Very New To This. Need desperate help.

[Kikotay]

Hello. This is going to be sort of a long post so hopefully someone can hear out my problems.

At a charity drive, there's this fishing booth where you just pay and then for 15 seconds, you can fish your own fish. The result for me is that I have 4 fishes from that. 3 guppies and 1 mollie. When buying an aquarium for them, my mother insisted I add four more guppies from the local shop to the family. The aquarium is very small. It is roughly about 5.6inches in length, 7 inches wide and 4.7 inches thick. The water level I usually keep it at 4.3 inches. It only has a simple filter and nothing else in it. So I had 2 females guppies, 5 male guppies and one mollie.

Recently, one of the guppies that I had caught died and stuck to the filter. I got it out and did a 30% water change. Few hours later, another one from the charity died. A female this time. Yesterday, I noticed that my mollie had a white spot on its head and it was no longer swimming around happily like it used to the day before. After eating, it hid in a corner and would move just a little bit. I went to sleep thinking that I would get some medication for the mollie but it died when I was sleeping and I found it sunken to its favourite corner, dead.

I did another water change and fed the guppies their breakfast. What concerns me is that the fishes keep dying. Now two of the guppies are hanging out at the surface. One has a ripped tail, I don't know how that came to. And another one looks fine. But they do not swim around actively like the other 3.

I have this aquarium in my room because it is fairly small. My country here has a hot and humid climate. So at night I would usually on the air conditioner to about 26-28C. The pH level that I checked yesterday is about 7.5. I have yet to check it today after the change.

Please, could anyone advise me about my fishes, what I should improve and what I should do and possibly why my fishes are dying one by one.

[FordForever]

How long have they been in this tank? Maybe the tank is still cycling?

[invadertoast]

Firstly - welcome to the site!

Your tank needs to cycle and sounds overstocked (also, Mollies are brackish water fish.) Download the free e-book from this site and read up on how to cycle - that should get you going in the right direction.

Good luck - you've come to the right place!

[Gayle]

Hello and welcome!!! Keep in mind that alot of the fish that are won at these sort of games, have not been taken care of so well before being fished for. Also that is a high amount of stress being fished for time and time again.

[Kikotay]

Thank you very much :) I'm currently reading the book. It's very helpful. I've just got them a day before yesterday. And yes, it's still cyling.

[GeneralGoldeneye]

Good luck:4:

[fishiegrl]

Hi. I felt very sorry to hear about the dying fish. I know I had many of what you wrote about when my tanks were new.

Starting from go it sounds like no one told you anything about how to care for these guys. The water doesn't sound as if it was de-chlorinated, thus the gapsing for air at the surface. that's some chemical thing.

One: You CAN'T put fish in NON de-chlorinated water; tho I doubt anyone told you that.


However, I have found that it's ALWAYS better to eliminate MANY, MANY "cycling" issues (as in, getting good bacteria into your Biofilter over a period of a few months--that's the brownish-blackish stuff we humans call "dirt" either in your filter elements, or where the water output is) with LOTS of water changes instead of just dosing everything to death with medications, and also killing off the GOOD bacteria you need to keep the fish happy and alive.

"Lots" with a new, small tank is every other day with a very small self-starting gravel vacuum.

NEVER feed cold or frozen food to your fish. Cut a very small amount for use in the next day or so. Fridge the rest. Feed maybe five brine shrimp (or amount equivalent) per fish twice a day. Use a variety of foods and liquids vitamins as directed.

Smaller amounts more often is best.


please buy small amounts of food so that it stays fresh. Toss out anything frozen with frost on it (that's freezer burn, and it's disgusting to eat).

If you live in a place where there's a SPECIALTY fish store (NOT a chain, preferably); make those guys your best buddies; they LIKE fish and care about them and will help you if you ask.

NOW, if they have "seasoned" filter elements from healthy tanks that will fit your tank ask them if you can have them to season your tank. Seasoned gravel and seasoned water are always helpful, too.

It sounds like you're overstocked, as others have said. it's not ideal, of course, but if you change the water 20% EVERY day, it should help a lot while you get another setup started. If you go over the 20% (ish) take out level, wait a few until the sediment settles, and scoop out the cleaner water from the top, put it back in the tank.

The old, simple way of assuming how many fish was appropriate is "An inch of fish per one gallon of water." In general, that's a good idea. Better to know how big they will get, and assume for a grown size.

Now, I should mention that "fishie water buckets" do NOTHING but fishie water. They should NEVER EVER have chemicals, soaps, cleaners and whatnot in them. WASH your hands ANY time they go in the tank. NO antibacterial soap! It leaves residue on your skin.

You didn't mention what tank setup you have. i have 2 3-gallon Eclipse setups with the size Z filter elements. If you have the same, I can send you my cleanly used compatible filter elements to help you start the tank more effectively.

When you change the water, rinse the filter elements in the dump water from your tank if dirty.

