Taking in a group of mixed tetras, please help?

[AmazingH]

Was at my friends house and saw their 30g was half empty... filter and heater were off...

Group of a dozen or less mixed tetras.. two blacks kirted for sure.

Messaged the owner, she said the fish were dying so they turned off the heater and filter to let them die... needed the tank for their pondfish during the winter.

She told me to bring my fishing pole over tonight..


I have been planning a 10g tetra tank - but I have never owned them before.

I will be moving my 4 swodtail males to my 5g, and putting these guys in a 10g.

Now, I need to clean all my tanks, waterchanges.. move all my tanks downstaires (don't ask why) etc.. go to a meeting for a few hours.. then I'm off with my bucket and net to go catch me some free fish.

Will stop at lfs and get food and java ferns tonight or in the morning....

Any suggestions for someone who's never owned tetras before?

[Red]

IMO a 5g with 4 swords is over stocked. 12 tetras in a 10 is pushing it. But it is a better home, and just keep up your W/c until you get a bigger tank.

[AmazingH]

The swordtails will be eventually going in my 29g after I make sure they're not sick in a week or so.

Yeah.. I'm thinking I could eventually have the black skirts in my 29g... ? I'm thinking they'll be the ones getting the biggest.. at 2.5 inches...

[Red]

Yeah, sounds good. What else is in your 29?

[AmazingH]

.... about 5 guppies, an adult platty, a few platty and guppy fry.. an otto...
pretty understocked.

Hoping to get 2 more ottos, I bought 2 originally and I only ever saw one since I added them.

Here's what she said:

"Call me after dinner and you can have the fishys - I just fed them - first time in a month!"


:screaming: :screaming:


*Thinking I might need to label this as a rescue?

Expect pictures of each fish tonight.

[Lab_Rat]

Wow, poor fish. I don't understand how people can do that to living animals. I'm glad you're giving them a good home. As far as the swordtails temporarily living in the 5g, if you can it wouldn't be a bad idea to do daily water changes until they can go to the 29. They produce a good bit of bioload.

[AmazingH]

Water was ice cold.

Gave me a live plant, too.

Will take pic of each fish and post tonight.


Only 7 or 8 fish.

[AmazingH]

8 fish in total.

Their water was 65! Yikes!




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How I brought them home.

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Drip acclimating (took 2 hours)

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Plant she gave me. What is it?

-continued-

[AmazingH]

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Black skirt?

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Same black skirt?

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What is this?

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Is this even a tetra? Looks like a minnow?

-continued-

[AmazingH]

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The tank with the fish in it.

I think there might be another type.. not sure.

Wrote the parameters I took of their old water and wrote them on a piece of paper and left it downstaires.. will post tomorrow.


Swordies will be set up tomorrow. Think they're fine in a warm room with an air stone in a bucket that's 90% covered with plastic wrap?

-Finished-

[mattsbottleofjager]

I'm no expert but I think the first 2 are skirts, #3 Bloodfin?, #4 Zebra danio?

[Red]

Correct on everything matt, besides #3 is a red serpae. All fish very sickly looking, try feeding right away.

[AmazingH]

Thanks!

Anyone know what the plant is?


Would frozen bloodworms be acceptable tonight?
I have.. Nutrafin Max flakes... would these be okay for them? My livebearers live for them.. I'm assuming when it says "for fresh and saltwater tropical fish" it means it can be fed?

That doesn't suprised me that they're sickly. Such a shame :(

And I assume they can all live together like this?

[Lab_Rat]

1 and 2 are black skirt tetras, 3 may be a serpae though it could be a couple other species too (need a better pic), 4 is an emaciated zebra danio.

Be careful not to overfed with too much rich food, give their digestive systems a chance to get restarted. Frequent, very small meals would be the best bet. Good luck with them.

Plant looks like a tiny sword, possibly amazon but I'm not sure. It's still a baby plant.

[AmazingH]

Thanks for all your help!

Woke up, turned the light on... instantly found 5 swimming right in the open.

Gave them a small amount of flakes..

7/8 are alive! Lost the smaller of the black skirts.

The.. danio looks very pale and thin and his body looks like that of a mollie with spinal issues... anyone get what I mean? He was really hungry this morning and was trying to eat. His lower.. spin is sunken down.

I believe I had 2 black skirts, the danio, 3 of the reds, and one that looks exactly like the reds but is clear with a tiny mark of orange.

Expect pitcures tonight!

*Put pics on facebook.. there's a picture from the drip acclimations..

"Couldn't you just have dumped them in instead??" from her.

Yeah.. I set her straight.

[Lady Hobbs]

Top two BS, third rosy and bottom is a zebra. Don't under what it hurt to keep a heater on these guys but glad they have one now. Tetra are very easy fish to keep. Too bad there isn't full schools of them but sounds as they're lucky to just be warm.

[Lab_Rat]

Good job acclimating them! Only losing one is great considering their conditions and the fact that they're starving. Poor fish, I'm so glad you got them.

[AmazingH]

The water they came in...

Temp:65
pH:7.2
NitrItes:0
NitrAtes - 160 (that's as high as it went. Yikes!)
Ammonia - 0.50

Aug 31

Temp:80
pH:7.6
NitrIte:0
NitrAte:5.0
Ammonia:0


Now.. please tell me what I need to fix...! (What levels are good for these fish)

Expect pics tonight.

[AmazingH]

... help?


Will test again tonight.

[Lady Hobbs]

160 nitrates? Wow. It's a wonder they are alive at all. They must feel in hog heaven right now.

[Lab_Rat]

Your parameters look great right now. Keep nitrate less than 20ppm, ammonia and nitrite at zero. Temp is good at 80.

[AmazingH]

As an update -
the black skirt is fine and dandy, and so is the 3 orange guys (forget their names) and the two other guys. (I'm drawing a huge mental blank here...)

Looks like this was a success :)

Thanks everyone! :19:

[lahlumdi]

Congratulations on a successful transfer of fish! I love tetras!