FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I have a 15 gallon tank that I setup a month or so ago.
I have about 12 fish in there including 'parrot, rope, cory, rainbow shark, 2 severums, 4 dwarf gourmies, pleco, blue ram.
It sounds crowded but they are all small and I have bigger tanks waiting for when they start getting bigger.
Anyway, They were all getting along and doing very well until yesterday when I saw a dwarf just sitting around in the same spot. He didn't seem to be suffocating but I tested the water. PH - just above 6, no nitrate and nitite, the ammonia was discourgingly high. I pur some ammolock in in hopes that if this was the fishes problem, that this can save him. This morning he died and my rainbow and a severum are now doing what the dwarf were doing yesterday.
I did a 10% water change, put more ammolock and stresszyme in the tank and now am just waiting.
Does anyone know if it is the PH, ammonia or something else that is doing this and is ther anything I can do to save my fish?

Thanks much

Joe

First of all, you should move the fish to the bigger tanks. If you can't do that, you should probably add an airstone, espcially if the tank is tall.


Good luck!

It sounds to me like there are two related problems going on. First, it sounds like your tank isn't cycled which is why you have ammonia and no nitrite and nitrate. If you already know all about cycling, forgive me for pointing this out. Otherwise, you should read this: [link=http://www.fishprofiles.net/faq/begin-cycling.asp]http://www.fishprofiles.net/faq/begin-cycling.asp" style="COLOR: #FF0000[/link]. Second, as the previous poster noted, the 15 gallon tank is pretty badly overstocked. Is there a chance you can take some fish back? Otherwise, I think you need a bigger tank and soon!

In the meantime, your best bet is probably water changes to get the ammonia down. You don't indicate how regularly you change water. If you do change water regularly (like weekly), you should probably do a largish water change. Otherwise, I'd start doing small water changes (like 10%) every day to try to get the ammonia down. But this will only buy you some time. Your aquarium needs to cycle and you will need to deal with the overstocking problem.

Hope this helps.

I really appreciate the help.
Believe it or not, as many fish as are in this tank, they are really tiny. No more than 9 inches worth of fish (the tank is a 15 long). If I see any aggression towards each other or if they are getting bigger, than I will trasfer them.
I went to Petland today and they mentioned the PH is the most likely cause. So I got the airstone anyway and the PH UP. Since adding that, about 5 hours have passed and the 2 fish that looked to be on their death bed are flourishing again. The tank has only been up for a month, so I did the first water change today (I wanted to let the cycle finish).
I'm gonna keep what you said in mind though.
Thanks for the help.

well..its not compleltely cycled yet...its just been a month...and the way the tank was stocked and how it was stocked(frequency) could have triggered the problem. 12 fish in a month's time is too short too many. if u could bring some of the fish back to ur lfs...u may want to leave only those hardy fish to continue the cycle and introduce the rest slowly once ur tank get settled.

u may have a relief from airstone by increasing o2 in the tank...and as well as changing the water to reduce ammonia...but that will only prolong the cycle of ur tank. better finish one thing before doing another.

Agression aside, keeping fish in a tank that can potentially outgrow will stunt their growth unforunately

~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is water at the bottom of the ocean

I had read somewhere that it should only take 2 weeks to finish cycling which i've learned from experience that it isn't the case. What is the average time for community fish as opposed to more aggressive ciclids? Thanks

It took me two months to cycle with fish. Mind you, I was seriously understocking when I did it, but it can take a long time. From what I've heard, my experience is not unusual.

I'm not sure I agree with the Petland diagnosis that it was a pH problem. Fish should do fine in most pH. WHat I suspect might have made the difference is the improved aeration because of the airstone. Our of curiousity, what it the pH of your water right out of the tap?