I re-homed one and got a tank for the other where I kept him alone in a brackish setup. Ive never been able to keep the fancy n bug eyed goldfish alive in this tank. They are tiny little creatures with primitive brains and they could do any number of ridiculous, unexpected things. It can also be incredibly frustrating when your fish keep dying. If you buy local, pick fish from healthy tanks with no sign of sickness, parasites, and dead fish. I get a lot of questions from people, betta owners, in particular, telling me their fish is doing … A lot of the fish deaths occurred soon after new fish are introduced. Go easy on special foods and only offer them sparingly. These kits typically measure ammonia, nitrates, nitrate, and pH. So does every other living thing on Earth. I learned this lesson the hard way myself. Some fish are fine with other types of fish, but can potentially have issues with others of their own kind. Your article was very interesting, thank you for the information. Maybe a bit more cataclysmic than the others but it can happen. Or, like me, you may accidentally force your fish to endure a week of technologically deprived hardship. Because betta fish is a carnivore that feeds on live insects in the water. Solution: Get an aquarium air pump. Please help. Certainly require less care and aren't likely to flush your investment (and "pets") down the toilet when the power goes out. Now the same has happened to my other rams and they are all dead. Good luck in the future. Just like when you add a new betta to your tank, whenever you perform a 100% water change, your betta needs to acclimatize. One problem is the often-repeated “one-inch-of fish-per-gallon” rule. It’s a beautiful moment when you add your first fish and watch them puttering happily around their new home. You can scroll down to learn more about each. You killed the beneficial bacteria in your aquarium. There are two ways to go about choosing an aquarium. If you do not have time to constantly feed your betta you can buy them some food in their tanks and give them a daily meal. Molly fish absolutely love eating and seem insatiable, so it can be difficult to resist the … If multiple fish died shortly after a water change, then they must be in shock. As long as only one fish died (out of many) at a time in a long time (weeks, months), you should sleep well knowing it is not your fault. You might also want to relocate the sick fish to a separated tank if you are not sure it is contagious. They overbreed them, feed with cheap fish food. That would be power failures. I get a lot of questions from people, betta owners, in particular, telling me their fish is doing something weird and asking if it is sick. There are several ways to do this, and you may have received instructions with your new tank. They are not necessarily in any order. However many are not very common and lot of them are preventable. In other cases, the middle-man keep fish in poor conditions. Eric Dockett (author) from USA on September 05, 2020: @Katheen - I couldn't possibly guess unless you give me more information about your tank. You purchase them as small juveniles, and they grow into monsters. Without it, the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle won’t start. Sometimes you can’t know, but there are some typical signs you can look out for. Not saying you should skip sleep if you have made a mistake. Most aquariums really don’t require that much work, once you get them up and running correctly. I suspect bad care at the pet store, any suggestions or agreements? I'd probably try sticking with the thriving fish for a while, and measuring water parameters every day or every other day. The first is to decide on a tank based on the space you have, and then stock it with appropriate fish. So, it ends up fouling the tank water. Just a few hours like this and it's curtains for the fish, God forbid you are away and can't get home quickly. When analyzing a fish kill and you want to eliminate disease as the cause of death, the first clue will be to look for dead single species of fish … Overfeeding is one of the biggest problems in fish tanks, especially smaller ones. Guess if you have a lot invested might as well invest in a backup generator. If the water becomes contaminated with these items, fish will suffer. But we have covered the most common ones. Hi, I have molly fish that keep giving birth to dead babies, they’ve had about 30 odd babies. Today I had 2 dead loaches. You always want to do partial water changes, and there is rarely a reason to remove the fish from the tank. This is a problem often seen when bettas are kept in tiny aquariums, but it can happen in any tank. Good luck! A single bottle can last for a very long time. He dived less than 5 minutes after transferring him to the tank. More food than it is needed can also cause water pollution and create more