan 6, 2010
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Wagga Wagga
Last weekend we set up a new tank to replace the one we had. Apart from new gravel, all the rocks, filter, fish, wood and 75% of the water remained the same.

Since it has been set up I have lost 2 female salousi and 1 salousi baby. The fish seem to be quieter and also not very hungry.

I have tested the water in case it had a mini cycle, ammonia was 0, nitrite 0 and nitrates less than 20.

The tank and gravel were both cleaned very well with water. So I have no idea what has happened. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
bre

bre

Member
Apr 21, 2009
2,571
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Newcastle, Australia
Was the replacement tank brand new or used? Did you wipe it with anything before hand?
I am very cautious when buying tanks.
I have seen lfs employees wipe out tanks using glass cleaners, and once bought a 2nd hand tank only to have everything put in it die. When I spoke to the original owner, she said not long before we got it that it had had ants in it so she sprayed the whole tank :wb:
 
Irene0100

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
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Norfolk, UK
well shock and stress would not last this long.
assume temp is same??
can you tell us a bit more? eg size of tank, type of filter, other tank mates, temp, substrate type and depth, (you mentioned new gravel - assume was from aquarium shop - but was it pea type, coloured, or other type of ground rock or one with added plant fert etc), is the lighting very different. even a tank photo might help.
 
bre

bre

Member
Apr 21, 2009
2,571
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36
Newcastle, Australia
wish i had an answer for you panda...

lets just work through it..

brand new dalbarb tank (thoroughly rinsed with water)
75% water from another tank
filter from the other tank
fish from other tank

how long was the filter not turned on for?
could be a contaminant on the tank itself/glass/silicone?
what's the temp, ph and air like?

What fish are in the tank now?
 
P

panda

Member
Jan 6, 2010
45
0
6
Wagga Wagga
Tank is a 3x18x18 with the same light stand, filter and rocks (eheim 2217) was only off for maybe 30 mins. Water tests are not showing any signs of a mini cycle, fish are still quiet and not eating. Fish are 1 male salousi, 1 female electric blue, 3 yellow labs, 3 maingano and 2 bristlenose. Ph is 7.8 but I use a cichlid buffer and Prime with water changes. Tank is in the same position it was, temp is 27. The filter is set to break the surface of the water quite well so air is not an issue. I have done 1 25% water change since last Saturday after the 2nd fish died and I will do another 1 today.Ah substrate is just like 1mm light gravel with some crushed shells through it and it was rinsed very well.
Thanks for the help :)
 
bre

bre

Member
Apr 21, 2009
2,571
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36
Newcastle, Australia
Ph isn't too bad for malawi's, slightly low, but not low enough to cause any illness. You really shouldn't have bn's in there as they are not a fish that lives well in that ph range.

As irene said, there doesn't appear to be anything obvious. So a few more questions...

What day did you do the tank change?
How many days later did the first fish die? and the 2nd fish? and the fry?

The new tank is exactly where the old tank was? How was the water stored while you changed the tanks? If you used buckets had the buckets previously used with cleaning products? Same question for the fish, where were they while you changed the tanks over?
 
P

panda

Member
Jan 6, 2010
45
0
6
Wagga Wagga
Fish in washed out esky, water in a washed out esky, water in our fish change water container. First fish died Monday (tank was changed Sat), 2nd Tuesday, baby wed and none since then. Although only about 3 are eating nothing else has died. Did another water change yesterday and added activated carbon to filter. ( will remove after 4 days), Fish seem to be swimming all levels just slow and not hungry. I have had bristlenose ( not to breed with cichlids for over 10 years, no probs, some wood in tank)
The only thing I have a problem with (don't tell him) was that hubby cleaned all containers, ( I had just spent 2 weeks in hospital) was he thorough enough? I dunno, i was asleep for the first 20 mins.

Can they get bloat from stress?
 
G

Gecko

Member
Oct 7, 2009
192
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Singapore
once the filter is shut down, inevitable that some BB will die off; read before that tester for nitrates are very often way off, and if fish dropping off days apart, might be nitrates poisoning (do google and see if you think this might be it). good luck.
 
bre

bre

Member
Apr 21, 2009
2,571
1
36
Newcastle, Australia
How were they before the move? You said you were in hospital for 2 weeks, would your husband have noticed if anything was wrong in the tank in that time?
 
Kingtiger

Kingtiger

Member
May 4, 2009
113
1
18
Sydney Parramatta
I think is just a case of bad luck. Seem like you have planned out thoroughly about the transition. I think the cichlid is just stressed (make be the way you catch them) and reduce their immune system.

what I would do a bit different is cover the tank in complete darkless after the cichlids has been moved. Sometime they don't travel well even short distances. I used to keep tropheus and they can be a bit finicky but this always work for me.


Cheers
 
P

panda

Member
Jan 6, 2010
45
0
6
Wagga Wagga
Lost another 1 last night, they sit on the bottom not moving much, the a couple og hours later they are up the top of the tank sort of head first. Then they die and sink, got another 1 doing it now :(
 
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