Hi there,I hope someone can help?We lost a Platty last week and a Pearl courami today from our community tank.Both fish appeared fine with nothing obvious.All oehter fish appear fine.Any thoughts?

What other fish are in the tank? How often to do you do water changes? What are the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings?

Gourami,Neons,Peguin tetra,Glowlights.Water changes about 3 weekly,one done a week before Platty died.Don't take readings as was told at fish shop no need once water was set up at start.

Is it necessary to take all these readings and if so how and what to do if readings are out of range?

How long has the tank been setup and what size is the tank?

What type and size filter are you using?

What numbers of the other fish are in the tank and do you have live plants to help soak up some of the nitrates?

Any shop that knows it's stuff should know that Ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings are the first things asked for in trying to diagnose a problem in the tank, i know there are some Master test kits on Trade Me at the moment sold by Pet Planet that are about the best value around.

Personally 3 weeks seems quite long between water changes, i do 20% weekly in all my tanks, if the other fish are looking uncomfortable at all water changes are the best way of diluting excess chemicals.

Taking the readings when a problem arises helps determine the cause of the problem. I don't do them regularly otherwise.

As to water changes. Since it was a week after the last water change this in itself will not have been the cause (and more fish would be affected). My tropical community is lucky if it gets 4 water changes a year!

My tropical community is lucky if it gets 4 water changes a year!

I hear what you're saying Caryl, but thats probably not the sort of thing you wanna advertise too much in this type of thread. Not everyone knows what you know; I can just see all the fish newbies packing away their buckets and not changing their water again

LS

Of course the water change bit depends on tank size versus stocking levels (also plants to use up the nitrates)

I prefer to do regular water water changes, 1 3ft tank has 70 or more growing b/nose but suppose i could do a lot less changes on my 4ft considering there are 180 less guppies than there were a few mths ago but i enjoy doing the changes and spending time with the fish. Makes me laugh having a zodiac loach following and picking at the vacuum and swordtails trying to pull the hairs out of your arms.

True pearlyred. My tank is relatively lightly stocked and well planted with good filtration.

I will also add that although the fish survive, and appear happy, they rarely breed so water changes are important if you want your fish to reproduce!

So far no more dead fish.I have a new filter coming as checked old one and not working that well.

It has sponge rubber and activated charcoal in it.Is there something better to put in a filter than Charcoal and Sponge?

I only use carbon when setting new tank up as water in CHCH is chem free. I full my filters up with bio balls or cermic noodles with filter floss before and after. Use sponge from old filter in new so you are'nt re starting the cycle with 100% new filter.

Thanks for that.The new filter has a cartridge that is quite small in surface area but it is 200ltrs per hour.Am I better to fill filter with media and floss instead of using cartridge?

One of by Gourami has started sitting on the bottom of the tank-is this normal?

Have you tested your water yet? I'd strongly recommend you buy a master test kit, or at the least take a sample of your water to the LFS and get them to test it for you. Testing your water can help to eliminate a lot of problems, or on the other hand will tell you exactly whats wrong. Its worth it!

Post your results when you're done.

Water all tested and Ok.No more losses touch wood.