Why Do My Fish Keep Dying

[Irv]

HI everyone ! I was wondering if anyone could help me out with questions about me constantly killing fish. So I have a fully cycled for like 2 months now 12 gallon aquarium(it is a marineland eclipse 12 gallon setup). After it had fully cycled my parameters read (on a test strip)

Hardness: about 180(super hard I know)
Ph: around 7.5
Nitrites:0
Nitrates:0( since the initial stocking it fluctuates between 0 and about 40)

Initially I put in 2 honey gourami and 2 nerite snails. I believe I threw it into a minI cycle shortly after because my nitrites were pretty high for a little bit after they went in but luckily everyone survived and I got the numbers back down to 0.

I do a 25 or 30ish percent water change once a week.

After the minI cycle got resolved I tried to put in 2 guppies and 2 dwarf frogs. They all died in 2 days.

Then I lost a nerite snail sometime after that.

Then sometime after that I tried 6 pygmy Cories and they all died too.

I've bought every single fish from the same pet store. And the honeys and my one nerite seem to be doing awesome. I know my water is really hard and kinda basic, would that have killed everything else I tried to put in? Also I acclimated everyone the same. I know honeys are suppose to be pretty hardy so maybe I just got lucky with them and my water totally sucks?

Also I keep them in a really bright room so I only turn on the light from like 5 pm and 10 pm. I had some live plants but they're not doing great. I'm guessing they might not be getting enough light?

Anyway that's all the info I have on my tank and what I've done if anyone sees and blatant errors I have that could have killed all those poor fish please let me know ! Thanks !!


Edit: every time I go to the store I let them test my water also and they always say it's fine, to the point that I've gotten my money back on every fish that has died cause they test it after and it's still fine. There has always been no or very little ammonia.

 

[kallililly1973]

One of the most important things your missing is your ammonia readings do any fish have red gills? Instead of investing in more fish you should get an API test kit the strips aren’t always very accurate.

 

[NC122606]

HI everyone ! I was wondering if anyone could help me out with questions about me constantly killing fish. So I have a fully cycled for like 2 months now 12 gallon aquarium(it is a marineland eclipse 12 gallon setup). After it had fully cycled my parameters read (on a test strip)

Hardness: about 180(super hard I know)
Ph: around 7.5
Nitrites:0
Nitrates:0( since the initial stocking it fluctuates between 0 and about 40)

Initially I put in 2 honey gourami and 2 nerite snails. I believe I threw it into a minI cycle shortly after because my nitrites were pretty high for a little bit after they went in but luckily everyone survived and I got the numbers back down to 0.

I do a 25 or 30ish percent water change once a week.

After the minI cycle got resolved I tried to put in 2 guppies and 2 dwarf frogs. They all died in 2 days.

Then I lost a nerite snail sometime after that.

Then sometime after that I tried 6 pygmy Cories and they all died too.

I've bought every single fish from the same pet store. And the honeys and my one nerite seem to be doing awesome. I know my water is really hard and kinda basic, would that have killed everything else I tried to put in? Also I acclimated everyone the same. I know honeys are suppose to be pretty hardy so maybe I just got lucky with them and my water totally sucks?

Also I keep them in a really bright room so I only turn on the light from like 5 pm and 10 pm. I had some live plants but they're not doing great. I'm guessing they might not be getting enough light?

Anyway that's all the info I have on my tank and what I've done if anyone sees and blatant errors I have that could have killed all those poor fish please let me know ! Thanks !!


Edit: every time I go to the store I let them test my water also and they always say it's fine, to the point that I've gotten my money back on every fish that has died cause they test it after and it's still fine. There has always been no or very little ammonia.

Do you think it was because of the mini-cycle?
Was your fish sick at all?
It does seem a bit overstocked to have that many fish in one tank.
*One thing with the API test kit is it will always have a tint of green when it is 0 so you shouldn't worry. But then again test strips are inaccurate most of the times.

 

[Irv]

One of the most important things your missing is your ammonia readings do any fish have red gills? Instead of investing in more fish you should get an API test kit the strips aren’t always very accurate.

A proper test kit is absolutely the next thing on my to buy list. I always got my water tested before I bought any fish and after I brought back the dead ones and they said my ammonia was fine. But I have realized from spending so much time on here how important it is to test for it and definitely will be upgrading from the strips soon. So expensive though but hopefully it pays for itself in saved fish lives.

