Need Some Tips

[dave_paton]

Just added 2 gourami and 4 gold barbs to my 140litre tank, the advice from the lfs was to use these to break the tank in and to get it cycling. The guy from the fish store is a friend and a trustworthy source, but i have been bugging the hell outa him with questions so i thought i might ask you guys for some general tips.

The fish were added today after letting my tank sit for a bit over 2 weeks with the filter running.
The gold barbs seem quite happy and are moving all about the tank, however the gouramis over the course of the day have done nothing but get spooked and have been hiding behind the filter pump mostly. I have also just noticed that one of the gouramis seems to be at the surface taking in alot of air, well at least i think thats what he is doing.

I was sure to keep people traffic down today and left the light off for a bit to let them settle
Mt main question if this is normal for goramis to be acting that way???

my tanks test are
Ammonia: 0.25
Ph 6.4
Nitrite 0
kh 3'
gh 7'

I have 2 plants that have been doing very well and a large piece of driftwood.

Any advice or tips would be appreciated as i am new to this all but are so far nervously enjoying it!

Thanks

 

[5teady_2012]

Im not 100% sure about the choice of fish you used for cycling, i think danios are much better.

 

[Zawiha]

Gourami's were a very poor choice as a cycle fish
in my experience they really dont seem to do so well.
I would of been hesitant with gold barbs,
Prefering to choose large tetra or platies (though platies seem more prone to white spot).

if you left your tank running two weeks (and your not fishless cycling)
it was rather pointless as. If the plants had been there from the start they may help
abit. But in all due fairness dropping fish in a few days after set up would of done the same
as now.

 

[dave_paton]

Gourami's were a very poor choice as a cycle fish
in my experience they really dont seem to do so well.
I would of been hesitant with gold barbs,
Prefering to choose large tetra or platies (though platies seem more prone to white spot).

if you left your tank running two weeks (and your not fishless cycling)
it was rather pointless as. If the plants had been there from the start they may help
abit. But in all due fairness dropping fish in a few days after set up would of done the same
as now.

Great, sounds like ive screwed up already

 

[Zawiha]

Not nessicarily.
If the fish are surviving so far,
your doing something right.

without waste comig into the filter,
so there is nothing for the denitrifying bacteria
to feed on.
Its why fish are added to cycle.
Without the fish's byproducts your filter
wont be maturing (in a fish cycle)

 

[dave_paton]

Yeh i guess them being alive is one thing... my glod barbs seem to really be enjoying themselfs, do you have any idea why my gouramis are hiding all the time??
thanks for your replys by the way, every bit of advice counts as far as my knowlage goes

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Hi there, welcome to the forum and to the hobby.

Unfortunatley you seem to have started in the same way a lot of beginners do, on advice from the fish shop unknowlingly putting the fish in danger.

But don't worry, you're not the first to do this and you won't be the las and we can get you through it no problems.

Here's your first bit of reading, it explains the nitrogen cycle, what all your levels mean and what to do about it

link

The best option in my opinion would be to return the fish to the shop and do a fishless cycle (link) which is much safer and a lot less stress

 

[Zawiha]

Your gourami's could be getting stressed,
the water in your tanks going tobe a big change to the LFS water.
Keep a close eye on it, see how it progresses.
but it also could just be the stress of transorting

 

[Miss Wiggle]

just a note on the gourami behaviour, when fish are exposed to ammonia in the water they are scared and act funny, imagine you were stuck in a room full of exhaust fumes......... after a couple of days you wouldn't exactly be happy with it would you? even if it's not severe enough to make them ill (yet) the exposure will be doing them no good at all and they know this, so they are spooked as their situation is not comfortable. that's why i'd advise returning them and doing a fishless cycle, much better for the fish

 

[Zawiha]

yeah i agree with wiggles,
the guy maybe your mate, but always double check when it comes
to situations such as this.

 

[dave_paton]

Hmmm ok thanks for the help, its 8:15pm here so the lfs isnt open il see how they are doing in the morning i spose. What frustrates me is i metioned the fishless cycle and he said not to worry and its better to do it this way....

Now i have put myself in a most un-enjoyable situation (sigh...) this is not why i decided to get a fish tank!!!

Ah well i guess i am learing the hard way

thanks to all for the speedy replys

 

[Zawiha]

fish cycle is an easier way as it
earns LFS's more money and enables
staff with a non-broad horizon on fishless
cycles to be able to cycle.
IF hes given you gourami to cycle your
tank i wonder if he even knows how
to fish cycle let alone fishless.

 

[dave_paton]

 

[Miss Wiggle]

sadly it is learning the hard way, but please don't be put off fidshkeeping. the first few months can be stressful whatever way you do it, but once you're tanks cycled and set up it all gets a lot easier and is a lovely hobby

 

[dave_paton]

this is quite depressing lol

thanks for being helpful though guys