Someone Help Me Please !

[xfallen.x.angelx]

Hello there.. Well I need some advice on a few things regarding my new tank, and as my local fish shop don't seem to be very helpful, I thought this the best place to come !! I've just set up a tank, so far all I have is 6 neon tetras (I'm getting some more fish this week, I just wanted to see how I got on with these for a start), and I also have a little hiding place for them, as well as two plants.

The problem is, there seems to be loads of food ending up in the bottom of the tank, and it's making the tank cloudy, which dosnt look very attractive, and probably isnt healthy for the fish either? I clean it out with a pump once a week, but it seems that I cant get all of the crap out from the water, as when I'm cleaning it it moves around too much. The suggestion to me was to take out about 30% of the water, but even then I'm leaving what looks like dirty water in the tank. I thought perhaps I was over-feeding them, hence the remains being left in the tank, but I've reduced how much I feed them and it's still happening..Also, when I was cleaning out the tank the other day, there were 2 small snails in there (ew) .. There hasnt been any since as far as I can see. Does anyone know why this is?

I feed them twice a day, but only small amounts, and when I do it seems that they are very hungry because they dart after the food as if they hadn't been fed for a week !! How much should I feed them? And when I get more fish in the tank, should I increase the amount I feed them a lot?? Helppp me please lol I feel so stupid, but I really need some advice, as I dont want my fish to start dying and stuff

Thanks

Charmaine xx

 

[BigIan]

feeding them once a day is enough, and even if you feed them every 15 mins the tetras will go mental as soon as they see the food...

first of all have you cycled the tank??? if not then have a look here

we all so need to know some of the water perameters, do youhave a test kit for amonia, nitrIte, and nitrate?
if not get one!

 

[Boxa]

Just how small are these small amounts though? I normally feed tiny amounts to my fish a couple of times a day, but then I also crush the flakes up at the moment and feed them that, but I mainly do that because my main new tank is a Endler fry tank but the bigger fish in the other tanks also seem to eat crush flakes too.

You can buy "Green Water Control" which binds the Green Algae i the water together, you could also get some snails to clear the bottom.

What size tank is it and what type of filter are you using.

 

[voo]

If you havent cycled the tank then be careful adding more fish. You need to ad fish slowly so that the bacteria can build up in the filter, otherwise they are likely to die.

The cloudy water is probably due to ammonia. Get a test kit soon and check it. You'll probably need to be doing a lot of water changes till the tank has cycled.

Snails can often come with new plants. If you dont want them it's best to wash the new plants thoroughly before adding them to the tank. The common ones you get free on plants can multiply very rapidly.

Neons aren't really a good choice for a new tank. They are very delicate nowadays and usually only recommended for a mature tank.

Try cutting down the amount you are feeding to maybe 2-3 flakes, crushed, once a day. If the fish get really hungry, then can eat the food on the bottom

 

[fish-r-fancy]

Well a fishes stomache is only the size of their eyeball so you may think that your feeding them very little even though your feeding them a lot. Also on the back of the fish food container it will tell you to feed them WAY to much, so don't listen to anything that you read on the back of a fish food contaner. Thay just want you to run out of food quicker so that you will have to spend money and buy more.

 

[xfallen.x.angelx]

Great thanks guys, that's really helped. I think I probably have been feeding them far too much tbh, so I'd say thats the biggest part of my problem...I'm going to cut down how much I feed them now, I just didnt want them to starve lol

 

[dwarfgourami]

Well a fishes stomache is only the size of their eyeball

That is an old wive's tale. If you think about, it, fish have eyeballs of very varying sizes. The size of their stomachs is not related to their eyes in any way, but to the type of food they eat.

For neons, I would have thought 1 flake a day per fish would be quite adequate; count them out the first couple of times so you know what size pinch you're aiming at.

 

[fish-r-fancy]

Well a fishes stomache is only the size of their eyeball

That is an old wive's tale. If you think about, it, fish have eyeballs of very varying sizes. The size of their stomachs is not related to their eyes in any way, but to the type of food they eat.

For neons, I would have thought 1 flake a day per fish would be quite adequate; count them out the first couple of times so you know what size pinch you're aiming at.

Actually I've heard this from several people and once I bought fish from a breeder and asked what he was feeding the fish and how much he told me the same thing that fishes stomaches were the size of their eyes.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Actually I've heard this from several people and once I bought fish from a breeder and asked what he was feeding the fish and how much he told me the same thing that fishes stomaches were the size of their eyes.
[/quote]

Yes, that's the thing about urban myths- you hear them from lots of people.