toxic ammonia and nitrite which will kill the fish too. I just put them in a small cup of water and let them sit until they are fully defrosted. Hi Linda, When you brought the fish home from a pet shop, or from elsewhere, it is usually in a plastic bag of water. Eric Dockett (author) from USA on April 23, 2020: @Almc - Have you tested the water in your tank? Both will increase to a very high concentration before they decrease. You can’t beat yourself up over it. But, in most cases, following the practices outlined in this article such as avoiding overfeeding and stress and keeping the tank and water clean will help a lot with keeping your fish disease-free. Water PH and water hardness can also affect them if there is a sudden large swing. This means each gallon of water in your tank can safely house one inch of adult fish. So on warm summer nights during algal blooms, the dissolved-oxygen concentration sometimes drops too low for the fish, and a die-off can occur.This can occur as a result of purely natural conditions or because of human activity that results in adding nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, to water systems.Nutrients come from many sources: fertilizers, automobiles, sewage, manure, and others. Fin Rot Symptoms – Your goldfish will show signs of fin rot if they have ragged, torn, or red-streaked fins. Sometimes we learn lessons the hard way, but don't worry. I hope this article was helpful for those who have lost fish and are trying to figure out why. An aquarium filter is mandatory. Today I did my normal water change about 8 hours ago. Now the tank is contaminated. Fish die as a result of a wide variety of natural and unnatural causes. I have a 3 gallon tank with a 24/7 filter, heater, and thermometer. Though it may not seem like it, there is usually a good explanation for a fish dying. But how can you know if your fish are stressed? Did you cycle your fish tank and filter? Most tropical fish can adjust to different pH levels in a well-maintained tank, but you need to do your research to make sure you aren’t setting your new fish up for failure. After Hurricane Sandy a few years ago we were without power for days and I lost some beautiful fish. While there are ways to naturally or chemically alter the pH in your tank, in some cases you are best off dealing with the hand you are dealt. I once had a beautiful cichlid tank. Eric Dockett (author) from USA on January 29, 2019: @Marc1759: Paradise gourami are aggressive fish. Since fishes have no body heat, they are sensitive to sudden changes in water temperature. Your fish was already half dead when you bought them. Fish died in shock because there is a sudden large change in water temperature, PH, hardness, etc. Water parameters? I would not add any more fish for now. I hope it goes better for you next time. You can just look at the numbers. Next day, more dead. Fish died to unsuitable fish food The average lifespan of aquarium fish after leaving the shop is no more than 3~4 weeks. It's just over a year old. They can’t sustain themselves by eating rice, bread, or any random human foods. A few dead fish floating on the surface of a pond or lake is not necessarily cause for alarm. They are sold as food for other fish so they only need to stay alive long enough to be taken home and put in for the other fish. None of which is suitable for fish keeping. Fish won’t like the sudden change, and they can get in shock. We have all been there. According to the statistics, 63 percent of aquarium fish die suddenly when they get infected with the bacteria responsible for causing this deadly health condition. It is likely you brought fish diseases to your fish tank with the new feeder fish. In a closed system, ammonia can’t go anywhere but to build up. Dumb! You need to review what you have done wrong. Of course that could be another issue. Disease. They need mostly easy to digest source of protein and fat. Unless you are an experienced fish keeper, I advise only offering bloodworms as an occasional treat. In some cases, as with ich (which is actually a parasitic infection), the disease is contracted from another infected fish. Just do weekly partial water changes for several months and you should be fine to add a new fish. Anything that makes a plant grow makes algae grow, and a nitrogen-rich food supply will turn your tank greener than an angry Bruce Banner. I'm having some trouble with my mollies suddenly dying. Eric Dockett (author) from USA on May 15, 2018: @Suhail - Sadly, I think you are probably right. Along with choosing the wrong size tank, choosing tankmates that don’t get along can be a big problem for beginners. You’re going to do dumb things. For example, ick, mouth rot, fin rot, gill fluke, etc. They are available everywhere. I went to Petsmart and they told me to get a heater and then continue the ICK treatment. In a brand-new