Really Worried About My Tank And If It Will Work With Fish.

[mwood2]

Ok so I bought my tank and fish today. Got Conditioner, Salt (the one for tropical fish), Gravel, Live Plant, Molly Fish, Aqua Tech Hex 5 Tank, Hydor Theo 50 watt heater and a net.

The fish it self is a Molly Fish. I got it for my gf as a anniversary gift and im worried about it health due to the heater not working out. The tank itself has a 15 watt bulb but no other sources of heat. The heater I bought wont fit in the tank due to the top filtration system since the water lvl for it to filter will submerge the heater. I submerged it and turned it on before work, got home and looked at the instructions to make sure it was working. Turns out it cant be submerged to to electrical issues. I turned it off right away and took it out but now I have no heater and its night. Im worried for the fish since it may be a cold morning and I cant buy a new heater for a day or 2.

I thought I would have been more prepared and I want the fish to last as long as it can. I checked the water temp right now and it reads 75 degrees Fahrenheit. For the moment everything seems fine but anyone know im thing will go wrong fast right now?


Also currently fish is kinda frantically swimming in circles which worries me more.

 

[Spishkey]

keeping the light of the tank on may help add some heat there until you get another heater, or you could wrap the tank in something to keep as much heat in as poss. if you have air co on at home turn it off.
you really need to cycle the tank though. if you have a look at the pinned topics at the top of the new to the hobby forum http/www.fishforums.net/category/26/New-to-the-hobby/, there is some fabulous info on cycling a tank, both the fish in and the fishless methods.
the molly swimming in circles sounds to me like some serious stress issues! did you add salt to the tank? most tropicals dont need salt, and unless the molly was kept in salted water at the lfs (local fish shop) i wouldnt see the need to add it in yours.
im sure someone else will be along with some info for you shortly

 

[mwood2]

well i added Aquarium Salt to it. The fish helper and the store suggested it. The fish has been in the tank for 12 hours or so now. The water is still keeping at 75 degrees right now so all seems fine. I have the tank in the corner of my room on a desk. The keeps swimming on the side of the tank farthest from the wall so im thinking it just wants more space maybe. I think stress is indeed the issue since when I got home and turned on the main light and came closer to the tank is when it really started. It was just floating trying to sleep before then I think. So it could have been me. Im mostly worries about the heating issue.

 

[Spishkey]

luckily its not the middle of winter!

it should be fine until you get another heater,none of my tanks currently have heaters on, and i wont put them on until oct/nov when the temp in the tanks start to drop.
but please do read up on cycling your tank or your fish will probably be dead in days due to ammonia poisoning good luck and all the best

 

[mwood2]

well I will buy the heater today but after doing some reading how likely is it the Molly Fish will survive? Seeing as its her anniversary gift I cant let this happen. I will start cycling right away and buy a test kit. I may have a friend who can take care of it for the time being but if she cant what can I do...

 

[Spishkey]

you could take it back to the shop, and buy another when the cycle is done.
you could risk it and cycle the tank with the fish and hope it survives (ammolock is meant to be good for protecting fish during cycling)
you could let your friend look after it



or another option, i take it your friend has an established tank? ask them if you can have a section of their filter media/sponge and put it in your filter. this will effectivly give your tank some good bacteria and really kick start the cycling process, if not diminishing the need for it at all (if you do get some of their filter media, keep it wet in tank water during transport or the bacteria will die, and get it in your filter asap)

 

[mwood2]

if i take it back to the store whats the best transport? I have a Pint of freshly conditioned water that I planed to add to the tank since I just tried to take some out with a failed tempt. Would it be wise to use said water ( it will have time to sit there for a few hours) and what is the best travel solution if i use said water.

 

[Davo86]

The heater I bought wont fit in the tank due to the top filtration system since the water lvl for it to filter will submerge the heater. I submerged it and turned it on before work, got home and looked at the instructions to make sure it was working. Turns out it cant be submerged to to electrical issues. I turned it off right away and took it out but now I have no heater and its night. Im worried for the fish since it may be a cold morning and I cant buy a new heater for a day or 2.

sorry am i misreading this? are u saying that you can't use your heater because it can't be submerged?

 

[mwood2]

well I keep getting mis lead. On the cover it says that its submesabl but on the instructions it says to only uo it up to a certain point. at that hight I can ut in my tank and not have the whole thing submerged.

Its a Hydor Theo Heater. Its 50 watts and im getting mixed up. Either way my tank cant handle the mollies right now since my water isnt even right for them yet due to not being cycled.

Reading some I know that the stress is due to Ph lvls even though its been half a day. I dont want the fish to suffer so im taking it back asap thus i need to know the best way to carry it.

 

[lilfishie]

well I will buy the heater today but after doing some reading how likely is it the Molly Fish will survive? Seeing as its her anniversary gift I cant let this happen. I will start cycling right away and buy a test kit. I may have a friend who can take care of it for the time being but if she cant what can I do...

if this friend has a tank then ask if you could have some of there filter media, that way you could keep the molly as the bacteria would be transported across with the media

 

[ellena]

Normally with heaters, they have to be submerged up to a certain level, rather than out of the water to a certain level?
Mine says minimum on it, the water has to be up to that line.

 

[LauraFrog]

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