So, I bought four small angel fish, (about two inches long each)
I planned on putting them in a fifty-five gallon tank, and since it’s hard for me to get fish because of the small town I live in, I had to get them too early, and put all four of them in a ten gallon tank, (Which I keep cycled) The day after I got them, two of them died. For. . no apparent reason. I checked the water. The PH is fine, the water is soft, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia levels are all fine. Nothing is wrong with the water. . they just died.
None of them seemed to stressed out. They started swimming all around the tank within three hours. I feed them blood worms (Dried) frozen brine shrimp, and cichlid flake food. They usually spit anything they eat out. And, I always have to get the food out they don’t eat. Which, is every time I feed them.
The first and second fish died within five hours from eachother. One was marble, and one was a zebra. I don’t know if that makes a difference. . but I’ll put it here anyway. Just incase.
Before I got the fish, I did oodles of research on them (As before I get anything living, or that requires great care) I’ve been keeping fish for quite some time now, and I have no idea what could have happend.
I bought a twenty gallon tank today to put them in, though I haven’t put them in it yet, I’ve yet to even set up the tank, yet cycle it properly. So within a few days, they should be in a twenty gallon. And, soon enough in a fifty five.
One of the two that is left, I think he has something wrong with him. His slime coat is actually visible. I suppose it’s his slime coat. . But it’s hanging on his body. And his fins are a bit short. I forgot what fins they’re called, the ones on his side, that he uses to move around. xD
I have a few fake amazon sword plants, and one real one in the tank. I have an “AquaClear” fliter. And regular fish aquarium gravel. The lighting is meant for an aquarium, it’s more of a fluorescent looking light.
What should I do about the living fish, whose slime coat is. . weird?
And, any suggestions to why the two Angel fish died?
Also. . The two that died weren’t a pair. Both fish that died, were each “Paired” with one of the fish that is still living.
Thank you to anyone who can answer my questions, and took the time to read this!
Apparently you people don’t know how to read. . or pay attention.
I DO NOT have the fifty-five gallon tank yet. I found a twenty gallon tank in good condition at a sale today.
And yes, there is not a fish shop for forty miles from my house. So, they were in the bag for a good thirty-forty minutes.
And, I’ve never heard of “Old tank syndrome” something I’ll have to look in to.
I clean the tank regularly. Also, have none of you heard of “Safe start” products that “instantly cycle your tank”
it makes tap water into water that fish can live in. It says a day, but I always wait a few days. And make sure the water is set.
And, one of you seemed to know what was wrong with the fish that is alive, and have failed to actually tell me what it was, or how to treat it. .
They had died since the tank is way too small and has poor filtration. The tank is overstocked so thats why. For 1 angelfish you need a 10 gallon so you would need 40 gallons for all of them.
Angelfish keeper, Experience.
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I breed angell fish i have 20 pairs in my 150 gallon tank and they do get stressed if things are not right
you say your water conditions were perfect but they cant of been 99% of fish deaths if a disease is not seen is due to poor water conditions
also you had them ina 10 gallon tank they would not of been in a 10 gallon tank at the store you bought them from
You say you do research but how can you say i bought a 20 gallon tank and in a few days i will add them after its been cycled properly
cycling a tank takes at least 4 weeks
Honest answer i think the water parameters were the reason your fish died amd the problems with slime coat well honest answer again you could try treatment but i don’t hold out much hope for your fish!
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If you want your bacterial load to be optimal,consider using feedr Guppies then after your tank is established after 6-8 months remove the Guppies and start tweeking things for the Angel fish.Guppies can handle new,even straight tap water that has been dechlorinated Angelfish can’t.
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There are a few things that bother me about your post but I’ll start with possible reasons for the deaths.
Excess mucus is a sure sign of ammonia levels being dangerously high. You said you live in a small town so fish are hard to come by (I don’t understand why this would necessitate purchase before you are properly set up), so are you saying you have to travel some distance to buy fish as there is no local supplier? If so just how long were the fish in those bags? That could be where the ammonia poisoning happened. Couple this with the stress of the journey and the new environment (you said the tank is always cycled so you could have “old tank syndrome”) and you may have an explanation as to the deaths.
If you can totally rule out ammonia then do you add salt to this 10 gallon tank and have you been adding it with every water change? you could find the salinity levels in your tank are too high.
My next question is why put them in a 20 gallon when you already have the 55? Did you plan to get a 55 but changed your mind and got a 20 instead? in which case what relevance does the 55 have?
Edit with additional-
If you mean I was the one to tell you what was wrong (the excess mucus) I did tell you what the cause could be–Ammonia or salinity- to reduce both levels water changes are required. You seem to think you know about tank cycling and water quality so you should surely know how to deal with high ammonia or salinity.
When you have a future question may I suggest you don’t put irrelevant things in it such as wanting to put them in a 55 gallon. Wanting to do something has about as much relevance to the issues your fish have as letting us know you called one fish frank and the other julie. Stick to the facts, not your desires.
Angelfish keeper, Experience.
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