kribs parents and juvi dying...

Question
We have a separate 50ltr-2ft high tank which we keep a pair of parent Kribs in, they have had babies (about 20-30) which are about 4-5mnths old and 2.5inch? now. lately and quite suddenly the water turned very murky, we seemed to have fixed it a little by changing both filters(bubble and sponge filter that creates the current.) and also about half the tank water. Anyway...last week or so i've noticed that the babies started breathing heavier, compared to out larger 200ltr 4ft tank. Last night when we got home from work, we found a baby had died and took it out, at the same time the rest of them we're acting really strange hiding in the corner and anywhere they could..then we seen the first one die... it went really erratic swimming like having spasms, sink to bottom of tank and then turn really white body and eyes went yellow ish, after a few seconds it would continue to breath but struggled heaps. usually upside down. we've taken all fish out of that tank took some cleaner-fresh water from our main tank for them and have cleaned the whole tank out. since we've taken them out one by one they do the same thing..spasm, sink, turn pale in colour inc eyes, then colour comes back to normal and they usually struggling upside down till they completely die about 10-15+ min later? they've been healthy looking and behaving until about prob a week, and not eating only in probably last day...before they they'd all swim to top even if you walked past. we feed them a mixture of foods, algae, frozen bloodworms once a week and another all round more expensive stuff from fish store.

we've only had cichlids for about 10months and have never had any die? our main tank is thriving! they're always producing babies, and the krib tank always was the same? till about a week ago...only thing that has been introduced to the krib tank are plants and sucker fish to help clean. same plants went in our main tank too, and suckers have since been moved too.

sorry this has been a massive question!! ;) we're not complete experts, but look after our tanks a lot, we clean, change, feed them well.

I hope i've included as much as i can for you to give us an idea of whats going on? even if they all do die, doesn't mater too much, it's just sad to see them go through it and not know?

last night and this morning about 10 have died, including the mother who is smaller then normal, some seem to be fine and still swimming, and father is still alive and okay too?

Thanks for your help!!!!
Leonie - Sydney/Australia

Answer
Hi Leonie,
I'm sorry to hear about your fish. Such a shame that the babies are dying. :(

Their behavior that you described are typically the symptoms of a water quality issue here. Is there any way you could test their water for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates? This is usually the first thing to do when you see that something is wrong. If you are ever in doubt, a water change is best as a precaution.

The murky water could be a bacterial bloom due to an sudden inbalance in the tank. Again, testing the water would be helpful. If you changed anything different to the tank that could have disturbed the bacterial colonies this may be your problem. This will take some investigative work either way.

If you just did a water change and they started to breath heavy not long after then I'd be suspicious of your tap or source water. It could be anything from a high level of chlorine or chloramines, heavy metals, ammonia in the tapwater, or even nitrites or nitrates. Testing will help reveal all and testing your tap water is always important.

I would add extra water conditioner and an ammonia neutralizer. Better yet use AMQUEL-Plus or Prime water conditioner if its available in Australia (Love that country! ;-) which neutralizes not only chlorine and chloramines, but also ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Lots of water testing will reveal all as well.

I'm quite certain either ammonia, nitrites or some other toxin is in the aquarium and/or source water. Please let me know how things are going. I really hope you don't loose the little cichlid darlings!

Karen~