Absolute beginner!

[Sobingaling]

Hi. I have never kept fish before, well apart from a goldfish when I was about 8. I bought a tank 2 weeks ago and have been putting in water conditioner and bacteria every day. Today was the day my water was tested and all fine as my tank is only 25l I thought guppies would be a good way to go. The man in the shop told me I should only start with 5, I bought 4. He also said I shouldn’t feed them for 3 days after I got them home. I am not sure of this advice, is this right? I don’t want them to go hungry and I really want them to have a happy home so any advice is really appreciated

thanks

Cheryl

 

[Essjay]

Since you haven't cycled the tank, yes it is good advice. Fish can easily go for a week or longer without being fed.
The bacteria you added won't have instantly cycled the tank, but hopefully it will speed up the cycle. You need to test the water every day for ammonia and nitrite, and do a water change whenever there is a reading for either above zero. Feeding the fish less means they will make less ammonia (their waste product). Feed them sparingly until both ammonia and nitrite stay at zero - once every two or three days, and only as much as they can eat within 30 seconds.
If you don't have any testers, change half the water every day until you have them, then be guided by the readings.

have been putting in water conditioner and bacteria every day.

You do not need to add water conditioner every day. It should only be added to new water - when the tank is set up, and the new water at every water change. When you do water changes with the correct amount of conditioner that will gradually dilute the conditioner until it is at the right level.

 

[Retired Viking]

You may want to consider adding some live plants too. Plants especially fast growing floating plants like Anacharis and hornwort will help adsorb ammonia. They also help improve the water quality and give your fish places to hide. Keep up your water changes like @essjay instructed. Good luck