Think I Started Everything Wrong

[b3cca]

kay, i got a juwel 70 litre tank from my mum for christmas and decided to set it up.
Went to my pet store for advice and was told by them to add :
 
12 teaspoons of aqaurium salt
2 capfulls of stress coat
2 capfulls of stess zime
 
fill my tank and wait 24 hours and then i could start to add fish !!
since then i've read about cycling tanks and ammonia spikes which the store never told me about and now i'm scared it will kill my fish so i bought a api water test kit.
 
I wanted harlequin rasbora but the store only had 3 and i know they like to be in groups so he told me to buy a cherry barb as well as they like to be on there own and would not bother the harlequins. (which i've since read they don't)
 
Well my tank has been running only a week and i check water everyday ammonia No2 and No3 are all zero, temp is 24o c and the P.H is 7.0
 
My cherry barb constanly seems to chase the rasboras but they seem to go back for more they dont hide or anything.
 
So should i get more cherry barbs now but then i'm scared to add more fish yet because my tank is not cycled at all and don't want to hurt any more fish.
 Or do i just stick with what i have till it cycles and hope they all make it ?
 
Sorry i feel horrible after reading about ammonia spikes and am worried but did excactly what the store told me, they even gave me a instruction print out which never mentions cycling or anything.
 
I would be glad of any advice as im not asking the store again
 
 
 

 

[Baccus]

Congartulations on your new tank

 , and even better finding this forum

 .
 
You can do a fish in cycle with the harlequins but you will have to be religious in water tests and water changes. I would stick it out with the fish in cycle if you have the time to keep doing all the testing and water changes. Other wise I would look at rehoming or returning the fish to the LFS and finish of you cycle fishless. Depending on where you are you might even be able to get some mature filter media off somebody else to help speed up the process.
 
Even though the cherry barb is chasing the harlequins I would not add any more fish just yet, they will just add to the bioload that the filter is currently playing catch up with.
 
Dont feel bad about following the LFS's advice, its a common mistake but one you can now rectify.

 

[phoenixgsd]

both cherry barbs and harlequins are scholing fish, i have both and they all hang out together quite piecefully, have a read of the link in my signature on cycling, fish in cycling is hard work if you can i would return the fish and start a fishless cycle

 

[leighton_87]

Welcome to the forum

You've learnt the first mistake of fishkeeping which is never trust your LFS - luckily you've stumbled on a great forum where everyone loves to help.

Personally I wouldn't add anymore fish at this stage and to be honest you've got a battle on your hands saving those you have. They key to a fish in cycle is to keep testing daily and change 90% of the water as soon as you see any readings. This might mean daily changes for the next few months but with the right attitude as bit I hard work you'll get there. You've made a good start by getting the API kit and seeking out help.

Check out the begginers resource centre on this site and in particular the section on fish-in cycling (I would link but on my mobile). Har a good read and then feel free to ask any questions however daft try might seem (we've all been beginners - some like me are still beginners)

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Link to fish-in cycling is in my sig.  
 
Welcome to the forum!

 

[b3cca]

Thnx , well i do have an axolotl tank and internal sponge filter which has been running for over 3 years, could i use some filter foam and stones from this tank as i presume it would be mature sponge although it's from an axoltl tank and not from fish.
 
Grrr i feel mad that they tell people that stuff at the pet store and even have a print out saying wait 24 hours.
I wish i'd read here first, but was excited and just jumped in too early wanting fish.
 
I don't mind checking water in fact i've been checking water at least 3 times a day and i scoop any uneaten flakes straight out with my net. I have a syphon and changed 25 % water today.
I put some plants in as i read it would help, 3 pots of anubius and 3 pots of rotilla or rotella or something and some moss balls.
 
What does the salt do ? as when i splashed water on the lid it dried white, so that must be the salt they told me to put in.
 
