Help Out Of Bad Advice

[ElizabethFrancine]

Hello, there.  Me and my family are new to keeping fish.  We bought a ten gallon aquarium for 6 guppies and 4 danios.  I asked about 100 questions, but the "fish expert" at the store told us that all we needed to do was add water conditioner and change the filter when the water started getting cloudy, along with partial water changes once a month.  We have had the tank for a little under a month.  The water started getting cloudy, so I changed the filter, and within 48 hours we lost all the guppies.  I went back to the store and the same expert said that I should just change half the water, wasn't sure why I lost such hardy fish. I did change half the water.  I have since read online about cycling the tank, however I'm not sure what to do now that the filter is changed.  All the levels for ammonia, Nitrates and Nitrites are off the charts.  What can we do to save the danios and cycle the tank now that the filter is changed?  We are very sad about losing the guppies, and we want to make sure the danio's aren't suffering. 

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm sorry to hear you're having such a bad start in the hobby

I can't give better advice to you than our cycling expert, TwoTankAmin has written up; here http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/433769-rescuing-a-fish-in-cycle-gone-wild-part-i/

Have a good read of that, and follow the instructions to the letter. Good luck, and do start a thread if there's any extra advice you need; we're all here to help

 

[Akasha72]

does anyone else have to fight the urge to walk up to these store 'fish guy/girl' and smack them around the head? They make me cross.
 
Agreeing with fluttermoth, have a read and then ask as many questions here or in a seperate thread as you need to. Unlike the store 'fish guy' we have nothing to gain than getting you on the right track.
 
Good luck and welcome to the forum  

 

[ElizabethFrancine]

Thank you for the welcome and the link. I do appreciate it! I'm sure I will be back with more questions. We just want to do it right!

 

[Munroco]

I think its likely that by changing the filter media you took most of the bacteria from your tank that were keeping the ammonia & nitrate levels in check. I'm not sure what type of filter you have, but generally its best to givr your filter media a light rinse in some tank water you've siphoned off. That way most of the bacteria survives. For now I think you need to keep doing water changes until your new filter medium gets colonised with more bacteria. Once a month isn't ofte enough to do water changes, 1/4 or even 1/3 once per week would be better.

 

[Blough]

I would consider returning the danios, (if that is possible) and then doing a fishless cycle. Fish in a "fish in" cycle suffer, and that is why we generally don't suggest it.

 

[ElizabethFrancine]

They won't take back the Danios - I explained what happened, but they won't take them back. I am going to try to put them in a separate container. How and when should the filter be changed?

 

[fluttermoth]

I wouldn't move the fish; whatever container you put them in, they'll be producing the same ammonia, so taking them out of the tank won't help.

Once your tank is cycled, you'll be doing weekly water changes. When you do them, take the media out of your filter, and give it a swish around in the old tank water; just to get off the loose dirt. You don't ever need to change anything, except carbon (if you use it; most people don't) or floss (that's the very fine, cotton wool type stuff that just filters particles out of the water).

If, after many years (and I have filter sponges that have been in constant use for over 25 years, so it's not likely to happen!) the media does start to break apart or otherwise physically degrade, then you replace it gradually; never removing more than a quarter of the total, replacing it with new, and leaving at least two weeks before you remove more.

 

[ElizabethFrancine]

Ok. Thank you. I haven't moved the fish, and am trying to complete the cycle using the tips given by TwoTankAdmin for cycling with fish. The type of filter I have is the bio-bag filter from tetra. I'll be sure not to change them!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hello Elizabeth,
 
 
What are your current Ammonia readings?   
 
You need to change the ammonia whenever the free ammonia level gets close to 0.05ppm...  You can use this calculator to determine the free ammonia based on the tank conditions you currently have: https/www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/FreeAmmonia.php
 
Change large amounts of water when you do change it.  
 
 
Next keep an eye out on the nitrite.  This can be treated with salt so that the fish can survive its presence, while leaving a fair amount in the tank to encourage bacterial growth!

 

[Efishent]

Sometimes the "experts" know what they are talking about; sometimes they don't. I would look at a wide variety of sources and find info consistent between each one, and use that.

 

[Munroco]

They won't take back the Danios - I explained what happened, but they won't take them back. I am going to try to put them in a separate container. How and when should the filter be changed?

Find another LFS, one who is prepared to help when things go wrong.

 

[Far_King]

If it was me I'd insist they compensate me for the loss of livestock on their bad advice.  I'd be speaking to the manager and if it was a chain store I'd be onto head office.
 
Who knows how many fish they kill by making such ridiculous statements.
 
This is not your fault by the way, you did the right thing in seeking advice and from those who should have known what they were talking about.