Do you think it was because of the mini-cycle?
Was your fish sick at all?
It does seem a bit overstocked to have that many fish in one tank.
*One thing with the API test kit is it will always have a tint of green when it is 0 so you shouldn't worry. But then again test strips are inaccurate most of the times.

The minI cycle was after I added the 2 honeys and 2 nerite snails. They all survived that and both honeys and 1 snail are still doing really well. They don't seem sick and no redness near the gills or anything. As far as the stocking level, I used aqadvisor and asked for some help on here and I thought I was still in an okay range. I'm trying to convince my wife to allow me to have a larger tank so stay tuned for unlikely upgrade news.ead:

 

[JenC]

The API Freshwater Master Test Kit is often more expensive in stores than online. It's $22 on Amazon, if buying from there is an option.

I'm a bit stumped. There aren't a ton of things that will kill new fish that quickly while leaving old fish unharmed... How are you acclimating them, and do you know the water parameters of the tanks at your fish store? Could the equipment or container you're using during acclimation have been contaminated with something toxic? Are they getting handled roughly with nets in the store or during the transition at home? It's easy for fish to be injured when folks are rushing and I've seen some very rough netting in stores.

 

[Irv]

The API Freshwater Master Test Kit is often more expensive in stores than online. It's $22 on Amazon, if buying from there is an option.

I'm a bit stumped. There aren't a ton of things that will kill new fish that quickly while leaving old fish unharmed... How are you acclimating them, and do you know the water parameters of the tanks at your fish store? Could the equipment or container you're using during acclimation have been contaminated with something toxic? Are they getting handled roughly with nets in the store or during the transition at home? It's easy for fish to be injured when folks are rushing and I've seen some very rough netting in stores.

Wow I hadn't even checked Amazon for testing kit prices, I just assumed it would be the same as the petco price ! Thanks for the heads up. Also, the acclimating container is a possibility. For my honeys I only floated them for 15 minutes and then dropped them in the tank, while everything after I floated and then used a plastic container to add water.from the tank into the bag a few times before dropping them. So maybe something on the container Also they are extremely roughly netted at the store, it always kinda shocks me when I see him next the fish. So id say those are 2 definite possibilities. Thanks so much for that input. Next time I try to add Something I will not use that container any more.


Edit: also, I don't buy the fish at petco, just supplies.

 

[kallililly1973]

Also be sure that after you acclimate them you just put the fish in the tank and none of the pet store water. I acclimate by letting them float for 30 minutes and adding a turkey baster worth of tank water every 10 minutes then put a net over a bucket n pour them in the net and the water into the bucket then release them from the net into the tank. If that’s any help. Also if you show Petco an API KIT with a lower price on your phone they will usually honor that price regardless of the online site you show them.

 

[MicG]

I think too many people trust the test kit too much
me as a 1 year fish keeper, lost several fish at the beginning of my fish keeping life before of lacking knowledge of cycling.
Then I never lost one, except illness (very occasionally) and killing from other fish.
You have to observe how fish are doing, and have a general sense of how they are doing in the tank.
Proper heating and air pumping is important as well.
I agree with your upgrade plan, larger tank will much likely reduce the risk.
Get some bacteria kit, that helps for sure, I tested them myself.
Also, check your dechlorinator, make sure they work.
Good luck.

 

[MissNoodle]

Another possibility could be the source the store gets their fish. They could be weakened stock and the stress of acclimatization could do them in. Its a thought, but its an unusual amount to have this happen to with no survivors.

 

[Irv]

Also be sure that after you acclimate them you just put the fish in the tank and none of the pet store water. I acclimate by letting them float for 30 minutes and adding a turkey baster worth of tank water every 10 minutes then put a net over a bucket n pour them in the net and the water into the bucket then release them from the net into the tank. If that’s any help. Also if you show Petco an API KIT with a lower price on your phone they will usually honor that price regardless of the online site you show them.

I will definitely try that with petco. Thanks!

Another possibility could be the source the store gets their fish. They could be weakened stock and the stress of acclimatization could do them in. Its a thought, but its an unusual amount to have this happen to with no survivors.

Yeah I had that thought as well. It is definitely my only close(within 40 minutes) fish store other than petco and petsmart but I might branch out and try new places soon