Hi everyone!!

My Chinese Algae Eater has mysteriously died. Here's the situation:

I check my fish at least once daily, I count each on of them and note any physical or personality changes. The night before last my young Chinese Algae Eater seemed fine. He was active, his belly was a slight shade of green (I believe this was from algae consumption), and he routinely chased around my male blue platy, not in a overly pestering way - just enough to be slightly annoying. None of the other fish have showed any sort of aggressive behavior toward him.

To quote Anchorman, "I'm not even mad, I'm just amazed", because when I was checking my fish last night I found him dead on the bottom of the tank, and not just dead, but like completely eaten. I was just amazed that it could happen so quickly. It was kind of cool actually.

That being said, after I got over my shock, I fished him out and noticed the water was a little bit colder and I checked the thermometer and the temperature was down to about 72 deg. His tankmates have not seemed to be acting any differently, except for the female blue platy (I posted her issues under the "livebearer" forum).

The tank chemical parameters are still in safe measures, although with the expected small spike in ammonia which is still very low and nitrates are non-existent. I will be doing a small water change later today though, just to be safe. None of the fish show any forms of discoloration, disease, or behavioral changes.

Was this a spontaneous fish death, or am I missing something?

Thanks everybody!!

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IslandRzrbk

35g Planted Freshwater tank - 4 platies, 2 veiled angelfish (juvenile), 1 pictus catfish (juvenile), 1 golden Chinese algae eater (juvenile), 1 candy-striped plecostomas (juvenile), 1 female veiltail betta

Can you give us the numbers of your parameters. ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. Is the tank heavily planted? How long has the tank been set up. Its not normal to have 0 nitrates in an established tank unless its heavily planted.

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SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

Oh I think I meant Nitrites, but I just reran the tests (using the API Freshwater Kit), since I can't remember the exact numbers.

Allowing for some human error on reading color:

pH: Between 7.2-7.6 (based on the color of blue I would say 7.4)
Amm: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10ppm

I added fish around 8/23 after about 7 days of cycling. I wouldn't say it's heavily planted, but I have 6 planted plants in it and 1 moss ball (although I'm sure that doesn't count :P ). Most of the plants have been in there since August, but I've had to switch out a couple of plants since then and all of them have been in there for at least 30 days if not more.

I do 10-15% water changes every 2-4 weeks.

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IslandRzrbk

35g Planted Freshwater tank - 4 platies, 2 veiled angelfish (juvenile), 1 pictus catfish (juvenile), 1 golden Chinese algae eater (juvenile), 1 candy-striped plecostomas (juvenile), 1 female veiltail betta

Looks like your readings are pretty good, but I would suggest you change your water change schedule to 30% each week. It will make for a healthier tank. You do have a couple of major waste producers.

__________________
SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

Haha, yeah I do! I do also cyphon (sp?) the gravel and I'm careful not to go to deep or near plants, to make sure I get some cleaning done.

What is your verdict on the demise of the little guy?

Thanks so much by the way!!

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IslandRzrbk

35g Planted Freshwater tank - 4 platies, 2 veiled angelfish (juvenile), 1 pictus catfish (juvenile), 1 golden Chinese algae eater (juvenile), 1 candy-striped plecostomas (juvenile), 1 female veiltail betta

There can be many explanations as to why the fish died. But without seeing it, it would make it hard to decide what was the cause. It could even be down to not enough water changes, hard to say.

__________________
SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

Had he been in the tank the whole time? A cycling tank, of which yours could have taken 5-7wks can be tough on fish. How many plants are in the tank?

There's about 6 plants (4 large and 2 small), he was a fairly new addition in comparison to the other fish, I'd say around 2-3 weeks. I'm just hoping it wasn't anything contagious, but all the other fish seem to be doing well.

I've added them gradually, not like a I took a big 'ol bag and just dumped them in or anything like that. I introduced him right around the same time as my pleco and the pleco is seemingly as voracious as the algae eater was before is untimely demise.

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IslandRzrbk

35g Planted Freshwater tank - 4 platies, 2 veiled angelfish (juvenile), 1 pictus catfish (juvenile), 1 golden Chinese algae eater (juvenile), 1 candy-striped plecostomas (juvenile), 1 female veiltail betta

Did you do a drip acclimation when you added?

No I didn't drip acclimate, but in the process I used I floated the bag in the tank and over the course of an hour I added small amounts of aquarium water until I had added more tank water than there was of original store water. I believe I made additions every 10 minutes or so. The fish also did quite well for about 2 weeks before it died and the pleco I had gotten at the same time and acclimated the same way is still doing well.

__________________
IslandRzrbk

35g Planted Freshwater tank - 4 platies, 2 veiled angelfish (juvenile), 1 pictus catfish (juvenile), 1 golden Chinese algae eater (juvenile), 1 candy-striped plecostomas (juvenile), 1 female veiltail betta