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Here's the details:

Ammonia:0
pH:0
Temp:78


Tank Information

Tank Size 16
Stock List: Had 2 Gourami, 2 livebearers, and 3 zebra
Fish size for larger fish Angel Fish are about 3 inches.
Filtration Whisper 40


The fish that died was found this AM very lethargic, barely moving and struggling. No visable signs on fins/gills. The other angel fish that survived seems alittle green.

Behavior is lethargic.

Remaining angel fish is darker, greenish on gills. Eyes are a bit larger.

What happened?!?!

Let me just confirm something here, what is the pH?

I just went to look. The monitor doesn't have a reading, so I'm thinking it's 0. I'm sure that's wrong somehow. The water is cloudy too. They seem like a blackish/greenish fuzz on them.

Yikes.

A pH of 0 is impossible, as Hydrochloric Acid only has a pH of 2.3. I'm interested in the monitor you're using?

The cloudy water is most probably the result of an algae bloom, perhaps due to some over-feeding?

I'm unsure as to what it could be, it is best to wait for some more advice from some more experienced members of the community before proceeding with any treatments, though.

How about any other water parameters, do you know them? Temp, carbonate hardness, nitrates/nitrites?

And what is the behaviour of the other fish in the tank?

And is that a 16 inch tank?

Post FULL dimensions of your aquarium - length x width x height - and as many parameters as you can obtain.

As for a pH of 0, I think that's a physical impossibility. Strongest acid I encountered in chemistry lessons was fuming nitric acid, and that was at about 1.4 or thereabouts. To generate a pH reading of 0, your water would have to be a massive solution of free hydrogen ions - in fact, it would probably be impossible to pack that many hydrogen ions into any given volume of water ...


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I'm using the Mardel in tank monitor for PH and Amonia. It is a sixteen gallon tank. It's 9 inches in width, 15 inches in height and 22 inches in the front with a bow front. Behavior of other fish - they come up to the front and top acting like they are hungry everytime you get near.

How often/how much do you feed them?

And, how is the Ammonia/pH displayed/measured with that? Is it turned on?

I take that back, just googled it.

How long has the test-kit been in there? The websites say that it only lasts a month.

I feed them 3 times a day, once in AM, afternoon and late night. I feed them about 3 pinches of flakes. The test has been in there for about 2 weeks.

Ohh-kay - that is, IMO, vastly over-feeding them, given your stocking level in that tank. 1 fairly generous pinch, once a day (morning/afternoon/whatever - just keep it to a routine) is definitely enough.

Having had a little look around, and a bit of a read, I'm going to (tentitively) say some form of fungus? I'll defer to another's judgment on this, though.

Ok, so I overfeed them. They seemed hungry. Oops. Learning expierence. Fungus. Lovely. Drugs?

Thats okay, I used to, as well. I'm just seriously hoping mum doesn't do the same thing, now she's got to look after them.

I'd wait before I went and added any medications/etc.

So, the other fish are acting fine? It's just the angels?

And, when you say 'a little green' -> what exactly do you mean? They've got a green-ish tinge to their fins, or is it more of a green-ish shimmer over their body?

That would be greenish fuzz.

Hmm, it is sounding more and more like fungus to me, but I shall momenteraly defer judgment.

To me it seems to be a fungus, you should try putting some Maracyn in their it seems to work good, I cured a bronze cory with a fungus infection with it.

-Vincent

Okay, I've just been talking with a few people about the problems you're having in your tank.
1 - Its safe to assume your pH monitor isn't working.
2 - Its also fairly assured your Ammonia monitor isn't working either, then.
3 - You over-feed, badly. Never feed them more than once a day, and always make sure that all of the food has been eaten. If it hasn't - either siphon or net it out.
4 - Your tank is over-stocked at the moment, and I hate to think what'll happen once they all mature & grow!
5 - The green-ish film is most probably fungus, so grab a decent anti-fungal remedy (preferably not copper-based for your own health). Something that won't hurt, either, is adding some Melafix.
6 - Despite a few mistakes, you did the right thing, and came here and asked. Top marks for this part.
7 - What is your maintenance schedule, just so that can be ruled out as another possible stress/cause?
Cheers,
Alexander

Ok, the fuzz is fungus. The gasping was caused by the fungus, or the ammonia(if the pH cant be monitored right, then we might not be able to trust the ammonia). Ammonia will damage the gills, and the fungus grows on open wounds. If the fins are frayed and damaged, you are likely to have a fungus infestation!

The greenish tinge could be gotten from a dye, or any previous meds you used in the tank. Try to get a larger tank than a 16 gallon for your angelfish, as they need a tall and large tank to fully grow in.

The cloudiness in the water is either the fungus particles(not sure), or most likley the bacteria fighting the ammonia from the excess feeding. Just gravelvac, feed less, and try to move some of the fish out, so that they will be more comfortable.

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Im not sure about melafix, as i never seen it in action, only that i know that it is an ANTI-BACTERIAL treatment for openwounds and infections. A question needed to be asked is whether or not it will kill the GOOD bacteria in your filter and gravel. You need all the biological help you can get, as the ammonia, im assuming, is high. Maybe im wrong, but i would also add a form of stress coat to help them cope with the weakening immune system that your fish exhibited.

STOCKING:At the moment the 2 gourami(if male) are not compatable. Angelfish need a larger tank, and the Zebra, im assuming, is a zebra danio, and those need to be in a larger school. If i were you, id get another taller larger tank, increase the number of danios, move one of the gourami, and add a scavenger, whether or not it is a shrimp or a snail(not bad at all!). I would add an amano or some cherry shrimp to eat the leftovers

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Yikes to everything. I feel awful. My son was sooo upset this AM when he saw 'his fish" die. He's still grieving!!

Anyway, I'm headed to the specialty fishy store tomorrow AM for the stuff, a new filter, a gravel vac, and the drops. OMG. Hopefully, I won't have more dead fish by tomorrow.

Thats good, so long as you learn, and don't repeat the mistakes. And, it was good you asked someone!

How long is it until "tomorrow" (I just don't know timezone differences, etc)?