The forum has a spam problem so we have set it so that new members must have a few replies before be able to start new threads. For you, I have used the split thread function to make your post a new thread.
Now for your question -
According to the information you have provided, your fish died rather quickly.
Sounds to me, they had failed to acclimate (to the new environment).
The first thing comes to my mind is the water temperature shock, and possibly water hardness shock.
I have a few questions for you.
1. How long did you acclimate them for before let them loose?
2. How did you acclimate them?
We usually set new fish in a container and first let the water (came with them) to slowly match the temperature in the fish tank. Then we get rid of some of that water (maybe 20~30%), before refilling the container with the water from the fish tank. Repeat the process every 15~20 minutes until most of the water came with the new fish had been replaced with the tank water. The whole process would take a few hours. The longer the better.
Fish can get used to the new environment if given them time. If acclimated improperly, the most deadly things to the new fish are the sudden change in water temperature and water hardness, followed by PH, and other things such as nitrate concentration.
Michigan water is not a problem. I am in UP. The PH is 8.0 here. A little higher won't be a problem either. The key is to acclimate new fish properly.
