I have freshwater fish, guppies. This is a brand new tank due to the last set dying because,(the pet store said), the tank was too small. Now I have a 10 gallon tank and every couple of days, I find a dead fish. I keep the temp. between 78 and 80 degrees. I am careful about how much I feed them. I used distilled water when I started the tank. I know it is pass the new tank stage. I am just lost as to what is killing them. If anyone can help me figure this out, please email me. The tank was a birthday gift for my son for his birthday, he earned it by A, B honor roll and I don't want him to come home to all his fish being dead again.
Any help would be just wonderful, Thanks! Oh and the PH is correct too.|||I read somewhere that you shouldn't use distilled water in fishtanks as it doesn't have the right minerals that fish need.Maybe that could be the problem?
This site has a chart with some info about distilled water in fishtanks - they don't reccomend it, they're talking about betta's but i think it applies to all fish.
http://www.bettatalk.com/water.htm|||if you could, try and watch how the fish react to each other. some fish will kill others, because of being different breeds.
congrats to your son!!|||Using distilled water is very unhealthy for the fish, as it has none of the nutrients and minerals in the water anymore that keep the fish healthy. Tapwater contains these, and the chlorine and metals can be simply dealt with using conditioner.
Have you done tests for ammonia and nitrite? This can be the only way to be sure the tank is cycled. If there is presence of either, it is not. If you just got the tank I don't see how it can already be cycled - cycling takes over a month. With a new tank, you must start with very few fish to keep the toxins at an acceptable level, and then add more gradually over time.
Make sure you are doing partial water changes with this treated water and not cleaning out the whole tank. Likewise, the filter should be cleaned in de-chlorinated water or replaced only in portions, otherwise you can lose your precious bacteria.
Don't clean the filter at all until the tank is cycled, and do as many water changes as it takes to keep the toxins down, if they are up.
edit: changing pet stores probably won't help. They are about making money and tend to give lousy advice. Always, always, do your own research, and you will walk into the store knowing more then they do.|||your doing everything right. some people i think just are not meant to have fish. lol j/k. but same thing happened to my mom. she gave up and got a guinea pig. get the kid a hamster or guinea pig. lol. but did you clean it befor you pur the fish in the water and did you let the water sit for 24 HRs befor you put the fish in.|||it is probably the temperature of the tank or that the tank is mouldy.|||The first things I spot are the use of distilled water setting it up. Distilled water is not a good idea for an aquarium because it will allow the pH to drop like a rock and also allow it to rollercoaster up and down. I would suggest you start using dechlorinated tap water for your tank. If they tank is less that 5-6 weeks old, it can't be past the new tank stage and have a complete and mature cycle. Combined with the low pH from the distilled water and ammonia in the tank would be a serious problem for the fish to handle. If your pH test kit shows a pH about 6.8 or so then I would suggest the kit is bad and tell you it would be a good idea to have your water tested at the store. Also have them test for ammonia and nitrites. I am fairly sure you will see reading above the safe level for both of those at this stage.
In the mean time, a daily 10-15% water change would be an excellent start.
If I can help further feel free to email me.
MM|||There could be infected fish in the tank, which are spreading the infection to others.
There are general treatments you can add to the water, but if you can describe the exact appearance of the fish, how they behave if they appear ill, how quickly they succumb, a knowledgeable fish store might be able to help you choose something more specific.
The most important thing, which you didn't mention, is to have a quarantine tank or bowl, which you use to keep new fish for a week or two before releasing them into your main tank. If ANY of those quarantined fish die, you don't put the others into the main tank for another week or two, or until you're sure they haven't contracted the disease.|||Your ammonia level may be too high. Take a sample of your water to your local pet store. They will be glad to tell you your level and what is wrong, if anything, with your water.|||your distilled water could be a problem use spring water if you insist on using bottled water. i would start using it asap when you do water changes -- are you testing the water for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites? i am not a big fan of water testing but for newbies it will save a lot of fish. once you get into routine fish keeping you don't need it so much but if you don't have the nack for keeping fish alive you might want to try it.
there are lots of things it could be -- most problems are solved with routine tank maintenance.
once a week - -
wipe down the insides of the tank with a paper towel or sponge made for aquariums -- remove all decorations made of plastic, fabric, ceramic, etc and wash them off with tap water to keep junk from growing on them.
do a gravel vaccuum and remove about 1/4 of the water (a premeasured 2 1/2 gallon bucket works great -- i use a 2 1/2 gallon covered garbage can and it doubles as storage for the gravel vacuum and larger equipment).
replace all the decorations and replace the water.
fin til next week. thats only about 30 minutes a week. its a great way to teach kids responsibility of fish keeping too.|||When this happened to us, we found out that we were cleaning it too much. Talk to the pet shop.|||Dont use destilled water! Maybe you should find a more competent fishstore!
Everyone can have fish. When I got my first tank I felt like I was one of those "just not meant for having fish". Then I realized all you have to do is to get the know-how.
Dont give up! Lots of aquarium plants really did the trick for me.|||You have to know a little about the properties of water. Distilled water maybe distilled through copper pipes, not good. The ph is the exact problem that is killing the fish. Distilled water is just water plain h20, there are no buffering agents in it. When the fish live in the water and the biological system breaks down the wastes it releases that extra hydrogen from the water causing the water to become acidic very quickly. Distilled or reverse osmosis water simply needs the proper buffering salts to be able to absorb the extra hydrogen atom so the ph will be stable. I use reverse osmosis water in my tank. Reverse osmosis water is also plain h2o just a different meathod of achieving the same result as distilling. This is what is sold at the water vending machines in the grocery store or laudromats. I add a three things to the water before I put it in the tank, first R.O. Right and then Neutral Regulator, both are made by Kent Marine. I also use Amquel for the added benefits it has, not that there is a smidgen of chlorine in R.O. water. If you need a higher Ph than 7.0, there is a product for that too, use it instead of the neutral kind. Distilled or reverse osmosis water used alone will not hold ph at all and will kill your fish. Ph is important to keep as constant as possible. Stop trusting the pet stores to give good advice, they don't at all. You will have to research everything on your own. Don't put it in the tank unless you know everything about it, including the water. I know for a fact the ph is never going to be correct unless you buffer that water.|||You didn't say how long that you have had the tank. It takes at least a week before you can start adding a fish or two. It is possible that you have too many fish in it. I would suggest adding some aquarium salt. Add a little at a time. Guppies and mollies kinda need the salt. Hope that this helps.
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