hello everyone!

[jackie11]

i am starting a new aquarium and could use some help... i had a 10 gal tank sitting on my desk that was in need of some serious help. the filter was broken and it was full of algae. a pleco and tetra were still living inside. the other day i decided to clean it and get some more fish... i treated the tap water with StartRight and AmmoLock. I purchased 3 danios and a glass catfish. i put the pleco and danio back into the tank and set the bag of other fish on top of the water for 15 min like i was told to. within 3 hours, the red tetra that i already had was dead and stuck to the filter. i noticed the danios acting funny. they were swimming into the current of the water the filter was dropping into the tank or just sitting at the top of the tank. over the next 2 days they all died, including the pleco i already had. he was the last to go. i also noticed the glass cat swimming sideways and upside down... he died soon after. i have no idea why my fish suddenly died off! can anyone help me? i am scared to get more

[jackie11]

also, i know everyone is going to tell me that it was something wrong with the water... i took a sample of it to the fish store to get it tested and get a refund for my fish. i had no chlorine, my ammonia levels were correct along with everything else he tested for. he gave me the full refund for the fish. is there any chance i didnt rinse my aquarium enough after i cleaned it? also.. i just bought a new filter and didnt wash it before running it... could that cause problems? if so how do i fix it?

[Rue]

Fresh water will read 0 for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates...so it looks good! However, as soon as you added the new fish...in addition to the old fish your ammonia likely shot through the roof...and I'm guess that's what killed everyone...

You have to cycle your tank properly before adding fish...new or old...

You're likely overstocked as well...which greatly adds to the amount of ammonia in your tank...a common pleco is a huge waster producer and would need a 55+ gallon tank to thrive in...

Always rinse new equipment as a matter of course...but I doubt not rinsing had anything to do with it...

[cocoa_pleco]

nothing i can add. good job rue!:c3:

[Mark Lathrop]

I noticed you used soap according to your other thread. Soap can be toxic to fish if not rinsed properly. Just thought I'd throw that out there too. I believe bleach is recommended for cleaning...?

[jeffs99dime]

welcome to a.c. jackie

[ChurchofAdam]

I'm banking on the soap, actually

[rollie]

it could of been the soap. i clean all of my tanks with sunlight soap.
but i rined them out very good, and i have no problem. your ammounia could of went up hight and then went back down. this can and do happen, sometimes. also the fish you had was used to very old and dirty water. you clean the tank and put them back in, the water was too new for them. that what kill them. this is just my 2 cent worth, for what it worth.

[crackatinny]

Welcome to AC, diluted white vinigar is also a very good safe cleaner.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Soap is very Toxic to fish and will kill them even if it is rinsed out.

[RobbieG]

Welcome to AC

I'm truly paranoid about soap - I don't wash my stuff in anything at all except tank water.

[Incredulous_Ed]

oh yeah, almost forgot, Welcome To AC1

[troy]

Welcome to the A.C.