Sick Tank...

[blb]

I have been having problems with a tank. It is 20 g, established tank, with plants. There were 2 males and 3 females in the tank. I was having problems keeping it clean so I took out the gravel. There were still problems so I threw out the crappy filter the tank came with and put in a aquaclear. Through all this 2 female and both males died within a span of a month. They looked perfect, nothing on the body, just dead. I have been through all this doing everyother day 10% wc's. Ph is 6.0, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10. I use Prime as a water conditioner even though I have a well, just to make sure on the hard medals. So now there are just 2 females oh and I forgot a bn. The apistos in the tank were cac. triple red I got as fry. After the gravel was taken out I did add a female cac. orange flash I had. There had already been 2 females and 1 male dead when I added the female orange flash. I had thought everything had stablised. The female was mine from another tank. I have cut down the feeding way down to once everyother day. I wait for the fish to show interest. Here is a picture of the tank after the gravel was removed. The LDA 33 (pleco) is moved out of this tank.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/blbcooks/IMG_0462.jpg

I havent' added any meds since I don't know what is wrong. I was thinking of adding some salt but wanted to ask you guys first. I am still doing 10% wc's every other day.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Beth

 

[fishgeek]

any symptoms that the fish are showing?
physical lesions
differnt body posture , fin postion or movement?
still eating ? what do feaces look like

your water sounds ok and regular changes should keep it similar, assuming that your check was whilst doing this and your tap water is similar in paramters

i dont see that it is a tank or water issue as such

any more to go on?

andrew

 

[blb]

re: sick tank

The first couple of dead apistos were darker than normal. The last one looked perfect. No change in appearance, that is why I am so stumped. I have well water and I did check that again and it was fine. It is Ph 6.0 out of the tap so I don't have to change anything. I'm not sure on the poop. I didn't see any white or clear stringy poop but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. The main thing is they hide the second they see me, like they are scared. It is hard to explain.

Andrew, I wish I had more to go on. This is why I am stumped. I do have fungus I'm treating in another tank. I have 21 tanks up now. I have been reading and looking but except for the darker color, almost a black, there is nothing wrong with them.

 

[Mike Wise]

Frightened "spooky" fish often is an indication of some toxin in the tank.

 

[blb]

I tested the water again and everything was fine. They are looking better. Maybe something was in the water, I just wish I knew what had happened.

Thanks for the ideas guys!