Cycle help with fish in tank

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micha

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Feb 28, 2009
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OK-I thought I did all of my homework first but obviously I did not realize that things had changed since my sister had a tank a few years ago. I started a 37g tank about 3 weeks ago and after 3 days got some fish. I have since killed several fish and my LFS doesn't seem to have very knowledgeable employees. I live in a small town so it is my only source other than mail order. So, I need to know what I need to do. I am on my way now to buy the full testing kit. I have only been testing with the strips but am getting the API kit. My levels on everything have been showing "normal" according to the strips. I do have the ammonia test kit which has been showing up and down haphazardly. I used the "ammonia clear" tablets but am not sure that is the right course to take. I currently have 2 live plants in my tank as well as 2 mickey mouse platys, 3 emerald corys, 2 opaline gouramis, 3 ghost shrimp and a bala shark. I have so far killed 3 plecos, 4 serpae tetras, and 2 angelfish.

I will be back after while with my test kit and will post the results. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
 
If you have a place to store the other fish until you are cycled that is your best course. The Platies are the strongest and can cycle a tank. Shrimp and cories are pretty delicate.

If you have to keep all of these fish then your only recourse is to do large water changes every day. Get a good dechlorinator and do a 50% water change every day untill you never see ammonia or nitrites on your test kits.

I don't have a problem with the strips but it is VERY important that they never get wet. Open the jar, quickly remove one strip, close the jar as fast as you can to keep humidity out. I used a lot of them when I was cycling. I never had a jar of them for more than a month adn I found them accurate for that long after opening. Others have had problems with them.
 
If you don't have strips, that's ok, the fish behavior says it all. If they are dying, stressed, or listless, then there is a water quality issue. Don't worry about the ph and don't try adjusting it (cories do not like salt so don't try that either).
Don't ever use chemicals or tabs to remove ammonia, instead do as suggested above and change maybe up to 70% the first day and then 50% for a few more days and then you can go back to 25% a week when things stabilize.
Water changes with the proper water conditioner and matching temperature will fix about 80% of problems.
 
Well i have 17 years experience in the hobby. Cycling can actually take up to 8 weeks. I wouldnt put any fish in a new tank thats cycling for a minimum of 2-3 weeks you can add a cyling helper thats made from dead bacteria that will help to speed things up such product as


Cycle Biological Aquarium Supplement

like i said it helps speed up fishless cycles. I use it on every new tank i set up, and with my 2-3 week rule i have yet to lose any fish in the process. you can even add this suppliment with fish as it will do no harm to the fish.
 
I know I keep repeating this to everyone who are cycling the tank - can you go to your local store and get some media or even gravel from their mature tank? If they want few dollars, even then it is worth it. It will speed up your cycling process significantly!
 
Thanks for the info everyone. I got home with the test but changed my water first. I changed 25% of the water and then tested.
Nitrates 0
Nitrites 0
Chlorine 0
Ammonia 0
PH 8.8

They seem to be doing okay and I am planning on doing a water change every other day of 25% until I get it fully cycled. I have a friend with a tank and will get some media from her. I did use some PRIME today when I changed the water.
 
Maybe a dumb question, but are you running an air stone? I cycled my first freshwater tank with hardy fish and none of them died. I filled my tank with gravel and water and a day later added a bunch of fish. I had a couple giant danios, red eye tetras, and about 8 cories. Over a year later and I still have every single one of them left. Stick with simple hardy fish. The LFS shouldn't have even sold you things like the angels or the bala shark until your tank was established. Your levels seem fine too, that's why I was curious about what kind of oxygen you have going into the tank. 2 live plants may not supply enough oxygen for all your fish. Good luck, hope things work out for you.
 
it baffles me how many "fish in cycle help" threads there are. We'd think folks might actually figure out that it's not a good way to cycle.

Anyone getting an aquarium should be forced to read the cycling threads, post a pic of their test kit (liquid because strips are useless) and post a stocking list for review lol..
anyways...goodluck with the tank.
 
milw217 said:
Maybe a dumb question, but are you running an air stone? I cycled my first freshwater tank with hardy fish and none of them died. I filled my tank with gravel and water and a day later added a bunch of fish. I had a couple giant danios, red eye tetras, and about 8 cories. Over a year later and I still have every single one of them left. Stick with simple hardy fish. The LFS shouldn't have even sold you things like the angels or the bala shark until your tank was established. Your levels seem fine too, that's why I was curious about what kind of oxygen you have going into the tank. 2 live plants may not supply enough oxygen for all your fish. Good luck, hope things work out for you.
Click to expand...


Thanks for responding. I do have a long air stone bubble bar in the back as well as the under gravel filter. I also have the bio-wheel filter. I have been changing the water every other day and it is looking good so far. I also got a couple more plants for a total of 4.
 
2 mickey mouse platys, 3 emerald corys, 2 opaline gouramis, 3 ghost shrimp and a bala shark. I have so far killed 3 plecos, 4 serpae tetras, and 2 angelfish

If your readings were all 0 across the boards do you think the "bala shark" could be the killer firstly? I have never had one but from what I have heard they are aggressive and maybe they were towards your other fish?
GL
 
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