we just got a new fish tank (36-gallons), and so far we've had to take 3 fish back to petsmart, and now 2 more are on there way dead!!! for some reason all the fish that haven't died, well haven't died, and the ones that have, well have!! so what the heck is the problem? :( the fish that are dying are the sucker fish (picasomist or something) and some yellowish ones with stripes (sorry idk what they are).
we have the tank filled all the way, about 9, 1-inch fish at this moment (including dying ones)
a shipwrecked boat, some plastic plants, a hallow skull, and a treasure chest (idk if that matters... -_-) plz help meh :(
Ohhh, sorrry, maybe the fish tank is new, just put the water in the fishtank for about 30 minutes with the heater on and maybe tablets to reduce the chlorine and make the water safe, I think they are tablets called tank buddies and the liquid is called tetra safe, I think it helps your fish, maybe the water is more acidic, try removing the water, and add new water, Try removing the dead fish, too, and cleaning the water, maybe they also need air, bubbles, try not to turn the light on for about 3 days, try feeding them without the light on, maybe they cn gain confidence, some fish feel very sad when they leave the stores. Plecostamous fish fish eat special food, they eat algae, oohhh, another thing that your fish might like a lot but it's a little expensive are the hikari blood worms, they are a type of food that almost all fishes like, our plecos even eat them, Goldfish, Gouramis, Angelfish, Bettas, Cichlids, Plattys, Tetras, Danios, Barbs, and maybe others, Do not worry, let it all in the hands of God, and it will be okay. Also for a cleaner fish tank even if says that 36 gal tanks only need one filter, try to buy 2 filters and try to make them run at the same time, this helps a lot too, try to buy the 20 or 30 dolar ones at petco or at walmart, I do not know, maybe they sell them at petsmart too. I hope this helps a little bit, I am sorry for your losses, Everything will be okay.
- TPD
Ok they are both right and wrong. Here's why:
When you get your first tank you have to do something called "Cycling the tank" That means you get the Nitrogen Cycle started and working BEFORE you put anything in (other than the sacrificial fish). What the Nitrogen Cycle does is converts fish waste (Ammonia usually) to Nitrates, and from Nitrates to Nitrites. This cycle take about a month to complete properly, and while there are shortcuts like taking prt of the filter media from an already established tank or a handfull of gravel from the bottom of that tank, it is best to do it properly and have regular water changes done by a reliable and trustworthy store, Petco is NOT in my opinion one of those, they are akin to Wal-mart. Now there are many other factors that could be the culprit, like Ph shock, this is where the Ph of the water is different from the water in the tank by a significant factor. I have seen water in fish bags as much as 4 or 5 points different than the tank water (3.6 vs. 7.6). Ph mean Power of Hydrogen and all types of fish have a range they fit in, based on geographic location, as in are they from African (there are 4 in this group being Malawi, Tanganykan, and Victorian for the Lakes and Riverine), South American, Central American, Asian, Australian and so on. The geographic location of the fish will also determine the temperature, type of water (black water, hard water or soft water (Water Hardness) This is also another possible culprit, water chemistry. If you are fortunate enough to have a good store like "That Fish Place" or "Something Fishy", these are found on the web or in the advertising section of FAMA (Freshwater and Mariane Aquarium) magazine and is worth reading. Once you are in the very end of the 2nd week, very start of the 3rd week, this would be where you put the sacrificial fish in, these are usually feeder goldfish or White Clouds, or Zebra Danios as they are extremely plentiful, and cheap. Once you are done the cycling of your tank you should have no problem with fish deaths from that, unless you go and get fish from different geographic locations, for example you would NEVER EVER mix a South or Central American Cichlid with an African Cichlid, that African would get killed in very short order.
And the Suckermouthed catfish is called a PLECOSTOMUS or Pleco.
Please do the following for me, invest in some good books on fish in general, anything by Herbert Axelrod is an excellent place to start, Dr. Axelrod is one of the MOST important men in the hobby as he collected and raised well darn near every thing we have available to us today, with the exception of the newer fish that came out in the last 10 years or so. If you are looking at going for the South or Central American Cichlids there are a few different authors out there, most are good. TFH Press are good. If you want the attitude and parental care of the African world then Mr. Ad Konngs is the guy for you, Called the Godfather of African Cichlids for a reason, he has collected and bred from all 3 lakes in African and operates Cichlid Press, another excellent source for information. This website is good: http://www.cichlidforum.com/.
