View Full Version : Problem with death toll!
I just put this rock castle in my small aquarium, it has a number of doors on iether sides of it. I am having problems with fish getting stuck in it, i am not sure why tough, there is ample space to manouver inside and i have a small cat fish that likes it alot in there, but the others think its a cemitery or something. I have lost about 10 fish due to this castle but cant still figure what is going on actually.
The castle has 2 inbuild are blocks, one that moves a small bridge its kinda nice, and I didnt wanna trow it away.
Any ideas why the fish are so atracted to (dyeing in) it? :mad2
Kasakato
04-02-2005, 5:41 PM
What fish are in your tank? IS there any other decor? How big is your tank?
Sorry for the lack of detail, super novice hear. So the thank is about 5g approx. Have 3 transparent fish with highlight colour backs, 5 guppies, 2 sword tails, 2 molleys and a cat fish. Lost 2 transparent fishies and another one of those I just recuparated from under the castle, shes strained a lot not sure if she'll make it, 4 guppies and a molley. No other decor, its to small to fit any.
By the way, what are those transparent ones??
Maj0rFiSh
04-02-2005, 5:55 PM
Glass catfish probably, what catfish are you talking about. 5 Gallon is kinda small for any catfish apart from corys.
Kasakato
04-02-2005, 6:00 PM
Your tank is really. really overstocked. Now you have 2 problems. Do you have a test kit? How long has this tank been going?
The catfish is a pleco I think, she's the one that seems mostly happy in the tank. Just ran a google search, the transparent ones are Painted glass fish.
No test kit, the tank has been going for about 3 days with the air pump and filter with a bacteria additive (as the aquarium guy described it). Then the fish where put in.
Maj0rFiSh
04-02-2005, 6:02 PM
I wouldnt say you are really overstocked, yell me what the catfish is first, how long has the aquarium been set up, is it cycled?
Well done for the painyted fish, you know they have been tortured to look "pretty".
Any pleco is too big for your tank, even ones like gold nugget.
Kasakato
04-02-2005, 6:05 PM
Plecos are too small for a 5g, even Rubberlips.
His tank is not cycled. He said he used some bacteria stuff. What was that stuff called?
You need a test kit. When can you get one?
You may need to reutrn all of your fish.
Maj0rFiSh
04-02-2005, 6:08 PM
Come on wake up, he cant retun all of his fish, do water changes everyday make sure your nitrites are low and get the filter cycled.
The additive is Start Right (reduces stress, removes chlorine, stimulates natural slime coat). What exactly is a test kit?
About the glass fish, why tortured? Arent they naturally coloured?
Maj0rFiSh
04-02-2005, 6:17 PM
No, they have been injected, how often do you do water changes?
Dont know, as i said before super novice hear. How often should i do them? And wouldnt a change of water reduce the ammount of bacteria in the water?
:sad Just had a look, lost that glass fish. Just the pleco, 2 sword tails, 2 molleys ready to explode (in a separte breader) and a guppy. :thud:
Maj0rFiSh
04-02-2005, 6:24 PM
The good bacteria or ANY bacteria IS NOT IN THE WATER.
Its in you filter, if you have bio rings the nalot will be gavered there, what filter do you run, do 50% water changes evrry week, in your case at the moment do 30% every day.
Who knows about the filter it came with the lot, its just an small undersoil. Then 30% will do? Should i change a little every day or just the whole 30% at once?
Kasakato
04-02-2005, 6:31 PM
You are doing a "fishy cycle". Search the board for more info. There is a ton here. A test kit is something that is used to watch the ammoina (bad), nitrite (bad), and nitrate (ok if under 20ppm). A good one is found here: Link (http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19383;category_id=3233;pcid 1=;pcid2=)
Also return that stuff you got from the store. It is unless. What you want is "Prime". It is a dechlor, and is what you add after a water change. Is it possible to retun the fish? It will be better for them.
Kasakato
04-02-2005, 6:32 PM
You want to do 30 to 50% all at once, every day. Dont touch the filter at all for the next 2 months while your tank is cycling.
Maj0rFiSh
04-02-2005, 6:33 PM
30% every day for around 7 days, and yes all at once.
