Emergency With Granddaughter's Tetra

[notmeridian]

Hello! My granddaughter is gone for the weekend. While I was in her room, I noticed that her new tetra was swimming at the surface upside down, then sank to the bottom. I quickly filled a glass container with water from the tap and scooped the fish into the new container. Other than that, I have no idea what to do. She's had a neon tetra for a long time. Recently moved in with us and brought the neon, then purchased another tetra (gold colored with reddish eyes), a betta, and some ghost shrimp. Betta is in solo container. Neon tetra in solo container. This tetra is also. We have a water softener using potassium chloride rather than sodium chloride. She leaves water out overnight before cleaning bowls which she did last night before leaving. We are on a well, no chloride or fluoride. Otherwise water for fish is not treated. Earlier they were on city water, water left out overnight before cleaning bowls.

Any help out there? She will be very sad to come home to a deceased fish. Thanks!

 

[dogcow]

the potasium may be the problem did the softener come with an ro system Reverse osmosis if it did use that water if not try buying some bottled water or going to a water store that does ro the leaving the water out over night will only allow the chlorine dissapate and there shouldnt be any in you softend well water or get the water before the softener might work

 

[Durbkat]

Do you know how many gallons the tank is in gallons? Do you know if there is a heater and filter in the tank? You should put that tetra you have in that cup of water that hasn't been treated back into the tank because the stuff in the water will kill the fish. Is there any chance you can post a picture of the tank and a picture of what the fish is doing?

 

[notmeridian]

Thanks very much for your reply. The fresh water I drew is actually the same water source the fish was in when trouble appeared. He/she appeared to recover well enough in the newly drawn water which leads me to believe it isn't the water? We don't have an RO system. The softener is a resin exchange system. The other fish appear to be doing fine. Each is in separate bowls, not tanks. This is my first posting to this forum and I'm trying to figure out the logistics. I could get bottled water from the store.

Do you know how many gallons the tank is in gallons? Do you know if there is a heater and filter in the tank? You should put that tetra you have in that cup of water that hasn't been treated back into the tank because the stuff in the water will kill the fish. Is there any chance you can post a picture of the tank and a picture of what the fish is doing?

 

[Durbkat]

Well those fish (besides the betta) should be put in a tank of at least 10 gallons of water with a heater and filter and it will need to be cycled and there are some pinned topics either in the tropical chit chat section, the emergency section or the beginners section... here is a link to it http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=55309 read it and try and get a 10 gallon tank or at least a 5 gallon tank with a hood and light, filter, heater, gravel that has been rinsed off with water, and water dechlor called amquel+ and once you put it in the water let it set 24 hours before you add it to the tank.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi notmeridian

Welcome to the forum!

A neon tetra is a rather delicate tropical fish and it really should be kept in an established tank rather than a bowl. A larger tank provides the fish with more stable conditions. A filter grows a colony of beneficial bacteria that consume the ammonia the fish produce and convert it to nitrite, while other bacteria convert the nitrite to harmless nitrates. This means weekly small water changes rather than total changes and bowl cleanings and makes their environment more consistent. A heater prevents temperature fluctuations, which weaken a fish and lead to disease.

Fishkeeping is a wonderful hobby that a family can participate in together. There is a little science involved, but our members can help you through that. It's not too complicated, really it isn't. Since the holidays are coming soon, and a new tank set up would probably be a great gift for your granddaughter, why not start learning the basics now and look forward to many happy hours shared together?

I hope to see more of your posts around the forum.