tank, there is no microbe colony yet. It is when a perfectly healthy marine fish suddenly dies, for no apparent reason. Uneaten food decays, fouling the water. Fish Tuberculosis (TB) Fish TB comes second to poor water quality when it comes to the unexplained deaths among goldfish. Common goldfish diseases, poor water quality, overcrowding, sudden temperature changes, fin nipping, or aggressive fish can all cause the immune system to lower and fin rot to develop. You mentioned the water parameters are in good shape, which has to be tough with 4-5 growing goldfish in a 30g. It is important to review your tank management practices when you lose a fish and make changes where necessary. In this case, less is better. Two days later, that 12 inch (30 cm) koi died. New tank, new fish, but one looks like he went under the water filter and it upside down, looks like my tank, not water turned cloudy. In really bad situations the deaths could occur overnight, but typically they will happen over a few days or a week. Overall, fish should not die too quickly in large numbers around the same time. However, most fish can’t last that long. Pollution also builds up more quickly. Solution: Do a partial water change of 30~50% once a week to keep nitrate in check, and it is also to keep the changes in water more gradual. It might be kinder to let your fish die … I tried to cover all of the reasons aquarium fish die, but if you think I missed something let me know in the comments and I will try to help. Maybe you are just pushing the stocking a little too far? Copyright 2018, Pet Fish Club. Because some types of fish are bred in large numbers you will sometimes find issues with the stock in a particular store. But I forgot to turn the power to the tank back on when I was done with maintenance. Let's start with the easiest, poor environment. I do regular weekly water changes of around 40% as the tank is well stocked. I suggest researching the nitrogen cycle and the different methods of cycling a new aquarium in order to decide how you’d like to proceed. Overfeeding. They have a symbiotic relationship with the fish. These fish died as a result of an oxygen depeletion which was caused by too much organic matter accumulating faster than water can process. Have seen many of them and called them out on it. Many fish farms have poor conditions for their fish. Used correctly, bloodworms are a great source of calories for tropical fish. They might die soon after they left the antibiotics filled water even if you do everything right. If your fish suddenly develop a tendency to hide, however, it could be an indication of a problem in your tank. In the following, we will discuss the top 13 most common causes of aquarium fish deaths and how to avoid them. The important thing is to learn from it and not do it again. 1. My water temp is about 80*.... Is there anything else I need to be doing?? I had five or four Cat Cora's change the water out yesterday turn the light off this morning they're all dead what happened they were fine I don't know can you help. Whenever you lose a fish it is an opportunity to revisit your tank management and care practices, and that’s true whether you are a newbie or an experienced fish keeper. If you really want to keep fish, don't give up. Fish aren’t the only organisms that live in aquariums. Another example is, some marketers sold betta fish in a flower vase with a plant. Everyday there are 1-3 fish dead including one of my cory catfish. Within the past week, I have had two zebra danios die on me. A tank that’s too small for its inhabitants can cause stress, promote disease, pollute quickly and lead to the premature death of your fish. Swordtail fish are among the most common choices when one sets up an aquarium. The more you feed your fish, the more waste they produce. By Felix Gertz [GFDL or CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons. As a result, these fish are weak. Also make sure to include sinking pellets for the scavengers, and algae wafers for plecos, otos and the like. It is the most frequently asked question about aquarium fish. It is easier to talk back and forth to find the problem. At least they got fed. If you need help to investigate, please start a thread on the forum. I have tried to research how to fix it but I can’t find a solid solution. It is for biological filtration. Ive had an established goldfish tank for over a year and occasionally a fish dies off with no reason Google can explain. I have a 55 gallon tank with an assortment of tropical fish as well as cat cory's, a peacock eel and rainbow shark. Solution: Feed the fish only once a day, with no more food than they can eat in less than a minute. I have a 30 gal breeder tank, started it last February and made sure it cycled before I added any fish (so, first fish were added in Feb). Smart again! Again treated water for ick and re