They would never accept them back, but if il manage to contact them monday morning il give it a go, maybe they can keep the few left in a separate tank until i get mine sorted or something. I have a lot of doubts but it costs just a fone call to try. Thanks for all the help folks, i might be back with news on the health of the fish later on.
Thanks again folks :bowing:
Scottish_Sara
04-02-2005, 7:17 PM
Did you get ALL these fish from the same store?
If you did.......did they ask you which size tank you had, and if it was mature?
If they didn't they really *@$%£!" up here!! Saying that.....they're there to sell fish, and to the unsuspecting novice.........they will.....and in large quantities!!
Read the Cycle tip's on the stickies. The best thing you can do is get your test kit's: Ammonia, NitrIte & Nitrate. To beginner's (AND..we have all been they're at some point!), it can be hard to understand, AND even if you don't get it still, let us know the reading's from them and we will help out.
Also, read up on your filter, if you don't know how it work's, you need to. Sooner or later you'll need to clean or change your media. There's an old saying......and it is old, my grandad alway's used to say it and it's everywhere now..."you look after the water and the water will look after your fish", and it is true!!! OOhh it used to annoy me when he said it!!! However.............he was right!!
:o
Kasakato
04-02-2005, 7:27 PM
Well it is really your fult for buying them. How do you think Harlock got his manties for his 10g. HaHa
Holly9937
04-02-2005, 10:50 PM
Maybe you have figured this out by now, but no one has addressed it... The castle is not killing your fish, unless it is not meant for fish tanks, then it could be adding to the problem. Make sure you read up on all of the cycling posts and that should really answer most of your questions. In the meantime, just keep up on water changes and don't buy any more fish :)
Scottish_Sara
04-02-2005, 11:41 PM
As Kasakato said it is your fault!!!
Oh...and i'm sure you will thank him for it...NOT!!!!!
Everyone start's somewhere, and....... you learn through mistake's. ONLY through this process, researching...and help from people who really care and want to help you on this specific issue!! This is a great site, but sometimes people just sway!!!
I am not getting at anyone, by all mean's, but, people who post a topic, though they are not very knowledgeable, have at least made the effort to correct wrong doing's, if they had made so.......they have took the time to ask for HELP!!...NOT....sarcastic or fun comment's.
I for one, (and am sure most will agree), have listened to what lfs say, even some website's, when we were learning, and got it horribly wrong. We are here on this forum to ask question's, seek answer's, and gain the opinion's of one's more experienced that our's, even down to the basic's, even for just a a nudge in the right direction.
Anyone who ask's a question is seeking help, and we all do at some point.
This is a Forum, a community of people who share an interest in something that can be misunderstood, it's our love of this amazing hobby that spread's Knowledge through this site and by experience, to help other's.
If you are here asking for help..then you at least made the effort!!
You may have got it wrong, but, you are asking for help in resolving it!!!
Listen to people, and research....knowledge is a wonderful thing when you have the patience to aquire it!!
Holly9937
04-02-2005, 11:57 PM
Let me also add to not take everything that you are told here or on any other message board as fact!! You must do some of your own research and go from there. There are many fish keeping issues that are highly contested and some will forget to mention that fact. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED :) !! You can find lots of great help on here, so keep reading and get that tank going :dance
Scottish_Sara
04-03-2005, 12:12 AM
We'll said Holly.
If it was black & white they're would be NO need for this forum or any other's :)
Pity though :(
Kasakato
04-03-2005, 12:17 AM
People are going to buy fish for their tank. The LFS dosent HAVE to ask you what size of tank you have. If your fish dies because of bad water it is your fult, not the fish stores. Even though you may not of ment for it to happen, the LFS doset HAVE to do anything to stop it.
Scottish_Sara
04-03-2005, 12:29 AM
We'll that's what you buy a tank for..isn't it :rolleyes:
I was curious as to weither they asked or not, when he was stocking. I never implied they HAD to, or would have ANY responsibility for the fish, once it was bought.
Water is up to the owner :rolleyes: obvviously, no one else can be held accounable.
Dont get arguin :rant: !! Yes the fish where all from the same store i had got the tank and he told me what to do, get the tank running for a 2 days than come get some fish. He never said anything about amonia nitrate or anything of this. But as you guys said il learn from my mistakes.