mike 65 Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 My Father and I recently set up a 165 litre tropical tank, his idea was to in future buy discus. He was advised to put Neon tetra's in with them. We set the tank up on the 14 of August and put ten neons in that day, just to get the algae to build up. They all died over night. Two days later we brought 10 more. They all died within a day or two. We continued with this process a few times and more and more died. We purchased 20 more today and have had a few deaths already. Dad has had the water tested and have been told levels are all okay. As far as we know we are doing everything right. The neon's are near the surface of the water as if they are trying to reach air ? They are also breathing quite rapidly. Please, any suggestions and/or answers of what is happening would be apprechiated It's very disheartening as we have realised that maybe we can not get/keep discus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oO SKIPPY Oo Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 have you got a test kit ? you need to post what the levels are really. sounds like something in the tank is toxic though if you have lost over 20 neons in less than a week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 the tank needs to be cycled for the bacteria to establish. add a few fish & gradually increase numbers over time. have you done any water changes yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 65 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Our local fish store said the level's are fine. As dad is not home right now i can not post exact levels. And yes we have done regular water changes, 10-15%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flosty Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Hi Mike, where abouts do you live? Does your water contain chlorine and do you need to use a conditioner where you live? I know it is a beginner question but whether your tank is cycled or not 10 neons should not die overnight in a 165 litre tank Unless there was something toxic in your water or in your equipment or tank,maybe even your substrate depending on what you have used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 65 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 I live in Kaiapoi, Christchurch. Have removed some water to make water level lower than spray bar to create bubbles for oxygen. Fish seem to have left surface of water to explore bottom. Should I introduce some sort of bubbling device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flosty Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Whenever the water surface is broken it will let gases in and out so an air stone driven by an air pump will always introduce more oxygen into the water Which definately is a benefit as you have stated the fish are swimming near the water surface maybe for oxygen But yes the spray bar above the water level will do the same thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 If they are all gasping it is an oxygen/poison issue.. If your water parameters are fine then it must be an oxygen issue, neons are not good at high temps (hence being a waste of money to put in with discus), what temp is your tank at? And how are you measuring it? Neons do tend to just drop dead gradually for no apparent reason but the whole lot shouldn't overnight. Flosty was faster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 65 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Current temp is 27.4 degrees c. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 I would add an airline if you have a pump, in the meantime the spray bar above the surface of the water will increase the amount of oxygen in the tank. The disturbance on the top of the water will encourage the fish to drop lower into the tank anyway. Two questions - are you using tap or well water and what is the tank temperature as the higher the temp, the less oxygen. Discus like higher temps than neons, in my experience can cope with. The other thing that may be causing issues is a large difference in pH levels between the shop and your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 65 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Tap water. And temp 27.4 degrees c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 The temp is not too high for neons but will be too low for the discus. I wonder what the shop tested the water for and I wonder what the difference is between the shop and the tanks readings. Certainly sounds like some sort of poisoning or lack of oxygen in the water. My fish normally only come up like that when the tank temp is really high or if there is an ammonia spike. Are they still down the bottom or have they come back up? If you do have an airline then adding it is the best thing you can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 did he make the tank him self if so what silicone did he use? had a friend find out the hard way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 id be picking chlorine here the levels vary from area to area after the earthquakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilobite Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 id be picking chlorine here the levels vary from area to area after the earthquakes +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 It sounds like a chlorine issue to me too. I would say the best way to solve the problem is to use a water conditioner to dose the tank and then when changing water. Otherwise agitating the water in a bucket with an airpump for a hour or two will help disapate the chlorine. Or letting the water stand for a long while (I think it is four plus hours) before adding it to the tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 It would have to be some pretty nasty chlorine to have lasted that long, but maybe it is a heavy metal or some other contamination of the water in the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 65 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Tested for Chlorine and has come back negative. Also since i moved water level and spray bar, we have had no fatalities, and fish are still exploring the bottom and seem fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Sounds like an oxygen issue then, which would be very bizarre in a 165L tank with only 10 neons in it, there is plenty of surface area to support that.. How are measuring the temp of your tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artem Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Wasn't Chloramine added in some parts of Christchurch water after the quakes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zayne Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 well dont buy any more fish till you can determine the problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ismart120 Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 All sorts of stuff was added in the water after the quakes - the tap ph at my place moved around a bit and the chlorine levels are very variable, to the point that I've been double dosing the chlorine remover just in case. Something like that would be my pick (the spray bar would have helped get rid of any chlorine etc too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice222 Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Just wondering, have you been acclimatizing the fish before popping them in the tank? Just wondering since no one else has asked yet, and that could affect how well fish adjust. Btw I think for some fishstores, if your fish die overnight and you're doing everything right: ie acclimatizing the fish, water parameters are fine etc, they MAY replace your fish for you if you ask, but of course that is up to the individual store to decide if they will, but it wouldn't hurt to ask nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Only chlorine has been added and only in some areas. They may have adjusted the pH also but I doubt that. Chloramine is not used in NZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaLife Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 I had the same problem quite awhile ago. Not too sure what went wrong, I keep losing only neons but it's alright now. I think Cardinals are the better option with discus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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