I'm adopting fish-help

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
🐶 POTM Poll is Open! 🦎 Click here to Vote! 🐰

Fishrescue

New Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
8
Location
Uk
Hi all, I'm new and haven't had fish before. I'm starting off in the worst way by getting given fish and a tank. I'll do the basic research but need some advice on how to get ready for my fish, I have 11 days.
This is my plan so please help with and advice.
I'm getting my tank from one person and my fish from another.
I plan to clean tank, fill and conditioner the water, add sure start or similar product, then on heater, light and inherited cleaned filter. Sounds simple.. Lol.
Next, in 11 Days collect fish.
Collect fish in double bags, put bags in big square container for transport. Transport will take 30 minutes. Float fish in bags in tank for twenty minutes, open bags add some tank water over the next twenty minutes... Then tip the fish out with all the water that is in the bag from the previous home tank. Do this for all the fish. One betta, five neon, two plecco and two dwarf african frogs. I will read up on their food and care etc but to get me started and tips please to help them survive this change. Thanks
 
Okay.
If it's not too late, don't clean the filter.
It should contain bacteria that will be essential for your tank.
Everything else about the tank sound good, but I'd recommend you adding live plants. These will help cycle your tank and keep it able to digest the fish waste, when they arrive.
Get a test kit, so you can check the real condition of your water. (This is essential for the wellbeing of your fish...and you!)
This is a recommended Test Kit from API.

As for the fish, what fish are we talking about and can you not delay their arrival for another couple of weeks?
That'll give you the chance to get the tank properly ready and if you don't, then fish will die.

You need to research the fish you're getting. You do have time to do this.
Check out this site, Seriously Fish, for good, solid info.
They need to be compatible.
They need to safely fit in the tank without overcrowding and have plenty of swimming and growing room.
They need to be able to thrive in the water you'll be giving them.

Please let us know the size of the tank and the types of fish you're inheriting.
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Hi all, I'm new and haven't had fish before. I'm starting off in the worst way by getting given fish and a tank. I'll do the basic research but need some advice on how to get ready for my fish, I have 11 days.
This is my plan so please help with and advice.
I'm getting my tank from one person and my fish from another.
I plan to clean tank, fill and conditioner the water, add sure start or similar product, then on heater, light and inherited cleaned filter. Sounds simple.. Lol.
Next, in 11 Days collect fish.
Collect fish in double bags, put bags in big square container for transport. Transport will take 30 minutes. Float fish in bags in tank for twenty minutes, open bags add some tank water over the next twenty minutes... Then tip the fish out with all the water that is in the bag from the previous home tank. Do this for all the fish. One betta, five neon, two plecco and two dwarf african frogs. I will read up on their food and care etc but to get me started and tips please to help them survive this change. Thanks
 
How big is the tank? Also, do you know what kind of plecos they are?
About 70 cm long 30 deep 45 tall. And not sure of the plecos. See photo. Thank you
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20210831-223725~2.png
    Screenshot_20210831-223725~2.png
    116.7 KB · Views: 32
I purchased a used tank with ~ 20 fish last week, some relatively big, like a 5-6 “ catfish. Used 12.5 gallon Coleman Cooler To move from 1/2 away. Most transport vids I saw on YouTube suggested 5 gal buckets with lids. $5 at Lowe’s etc. Some here prefer bags, but when I called a trusted local fish store to buy bags, they said use buckets or the cooler. All went swimmingly.
 
Okay.
If it's not too late, don't clean the filter.
It should contain bacteria that will be essential for your tank.
Everything else about the tank sound good, but I'd recommend you adding live plants. These will help cycle your tank and keep it able to digest the fish waste, when they arrive.
Get a test kit, so you can check the real condition of your water. (This is essential for the wellbeing of your fish...and you!)
This is a recommended Test Kit from API.

As for the fish, what fish are we talking about and can you not delay their arrival for another couple of weeks?
That'll give you the chance to get the tank properly ready and if you don't, then fish will die.

You need to research the fish you're getting. You do have time to do this.
Check out this site, Seriously Fish, for good, solid info.
They need to be compatible.
They need to safely fit in the tank without overcrowding and have plenty of swimming and growing room.
They need to be able to thrive in the water you'll be giving them.

