Feeding Problem

[Titanium]

I just bought a 29gallon tank setup to start out with. I setup the tank and filled it with water and let the filter run for over 24hrs. The next day I bought two African Cichlids and they seem to don't want to eat their food.. I bought a water testing kit and I have some results from it all I know is the ph is a little low and should be about 8.2 for a Cichlid tank..

here are the results...

pH = 7.5
Nitrite = >.3mg/l
Ammonia = 1.5mg/l
General Hardness = 10
Nitrate = 0


Thanks.
-Chris

 

[gixer]

what are these 'african cichlids' you bought?

also you need to read this and understand the whole process of cycling a tank.

after you unerstand the cycling process you will have to be prepared to do freqent water changes to help these fish through...

read the link and i'm sure you will have loads more questions when you have....forget the ph for the time being.

 

[Titanium]

Thanks for your quick reply. They told me the fishes are

"Ruby Red Rubensis"
"Mozambice Kobue"

I read about the cycling and I learned alot but so what its trying to tell me I have to clean the tank now every day but how much 10%?

Thanks.

 

[semper fi]

cycling is letting the toxins rise to create a beneficial and safe environment for your fish. you tank was not cycled which can result in fish loss. cycling creates beneficial bacteria to rid the tank of toxins along with water changes. by having no beneficial bacteria established, your fish are open to toxin poisoning.

 

[Titanium]

cycling is letting the toxins rise to create a beneficial and safe environment for your fish. you tank was not cycled which can result in fish loss. cycling creates beneficial bacteria to rid the tank of toxins along with water changes. by having no beneficial bacteria established, your fish are open to toxin poisoning.

Yeah thats what I gathered from the subject.

What can be done to help revent their loss besides waiting and cleaning daily? It seems like nothing.

 

[semper fi]

you can do the water changes. if you know some one who has an established tank, or if your lfs is willing, you can see if they will help to seed your tank. basically you are taking some of their bacteria and transfering it to your tank to get the colony established. bacteria can be found in the substrate, used sponges, carbon pads, etc... by borrowing and transferring to your tank you also transfer the bacteria. make sure that you keep the item submerged in tank water to not destroy or kill off the bacteria til you can get it into your tank. you could also see if they would let you have some of their water after a water change. get a test kit and daily test the water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels.

once you do have an established tank, you can do the same for future setups. really no need for cycling. you could also see if the lfs or a friend with a tank would be willing to house your fish til your tank is cycled.

good luck and keep us posted

 

[Titanium]

Thanks for the reply I bought a test kit and will test later today on the nitrate nitrite and ammonia and post back.


Also on the fish names I'm not so sure if those are the correct names for the fish as thats what they told me and wrote down the name for me I tried to search on the names of the fish and couldn't find anything.

I'm going to check with the LFS today to see if they can help seed the tank.

Thanks alot for all the help!

-Chris

 

[semper fi]

when you go there ask for the scientific names of the fish, not the trade name. trade names vary and are unreliable.

 

[gixer]

hmmmm...Mozambique Cobue is better known as Cynotilpia afra if you want to try a search on that..lovely looking fish. it is a mbuna and only grows to about 4 inches. best keeping 3 females to each male.

sorry...no idea what the other is.

also i would be wary of adding a carbon sponge from another tank...who knows whats in it.

 

[gixer]

could the 'Ruby Red Rubensis' be Aulonocara sp?

try here

never kept them personally but hopefully you will now know what they are,

 

[Titanium]

hmmmm...Mozambique Cobue is better known as  Cynotilpia afra if you want to try a search on that..lovely looking fish. it is a mbuna and only grows to about 4 inches. best keeping 3 females to each male.

sorry...no idea what the other is.

also i would be wary of adding a carbon sponge from another tank...who knows whats in it.

Yes that does look similar to one of my fish. I will find my digital Camera and take a picture of my fish later tonight.

I did a 10% cleaning today and I took another test of the ammonia nitrate and nitrite


pH = 8 (went up from 7.5 of two days ago)
Nitrite = >.3mg/l (my kit doesn't have a 0, less then .3mg/l is the lowest on their chart)
Ammonia = 1.5mg/l still the same as the other day.
Nitrate = 0

Thanks for all the help guys/girls

I'm going to talk to my LFS to see if they can sell me something of the sort one store said they could give me their water that would have some bacteria in it... I'm not sure if that would help.

 

[gixer]

I'm going to talk to my LFS to see if they can sell me something of the sort one store said they could give me their water that would have some bacteria in it... I'm not sure if that would help.

dont let them sell you any products to seed your tank...they dont work.but they will assure you they do.

how many of these fish do you have?

 

[Titanium]

I have one of each fish.

 

[Titanium]

The Fish are starting to eat now as the ammonia levels have come down alot but there are still signs of ammonia in the tank but obviously its still cycling.. here is a picture of the fish.