Fish dead in less than a day?

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A

Aether

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 4, 2010
10
0
0
Utah
So I just tried to get started with my first fish tank. Bought a 20 gallon Aqueon kit. Washed my gravel / decor and put it in with water and water conditioner. Tossed in a filter and turned on the heater... then let it cycle for three days. After that I went and picked up some fish from the pet store.

After less than 24 hours the fish didn't seem right. One was always at the top of the tank and his fins were all clamped down. The other was just laying on the gravel the whole time.

I ran to the pet store to get advise. Picked up a Nitrate and Ammonia test kit and some salt so I could make the water brackish.

Nitrate and Ammonia tests showed practically zero. I added the salt, but I'm pretty sure one fish is dead already.

The fish were a Black Molly and a Dalmatian Molly.

Black Molly is just laying on the gravel, seems dead, doesn't even seem to be breathing.
Dalmatian Molly is laying on the gravel barely breathing.

What did I do wrong?

Temperature seems steady at 78'ish according to two different thermometers. Can't think of what I did wrong.

Want to fix my problem before I buy new fish. Pretty sad for these ones. Maybe the Dalmatian will pull through... but I doubt it.
 
what kind of water conditioner?
 
Yeah but a few mollies in a brand new twenty gallon shouldn't have caused any nitrogen cycle problems so quickly unless perhaps the filter all wrong for the tank...The water has been sitting for three days with a filter so chlorine and chloramine should safely be ruled out.
 
Let the tank cycle longer, add less fish at once, it takes longer then 3 days to cycle and aquarium. You can buy some instant cycle formula, it won't fully cycle the tank but it'll get you close, only add one fish at a time until its fully cycled. Follow those steps, do a little research and you'll be fine.


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Not to steal ya thunda, but I am a firm believer in Seachem Stability. Had all my tanks up and going in less than a week. Cycled and ready to go. None of the fish died. So you must need to let your tank cycle longer and get some mollies. They do the trick and less likely to die.
 
krichardson said:
Yeah but a few mollies in a brand new twenty gallon shouldn't have caused any nitrogen cycle problems so quickly unless perhaps the filter all wrong for the tank...The water has been sitting for three days with a filter so chlorine and chloramine should safely be ruled out.
Click to expand...

This. It almost certainly wasn't a cycling problem, no way toxins would build up enough in 24 hours to kill the fish.
 
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