Advice :-)

[adele1985]

Im new to having a tropical tank ive wanted one for ages and finally bought one of a friend it came with everything it needs the tank is a fish box and it came with the heater, filter and some fish

I went to peter barrets to buy some fish (which i wont be doing again as the man was very rude and no help at all, I tried to explain that i was new to having tropicals and really didnt know what to do but he wasnt intrested) anyway i bought 2 austrailain rainbow fish 2 guppys and 2 that eat the algae from the sides of the tanks the man did tell me to put them in the tank in their bags for 10 mins then just let them in so i did

I then (the next day) went to another pet shop the lady was lovely and was really helpful, I bought more fish from her which where another 2 guppies one yellow and one red, a red platy and a sun set platy,a red betta fighting fish (male) and a white one which gets the dirt from the bottom of the tank

I just mentioned as I was paying that I had also bought fish the day before, the lady said I sohuld really wait before putting more fish in but it should be okay and she recommended buying a gravel cleaner (which i did) and giving the tank a clean at the weekend

The fish that where in the tank to start with where 2 some kind of barbs (they are black / dark green colour with red tips on there fins) 5 tiny fish not sure that they are i could say they are the sizze of a tetra they have a black spot in the middle of their body) and 2 that i realy donr have a clue what they are ( they are a shape of a rainbow rish but a little smaller, they have a black thin at the top and thier tail and bottom thin are red, they also have a slight red tinge to their bodys) lol sorry if my discriptions are vaige x

Ive mentioned this to the friend I bought the tank from and she said not to bother as it will take all the bacteria away and the fish will then die

Are any of the fish i have a danger to the other fish also have i got too many it looks like they have plent of space to swim and i would like to get some neon tetras also

please help im confused what to do now

 

[KittyKat]

Im new to having a tropical tank ive wanted one for ages and finally bought one of a friend it came with everything it needs the tank is a fish box and it came with the heater, filter and some fish

What are the dimensions and volume of your aquarium?

I went to peter barrets to buy some fish (which i wont be doing again as the man was very rude and no help at all, I tried to explain that i was new to having tropicals and really didnt know what to do but he wasnt intrested) anyway i bought 2 austrailain rainbow fish 2 guppys and 2 that eat the algae from the sides of the tanks the man did tell me to put them in the tank in their bags for 10 mins then just let them in so i did

What is the "algae eater"? Some species remain small at 5 cm or so, while others can grow to around 60 cm.
Rainbows (as well as tetras, barbs, rasboras, danios and the like) are schooling fish so should be kept in groups of at least 6 and ideally 10-15+. Read about why this is important here: http/aquariumadventure.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/deciding-on-fish-numbers/
10 minutes is not enough, you need to learn about water parameter acclimatisation (which takes hours) and how to do it. Read here about why you need to acclimatise properly: http/aquariumadventure.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/importance-of-acclimatisation/ and here about how to do it: http/aquariumadventure.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/methods-of-acclimatisation/

I then (the next day) went to another pet shop the lady was lovely and was really helpful, I bought more fish from her which where another 2 guppies one yellow and one red, a red platy and a sun set platy,a red betta fighting fish (male) and a white one which gets the dirt from the bottom of the tank

I just mentioned as I was paying that I had also bought fish the day before, the lady said I sohuld really wait before putting more fish in but it should be okay and she recommended buying a gravel cleaner (which i did) and giving the tank a clean at the weekend

She was wise to say so, I normally recommend fish additions once per week as a maximum *after* the filter is completely cycled.

The fish that where in the tank to start with where 2 some kind of barbs (they are black / dark green colour with red tips on there fins) 5 tiny fish not sure that they are i could say they are the sizze of a tetra they have a black spot in the middle of their body) and 2 that i realy donr have a clue what they are ( they are a shape of a rainbow rish but a little smaller, they have a black thin at the top and thier tail and bottom thin are red, they also have a slight red tinge to their bodys) lol sorry if my discriptions are vaige x

Probably tiger barbs and a tetra, as you say.

Ive mentioned this to the friend I bought the tank from and she said not to bother as it will take all the bacteria away and the fish will then die

Mentioned what to her?

Are any of the fish i have a danger to the other fish also have i got too many it looks like they have plent of space to swim and i would like to get some neon tetras also

Yes, some of the fish you have are a danger to others, did you find out about how large they will grow? Did you find out about their companionship requirements? Post photos so we can ID the fish for you.