Please let us know the size of the tank and the types of fish you're inheriting.
All very useful, thank you. No I can't leave the fish to get them later.... Will they surely die? Oh no. 4 Neon tetra, betta, 2 dwarf frog and 2 plecco as in picture I posted an answer to another members reply.
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
That is a nice size tank, about 95 litres.
There are problems with your stock though. The fish all need soft water so can you check your water hardness on your water providers website?
The pleco (maybe bristlenose?) could be ok if they are the small variety instead of the common.
The neon will be ok if the water is soft, they would prefer to be in a bigger group.
The betta should not be in a community, it should be kept alone. It could be aggressive to the other fish or their presence could stress the betta which will be detrimental to it's health.
Dwarf frogs should also be in a species tank. They have poor vision and are slow to find food. With fish in the tank they can starve.

So your options would be to decline some fish/ frogs or acquire 2 more tanks.

I don't recommend adding the water from the bags/ container to the new tank as it could be unhealthy. Balance a net on a bucket, tip the bag into the net and transfer the fish into the tank. Then discard the old water.
 
All very useful, thank you. No I can't leave the fish to get them later.... Will they surely die? Oh no. 4 Neon tetra, betta, 2 dwarf frog and 2 plecco as in picture I posted an answer to another members reply.
You said Not to cleaning the filter but the tank is not the same tank as they are living in now but someone is giving me one. The filter hasn't been used in a while so I assumed it would need cleaned out. I've been reading up on the fish preferences, temp, tank mates, food etc. I have to do a bit more on frogs. As you suggest I will get a plant(one to start?) and some floating ones ASAP before they come .
Do you believe they will die in my a new watered/conditioned tank?
 
Yep...I'd go for Bristlenose plecs and the tank should be big enough for two.
The group of Neons is too small for them to thrive...expect stressed fish.
No to the Betta. As @Naughts says, it isn't suitable for a Community tank really...though some would argue it is.
I also suspect the frogs are doomed.
... or acquire 2 more tanks.
Any excuse! :D
 
That is a nice size tank, about 95 litres.
There are problems with your stock though. The fish all need soft water so can you check your water hardness on your water providers website?
The pleco (maybe bristlenose?) could be ok if they are the small variety instead of the common.
The neon will be ok if the water is soft, they would prefer to be in a bigger group.
The betta should not be in a community, it should be kept alone. It could be aggressive to the other fish or their presence could stress the betta which will be detrimental to it's health.
Dwarf frogs should also be in a species tank. They have poor vision and are slow to find food. With fish in the tank they can starve.

So your options would be to decline some fish/ frogs or acquire 2 more tanks.

I don't recommend adding the water from the bags/ container to the new tank as it could be unhealthy. Balance a net on a bucket, tip the bag into the net and transfer the fish into the tank. Then discard the old water.
Thanks. Interesting about the water. I had read that method, but foolishly thought the familiar water would help (newbie mistake). Yes I was thinking the frogs would be better in their own tank and had read mixed articles on betta as community fish. It's been with these fish so I will keep an eye on it for now until I can afford to move to another tank if need be. Yes I will get more neon to make up 10. Thanks.
 
Yep...I'd go for Bristlenose plecs and the tank should be big enough for two.
The group of Neons is too small for them to thrive...expect stressed fish.
No to the Betta. As @Naughts says, it isn't suitable for a Community tank really...though some would argue it is.
I also suspect the frogs are doomed.

Any excuse! :D
Oh dear, its all very negative about me adopting them,
Is this purely on the short cycle tank time? Or because they are being moved in the first place?
 
When I transported the 90 gallon tank, we emptied 45 gallons water into coolers/buckets and took them home. Used conditioned tap water for the other 45 gallons. Used same substrate, sand. Obviously kept same sump tank setup.

maybe you could temporarily keep the frogs etc in inexpensive 1 gal jars sold in glassware cooking departments?
 
Your tank won't be cycled...first and most essential piece of advice is to research and learn about the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle your tank, hopefully someone will direct you to the article on here about cycling or be kind enough to post it here.

If you can't delay moving the fish then you're going to have to do what's called a fish-in cycle which can be tricky but something we can help you with
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Members online

Back
Top