# Fish act strange and then one or two die



## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

I noticed last night that a few guppies were acting strange and hiding near the bottom. Two separate tanks have the same problem. Two have died and another one can't swim so it'll probably be three soon.

Everything seems fine:

Ammonia - 0ppm
nitrite - 0ppm
nitrate - 0ppm
pH - 8.0

I don't have time to do a water change at the moment but I will do one later today. I haven't been doing water changes because the nitrates don't seem to go up (I have lots of duckweed).


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

My schedule just changed so now I have time to do a large water change right now. Any advice other than a water change???:fish9:


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Not really, not without more info maybe. I'd do the water change and see if they improve.


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

I did a 50% water change on both tanks. One is a 75 gallon and the other is a 55 gallon. 

I've had a female guppy die in the 75, a male endler and one baby endler die in the 55 and there was a sick female + 2 babies in the 55 that I've moved to a bucket. The sick ones can't really swim and I don't think they'll live so I decided it would be best to separate them from the healthy looking ones. 

The "healthy" fish aren't chasing each other around the tank like they normally do. What information would help?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Do you happen to know what your ph is coming out of the tap? Is 8.0 your normal reading or have you read lower? Did you recently add anything to the tank..rock, driftwood, etc? Using a new type of water conditioner? Anything at all added to the tank that you just started doing? Spray anything in your house like cleaners, bug spray, etc? Could someone else have done anything? What are your normal maintenance practices?


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

My tap water has a pH of 7 but I use seashells to raise the pH a little and add calcium to the water (my tap water is soft). My tank has always had a pH of 8.

I don't know if the guppies really mind neutral soft water but everything seems to say they do better with slightly basic, medium hard - hard water.

I normally just feed my fish and occasionally test for nitrate. My duckweed keeps it so low I haven't had to change my water to lower it --- 10ppm was the hightest it has been. I've done large water changes on the 75 a couple times (weeks ago because my substrate clouded the water). I've been feeding them Wardley spirulina plus (i've been feeding them this for at least 6 weeks) but a few days ago I fed them some omega one freeze dried pacific plankton. I also fed this to some other guppies in a 10 gallon and they are acting normal.

I really don't think anyone else has done anything.


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

I just checked on my fish and they all seem fine now. Should I do another water change tomorrow?

Are diseases that just kill a couple fish and then disappear normal in fish tanks? How do I prevent my fish from getting strange quick diseases in the future?


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

Whatever the problem is I don't think it's fixed because one fish died in the 55 last night and the fish in the 75 are acting strange (hiding/nervous).


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## Fearmancer (Apr 24, 2011)

Ok, you almost certainly cannot have 0 nitrates. Nitrates do not leave the water except by plants or water changes. You would have to have a ton or plants to be 0 nitrates. High nitrates could cause stress which can cause the problems you are desribing. So first thing I would do is check to make sure you are testing properly. Depending on which brand you have, you wil need to VIGOROUSLY shake one or both of your nitrate test solutions for about 45 secs. You can look u your kit online to find out which you need to do. After that post your findings and we'll get this straightened out.


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

My 55 gallon has less than 30 endlers counting fry (hard to count them while they swim). The top of the tank is covered in duckweed and there is anacharis under that. My 75 gallon has less fish/inches of fish per gallon and also has duckweed covering the top.

I have the api nitrate test and I follow the directions. I shake both bottles and I shake the second one longer than it says it needs to be shaken. The test does work because I just tested my dad's tank (he doesn't really take care of it) and the solution turns red. I then tested my tank (twice to make sure) and it stays yellow (0 ppm nitrates).


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## Fearmancer (Apr 24, 2011)

Ok, just wanted to make sure. How long has the tank been set up? Are you running co2 and is it a DIY system or compressed? A pic of your tank would be good too.


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## Fearmancer (Apr 24, 2011)

Also do you use the same buckets, gravel vacs, etc. with both tanks? Any recent changes to either tank?


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

I use the same bucket and tubing. I don't think there have been any changes. Another one died in the 55 but the 75 looks like it might have recovered.


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## Fearmancer (Apr 24, 2011)

Ok. I'm just worried about some type of disease or parasite.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Hard to say what your fish may be going through. You say your water is soft. Have you tested? Kh and gh? Calcium will boost your gh, but not your kh. You kh or carbonate hardness is what keeps your ph stable and should be in the 3-4 degree range minimum. If you do have soft water and you haven't done anything to boost kh your fish could be stressed from ph swings.


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

I forgot to say that the 55 gallon has a pH of 7-7.2 (the plants bump it up a .2 by the end of the day) because I didn't use seashells on it. The 55 has a KH of 4. My tap has the same pH and KH as this tank.


Seashells add calcium carbonate so my 75 has a pH of 8 and the KH should be higher that my tap too because of the carbonate. I haven't used the seashells at all for a few weeks but when I use them the pH doesn't get any higher.


I'll bleach my buckets, nets, and tubing and then rinse them really well before using them again.

None of my fish died today so maybe my fish are recovering. Any suggestions for preventing strange fish problems in the future?


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## Fearmancer (Apr 24, 2011)

Don't bleach. More than likely to be damaging unless you rinse with water that has 4 to 6 times the normal amount of dechlorinator in it. I personally use vinegar and salt.


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## Leopard Gecko (May 9, 2011)

I really don't think vinegar or salt would kill this disease (if it is one) so if I shouldn't use bleach what should I use?


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## Fearmancer (Apr 24, 2011)

You can use bleach. But you have to be very careful about it, which is why I don't recommend it. If you do want to go that route, only use a 5-10% solution of clorox or similer (its already diluted). I'm not sure the ppm but thats how I'd do it. Then after you clean everything soak it in a large container with a LOT of dechlor in it. Then rinse VERY well and then rinse again. I have heard of horror stories about bleach buckets use to clean fish tanks and everything dying (my mom being one of those stories). But live and learn. I really hope you get this figured out. Personally I think its pH swings stressing out your fish. I would check you alkalinity or buffering capacity as soft water can be really low.


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