All My Fish Are Dying!

[Radar2006]

ive had my tank running for a good 2 weeks. Dechlorinated with Prime then used Fritz Zyme turbo start. I put 2 Synodontis catfish in it for about 2 weeks and they did fine. Introduced some glofish and that's when everything went to ****. Three at a time the glofish started dying. Then the cats died as well. Did a 50% water change thinking I may have gotten a parasite from the glofish. Then I reset the tank with more prime and turbo start and let it run for about a week When I checked all my levels ammonia,nitrate,and nitrate were all zero. The pH was at least 7.6 Now I have Molly's and they are dying in groups of four or more. The only thing I noticed them doing is they're all staying at the bottom of the tank they are not eating much and when they die they sink. The tank is 36 bowfront and I'm using an EHEIM 250 for filtration and my substrate is aragonite. Please help. I have never had this much trouble with a tank in my life.

 

[AWheeler]

You are suffering from new tank syndrome. Your tank isn't cycled.

Pick up some stability and test your water right now, see what the readings are.

 

[TexasDomer]

Also, how are you acclimating the fish?

 

[Radar2006]

You are suffering from new tank syndrome. Your tank isn't cycled.

How do I know if it's cycled. If ammonia is zero nitrites are at zero nitrates are at zero and pH is at 7.6 what else am I looking for?

Also, how are you acclimating the fish?

In the bag in my tank for 30 minutes to 45 minutes Then I open the bags and use a net to get the fish out.

Pick up some stability and test your water right now, see what the readings are.

The readings I posted originally are current readings

 

[AWheeler]

You will see an ammonia spike, then you will see a nitrite spike, then you will see nitrates as well. 0-0-0 means not cycled....or else really heavily planted, or really major water changes.

 

[_IceFyre_]

How do I know if it's cycled. If ammonia is zero nitrites are at zero nitrates are at zero and pH is at 7.6 what else am I looking for?

It's very rare to have 0 nitrates unless your tank is heavily planted. Are you sure your tests are accurate?

 

[AWheeler]

The readings I posted originally our current readings

what type of tests are you using?

 

[Radar2006]

I haven't tried a high pH water test the only test I've been doing is the regular pH test When I set the tank up I set it up for African cichlids and have not had the time to go get the cichlids Hence the high pH.

 

[FlutterFish]

Liquid tests or test strips?

 

[Radar2006]

I'm using an API test kit all liquid tests the latest test was without fish all of my zero tests have been without fish with tank running for A week and a half to two weeks before fish being introduced.

 

[AWheeler]

Are any of the fish still alive?

 

[Radar2006]

You will see an ammonia spike, then you will see a nitrite spike, then you will see nitrates as well. 0-0-0 means not cycled....or else really heavily planted, or really major water changes.

I've already gone through the spikes and took care of them before adding fish. I made sure everything was zeroed out before adding fish.

 

[AWheeler]

The tests results are from today for ammonia , nitrite and nitrate? Are you beating the heck out of the #2 nitrate bottle?

 

[FlutterFish]

I've already gone through the spikes and took care of them before adding fish. I made sure everything was zeroed out before adding fish.

The thing is that if you add too many fish at once, ammonia spikes rise again. It's most likely New Tank Syndrome, though. Did you add any ammonia after adding your bacterial booster?

 

[Radar2006]

Are any of the fish still alive?

Yes there still fish alive

The thing is that if you add too many fish at once, ammonia spikes rise again. It's most likely New Tank Syndrome, though. Did you add any ammonia after adding your bacterial booster?

No

The tests results are from today for ammonia , nitrite and nitrate? Are you beating the heck out of the #2 nitrate bottle?

As far as shaking the heck out of it... Yes

 

[AWheeler]

I hate to be pushy, but please go right now, and test your water and see what it says again... We want to help you, we need to figure out if this is a cycle issue or a diseased fish issue

 

[Radar2006]

The thing is that if you add too many fish at once, ammonia spikes rise again. It's most likely New Tank Syndrome, though. Did you add any ammonia after adding your bacterial booster?

I understand the tank will go into shock after adding a lot of fish, but I have never had this many fish die at one time after adding fish

I hate to be pushy, but please go right now, and test your water and see what it says again... We want to help you, we need to figure out if this is a cycle issue or a diseased fish issue

Not being pushy at all I want to figure it out. It will be a bit before I can't do all the tests right now as I do not have the API master kit I have to borrow it from my sister in law. I can test ammonia right now.

