My fish keep dying!?

[LBDave]

Do you use Prime? You say ammonia is 0.25? I'm just wondering if tank is really cycled. Looks like nitrates are being produced but tank may not have enough bacteria for current bio load. If you are using Prime it will "neutralize" the ammonia/ nitrites but only for 2-3 days. You can do more frequent water changes and use Prime until the tank gets fully cycled. If indeed that is the problem.

Another question. Are all these fish coming from the same source?

 

[GrapeGuy]

Do you use Prime? You say ammonia is 0.25? I'm just wondering if tank is really cycled. Looks like nitrates are being produced but tank may not have enough bacteria for current bio load. If you are using Prime it will "neutralize" the ammonia/ nitrites but only for 2-3 days. You can do more frequent water changes and use Prime until the tank gets fully cycled. If indeed that is the problem.

Another question. Are all these fish coming from the same source?

My fish are all coming from same source and I haven’t used prime for a week and I had .25 ammonia from the time i first got the tank to present day. I tested the water from my tap and it read 0 so the test kits not faulty. I also tested my water from my other tank and it read .25 as well. That tank is 3 years old so I don’t know what’s up. I also bought seachem ammonia alert and that constantly reads 0 so I don’t know what to believe.

another question I have well water and haven’t been using prime for years on my other tank because I assumed my water didn’t have chlorine until an employee from my LFS told me I still have to use prime. Is this true?

 

[LBDave]

My fish are all coming from same source and I haven’t used prime for a week and I had .25 ammonia from the time i first got the tank to present day. I tested the water from my tap and it read 0 so the test kits not faulty. I also tested my water from my other tank and it read .25 as well. That tank is 3 years old so I don’t know what’s up. I also bought seachem ammonia alert and that constantly reads 0 so I don’t know what to believe.

another question I have well water and haven’t been using prime for years on my other tank because I assumed my water didn’t have chlorine until an employee from my LFS told me I still have to use prime. Is this true?

If the ammonia is indeed a steady 0.25 there is a concern about the cycle/ BB. You could also use the Prime for a while to see how it affects your readings and your fish. I don't have experience with well water. Is it possible there is something in the well water? I know you said you have another tank that has been running for some time. What type of fish in that tank?
Regarding the black spot you saw on the fish, did any other fish exhibit anything?

It's hard to access. It almost seems like a chemical in the water. Any other pics of the distressed fish?

 

[Rocksor]

My fish are all coming from same source and I haven’t used prime for a week and I had .25 ammonia from the time i first got the tank to present day. I tested the water from my tap and it read 0 so the test kits not faulty. I also tested my water from my other tank and it read .25 as well. That tank is 3 years old so I don’t know what’s up. I also bought seachem ammonia alert and that constantly reads 0 so I don’t know what to believe.

another question I have well water and haven’t been using prime for years on my other tank because I assumed my water didn’t have chlorine until an employee from my LFS told me I still have to use prime. Is this true?

Ammonia alert shows toxic ammonia. The API test will show both toxic and non-toxic ammonia.

Do you have hard water from the well? You need a water report and it may show a CaCo3 reading or an API GH/KH test kit to determine if you have hard water. PH water reading is not indicative of hard water. I'm suspecting osmotic shock is the cause of the slow decline.

 

[GrapeGuy]

If the ammonia is indeed a steady 0.25 there is a concern about the cycle/ BB. You could also use the Prime for a while to see how it affects your readings and your fish. I don't have experience with well water. Is it possible there is something in the well water? I know you said you have another tank that has been running for some time. What type of fish in that tank?
Regarding the black spot you saw on the fish, did any other fish exhibit anything?

It's hard to access. It almost seems like a chemical in the water. Any other pics of the distressed fish?

It’s a community tank with rainbows and tetras

 

[GrapeGuy]

If the ammonia is indeed a steady 0.25 there is a concern about the cycle/ BB. You could also use the Prime for a while to see how it affects your readings and your fish. I don't have experience with well water. Is it possible there is something in the well water? I know you said you have another tank that has been running for some time. What type of fish in that tank?
Regarding the black spot you saw on the fish, did any other fish exhibit anything?

It's hard to access. It almost seems like a chemical in the water. Any other pics of the distressed fish?

Only one fish died at a time. Why is that? Does anything seem wrong with that fish?

 

[duanes]

That fish looks OK to me, and because there are so many scenarios that could happen its probably impossible to say.
did you quarantine new fish?
To me a 3 month quarantine would be prudent.
New fish can easily carry bacteria, or parasites, that multiply in the small space of tanks.
Your old fish may be immune to something the new fish were not.
Another reason to quarantine, and add water from the tank they will be housed in over time.
Shock from different types water....you're older fish have acclimated to conditions over time, that new fish may not tolerate.
The fish in the photo looks like a Victorian haplochromine, and although its a hard water species, it may be quite sensitive to slight buildup of ammonia in hard water., or even high nitrate.
There are probably a thousand other scenarios that could be the cause, its a needle in a.....

 

[tlindsey]

I agree with Duane and others. I like to add possibly the African Cichlid could have been harassing and killing fish without you knowing it. Just another scenario.

 

[GrapeGuy]

That fish looks OK to me, and because there are so many scenarios that could happen its probably impossible to say.
did you quarantine new fish?
To me a 3 month quarantine would be prudent.
New fish can easily carry bacteria, or parasites, that multiply in the small space of tanks.
Your old fish may be immune to something the new fish were not.
Another reason to quarantine, and add water from the tank they will be housed in over time.
Shock from different types water....you're older fish have acclimated to conditions over time, that new fish may not tolerate.
The fish in the photo looks like a Victorian haplochromine, and although its a hard water species, it may be quite sensitive to slight buildup of ammonia in hard water., or even high nitrate.
There are probably a thousand other scenarios that could be the cause, its a needle in a.....

I didn’t quarantine new fish because I assumed since I bought the fish from the same place and similar times I wouldn’t have to.

 

[GrapeGuy]

If the ammonia is indeed a steady 0.25 there is a concern about the cycle/ BB. You could also use the Prime for a while to see how it affects your readings and your fish. I don't have experience with well water. Is it possible there is something in the well water? I know you said you have another tank that has been running for some time. What type of fish in that tank?
Regarding the black spot you saw on the fish, did any other fish exhibit anything?

It's hard to access. It almost seems like a chemical in the water. Any other pics of the distressed fish?

This is the current state of my distressed fish.