filtered. Why is native fish stocking so important to the management of lakes and ponds? the need to hire perso… With a fully cycled sponge filter. This is often because a tank hasn’t been cycled correctly. Have you tested your water parameters? At that point I'd expect to have to do partial water changes every day to keep the water clean, until the microbe colony in the tank catches up to the extra fish. So, for example, if you have a ten-gallon tank, you can have five two-inch fish. 1. Medicate? Solution: Do fishless cycling before adding any fish. Unfortunately, what some novice aquarium owners do is a combination of both. When decorating your tank try to strike a balance … I should have done my homework before buying. The fish will pick at it until it is gone, but frozen food isn’t the best thing for them. Also, a lot of fish deaths took place after a massive water change. There was one white spot on one of the other fish that died but that is all I … It has started to harass the geophagus. Some people feed fish random food items such as rice and bread. There a lot of reasons why a koi may die. The average life expectancy of a swordtail fish is 3 to 5 years. Most of the quick deaths of fish are due to shock. You have not cycled the new aquarium/fish tank/filter. Overnight i witnessed him get black spots with his fins tucked and the next day he was belly up. Like all animals, aquarium fish can suffer from congenital issues that doom them from birth. If you notice changes to its appearance like ragged fins, bloating, inflammation of the gills or mouth, tiny white spots all over the body or anything else that clearly isn’t right, get on the web and search those symptoms and see if you can find out what’s going on. Hi Paula, Somehow most of the fish died within weeks after purchase. Solution: You must “acclimate” the fish slowly to give them time to adapt to the new water. Some other fish died after a large feeding. Suhail Zubaid aka Clark Kent from Mississauga, ON on May 14, 2018: I personally think that most of these conditions are caused by irresponsible owners who get an aquarium for the beautiful tropical fish and then forget all about it as the time goes by. Since fishes have no body heat, they are sensitive to sudden changes in water temperature. I am sorry to hear it. Treat the infected fish as soon as possible with proven working fish meds. Solution: Just buy a bottle of aquarium water conditioner. Fish died due to ammonia poisoning because there is no aquarium filter. Ive done 2 treatments. Or did you use some chemicals in the cleaning process? Two days later i find my fancy goldfish floating. Eric Dockett (author) from USA on April 17, 2019: @Evelyn - Can you explain exactly what you did to to clean the tank thoroughly? Yay frogiee! Keeping them in a school reduces the chance that predators, or in this case bully fish, will single out one fish to attack. Correction in my first comment I said 3 gallons it’s actually 5 gallons. 6. The fish from the better source is naturally more expensive, but they worth the extra cost since they do not drop dead like flies. Gouramis can be territorial and bully others of their kind. Everything was fine until the sudden death started yesterday. Betta might be hungry enough to chew on the plant roots, just like humans in famine might eat grassroots and tree skin. Their poop along with leftover fish food will rot and produce more ammonia. I have had my 40 gallon take for two years. Hi I did a water change 2 days ago and seven of my fish died last night but I did everything the right way when you do a water change. If all the fish died within 8 hours or so, then they must be in shock from something. These microorganisms help to break down the waste in the tank and keep the water healthy. With some supplements such as bloodworm and brine shrimp as nutrition treats. There are other causes for fish to die in an aquarium. If you want to restart, you need to do fishless cycling first. In both cases, the fish kill seems to finally occur overnight when dissolved oxygen levels are lowest. Many of them died within days, or even within hours. Your tank is not be fully cycled, and it sounds like your bacterial colonies aren't developed enough to manage the waste . Lack of dissolved oxygen isn’t the only reason a fish population can die off suddenly. Solution: Buy healthy fish from a reputable source. What’s different during this water change compare to the previous? Scenario One: The New Fish Dies Suddenly. It is normal to feel discouraged, but remember that the most important thing is to learn something, so that your future fish are better off. 11. What can I do to alter the aggressive behavior? When no fish were left, suddenly the water got extremely clear. He died two days ago. It’s not so great the next morning when you find your pretty new fish lifeless and stuck to the filter