Is Something Wrong With My Neon Swordtail?

[coyemuse]

4 hours ago I bought 6 neon sword-tail fish from the pet store, 5 female and one male. I have them in a small 5 gallon tank until I can get the 30 gallon one next week. When I adjusted them to the water temp, I let them out of the bag. 4 females and the male immediately started swimming around and one of the females just kind of floated near the top for awhile. Now, the one that was idle is alternating between zipping around the tank, and floating upside down at the bottom of the tank. Whats happening? Its this fairly common? To have one fish die-start to die so quickly?

 

[clay]

Not to sound harsh but 5 gallons is way to small.

 

[coyemuse]

I am aware of the fact that the tank is too small, which is why I am getting a bigger one, Just waiting for payday.

 

[Man of fish]

Why would you buy fish on the pre-tense you were getting a larger tank? Why not wait until you got the larger tank, do a proper fishless cycle, then think about buying fish?
Sorry but I can't answer your question.

 

[coyemuse]

I didn't post just to be told I'm being stupid. I know I jumped the gun a bit, but there's nothing I can do about this after the fact. I just want to know if this is fairly common. It seems that anytime I get new fish, I lose one of them within 2 days, the rest end up living.

 

[Man of fish]

Yeah you could return them

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Did you acclimatise them properly? Did you gradually add some tank water to the bag over a period of time before releasing them into the tank. Also what are the water parameters for your tank water (i.e. ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH?)

 

[ZoddyZod]

Did you acclimatise them properly? Did you gradually add some tank water to the bag over a period of time before releasing them into the tank. Also what are the water parameters for your tank water (i.e. ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH?)

+1

just getting them to the same water temperature as the tank is not the proper way to add them. There could be significant differences in water chemistry bewteen where the fish came from and your tank water - a big change can shock and kill fish if not performed gradually.