Why did my fish die?
I wish I could answer this with one answer, but there are various answers depending on your system. First, you should carefully study a fish prior to buying. Sick fish have certain characteristics like hard breathing, scratching, hiding or any type of scale, fin or gill disorder. Analyzing a fish’s eating habits prior to purchase is equally important. Another critical factor to consider is how new fish will assimilate with your current fish. If you purchase a sick or diseased fish it may affect the health of the other fish in your aquarium. Endeavour to buy from reputable fish and supply boutiques, and always maintain a healthy environment within the aquarium. Just because your fish are alive and eating well, does not guarantee that all is well inside the tank. You must change the water regularly and use distilled or purified water. Attempt to match the temperature and P.H. to your tank’s environment. Insure that the proper chemical balance is present, testing for ammonia, nitrite, nit
If you have asked this question, you need to consider all of these many deadly possibilities. • Water Quality – wrong pH, hardness, or salinity; high ammonia, nitrite, or chlorine (from tap water); high solids (clog gills) • Poisoning – “medication” overdose, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, copper, iron, plant fertilizer overdose, nicotine (cigarette smoke), urine, bleach, soap, hydrogen sulfide (from rotting food, dead animals and plants, stirred up bad gravel, etc.), other poison; leaching from rocks, gravel, concrete, driftwood, etc. • Gas Imbalance – too low oxygen, too high carbon dioxide, gas bubble disease (from well water supersaturated with air) • Temperature Problem – too cold, too hot, too fast a temperature change • Medical Problem – internal parasites, external parasites, bacteria, fungus, virus (see this page and table above) • Physical Trauma – spawning injury, sucked into pump or filter, jumping out of tank or pond, abuse from another aquatic animal • Predation – ca