intake. Solution: Never change 100% of the water, and never take the fish out during the water change. You don’t have to guess if something is off; you can see it clearly reflected in the water-quality readings. The next two issues I’ll cover are feeding and tank management. That is, all of their fish tanks use one central filter system. Fish died because they are unhealthy, to begin with (poor choice of where to buy the fish from is a mistake too, right?). Some fish are territorial and will chase any other fish in their claimed area. All chlorine and nitrites removed. There are hundreds if not thousands of fish parasites and diseases out there. Other culprits may include disease, sewage runoff, high salinity caused by excess rain and more. Learn, and move on. Your monthly maintenance routine should include: Water changes are an important part of aquarium care that can't be overlooked. Therefore, if you intend to have 20 fish in your tank eventually, add four or five a week over several weeks and give the bacteria colony time to keep up. However, I think it is too easy for many aquarium owners to make mistakes with them and end up with bad results. When the "turnover" or mixing happens quickly, such as a sudden, heavy downpour, it results in much less oxygen throughout the entire pond and causes fish to die. c. The water temperature is too high. Fish naturally die in water, rather than drowning on land. Or get a bottle of live bacteria products such as Tetra SafeStart to jump-start the aquarium nitrogen cycle. Sometimes, fish still died when we have done everything right. I find that a fish dying suddenly is a very rare occurrence. We are all human, and we all make mistakes. If you keep it simple and worry more about overfeeding than underfeeding you’ll be doing all you need to do to keep your fish healthy and well-nourished. In this article, you’ll read some of the common reasons tropical fish die too soon. For a freshwater community tank you want to strive to keep your ammonia and nitrite levels at zero, and your nitrates below 20 ppm. Eric Dockett (author) from USA on March 20, 2020: @Rose - I hope so too, and I hope this article helped a little. We can avoid most fish deaths by preventing the beginner mistakes. Tap … Since the majority of the fish in aquarium fish trade are tropical fish, they are more sensitive to the water temperature. It is the most common cause of death for aquarium fish, and managing stress is a key part of keeping your fish healthy. The situation described at the beginning of this article, where all or many of your fish die, is common in new tanks that haven’t been prepared for fish the right way. There could be issues with the supplier, or how the store handles the stock. 30 gallon tank and a 40-60 gallon filter. So, when should you start worrying that your fish is sick? Hi, I need help. Remember, a lake is a complex system that must maintain a delicate balance. This can lead to big problems in your tank, and the loss of some beautiful fish. Can you help? It can greatly increase the rate of gas exchange between the water and atmosphere. Managing a tropical fish tank is a lot of fun, and very rewarding. I have a 10 gallon fish tank with a betta and a water frog. I have a 20 gallon tank that, for the past year and a half, has been home to 6 tetras and 3 blue rams. In 2 hours the aerobic bacteria in your filters die off from lack of oxygen, the tank temperature soon drops to room temperature and a tank full of fish quickly depletes any oxygen dissolved in the water. As you’ll see, there are many factors that impact the stress level for your aquarium inhabitants. The Logician from now on on May 14, 2018: Yeah, we had a snow storm knocked power out for a week and wiped my fish out as I was out looking for fire wood. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Eric Dockett (author) from USA on May 27, 2020: @save my fish - It is hard to guess based on the info you've given. Also I realize I should quarantine new fish and won’t make that mistake again. If you cleaned everything completely your tank is going to have to cycle again. One koi was about seven inches (18 cm) and he held out long, but finally died, leaving just the one koi left. I’ve been using sulfaplex to treat fungal/parasitic infection, but it’s not helping. Learn to do water changes properly so you aren't shocking your fish with too much cold water or too much new water that will upset the microbe colony. After over 25 years in the live fish business, we are here to help. This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. They are the “sacrificial” first fish … In both cases, the fish were behaving completely normally the last time I saw them, and within twelve hours were dead. Find out why beautiful aquarium fish die and what you can do about it! This one causes a lot of confusion, worry and sometimes misplaced blame.