Why does my fish tank smell ??

[Wolverines]

I have a 10 gallon freshwater tank with only with small fish inside it. I set it up a few days ago so everything is new and clean but now the water has a bad odor to it. I have a 55 gallon and a 20 gallon tank but never have i expirenced this before what could this be ??

[sigmatauntaylor]

Are you sure there isn't a dead fish stinking the place up? A healthy tank should not smell.

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Unless it has that nice earthy smell to it..... but thats not bad at all.

Maybe its because its going through a cycle? I would do some water changes, something like 10-20% every few days.... I don't know if a tank is supposed to smell bad in a cycle. But i would do water changes anyways.

[beviking]

Ditto what Luv said. The healthy tank will smell, but it will smell like fresh earth...mmmmmm!
With everything being new and clean, there aren't enough beneficial bacteria established to breakdown ammonia and nitrite. Ammonia is bad enough smelling stuff, but ammonia coming from a fish's *cough*, well that does stink!;)

[sigmatauntaylor]

I assumed when wolverines said "smell" that it meant stinky:D I guess i should have specified!

[missymoo]

you might want to test your water too, had an "issue" with the well at our place getting contaminated ...stinky!!! not sure if you are on a city grid or not but testing the water can't hurt