dead bristlenose catfish

[sammy]

hey there, just tonight i have had 2 bristlenose catfish die, they are only 2weeks new but were about 5cm insize, they all of a sudden died with no explanation. i checked all the water parameters, PH-7.2 0 ammonia and 0 nitrate water temp was 26 degrees

they were housed with 3 clown loaches and 1 large Gold Severun Cichlid.

when i got them they were in perfect health and now with out warning they just died, any ideas as to why and how i can stop this from happening in the future.

they were housed in a 3ft well air-rated and filtered tank. they had a 6ft home to move into in a month or so when i get it all set up but now this happened. and i am baffeled as to why they died. Stress??

cheers

-Sammy

[yarra2]

If you'd only had them for 2 weeks I'd be thinking that it wasn't the immediate water quality - more likely they were sick when you got them. Can you take them back to the seller?
Mike

[mr_walker]

I bought 2 small (3-4cm) bristlenose a few months ago after I set up my new 4ft tank. One was fine and is still going strong (despite a bit of battle damage), the other seemed to be OK for the first week until I found him dead on the bottom.

From memory his belly looked a bit shrunken, so I don't think he was right from the start.

[cichlidboy]

whats your hardness at?

[stu51]

hi
how old is the tank?
you should have some nitrate readings

[Welsh]

Sounds to me as well like you possibly had sick fish to start with, i would take them back. I had the same problem with my bristlenose and took them back and the new ones have been fine, unless you excuse my other post where i damaged one of their tails