Issues with new setup

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Pluzones

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Nov 5, 2009
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When I bought my aquarium (about 2 weeks ago), I did so in a kit form. I bought a 29 gallon tank which came with a Tetra brand, Whisper, filter. I'm looking through the paperwork now and nowhere does it specify which model of filter it is, everything is roped together. Example being that the set-up guide is for a Whisper EX Advanced Filtration System; Models 20,30,45,70. I haven't hooked up the heater yet because all I have in there are cory cats (although I did have one fatality in the beginning) and I had an opaline gourami, but he didn't look good yesterday, and I found him dead this morning.

Question number 1, could these deaths be because of the water temperature? It's currently (about) 75 degrees farenheit.

The filter seems abnormally powerful. Both the cats and gourami have considerable trouble making it through the current. They seem to stray from that side of the tank merely because they can't swim anywhere near it, could this have put stress on them? Is the fact that I have about an inch and a half of space between the top of the water line and the bottom of the tank rim the problem, should there be more water to lessen the current? The current bothers me, whether it stresses the fish out too much or not, but the filter doesn't have settings, I have no idea how I'd fix this.

Question number 2, is the filter stressing out my fish? How do I lessen the force?

Thanks in advance, everyone!
 
To expand, you are probably having an ammonia spike because of fish waste and decaying matter in your tank. Read the link above to figure out which approach to cycling you'd prefer. Get a good liquid test kit and test your water parameters. You want something to test Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate.

On your second question, it's probably not your filter's flow upsetting the fish it's probably the cycle that has just begun in your tank.
 
I wanted to know if the water's temperature was a problem, and if the filter was an issue. I work in a fish store, I test my water almost daily, it's in good, if not perfect, shape.

Thank you for your comments.
 
try filling your tank up with more water to see if that lessens the current. I highly doubt that the filter or the temperature killed the fish. Was the tank ever cycled? What kind of testing methods are you using? Strips or liquid testing? What are you water perameters at right now? I don't want to offend you but could you give us more information?
 
Hehe, no offense taken at all!

Honestly, the filter bothers me more than it probably does the fish.
My manager said the corys would be fine to cycle the tank, as they're considerably hardy. He's now been monitoring the water and says the water's progressing as it should. We use liquid tests, with chemicals and test tubes. It does make sense that the water wasn't ready for the gourami, though. I'm aware my water is still cycling, I just wanted to make sure all my other bases were covered, ya know? The cats seem to be doing well and I have another test tomorrow, perhaps I should post the results?
 
Sorry I did not answer your specific questions, but what I linked to you is what is most likely causing them harm especially the Gourami. If you tank is beginning to mid cycle as it would be if you were only set up for 2 weeks then your water is not in good or perfect shape unless your tests are producing Ammonia of 0, Nitrite of 0, and Nitrate of 0-~20.
 
No fish is a good fish to cycle with, the fish are most likely struggling against the filter because they've been weakend from bad water quality. How often are you changing water and how much?
Please read through the link provided by bcarm, it will explain how the cycle process works.
 
If you work in a fish store get some media from of the the tanks and put it in your tank this will help you along. I dont think the water temp is any of your issues, 75 -78 is ideal.
 
not sure what filter, but as stated above the filter and water flow probably isn't a problem, sounds like the ammonia prob. is you culprit. raising the water level in the tank should help with the force of the water and it will be quieter. On the top of the intake tube going into the filter, there may be a thing you can turn that will slow down the water some, i haven't seen a whisper in a while, but they all used to have it.
 
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