# Fish dying..



## rich16 (Mar 25, 2011)

So frustrating...

Over the last three weeks, I've lost 2 BN plecos, 1 apisto, 2 cories, and 2 zebra danios. Frustrating part is...I can't tell why. No signs of disease (spots, wounds, fungus, discoloration...) Everyone in the tank is eating seemingly normally...

Nothing has been added into the tank for about 5 or 6 weeks. Only change has been the removal of some plants due to black brush algae that I got tired of fighting. No change in food, feeding schedule..

65 gallon tank.
Sand substrate
ph 6.8
nitrites 0
ammonia 0
nitrates 10-20

temp 76 F

Filtered by an Eheim 2217. Last cleaned the filter about 3-4 months ago, so no new filter media recently...

Did a 50% water change today, and tossed my UV sterilizer back in a week ago...lost the 2nd cory yeseterday, and found one of the dead plecos today..he'd probably kicked the bucket a few days ago.

ARGH...suggestions?


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Sorry to hear. 

Am no expert but someone will ask GH/KH = ?


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## IceBlue (Mar 17, 2011)

So good water quality, healthy looking fish, no signs of illness, (not swimming near surface? I know you would have reported that, wondering if algea was using up oxygen), is it possible it's iron build up? Sorry I got nothing.


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

Did you check how old the test kit is?

About the cleaning of canister filter, you should clean it within 30 days. 3-4 months is a long time in between cleaning. 

How deep is your sand? It could be a release of poison gas while unpluging plants; especially you are using root tab type of fert..

Also, how often you do water changes?

lastly, it could be parasite like call. worm.


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## BCAquaria (Apr 24, 2010)

Do you wash your hands with soap then maybe the residue stays on your hands when you stick your arm in?

I've had an incident once, started rinsing my whole arm before I stick my hand in the tank.

Are you running co2 in the tank also? Could be not enough oxygen in the tank perhaps?


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

charles said:


> Did you check how old the test kit is?
> 
> About the cleaning of canister filter, you should clean it within 30 days. 3-4 months is a long time in between cleaning.
> 
> ...


Hello. agreed, just what i was going to say but better. i clean my filter every month. Cheers


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## rich16 (Mar 25, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback...
The test kit is approximately one year old, an API Master kit.
Sand - I stir it around when I do water changes, which are weekly, however, I didn't think of the poison gas releasing when I pulled out some plants...
I cleaned the filter tonight...
I make a conscience effort to make sure my hands are rinsed of soap residue before I put them in the tank, but that is also a possibility...hadn't thought of that.
No CO2, and no algae using up oxygen.

What would symptons of call. worm be?


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

red worm coming out from the rear.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Do you use carbon in your filter?

Sent from my SGH-T959D using Tapatalk 2


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

very sorry to hear about your losses Rich. I don't really have any advice or ideas, just wanted to say sorry


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## rich16 (Mar 25, 2011)

charles said:


> red worm coming out from the rear.


Nope, it's not that then...



Foxtail said:


> Do you use carbon in your filter?


No



monkE said:


> very sorry to hear about your losses Rich. I don't really have any advice or ideas, just wanted to say sorry


Thanks Mike, it's sure frustrating when there is no apparent reason....


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## mdwflyer (Jan 11, 2011)

as monkE said, that really sucks.


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