 

[AWheeler]

Ammonia would be a great starter

 

[Herkimur]

Water surface agitated enough?
Temperature too high?
Osmotic shock due to lack of minerals?
Lights on 24/7?

 

[Chaory]

Also, always quarantine new fish before adding them to an established tank or if you get them all at the same time, then quarantine them all together, even though you don't see any signs of illness. It is the best thing to do for all new fish.

 

[Radar2006]

Also, always quarantine new fish before adding them to an established tank or if you get them all at the same time, then quarantine them all together, even though you don't see any signs of illness. It is the best thing to do for all new fish.

I got all the fish from a friend that works at a fish store and they were all healthy from his tank.

Water surface agitated enough?
Temperature too high?
Osmotic shock due to lack of minerals?
Lights on 24/7?

Water surface is good temperature is 72 ish I'm not sure about osmotic shock and at night I turn the blue lights to the dimmest settings

 

[Chaory]

I got all the fish from a friend that works at a fish store and they were all healthy from his tank.

From looking doesn't mean they are healthy. It is for your best option to quarantine, even if they look healthy or from a known source. Also they could have been stress from the move.

Water surface is good temperature is 72 ish I'm not sure about osmotic shock and at night I turn the blue lights to the dimmest settings

They should have temperature from 75-80 degrees F.

 

[BeanFish]

Do you still have the corpses in there? You can try opening them up or at least looking at their gills. Look up ammonia burn and nitrite poisoning on google s and compare that with your fish gills.
And if you did not add any ammonia then the bacteria starved, so you are not cycled.

 

[Radar2006]

Do you still have the corpses in there? You can try opening them up or at least looking at their gills. Look up ammonia burn and nitrite poisoning on google s and compare that with your fish gills.
And if you did not add any ammonia then the bacteria starved, so you are not cycled.

I'm sorry I'm wrong I did add ammonia

I understand the tank will go into shock after adding a lot of fish, but I have never had this many fish die at one time after adding fish


Not being pushy at all I want to figure it out. It will be a bit before I can't do all the tests right now as I do not have the API master kit I have to borrow it from my sister in law. I can test ammonia right now.

Ammonia=0
pH=8.0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=30(as best as I can tell)

I hate to be pushy, but please go right now, and test your water and see what it says again... We want to help you, we need to figure out if this is a cycle issue or a diseased fish issue

Ammonia=0
pH=8.0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=30(as best as I can tell)

Water surface is good temperature is 72 ish I'm not sure about osmotic shock and at night I turn the blue lights to the dimmest settings

What about the light

Liquid tests or test strips?

Liquid

 

[AWheeler]

Hmm, it does look like you are cycled then...but your water temp is to low for mollies. The ph is good for them though. The lights should go completely off at night, not sure if you are keeping the blue ones on or not all night.
So now we need to look at what is going on with the fish (although, I'd do a 50% water change to get your nitrates down to 15) .
Have you noticed the fish "flicking" themselves off of anything or any weird spots on them, or anything other than them laying down at the bottom of the tank?

 

[Radar2006]

Hmm, it does look like you are cycled then...but your water temp is to low for mollies. The ph is good for them though. The lights should go completely off at night, not sure if you are keeping the blue ones on or not all night.
So now we need to look at what is going on with the fish (although, I'd do a 50% water change to get your nitrates down to 15) .
Have you noticed the fish "flicking" themselves off of anything or any weird spots on them, or anything other than them laying down at the bottom of the tank?

I actually just did a 50% water change before the mollies went in. I thought I had some kind of parasite or bacteria. Other than them laying around I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Chaory]

I actually just did a 50% water change before the mollies went in. I thought I had some kind of parasite or bacteria. Other than them laying around I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

You want to try to keep your nitrates below 20ppm, if you want the best for them.

 

[Radar2006]

You want to try to keep your nitrates below 20ppm, if you want the best for them.

So other than nitrates is everything fine?

 

[Chaory]

So other than nitrates is everything fine?

Well I did also mentioned that you need to keep the temp around 75-80 and to quarantine all new fish, no matter who and where you get them from.

 

[Yoda]

Test your tap water