I am starting to think that I am cursed.

[jarrodaden]

Another fatality. :furious:

I am doing everything that I should be doing... Water changes, checking water chemistry, proper feeding, everything...

My dwarf frog died last night.

Maybe this whole aquarium thing isn't for me....

[jeebus]

Everyone's fish (plural) eventually get sick and die in an unscheduled manor. If they tell you they don't, they're lying.

On RARE occasion you get lucky, notice a fish getting sick, are able to treat it - and it ACTUALLY works!

I wouldn't give up though.

[Mzungu]

Yes, don't give up!

What else has died? Are you talking about your pleco?

Things happen. It's very possible you did absolutely nothing wrong. Don't jump to conclusions! We're here for ya, and we won't let you leave this hobby THAT easily! :)

[jarrodaden]

Yes, don't give up!

What else has died? Are you talking about your pleco?

Things happen. It's very possible you did absolutely nothing wrong. Don't jump to conclusions! We're here for ya, and we won't let you leave this hobby THAT easily! :)

Technically the pleco is MIA. I never found him.

The frog died last night.

Before that, I lost everything in the aquarium that I adopted. I made an uneducated, dumb decision to replace all of the water and the filters. It was filled with green muck and nastiness when I picked it up. Eventually, all of the fish died.

[imagirlgeek]

Have you ever tested the water for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?

[Nickintex]

It does happen. I lost a shellie (telmatochromis) this am. :(

[jarrodaden]

Yes. I have a kit and I do test. I don't think this is the problem.

[jarrodaden]

Have you ever tested the water for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?

Just to be sure, I tested.

All were 0.

Ph is running about 7.8

[imagirlgeek]

Nitrates were also 0? A cycled tank should show some Nitrates.

I'm not assuming your water is bad...everyone who said that sometime fish just die is right. It's happened to us all. I just wanted to cover all the bases in case there was something sinister lurking underneath the deaths. The geek in me wants to analyze the problem and find the solution.

I've never kept dwarf frogs, so my knowledge of what they need is limited. I'm not even sure how hardy they are.

[myjohnson]

Everyone's fish (plural) eventually get sick and die in an unscheduled manor. If they tell you they don't, they're lying.

FYI, to be technical the term fish"es" maybe used if you are referring to more than one type of fish species. And you mean "manner" not "manor." In common usage the term "manor" is usally referring to the main house or mansion on an estate or plantation.

jarrodaden,

Sorry to hear about your dwarf frog. How old is your test kit, and what brand is the kit?

[jarrodaden]

FYI, to be technical the term fish"es" maybe used if you are referring to more than one type of fish species. And you mean "manner" not "manor." In common usage the term "manor" is usally referring to the main house or mansion on an estate or plantation.

jarrodaden,

Sorry to hear about your dwarf frog. How old is your test kit, and what brand is the kit?

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It is brand new. I bought it maybe two weeks ago.

[Complexity]

If you enjoy the hobby (albeit not the dying part), then stick with it. Taking care of fish requires some experience. When I started caring for fish after many years of not having them, I killed just about everything I touched.

I did notice a couple of comments that I thought I'd check up on.

...decision to replace all of the water and the filters.

All were 0.

These two things in combination make me wonder if it's possible that the tank is not cycled. As already mentioned, you should be getting nitrates in your testing. A reading of 0 nitrates generally indicates an uncycled tank which may have happened if the tank was cleaned up too thoroughly at the same time the filters were replaced.

Are you familiar with how a tank is cycled? If so, what did you do to maintain the beneficial bacterial when you cleaned the tank?

Something else to keep in mind when you're first starting out is that fish get stressed when they're moved. So moving the original fish from the original owner to your place most likely stressed the fish. Getting new fish from a LFS -- even a reputable one -- is stressful to the fish. Fish are less hardy when they're stressed out. So sometimes it's just a matter of taking things slow while getting the tank and fish started.

[jarrodaden]

If you enjoy the hobby (albeit not the dying part), then stick with it. Taking care of fish requires some experience. When I started caring for fish after many years of not having them, I killed just about everything I touched.

I did notice a couple of comments that I thought I'd check up on.




These two things in combination make me wonder if it's possible that the tank is not cycled. As already mentioned, you should be getting nitrates in your testing. A reading of 0 nitrates generally indicates an uncycled tank which may have happened if the tank was cleaned up too thoroughly at the same time the filters were replaced.

Are you familiar with how a tank is cycled? If so, what did you do to maintain the beneficial bacterial when you cleaned the tank?

Something else to keep in mind when you're first starting out is that fish get stressed when they're moved. So moving the original fish from the original owner to your place most likely stressed the fish. Getting new fish from a LFS -- even a reputable one -- is stressful to the fish. Fish are less hardy when they're stressed out. So sometimes it's just a matter of taking things slow while getting the tank and fish started.

I have definitely been through a tank cycle (after I put all brand new water and filters). I went to the fish store on three different weekends to get my water tested and I had to add the bateria (fresh start or something) to get the cycle going.

During my cycle, I saw high ammonia then high nitrates and nitrites then levels dropped back down.

Based upon a second test on nitrates (that I just did) my levels are definitely between 0 and 5. My test kit uses color codes with the reference color chart. I have a dark yellow but not a light orange.

[fshfrk]

Check the date on the test kit. I bought one that was 3 yrs old. Thought it was new but had been expired for 2 yrs.

Don't sweat a few loses hang in there and you will get it. These people around here will help big time! Like Mac they will save you money.

[mark razmandi]

dude i feel the same way sometime...so i just figured if i kill everything in my tank then im going to stock it with perch and largemouth bass i can catch in the bayou that way if they die i can go get more lol