Sick Serpae Tetra?

[Mariahcs12]

I just got a new tank a few days ago. let everything run for about 48 hours before I even thought of getting fish.
I got 2 serpae tetra and a danio. the danio and one of the serpae are fine, they have good color, and are eating well.
one of my serpae however seems listless. he hangs out near my plants, doesn't eat, he has little/no color, his fins are kinda shredded but that may be because the other serpae nips at him. I Have also seen him gasping for breath but only once, and not near the top of the tank. he swims fine when he is swimming, but otherwise he just kinda "sits there".
on another note... has anyone heard of tetra being nocturnal?? because mine are more active and tend to actually eat more if the light is off as opposed to if it is on...

 

[Mariahcs12]

Tank size: 10 gallon
pH:unknown
ammonia: .2 ppm
nitrite: unknown
nitrate:unknown
kH: unknown
gH:unknown
tank temp: 80-82 degrees F

Volume and Frequency of water changes: haven't done one yet, planning on a 20% change tomorrow

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: just the de chlorinator

Tank inhabitants: 1 danio, 2 serpae tetra

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): fake plants, a few figures for them to hide behind/in, all cleaned before being put in

Exposure to chemicals: just the de chlorinator, as well as whatever chemicals were in their original tank at the shop (i know the shop kept salt in their tanks...)

 

[VickiandKev]

Have you cycled your tank???

 

[Mariahcs12]

Have you cycled your tank???

No. because i didn't know about tank cycles when i started, so thats what its going through now i believe- though i have been watching the water closely, and have been testing the ammonia levels, but the store i got them from (its the closest one to me) doesn't sell nitrate or nitrite test kits. though i noticed that he does look a bit perkier today.

 

[guppi]

You need to do daily water changes, 2ppm of ammonia will kill your fish.
Please read this.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

 

[Mariahcs12]

You need to do daily water changes, 2ppm of ammonia will kill your fish.
Please read this.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

not 2 ppm but point 2 ppm- but yeah i am gonna do a water change.

 

[Mariahcs12]

so know that the tank light is off he seems to be doing a lot better. and i managed to tempt him with some blood worms this morning. could it be that my light is to bright? or that he feels too exposed/out in the open because of it?

 

[julsifer]

tbh i would just take the fish back to your lfs and 'fishless cycle' your tank otherwise your gonna be doing daily water changes to keep ammonia at zero, and putting your fishies under quite a lot of stress, sorry.

 

[mark4785]

so know that the tank light is off he seems to be doing a lot better. and i managed to tempt him with some blood worms this morning. could it be that my light is to bright? or that he feels too exposed/out in the open because of it?

When the light goes off they tend to go to sleep so you would probably be experiencing the fish going to sleep. It doesn't mean that the high ammonia and/or nitrite levels in your tank are having no ill effect on the fish just because the light is off. I'm afraid that the best solution would be to return the fish to the LFS (or wherever you sourced it) and begin properly cycling your tank without any stock.