Well the fish are ok and eat and are lively i think the barb and harlequins just play they seem to goad the barb to chase them then go back for more and they have no fins nipped or anything.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Salt is considered a tonic to the fish during times of stress, but its really unnecessary, except in very specific situations when it can be used as a sort of medicine.  In general, its a BAD idea to add salt to your tank.  If you have scaleless fish, they are very sensitive to salt and it takes a long time to get the salt completely out of the tank.  So, adding salt needs to be done very carefully and only for specific issues.  

 

[b3cca]

Yes i don't like the look of white water marks i'll not add anymore salt and keep changing 25% water everyday to dilute,.
 
Just remembed my brother who lives close has a goldfish he has had for years, he says it has a filter but he's never really cleaned it.
After reading through all the helpfull links posted above I think I'll try half his filter sponges and maybe a few ornaments from his goldfish tank and some filter sponges from my axolotl tank to put into mine for now, continue monitor my water and see how things go.
 
thanks for all your help so far i feel much better and not quite so scared

 

[rachcake]

bless you... alot of products seem to state 'you can add fish after 24hours!' which i fell for when i started out - and i also had bad advice from a lfs... they told me NOT to do any water changes and that my tank would 'sort itself out' !!! seems crazy now that i found this forum and started researching... you're at the right place now, good luck!

 

[b3cca]

thnx rach
 
Well luckily I took my niece to a local garden centre to see their ponds and fish and they have just started a new small tropical section.
Well it is just ran by an old couple who seem to love fish and know everything, so I'm going to always go there now and not a big pet store again.

 

[b3cca]

Well I think things are starting to cycle, woke up this morning and my ammonia was over 4pp nitrites were about 2 ppm and it was showing low nitrates.
I'm changing 50 % water every morning and 50 % every evening and only feeding small pinch every other day so hopefully those high readings were a spike as the water was very cloudy which is good right ? like it means the good bacteria are now there and starting to grow.
 
Surprisingly fish are all still happy and swimming round and eating, so all i can do is keep doing what i'm doing and hope they make it through ok.
 
I know there is no real answer but how long after starting to see nitrites and bacteria bloom till it starts to cycle ? well i don't mind changing all the water every day I quite enjoy it but hope it hurries up so the poor fish can finally have a day of peace lol

 

[This Old Spouse]

Well luckily I took my niece to a local garden centre to see their ponds and fish and they have just started a new small tropical section.
Well it is just ran by an old couple who seem to love fish and know everything, so I'm going to always go there now and not a big pet store again.

 
How wonderful you found the garden store, with knowing people running it. 
 
The one thing I would do is take back the cherry barb and wait until your tank is cycled, then get a much larger group of them. The one you have is likely feeling anxious because he's all by himself. They do quite well in larger groups and are much less likely to bother the other fish.
 
Welcome to the forum, and keep us posted! Good luck!

 

[b3cca]

Thnx spouse,
well i got my cherry barb from a big pet store I went back there a week later and their cherry barb tank is "under medication" so I don't wanna send him back there.
 
Would you believe the actual pet store has info cards on each tank and for cherry barbs it says :  -
"easy care, non aggresive community fish, best kept as individuals or small groups"
So they are basically telling people they can and even should be kept without other cherry barbs
 
He's ok now I think the harlies have adopted him and he hangs around with them surfs in the filter flow with them and maybe he thinks he's a harlie too lol. But seriously as soon as it cycles then i will add another 2 cherry barbs leave them for 3-4 weeks and then get another 2 or 3 is my plan.

 

[b3cca]

Well i been a week now with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and around 5 ppm Nitrate, i guess it is cycled but I'm still changing 25 % water every 2-3 days as it only takes about 5 mins with my small tank, so i may as well continue this routine..
 
Got 2 new cherry barbs, so now have 3 harlies and 3 cherry barbs and everybody seems happy, can't believe how big my origional cherry barb is compared to the new young ones lol.
 
Well thankfully all my fish made it although 1 day there were all at the surface due to nitrite spike so whether that has harmed them only time will tell.
 
I did so many test that my api ammonia 1 bottle is now nearly empty after 5 weeks lol.
 
Thanx everybody who helped, I'm pretty sure all my fish would have died had i not got all the good advice from you guys.
 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[leighton_87]

Excellent news.

Well done!!