Guppy Gang?

[fluttermoth]

Another water change; whilst nitrite is not as toxic as ammonia, it's still dangerous and needs to be got rid of.

Next time, get her to write down the actual numbers, as 'slightly' means different things to different people

 

[colleen0309]

Most pet shops will tell you to set the tank up and let it run for awhile before you add fish. Then they test the water and say.. no ammonia, you can add fish. They call this cycling, but it isn't. Of course there is no ammonia, there aren't any fish to produce ammonia. Then you buy fish, they get sick and/or die. The shop sells you medication or more fish. They make more money. Without an ammonia source, no bacteria will grow. You cycle a filter by either adding ammonia to the tank( fishless cycle) or by adding some very hardy fish, testing the water daily, and doing large water changes daily (fish in cycle). Don't feel bad, this happens ALL of the time. Right now you don't have any choice... you are doing a fish in cycle. You NEED a test kit. Get one right away. A liquid test kit is best. The strips aren't very accurate. You will need to test the water atleast once a day. If you get an ammonia or nitrite reading of more than 0.25, do a 50 - 75% water change. I'm sorry this has happened, but all is not lost. You can turn it around and have a happy aquarium. Get your daughter involved with the process. Tell her what's going on and have her help "fix" the problem. My kids got so involved when they were young.

 

[XeroTolerance]

Most pet shops will tell you to set the tank up and let it run for awhile before you add fish. Then they test the water and say.. no ammonia, you can add fish. They call this cycling, but it isn't. Of course there is no ammonia, there aren't any fish to produce ammonia. Then you buy fish, they get sick and/or die. The shop sells you medication or more fish. They make more money. Without an ammonia source, no bacteria will grow. You cycle a filter by either adding ammonia to the tank( fishless cycle) or by adding some very hardy fish, testing the water daily, and doing large water changes daily (fish in cycle). Don't feel bad, this happens ALL of the time. Right now you don't have any choice... you are doing a fish in cycle. You NEED a test kit. Get one right away. A liquid test kit is best. The strips aren't very accurate. You will need to test the water atleast once a day. If you get an ammonia or nitrite reading of more than 0.25, do a 50 - 75% water change. I'm sorry this has happened, but all is not lost. You can turn it around and have a happy aquarium. Get your daughter involved with the process. Tell her what's going on and have her help "fix" the problem. My kids got so involved when they were young.

+1

 

[queenpiddle]

Most pet shops will tell you to set the tank up and let it run for awhile before you add fish. Then they test the water and say.. no ammonia, you can add fish. They call this cycling, but it isn't. Of course there is no ammonia, there aren't any fish to produce ammonia. Then you buy fish, they get sick and/or die. The shop sells you medication or more fish. They make more money. Without an ammonia source, no bacteria will grow. You cycle a filter by either adding ammonia to the tank( fishless cycle) or by adding some very hardy fish, testing the water daily, and doing large water changes daily (fish in cycle). Don't feel bad, this happens ALL of the time. Right now you don't have any choice... you are doing a fish in cycle. You NEED a test kit. Get one right away. A liquid test kit is best. The strips aren't very accurate. You will need to test the water atleast once a day. If you get an ammonia or nitrite reading of more than 0.25, do a 50 - 75% water change. I'm sorry this has happened, but all is not lost. You can turn it around and have a happy aquarium. Get your daughter involved with the process. Tell her what's going on and have her help "fix" the problem. My kids got so involved when they were young.

Thanks fluttermoth and colleen. I will do another water change today! She used the test strips and you said those are not very accurate. I will get a liquid test kit, assuming this is a common product in the pet supply. Thanks! Oh and they did explain that I would not have ammonia until I added fish -- they said my water looked "normal" for not having any fish in it yet (this was the end of May, first of June). I still think it's just weird that the 5 stay strong. I think the pH post I got earlier makes a lot of sense. Oh and someone mentioned fin rot - I was told you would see a sort of necrotic ridge of white where the fin is rotting. Our last fish to die simply had a huge chunk missing that wasn't missing the night before. Interesting . . . And I will get my daughter involved. Good advice. Thanks again.