Ammonia test strips

[Nepherael]

There isn't much more you can do than monitor the individual and keep that ammonia as low as possible.

Unfortunately this is exactly correct. When I did my fish in cycle I lost a couple a long the way. It made me feel even worse for thinking it was as simple as tossing fish in. Even with water changes and dosing I still lost them. I keep telling you this but it will be ok. You will be able to replace them and you will be more educated in the future. People do much worse on a daily basis with fish (I saw someone buy 5 blood parrots and a few other fish for a very small tank today even, not to mention seeing fish that can hit a foot long in tanks less than 30 gallons) so don't worry. Do your best to keep em going but it is always a possibility and probability that you will lose some in the situation.

Keep doing your best. The fact that you're even worrying about them instead of saying "oh well, fish die sometimes it is just part of owning fish" puts you leagues ahead of many others!

 

[MaiaDee]

When I did my fish in coke...

?? The beverage, not the controlled substance, I hope! And, why?

To be honest, I had a tank 15 years ago, but never heard anything about cycling, ect. I think I waited a week or ten days and then threw the fish in. At the time, I was told that "fish die, deal with it". Obviously now I know I got lucky all those years ago and that fish don't "just die" anymore so than my dog or cat will so long as they have the proper care.

See, if nothing else, you all on this forum have taught me tons in a week!

 

[Nepherael]

I'm sorry. My iPad said coke and I typed cycle. Yeah my girlfriend kept fish for years as a teenager. Used to empty the entire tank and scrub it down to clean it. And until places like this forum were huge people learned a lot by word of mouth and the "fish die that's how it goes" thing was commonplace. We know so much more now and I've learned so much from this place. I value this forum very highly

 

[jpappy789]

My only experience before this forum (luckily I found it before making too many mistakes) was a 10g filled with 6-7 fancy goldfish that my parents kept in me and my brother's room. I remember it looking like a complete mess and I don't doubt that fish were "mysteriously replaced" from time to time.

 

[Nepherael]

My only experience before this forum (luckily I found it before making too many mistakes) was a 10g filled with 6-7 fancy goldfish that my parents kept in me and my brother's room. I remember it looking like a complete mess and I don't doubt that fish were "mysteriously replaced" from time to time.

Lmao my first and only experience with fish was one time when I was seven I won a goldfish at the fair, put it in a bowl and found it dead the next morning. Of course back then I was a kid watching cartoons that showed every fish just in a fish bowl with nothing else.

 

[MaiaDee]

Lmao my first and only experience with fish was one time when I was seven I won a goldfish at the fair, put it in a bowl and found it dead the next morning. Of course back then I was a kid watching cartoons that showed every fish just in a fish bowl with nothing else.

LOL. My mom warned me off the fair fish! My first fish was when I was in my late 20's and my girlfriend wanted an aquarium. I got it for her for Christmas and it ended up all falling to me. She only like looking at them and feeding them the bloodworms. That should have been a hint to me!

You had those magical sort of fish that cloned themselves, eh jpappy? Wish my daughter's parakeet had been that easy to replace! And, neph, too bad our fish don't talk like the cartoon either, isn't it? Though mine would probably be cussing me out right now, so maybe that's a good thing!!!

 

[Nepherael]

Ahahahahahaha that last line made me picture an angry klaus. Made me snort XD

 

[MaiaDee]

Ahahahahahaha that last line made me picture an angry klaus. Made me snort XD

LOL! I love klaus, but there are times I would totally let his bowl go to hell!

Lil dude in trouble is still hanging in there...

****. I've called him that twice now. That means if he makes it, Lil Dude will be his official name. I'm terrible at naming things,so if something just comes out more than twice, it sticks. I already have a fish named Little Tetra. And the one he is little to is Buba. My children should be happy I had 9 months to figure out their names!!!

 

[Nepherael]

Same for me. Out of my angels I have a larger one and I don't even know if it's a male or female but I kept saying "she thinks she's the queen of the tank" and she does. She's not super aggressive she's jst kinda mean if the other fish don't stay in line. Anyway I started calling her queenie lol

 

[MaiaDee]

Lil Dude passed on last night. He'll be missed.

Good news; the ammonia levels were lower this morning. Will continue with the water changes.

Looking ahead, what do I do when the Nitrite spikes? Continue with Prime and water changes as with the ammonia?