Plants and Fish

Question
I have a 5 gallon tank.  About 4 months ago I ordered and planted a Nana(Anubias), Crytocoryne and a Rigidifolius.  About a month after my fish 2 Tiger Barbs died.  I do regular 25% water changes per week and test the water with test strips.  The test strips do not indicate any problems.  The plants are growing well.  About a month later I put two Angel fish in the tank.  Two weeks later within a day of each other both died.  Still the water test do not indicate a problem.  Before they died they both hung out at the top of the tank.  Is it possible this has something to do with the plants?

Answer
Hi Tracie,

It's extremely unlikely the plants had anything to do with it. Did the fish have any characteristic symptoms of disease, such as white spots, red sores, or a bloated stomach? If not, and it was simply hanging at the top, it might've been due to a lack of oxygen. You may need to add an air pump with an air stone.

What are your test strips for? You should have the following:

-Ammonia (probably the most important)
-Nitrite (almost equally important)
-Nitrate (optional, really, as nitrate is controlled through water changes)
-pH

Your maintenance routine is perfect. It's not a surprise the Angelfish died, because Angels need to be kept in an aquarium of 20 gallons or more, as they need lots of room.

If you get new fish, and they become ill, don't hesitate to ask me again! I'm happy to help.

Ideal choices for your tank would be:
Betta Fish (1 male max.)
Zebra Danios
Guppies
Apple Snail

You could have 2 of one of these species listed ab  ove (excl. Betta)
Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!