Sorry for the really long answer but that really is the best way to go. As Mike Holmes says "Do it right the first time".
i would recommend having your water tested - there could be something in the water that is affecting your fish - just go to a pet store with a sample of water, they should be able to help you! Also, are the larger fish attacking the others? Also, aquarium salt is awesome at balancing things out in the tank! good luck
Ditto the comment about the tank not being cycled.
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.ht...
What you should do now is some large partial water changes (use water conditioner for the new water). Dont buy any more fish at the moment. Get a water test kit so you can monitor what water changes are needed.
By giving your fish fresh water you should be able to keep them alive untill the tank settles down and the nitrogen cycle starts working.
Dying Fish - Should I flush? [Archive] - Pet forum for dogs cats ::
13 posts - Last post: Jan 2, 2006My fish is dyingI think. It's been a few days that it's floating upside down. :-D Also, that stuff that kills algae also kills fish.
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Some fish are handling the poor water conditions better than others, but the first few weeks are the most difficult part of setting up a tank. If you dont cycle the tank artifically then you have to be very carefull adding new fish. Only a couple to start with, and let the biological cycle in the tank get started. Then you can build up the numbers.
Ian
well your sucker fish are dying because you don't have established algae in your tank. If it is new. And I don't know what to tell you about the yellowish one with stripes because you didn't give enough description.
Make sure you use the water treatment stuff called start right or it will kill the fish. Make sure you have a bubbler or filtration system. Plus some fish just die its hard to get a couple of good ones.
It sounds like you've got new tank syndrome, caused by putting new fish in before the biology of your water is stable.
Fish waste breaks down into ammonia and nitrite, both of which are poisonous in certain quantities. In established aquarium water, beneficial bacteria in the filter, substrate, and water help break these harmful substances down. You need to run your filter at least 24 hours before putting in new fish in order to facilitate the establishment of beneficial bacteria. It's equally important to slowly add in fish, so the bacteria can grow and adapt to an increased volume of waste.
If you are new to fish keeping, you might want to take a sample of your water to an aquarium hobby store and get it tested for chemical content, just to make sure you're using the correct water treatments.
As a side note, make sure that the fish you are buying are active and show no preexisting signs of illness (white fuzz, fin rot, irregular swimming, gasping for breath, cloudy eyes). In addition, before you put your fish into the tank, float the bags so the internal and external water temperatures can equal out. Quick temperature changes can shock and sometimes kill small fish.
Check out this link for more information on new tank syndrome: http://www.bestfish.com/breakin.html
what kind of fish are there in the tank? you may have an aggressive species thats killing off other fish. Have you fully cycled the tank? If you just set up a tank and threw in a bunch of random fish that arent "hardy" this could be why (this is probably why since its a new tank). Make sure you test the water often, you probably have a lot of ammonia built up, the biological filter hasnt established and the fish you have in it arent hardy enough to withstand the ammonia levels. If you're new to the hobby you really need to understand how the nitrogen cycle works and learn about the fish you're putting in before you buy them. The "sucker fish" may be a pleco of some kind (which get big!) but they are hardy and should be okay for the cycle, the yellowish one with stripes may be clown loaches (which get big and will need at least a 55 gal tank). Really understand what fish you're buying before you put it in the tank. If you just set up the tank I would advise you take back your fish, get a refund and buy some good fish to cycle the tank such as zebra danios, guppies, platies or swordfish. Do an online search for how the nitrogen cycle works, and while your tank is cycling figure out exactly what you want in your tank and if they're compatible species. If this is your first tank and you do it right it will be much more rewarding and hopefully you'll stay in the hobby, many beginners make the mistake of setting up a tank and just putting in fish they think look cool and this is a big reason why people leave the hobby just as quick. Hope this helps, feel free to email me if you need any more help
It's important to cycle a new tank before you put fish in.
Maybe this site can give you some helpful info:
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php
Good Luck!
since you dont know your fish's names i doubt you have done enough research about there tank requirements
 Nobody understands...any help please?
 50 points for someone willing to do this!!!!!!!!!!?
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Why are my fish dying!!!!? D:?