My fish have torn fins.

If you don't have the ability to scrounge up $7 for a small bottle of Prime, you may need to rethink your budgeting for the hobby.
 
Ok, so you're saying the well you get your water from is low and you can't pull a large volume out all at once without stirring up sediment. So, get some buckets. Fill the buckets slowly, over the course of a few hours if need be. Use that for added or larger water changes, rather than relying on pulling it all at once. You can get a fairly cheap inline water filter to run it through as well, which will help remove the sediment. Any large, water tight food safe container will do.

And I honestly have no idea how just catching the fish could cause serious damage. I've had fish flip and fight and thrash in a net and no injuries. Gill spines caught, even. Perhaps some of the damage was present before? Did the decor move around in the container?
 
Ok everyone, calm down. This person reminds me of me when I first started the hobby (always coming up with reasons I can't do something). It took me a number of years and a great deal of money to realize that even if something is expensive to buy if it helps keep the tank and fish safe then it is well worth the price. Buying a $15 giant bottle of prime, purchasing 10 gallons of purified water (either jugs or in larger containers), or even partially draining your well for the day is almost definitely cheaper then replacing all the fish in your tank. Besides this you won't lose fish that you have grown attached to.

My recomendation: lots of smaller (10-25%) water changes, one daily if you can, and start it off with one large water change (25-50%) to help with the ammonia right now. Water changes are a must for fishkeeping, no matter how mature or planted or underpopulated your tank is. If your water well cannot handle weekly or biweekly 50% water changes then find out what it can handle and work that bugger to the max. Buy some Prime to help for emergencies when you can't do a water change. While your financial situation is more important than fish you should still do the best you can for them.
 
I don't think anyone is actually *not* calm right now. I simply stated an opinion, that she should rethink her fishkeeping budget. I budget about $10/month, which covers everything I currently need, and then some. It could even cover the LED light fixtures I want, if I wanted to sit on it long enough. Basically, if I don't need it for fishkeeping, I'll use it on something for my kids or wife, but can pull it out of my paycheck whenever I want. I'm going to "blow" about 3 months worth of budget on new RCS here in the next month or so. $7 for a small bottle of prime that could easily last years if it's only used to combat ammonia spikes in lieu of water changes? Good and inexpensive investment, considering an angelfish from an LFS hereabouts is about that. Even if Kayla doesn't do it now, for this current issue, it's a wise investment to make as soon as possible.

When you say giant bottle of Prime, what are you calling a giant bottle? The bottle I bought cost $45 or so. The giant bottle, on Amazon, is about $75.
 
Giant Bottle is the 500 ml bottle. I've never actually seen a 45$ one haha.
 
Ah. Well. To me, in comparing it to other fluids for use in the hobby, 500 ml is the "normal" bottle. The giant bottle is a gallon. Mine is 2 liters.
 
I have a job interview thursday, hope I get the job. IF I do get it, saving up money to get what I need and return some money to friends that I burrowed from.

Remember to LIE LIE LIE!
 
Lying doesn't get jobs... I don't like to lie. I was busy today and couldn't do a water change. I'll do one in the morning before I go to the store.

Your right lieing doesnt get you a job but neither does being 100% honest IME. So i decided that distorting the truth is much easier. The last job interview i had didnt go so well because i told the truth of why i needed a job and they appearently didnt like my answer. Needless to say ive been out of a job since early april but i saved up enough money to pay my bills for the year, and little extra to spend. Btw i hope the interview goes well and you get the job :D

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