But even more importantly, you are currently in a fish-in cycle situation (unless you heavily seeded the filter from someone else's). This means that your ammonia and nitrite levels are probably very high and harming the fish. Eventually the ammonia and nitrite will kill the fish, and it has very likely already reduced their life span. You should read the articles listed at http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/ , the most important ones for you right now are 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8. In fact, it is so important that you understand, that I strongly recommend you read them right now, before you do anything else.

Next, you need to get your aquarium water tested and buy a liquid test kit set for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. Test strips are not accurate, only a liquid test kit will do. Also, buy a dechlorinator which claims to "deal" with ammonia (for example, Prime or Stress Coat).

If you want to make sure your fish survive, you should take as many of them back to the shops as you can because you need to keep ammonia and nitrite as close to 0 ppm as possible with water changes and never let either reach 0.25 ppm. You should be feeding a maximum of once every three days until your filter is completely cycled. During a fish-in cycle, it is not unusual for people to do 95% water changes a few times per day.

If at all possible, I recommend that you take *all* of the fish back to the shops and do a fish-less cycle.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

What kind of filter is it?..... i am guessing by your description of buying a gravel cleaner(vacuum), and your friend saying it will kill the bacteria, that it has an Under Gravel Filter??? If so:

1. Is it the same gravel that your friend had in the tank?
2. Did it remain wet in some original tank water during the move?

If the answer to both of the above is yes, then you can not kill the bacteria by vacuuming the gravel.

To get a bit more help from the folk here it will be better to simplify the information. Just tell us how the tank is set up, and a little history about it to start with.

Also there is a lot of information already posted in the Beginners Resource Center......worth reading, so you can better understand the basics, pitfalls, etc.

And by the way..... a very big welcome

 

[adele1985]

What kind of filter is it?..... i am guessing by your description of buying a gravel cleaner(vacuum), and your friend saying it will kill the bacteria, that it has an Under Gravel Filter??? If so:

1. Is it the same gravel that your friend had in the tank?
2. Did it remain wet in some original tank water during the move?

If the answer to both of the above is yes, then you can not kill the bacteria by vacuuming the gravel.

To get a bit more help from the folk here it will be better to simplify the information. Just tell us how the tank is set up, and a little history about it to start with.

Also there is a lot of information already posted in the Beginners Resource Center......worth reading, so you can better understand the basics, pitfalls, etc.

And by the way..... a very big welcome

Hi
Yes its the same gravel and some of the same water that they where in origonally. We empitied the water but left the tank a quater ful to move it. I then filled it with tepid water using boiled water from the kettle and cold water mixed with it (as my friend had instructed)

Im not really sure what you mean by how the tank is set up??

It has a heater and filter in it and also has 2 light settings (only one works at the mo tho the blue moonlight one)

It has a big rock with holes in it it that come with it origonally. Ive added some artificial plants as well as a real one also added 2 more orniments to it

I have taken the barbs out and taking them back to the pet shop as my friend said they can be nippy with the littler fish (i found 1 of the 4 guppys at the botton of the tank about half hour ago not sure if this was the barbs) all of the other fish including the 3 remaining guppys look in good health

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

What kind of filter is it?..... i am guessing by your description of buying a gravel cleaner(vacuum), and your friend saying it will kill the bacteria, that it has an Under Gravel Filter??? If so:

1. Is it the same gravel that your friend had in the tank?
2. Did it remain wet in some original tank water during the move?

If the answer to both of the above is yes, then you can not kill the bacteria by vacuuming the gravel.

To get a bit more help from the folk here it will be better to simplify the information. Just tell us how the tank is set up, and a little history about it to start with.

Also there is a lot of information already posted in the Beginners Resource Center......worth reading, so you can better understand the basics, pitfalls, etc.

And by the way..... a very big welcome

Hi
Yes its the same gravel and some of the same water that they where in origonally. We empitied the water but left the tank a quater ful to move it. I then filled it with tepid water using boiled water from the kettle and cold water mixed with it (as my friend had instructed)

Im not really sure what you mean by how the tank is set up??

