Tank Gone Wild

[treilly95]

I have recently purchased a 20 gallon fish tank, set it up, let it sit for over 48 hours, and then cycled the water. After this I went to my local pet store and picked out some fish. I chose tiger barbs and dwarf gouramis. I started with 2 dwarf gouramis (1 neon and 1 reg) and 6 tiger barbs, two of those being green for a total of eight fish. Since then, five of the six tiger barbs died. I noticed symptoms of swimming upside down for about the last fifteen or so minutes before they died. After this occurred, I did a 100% water change and added four new tiger barbs. One of the new ones died but no strange swimming before he went. The problem now is my regular gourami. It never comes out from behind my filter, not even to eat. One of the new tiger barbs has almost doubled in size and seems to be harrassing all of the other fish as well. I have noticed bite marks out of the tail fins of the barbs and a single bite mark out of the dorsel fin of my gourami in hiding. What should I do?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Letting it sit for 48 hours did nothing and there really was no reason for doing it in that it helped nothing. How did you cycle the tank? Sounds like ammonia poisoning to me. Also, are you dechlorinating your water and do you have any test kits?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

The process of cycling a tank takes thereabouts 4-6 weeks.  It is process of adding ammonia to the aquarium to feed the bacteria that grows in the filter that will in time process the ammonia turning it into something safe/less toxic to the fish.  In this time you need to be testing the water (preferably with a liquid test kit like API) to track the readings.  This is called fishless cycling and the safest way to prepare a tank for fish.  See the beginners resource section for detailed instructions and do post all the questions you have.

 

[the_lock_man]

I agree with both above replies. Another problem is that tiger barbs like to nip other fish and gouramis are the perfect target. The gourami is hiding away from the barbs.

 

[TallTree01]

You did not cycle. Your tiger barbs will eat gourami. Your tiger barbs need a bigger school. Your tiger barbs need a 30 gallon IMO. 2 male dwarf gourami will fight. Ammonia levels are probably soaring. Go to beginners resource center and learn some stuff ASAP.

 

[CoryLover95]

Yes, go to the beginner's resource center as TT recommended.  Also, do you have a test kit?  If not, you should have one.  48 hours does NOT cycle a tank at all, and if possible I would return the remaining fish to avoid subjecting them to death like the others, then go fish-less.  If you can't do that, huge water changes are the program.