If or when you have to change the elements, change ONE at a time if there are two. Do NOT change the Biowheel--it's LOADED with good stuff for your fish. Browner the better.

if the fish gets white spots that you KNOW aren't just the fish's markings...use an anti-ich medication, take your blue filter element, and cut out the carbon and throw it out. For the three days or so of anti-ich meds, leave that non-carbon element in. Dry it throughly and save it for next time, should there be one, as it's no thrill to get all the carbon out from a new one.


MOST sicknessess you get in fish are due to poor water quality and new tank syndrome.

With a tank LESS than 6 months old, change the water A LOT. Big tanks can go less than smaller ones, but I do mine every couple of days, just to be clean and safe. At the VERY least, I do twice a week. That's 20-25 percent of water, about 7 gallons from the big one I dump in my front yard. Plants LOVE it.

You don't want to get in the habit of not doing it often (I write mine down) becuase if you do, you'll shock the fish with the huge variances in Ph, nitrates, and so on with the water differences.

test your water with a test kit. BE CAREFUL as many of the chemicals used to test with are not to be fooled with. Specialty fishie stores will test your water sample, too. Normally for free.

please, be careful to get the water close in temperature to what's in the tank when you put new water in. Again, probably more important with smaller tanks than larger, but VERY important to tempertaure-sensitive fish, such as Siamese Fighting Fish. Put a little in at a time, leave it for a bit (say 5-10 minutes), then a little more.

Now, all of what you do is cumulative (meaning it all adds up). Stress of the fish with an overstocked tank, combined with drastic water temperatures, with lots of activity around their tank, with just one kind of food, with no vitamins, combined with a non-heated environment (or too hot), combined with dirty water...all builds up to cause catastrophy. And mind you, EVERY smaller element is WORSE with a NON-aged tank and the overstocking situation.

Most fish are happy at about 78 degress, with certain exceptions, of course.

What you REALLY should do is see if the specialty fish store won't help you by getting some of these fish off your hands for a bit...they need more space.

Use thermometers and heaters. The removable stick on ones are cheaper. Check the temps EVERY day.

Keep in mind that what works for some fish doesn't work as well for others. For example, guppies are very big super-clean water freaks. They also like playing in bubbles from bubble stones. Bettas (not that they like anyone else or that you'd have them with tankmates) prefer non-moving water most of the time, and are less picky about the super-clean water, as they live in rice paddies. Temperature and chemical levels (Ph and so on) are vastly different for both fish. Guppies like a bit of aquarium salt, Bettas do not, and it is strictly contraindicated (meaning don't use it with) with Atison's Betta SPA.

Wait, 4.3 INCHES of water in what sounds to be no bigger than a three gallon?

No, that's wrong, it needs to be FULL of water, for one thing. Just leave enough space to get your hand in if you need to without spilling.

NEVER change more than 20-25 % at any time. With all those fish, you're going to HAVE to be VERY dilligent with water changes.

Guppies that are hanging out at the surface are indicative of some sort of chemical poisoning going on, sounds like. Guppies don't normally do that. Did you de-chlorinate the water? You cannot just use what comes out of the faucet.

PLEASE don't listen to your mom anymore about fish. Hopefully, you can ask them to stop this sort of mean process at the charity, as it's NOT a good place to get fish, becuase no one has time to show you how to take care of these animals properly. Even if they're a dime a dozen, they're still God's creatures, and they deserve the best care they can have. This takes practice, skill, time, and knowledge. Asking for help is kind of you, though.

Ripped tails can come on from a fish picking on another one, as they are wont to do more of when they are very overcrowded, as they were here in your situation. It also comes from stress. This fish is now at risk of a worse disease from that injury.

Ph is not as much an issue as having the tank be NOT overcrowded, and very clean. Most fish can be fine in a variety of Ph levels within reason.

IF the guppy is well cared for (see if you can't give the excess fish to another fishkeeper, the pet store, or something where they will be cared for) the fin should eventually heal. Once they're not so overcrowded, they will have less stress, and they will or should fight less.

Remember, ONE inch of fish PER gallon. What size the fish WILL be maximum.

Use liquid fish vitamins as directed.

Please, make friends with as many fish experts as you can, use the library, and read fishy magazines, also at the library.

Sorry this got very long for anyone reading, but I take the business of caring for animals of all kinds to be my life's work and mission.

Michelle from Chicago

tanks and such

55 gallon glass:

two peacock Gobies (my faves)
two "eartheater" ciclids (no common name yet)
two red whiptail catfish
five glowlight tetras
pair of swordfish
one three week old female guppy fry in net "crib" on side

three gallon Eclipse tank (acrylic)--2

one male betta in one and two guppies in the other

two small 1 gallons for Bettas with tiny filters.

[Kikotay]

I would like to know since I plan on putting plants into my tiny aquarium when I get the money for it, how long before I introduce plants into an aquarium? I read it can be really beneficial.

[Gayle]

Really, I think you need to get a bigger tank. Like a 10g at least. Plants can be put in from the start. :)

[troy]

Some of the things fishiegirl has said are false.
1. You can feed fish frozen food
2. The inch per gallon rule only works for small fish and even then it sometimes doesn't work
3. Aquarium salt is bad for fish, unless to treat certain diseases.