It has a heater and filter in it and also has 2 light settings (only one works at the mo tho the blue moonlight one)

It has a big rock with holes in it it that come with it origonally. Ive added some artificial plants as well as a real one also added 2 more orniments to it

I have taken the barbs out and taking them back to the pet shop as my friend said they can be nippy with the littler fish (i found 1 of the 4 guppys at the botton of the tank about half hour ago not sure if this was the barbs) all of the other fish including the 3 remaining guppys look in good health

There are many types of filter that while all performing a similar task, actually work in different ways. Do you know the name/type of filter you have?

 

[KittyKat]

Yes its the same gravel and some of the same water that they where in origonally. We empitied the water but left the tank a quater ful to move it. I then filled it with tepid water using boiled water from the kettle and cold water mixed with it (as my friend had instructed)

Did you dechlorinate the new water?

I have taken the barbs out and taking them back to the pet shop as my friend said they can be nippy with the littler fish (i found 1 of the 4 guppys at the botton of the tank about half hour ago not sure if this was the barbs) all of the other fish including the 3 remaining guppys look in good health

When you take the barbs back, can you get a test done on your water? Make sure they write down the exact results in numbers, "it's fine" is not something we can work with

I do strongly recommend that you look at buying a liquid test kit, especially since this is your first tank!

Can you take a photo of the tank and equipment maybe?

 

[dh058977]

If the tank is a fish box then i would guess at the filter being an interpet pf2? Is it the fish box 65 litre or the smaller 40? Either way I personally think your over stocked.

 

[adele1985]

ok ive been to pets at home today and got some test strips and also done a patial water change using a gravel cleaner and thwn done the test it came back everything ok but but said i need to do a water change ( regarding the NO2 and NO3) it also said i need to use aqua safe (which i did before even taking the tests)

If i do another water change today will this disturb the fish to much??? I dont want to lose anymore

 

[dh058977]

ok ive been to pets at home today and got some test strips and also done a patial water change using a gravel cleaner and thwn done the test it came back everything ok but but said i need to do a water change ( regarding the NO2 and NO3) it also said i need to use aqua safe (which i did before even taking the tests)

If i do another water change today will this disturb the fish to much??? I dont want to lose anymore

The testing strips are a pretty unreliable way of testing your tank. You should really invest in a liquid testing kit. When you say everything was 'ok' what were the actual results?

If your Ammonia and Nitrites are high doing another large water change will help. You would lose fish if you dont!

 

[KittyKat]

I recommend that you go back and read what was posted above

ok ive been to pets at home today and got some test strips and also done a patial water change using a gravel cleaner and thwn done the test it came back everything ok but but said i need to do a water change ( regarding the NO2 and NO3) it also said i need to use aqua safe (which i did before even taking the tests)

Here's what I said about test strips and "everything ok" test result readings:

Next, you need to get your aquarium water tested and buy a liquid test kit set for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. Test strips are not accurate, only a liquid test kit will do. Also, buy a dechlorinator which claims to "deal" with ammonia (for example, Prime or Stress Coat).

[…] Make sure they write down the exact results in numbers, "it's fine" is not something we can work with I do strongly recommend that you look at buying a liquid test kit, especially since this is your first tank!

The only "everything ok" test result for NO[sub]2[/sub] (nitrite) is 0 ppm, is your result 0 ppm or is it higher? Ammonia (NH[sub]3[/sub]) is considerably more harmful and you have not tested for it yet. Can you get your LFS to test your ammonia reading (and write down the exact number) or can you buy a liquid ammonia test kit?
Test strips are so poor that I consider them to be only useful for telling you "yes, you have x/no, you don't have x" and even that is not always true. In short, they are almost useless. Please get a liquid test kit for at least ammonia and nitrite.

If i do another water change today will this disturb the fish to much??? I dont want to lose anymore

No, ammonia and nitrite poisoning is a LOT more harmful to fish than 95% water changes. If you do not want any more of your fish to die, go back and read everything we posted above. Answer all the questions we asked.

All the information you need to save your fish was posted already. The most important piece to remember right now is that *any* ammonia or nitrite is harmful, so try to keep both as close to 0 ppm as possible and never let either reach above 0.25 ppm. Ammonia poisoning results in increased susceptibility to diseases and shortened life span in the long run, or death. Water changes are good, they are your friend now.

With the new information that your aquarium is 65 or 40 litres, I can tell you that you are severely overstocked and your stocking is very bad on top of that.

Please help us help you! We need you to answer the questions we already asked to proceed and you need to read the resources we linked to.

 

[colleen0309]

Can't add antmore except Welcome to the forum!