# fish dying help please



## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

So we went to the fish store on Sunday and bought 6 guppies for my 20 gallon tank added them in later that night. Everything seemed to be fine until Wednesday night one of the guppies was acting a little funny just hanging out at the bottom of the tank kept a eye on it but by the am it had died. i was upset so last night i took my water to the local fish store and had the water tested and they said the water perfect. Here are the numbers they gave me 
PH 7.0
Ammo 0
nitrte 0 
nitrate 30
so they just figured that the fish may have been just sick and told us that it was okay to add more fish in the tank. So we bought one clown sucker fish (not sure of the real name) but it stays pretty small and 2 other red fish i cant think of the name off the top of my head.. well as of this am the sucker fish has died can anyone help me with some ideas on why my fish keep dyeing
Thank You


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

Your parameters are good. How old is this tank?

How are you acclimating the fish to your aquarium?


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

my tank is about 2 months old.. i did what they said to do at the store and put the bag in the tank for a couple of hours... is that wrong


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

Couple hours is a bit long. But more importantly, are you slowly mixing in tank water while you float the bags?


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

No that is something i did not do... could that have been my mistake?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

http://www.aquariumforum.com/f2/drip-acclimating-fish-11327.html
There is more to acclimating fish than just temp.
And you shouldn't pick fish by color as that offers no gaurentee they will get along.
Try looking at references and picking fish with knowledge of their needs and ability to get along.
At least ask if this fish will get along with what I have?


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

It's possible. Even if not, help them out by adding a half cup of tank water every five minutes. Second time and every time after, take a half cup out of the bag before you add the tank water. Dump water from the bag in a bucket. Do that for 30 minutes. When you are ready, dump the fish into a net and let the bag water go in that bucket. Place net in tank and let your new friends enjoy you good tank water.


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

Thank you very much Cam!!! i do ask all the time if they will get alone with what i have in my tank before i even buy them i just don't remember what the name of them were off the top of my head.. Cam i also have a question i have a bio wheel filter and i have notice while doing a water change that there is carbon floating in my water is this normal?


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

No. Check your filter media. You must have a hole in the carbon containment filter.


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

i bought a 3 pack and i looked at them all and there are slits in the back and the carbon is just falling out of them.. should i take it out till i can get to the fish store to get a new one


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

BTW.... that drip-acclimation method Bandit linked is the best method, especially for species that are more sensitive to water changes than more hardy ones. If you aren't sure, use the drip method.


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## Jim Albright (Jan 22, 2013)

Did you put the water from the lfs in your tank? I wouldve gotten a test of the LFS water and see how it was compared to yours....


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

No water from anywhere else should ever enter your aquarium.To add water from LFS(which they just about tell you to do if they give any acclimation tips at all) is to invite strangers into your home(not a good idea).CAMs pour them into net over bucket and use cup to add your water to bag will definately help avoid mixing yours with theirs.


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

I just did a water change this am and going to go back to the fish store hopefully today or tomorrow and have it tested again... ugh i am sooo upset with myself today over this.. my other question though is why is the carbon coming out of the filters is this going to be bad for my fish.. i bought the replacement filters for my pump but now there is black stuff floating in my tank. should i take them all back to her and see what she says or should i buy a different kind.. I bought Marineland right side c black diamond premium activated carbon.. this is a different filter then the one that came with the pump.. Thanks again everyone


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

If you're willing to do regular water changes(recommended),then there is no need for carbon in your filter.Most here use carbon to remove medications from water and that is all,as the effectiveness of even very good carbon(many different grades available) is very short usually from as little as 10 days to maybe a month max.Changing water weekly will achieve the same result and make your fish and aquarium healthier.
All your test levels were very good so most likely explanation of deaths is the acclimation process.
Sorry about your fish.


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

And to your other question... no, having some carbon floating in your water is not going to harm the fish.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Carbon needs to be washed before put into a filter, because carbon is dirty with carbon dust that will run right out of the carbon pouch into the tank. It's not harmful, but it is annoying.

Are you dechlorinating/conditioning the new water you put into your tank when you change the water?


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

Yes i condition my tank and do a water change every week.. Hear is another question the filter that i got when i bought the Bio wheel is different then the replacement filters that i bought.. ever since i put this new filter in i feel like my tank has not been as clean as it was before but hear is where i am confused i can not find the other filter anywhere. Also you said that i don't need the carbon as long as i do water changes every week so what type of filter should i be running in the pump? sorry for all of the questions...


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

What brand is filter(model will help also)?
If there is a plastic cage(frame)inside filter replacements then you could use "cut to fit" blue pads .Just remove material on frame and re wrap blue pad.This will probably sound diffacult or unclear but is not complicated and will save you money.


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

i have a Penguin 200 filter on my tank right now..


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

could you explain how to do that a little bit better?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

If there is a frame(plastic on the inside of filter cartridge)then you could pull off all the padding and material attached to it(leaving you with skeleton plastic frame".Cut to fit "is exactly what it will say on the largest blue filter pad most any store will sell.Cut it to be able to wrap around frame or cut it to fit so that water pushes it to the frame.Zip ties will help hold it in place.
Fish & Aquarium Supplies: Filter Cartridges Top RT. corner penguin rite size filters.
These should be replacements for your filter.You just need to know whether your A,B,C,D.


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## audigirl4.2 (Jan 15, 2013)

so i bought the wrong filters when i was at the fish store i need to go back and grab the right ones... thank you for all of your help today


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