As for plants if you want to add them now you can. You should get low light plants. Some low light plants are crypts, java moss, and java fern.

[fins_n_fur]

Some of the things fishiegirl has said are false.
1. You can feed fish frozen food
2. The inch per gallon rule only works for small fish and even then it sometimes doesn't work
3. Aquarium salt is bad for fish, unless to treat certain diseases.

As for plants if you want to add them now you can. You should get low light plants. Some low light plants are crypts, java moss, and java fern.

I think she meant don't feed frozen frozen, but frozen that has been thawed.:hmm3grin2orange:

[gm72]

However, I have found that it's ALWAYS better to eliminate MANY, MAwith LOTS of water changes instead of just dosing everything to death with medications, and also killing off the GOOD bacteria you need to keep the fish happy and alive.

"Lots" with a new, small tank is every other day with a very small self-starting gravel vacuum.

While it is true that water changes are beneficial, every other day water changes in a new tank can delay completion of the cycle. Watching water parameters closely will drive how often water changes should be performed.

Seasoned gravel and seasoned water are always helpful, too.
Beneficial bacteria do not primarily reside in the water. Adding "seasoned" water to a tank will do nothing more than add nitrAtes.

The old, simple way of assuming how many fish was appropriate is "An inch of fish per one gallon of water." In general, that's a good idea. Better to know how big they will get, and assume for a grown size.
I don't like the statement. An inch of fish per gallon of water really only applies to very small fish. 10 neon tetras present a vastly smaller bioload than does a 10 inch oscar.

For the three days or so of anti-ich meds, leave that non-carbon element in.
Most commonly available ich medications are prescribed for a 7 day course.

With a tank LESS than 6 months old, change the water A LOT.
Not necessary. Once weekly 40-50% water changes suffice. The vast majority of us here perform water changes as such and have no need for additional work.


test your water with a test kit. BE CAREFUL as many of the chemicals used to test with are not to be fooled with. Specialty fishie stores will test your water sample, too. Normally for free.
Just be cautious as the test strips that are sold are largely inferior in accuracy vs. the liquid tests.

Use thermometers and heaters. The removable stick on ones are cheaper. Check the temps EVERY day.
The stick on strips, as they sit on the outside of the tank are sometimes not fully accurate. I would rather see a new fish keeper use a thermometer installed in the water for more accurate readings.


NEVER change more than 20-25 % at any time. With all those fish, you're going to HAVE to be VERY dilligent with water changes.
No reason to not change more water at a time.

Remember, ONE inch of fish PER gallon. What size the fish WILL be maximum.
Again, not fully accurate with other than very small fish.

Use liquid fish vitamins as directed.
Not usually necessary with a balanced diet using high-quality foods.



I have made some comments in red above. Michelle, your post contains some outstanding information but also some that I felt required some clarification. For the statements I did not directly comment on I can only say "AMEN!"

[Kikotay]

Wow, okay that is a lot of stuff to digest. The reason why I didn't dechlorinate earlier is because my mom said that the lady in the store mentioned there's a filter so there's no need for anti-chlorine. It was until several deaths later when I pestered my mother to get me a bottle of anti-chlorine.

Well, I lost another fish. This one had its tail torn to shreads. Partially changed the water and washed the filter with the water from the tank. I took another injured one out and put it in a basin, away from the other 3 active ones (I have no other tank or aquarium for it) and made sure it's conditioned with anti-chlorine (I've just got it yesterday). It seemed well and feeding and it's slowly moving about instead of being stationary like it was in the aquarium. Would it be okay in the basin as a temporary placement with no filter or anything?

I have yet to get stuff for my bare aquarium. I'm on a tight budget as I'm a student and only getting minimal wages from a part time job. I know my tank is very very small so I'm searching for ways on how to maintain it right instead of getting a bigger thank. The 4 guppies don't have any white spots on their bodies so I don't think there's need for meds. It's just the seperated guppy has its tail falling off bit by bit. Is aquarium salt really necessary for freshwater fish?

I think I should take a picture of my aquarium/tank and post it up here. Also, how would I know if my fishies are underfed or overfed? I'm feeding them micro pellets. Looks very flaky. Very tiny.

[troy]

Try to get a 10 gallon fish tank. They only cost about $10.

[gm72]

Unfortunately you have experienced the negative side of listening to people at the store whom you trust know better.

The fish in the basin will fairly rapidly start to experience oxygen deprivation and a buildup of ammonia.

No need for salt for freshwater fish unless using it as a treatment for ich.

You should feed your fish as much as they will eat in about 2 minutes. After 2 minutes they need to be done. They'll keep looking for more fish but you shouldn't provide more.

[Kikotay]

I wish I had more knowledge about this sooner so so many lives won't be lost. But thank you all very much. Now I know what to do to keep the surviving fishes happy. :19:

[Northernguy]

Good luck and keep us up to date on your success !:19: :c3: