Anthea

I added the salt becasue I have been having on-going problems with fish dying since I set up the tank in the new year...I was told it was good for curing various problems. I can't remember exactly, but think I added 15 tablespoons to 165 litre tank. have since done a 10-15% water change, not added any more salt.

Hi all. I have been having problems with my mollies...they are fine for a while, and then become kind of droopy at the back end, then go down hill from there, ultimately ending up dead. I can't seem to keep any alive for more than a few weeks. My water is fine...ammonia and nitrites always 0, and nitrates never more than 40, temp 28, weekly water changes of about 10%. I have treated for parasites and added salt. I thought we were over whatever the problem was, and bought 2 females to keep my existing male company, and now the male has gone all limp and droopy at his back end I have seen lots of postings on various sites about this, but no-one ever seems to know what it is! Does anyone out there have any idea?

I have only seem the API master freshwater kits for $70 -$80, so if it is the same as mine, that's a really good deal! (Mine does High PH, Low PH, Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates...bottles, not strips) I'm a beginner too, and have just set up my tank. I had (am still having) problems, and it was really good to be able to test my own water each day to make sure it was ok. I would definitely reccommend having a test kit! Good luck with your tank

Thanks Melissa - and everyone who has offered advice. My PH has been stable at 7.5 from the start, so I don't think it is that causing the problems. But I will keep an eye on it. 2 days now with no deaths...hopefully whatever it was has gone/stabilised... All going well I'll go and get my 3 lonely danios some more friends next week

3 platies and 3 danios dead. All the danios were bought together, one of the platies on it's own and the other 2 platies moved from another tank where they were fine.

Thanks Melissa - I didn't know that about water. That would explain why my tank is so much higher than my tap water. I'm pleased it isn't the gravel/rocks, etc that I have for decoration. I don't think PH swings are what caused my initial problems, because the fish were dying before I changed their water (I didn't have them that long!), but I will certainly be more careful about how I do it in the future! Wow, I certainly have a lot to learn... And my tank is new, and well cleaned (no detergents used), so it shouldn't be that. This is certainly proving to be a mystery...at least the 3 danios I have left are looking reasonably happy and healthy. I know they should be in a school of at least 6, but I'm going to wait until I have had no deaths for a week or 2 before I get any more...

I'm still not having much luck...the last platy has gone to the big fish bowl in the sky...so only 3 danios left. I've been doing water changes every couple of days, have changed my filter media, still testing every day...water is still good...don't really know what else I can do. The 3 danios that are left look ok...swimming around, playing in the current...but they still won't eat! I think it has been about 6 days now. I have tried a new bottle of flakes, and even served up some bloodworms... Someone suggested adding a tablespoon of sea salt...but I've read elsewhere that I should never do this....what do people think about this idea? Thanks for your help so far......

Oh, dear, another platy dead when I got home from work. I went to two pet shops today, and asked for suggestions...they both said that the stones I had shouldn't alter the PH of my tank... The shop I bought the fish from (has a very good reputation, and is a specialist fish shop), said that they had no problems with sick fish that they were aware of, and that their tanks are about 7.2 PH, so I'm thinking probably not shock from the PH... He did suggest changing the carbon in the filter...I will go out and get some more tomorrow, and keep doing water changes every couple of days. Not sure why they aren't eating though...and still no sign of their dead buddy...

So I have just tested my tap water with stones from my tank in it, and the PH has gone up from 6.4 to 7.5 overnight... (This is particularly annoying as the guy at the specialist aquatics place I bought them told me not to buy stones from a chain store as they would sell me stones which would raise my PH level, but that the stones he had wouldn't...lesson learnt, I won't be going back there!) BTW when I say 7.5, I mean that it is 7.6 or above on the low PH test, and 7.4 or below on the high PH test...I see that it only tests for a range, not specific numbers, so I assume it is about 7.5...hope this is right. So, short of replacing all of my gravel, and rocks, is there anything I could/should do about this? I have read that even experienced fish people can find using chemicals to change PH tricky, so there probably isn't much hope for me (and I prefer not to use chemicals if possible anyway)...Is there anything else I can do? Or should I rethink which type of fish I have? (Although the 2 platies that are still alive came out of a tank that also had 7.5 PH and they were quite happy in there) Also..they still won't eat...3 days now...isn't this unusual...perhaps they have found the missing danio and are feasting at night??? Feeling a bit frustrated and worried about my wee fishies....

Well, after a 50% water change no more have died - there is one missing though, and I can't find it. I looked everywhere when I was doing the water change, but didn't want to take the plants, etc out and stress the fish any more than they already are. Could the others have eaten him overnight? They wouldn't eat anything when I fed them this morning... So I now have 3 danios left, and 2 platies. The danios seem a bit happier, and one of the platies is moving about a bit. The other platy is still sulking in the corner. @ Adrienne - I have just checked my ammonia and nitrites again, they are still 0. And you are right about the PH - my tap water is only 6.4. I have taken some of my stones out and put them in tap water, and will test it in the morning to see if the PH has changed. Feeling a bit more hopeful about them tonight...thanks everyone!

@camtang - nitrites were 0 @alanmin - I use a water ager - although I don't think we even have chlorine in our water (burnside) @Adrienne - I was told to do water changes when the nitrates got high - they have only reached 5, and my tank is not quite a month old, so haven't done any before now...perhaps this is my problem? I understand that you should rinse out the filter stuff in tank water. I had the danios for a couple of days before the platy died, then 2 danios died as well. And this morning I can't even find one of the danios... @Ira - I left them for about 20 minutes, and did put some of my tank water in the bag half way through...the platy died about 5 days after being introduced, the danios one each day after 2 days in the tank. I have done a 50% water change, hopefully this will do the trick.... Checked water again, stats still the same...I use the API master kit, not strips, so it should be accurate. Oh, and when I fed them this morning none would eat anything Thanks for all of your feedback...I really appreciate it I'll update tonight how they are getting on.

I cycled the tank by adding fish flakes and then waiting until the Nitrates and Ammonia were 0...that was the advice I was given when I bought my tank. I didn't do a big water change before adding fish...I didn't realise I had to. I will do a 50% water change, and keep my fingers crossed... I am also lowering the water temp a couple of degrees in case they are a bit too warm...(I read somewhere that Danios and Platies like slightly cooler water) Thanks for your help

I am new to this, and need some help. I have a newish tank, 165L, a good amount of plants, rocks and decorations for fish to hide in. I did a fishless cycle before introducing fish. My stats are Ph 7.5, Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 5. Temp 24. Dead fish 3 I started with 3 platies (after cycling), 2 females moved from a smaller tank, and 1 new male. The new male hid constantly, and I never saw him eat. The 2 females behaved normally as they did in their smaller tank. I then introduced 6 zebra danios. At first the danios schooled and played in the current, and the male platy even came out to play...then the danios stopped schooling and most went and hid in the bottom corner, and the male platy went into hiding again. Next day the male platy was dead, and the 2 females are bobbing around at the top, hardly swimming at all. Later that day 1 dead danio, next day another dead danio. Platies still bobbing around and not swimming much. I have tested my water every day...always the same. What am I doing wrong???? Please help me before any more die