Tetras - Small School

[daniellaandrea22]

Hey all! Am new here.
So appreciate this forum and community. I am very new to it all and came into this by accident, but am already very in love with the hobby. If anyone has a chance, I have two questions I haven't been able to figure out.

3 "Glofish" tetras (I believe genetically modified from Longfin Black Skirt tetras) recently came into my care. They were found in a tank on a stoop in Brooklyn late at night, so sad!.

Because the tank they were left in was a bit small (10 gall) and just filthy with untouched food/waste, no filter/heater, I felt that it would be better to get them into a new tank sooner rather than later and do a fish-in cycle, though I know it's not preferred (I was not planning to have fish at all, but didn't want to leave them). I followed steps I read online for acclimating fish into a new tank. Now, I am currently trying to do the fish-in cycle with Seachem Prime and Stability. I think it's going ok according to readings, but it's been 6 days since I found them, and one of them has been swimming on his side. It's gotten a bit better the last two days, but is this a sign of an infection? Still eating but seemingly having a bit of trouble. The other two are much more active.

My second question was about the number of fish for the tank size. The new tank they are in is 20 gall (long). I was panicking a bit when I got everything, since it was so rushed, but is this big enough for tetras? If so, is it advisable to add 2 more so they have a proper school? One of the two larger fish sometimes seem to chase the smaller one and I've read that this calms down when they're in larger numbers. With all the new things going on for them though, I don't want to add more stress.

Thank you so much for the time and help!

 

[Fishmanic]

Doing a fish in cycle requires daily large water changes. Do you have a test kit? If not, buy one soon so you can monitor nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels. You could add lots of floating plants as it will help with your cycle. Keep levels as low as possible ... preferably near 0 by doing frequent water changes.
Dont add any more fish till tank has cycled.

 

[Fishmanic]

Do you know your water hardness level? Call your water provider and they can tell you. Post the level here so we can advise you.
Be sure to use dechlorinator on any water you add to your tank.

 

[daniellaandrea22]

Doing a fish in cycle requires daily large water changes. Do you have a test kit? If not, buy one soon so you can monitor nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels. You could add lots of floating plants as it will help with your cycle. Keep levels as low as possible ... preferably near 0 by doing frequent water changes.
Dont add any more fish till tank has cycled.

Thank you! Yes, I got a master freshwater kit and have been noting the readings. I have been doing small, frequent water changes (twice a day) - is it better to do large ones once instead?
For some reason the ammonia and nitrite levels are actually already at nearly zero, though nitrate is a little higher. But its only been a few days so I don't understand where it's at in the cycle.
Appreciate the advice!

 

[Fishmanic]

You cannot be cycled at this point. Fishless cycling can take weeks. I would recommend at least 50% water changes daily and perhaps more if levels increase. You want all levels as close to 0 as possible. Adding plants can speed up the process.
The fact that you have a distressed fish could be due to ammonia poisoning.

 

[daniellaandrea22]

Do you know your water hardness level? Call your water provider and they can tell you. Post the level here so we can advise you.
Be sure to use dechlorinator on any water you add to your tank.

Thanks!

Yes, I have been using Seachem Prime as a water conditioner.

I just checked the hardness and it says GH I believe 100, but the colors between 0-250 ppm are very similar. Maybe I can call and find out more accurately. I also have aquatic peat granules but didn't want to mess with anything before knowing for sure.

The KH looks between 40 and 80 (maybe too low?)

 

[Fishmanic]

GH is more impotant than KH. What is your PH?

 

[daniellaandrea22]

You cannot be cycled at this point. Fishless cycling can take weeks. I would recommend at least 50% water changes daily and perhaps more if levels increase. You want all levels as close to 0 as possible. Adding plants can speed up the process.
The fact that you have a distressed fish could be due to ammonia poisoning.

Yes I understand. That is why I was confused at the parameters.
From this reading, It looks like the ammonia is between 0 and .5. But I may be reading incorrectly, the colors on these strips are quite close for me (the master kit I have comes with tubes but didn't include ammonia). This is a test from just now, after 60 seconds of waiting.

 

[daniellaandrea22]

GH is more impotant than KH. What is your PH?

PH is 6.6

 

[Fishmanic]

An API master test kit would have ammonia, ph, nitrite and nitrate tests and is the kit most use here. And it is considered more accurate than the strips. You can also but the api ammonia test separately.

 

[Fishmanic]

6.6 would suggest your water is on the softer side. But get the GH level from the water company to be sure.

 

[daniellaandrea22]

An API master test kit would have ammonia, ph, nitrite and nitrate tests and is the kit most use here. And it is considered more accurate than the strips. You can also but the api ammonia test separately.

Oh my gosh, so glad you pointed that out, I misread NH3 for one of the hardness tests!
This is the ammonia test from the kit. Definitely seems more accurate, and looks to be around .25

 

[Fishmanic]

Even .25 is too high... do a 50 to 75 percent water change to lower it. Monitor levels a few times a day and do large water changes as necessary to lower any readings of .25 or above.? Also watch nitrite and nitrate levels.

 

[daniellaandrea22]

Even .25 is too high... do a 50 to 75 percent water change to lower it. Monitor levels a few times a day and do large water changes as necessary to lower any readings of .25 or above.? Also watch nitrite and nitrate levels.

Okay, got it. Will having Seachem Prime in there detoxify it at all for them? Will do water change right away, thanks again!

 

[Fishmanic]

A bit, but water changes are more important