Dying Fish

[Bruce987]

I received a 5 gallon aquarium as a Christmas Gift. I have had the tank going for about 10 days. I am having a terrible time with fish. The most fish I had at any one time is 6 . Zebra Danios, Pearl Danios, Cory Catfish. Everything died except one Zebra. I have a filter and airstone in the tank along with small decorations. I let the one Zebra go and it was doing well so I added 2 more Zebras. The pet store said to wait a 3-4 days before adding any other fish to make sure the Zebras were doing well. I did so yesterday I added another Cory Catfish and a Nerite Snail to keep the tank clean. When I added the new fish I didn't mix water. Today 2 of the danios have died and the 3rd is not doing well. I have had the water tested and was told it was fine. The temp is set at 78 as I have a preset heater.
I have had tanks in the past and have never had fish at this rate. It is really frustrating as I feel like I am just killing fish. The thought I has is that I over crowded the 3 danios. But 5 small fish in a 5 gallon tank didn't seem like too many.
Any ideas

 

[fishorama]

Oh dear! You need to cycle your tank to make it safe for fish. That means to grow the bacteria that fish need to break down their waste into less harmful products. Learn more on the AC newbie forum sticky about that. It's possible to do that with fish in the tank...but they can be permanantly harmed.

Don't add any new fish until you understand & address tha issue. More fish will die if you don't learn what you need to do.


Oh, & BTW, welcome to AC. I wish you'd have found us a couple weeks ago...but we'll try to help.

 

[fishorama]

here's the link to the cycling thread if you have trouble finding it Freshwater cycling | AquariaCentral.com it's long, but you will learn a lot!

 

[Lalo J.]

Oh dear! You need to cycle your tank to make it safe for fish. That means to grow the bacteria that fish need to break down their waste into less harmful products. Learn more on the AC newbie forum sticky about that. It's possible to do that with fish in the tank...but they can be permanantly harmed.

Don't add any new fish until you understand & address tha issue. More fish will die if you don't learn what you need to do.


Oh, & BTW, welcome to AC. I wish you'd have found us a couple weeks ago...but we'll try to help.

+1, fishorama has said it all.

 

[Wyomingite]

Welcome to AC, Bruce987.

Fishorama said it very well. I'll just add that if you have any questions about cycling your tank either before you start or during the process, be sure to ask. There are quite a few knowledgeable folks here.

Once you do get the tank cycled, please check back and ask about stocking your tank. Pearl danios, zebra danios and cories all need a group of 5 or more to be at their best, and that can't be achieved in a 5 gallon tank. Even if you focused only on one of these, these fish are all too active and too large to be comortable in a 5 gallon. There are a couple of smaller dwarf corydoras species and some smaller tetras and danios that you could actually house a group comfortably in that small of a tank.

WYite

 

[Sprinkle]

Once you do get the tank cycled, please check back and ask about stocking your tank. Pearl danios, zebra danios and cories all need a group of 5 or more to be at their best, and that can't be achieved in a 5 gallon tank. Even if you focused only on one of these, these fish are all too active and too large to be comortable in a 5 gallon. There are a couple of smaller dwarf corydoras species and some smaller tetras and danios that you could actually house a group comfortably in that small of a tank.

If I were OP, id do betta in that tank. All the fish mention in this thread should be in group 6+ and in a 20 gallon tank IMO there too active for such small tank.
That tank certainly should be cycled, 3 hours will not cycle the tank and epsecially 3-4 days. The cycle usually takes 4-6 maybe more weeks to properly cycled and a test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate will be neede.
When the tank is finally cycled, 50% or more water changes weekly.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Somehow I think that's the last we'll hear of Bruce.

 

[Sprinkle]

Somehow I think that's the last we'll hear of Bruce.

IKR? We just bombarded him which he will not want to hear information and he will certainly not cycle that tank ?

 

[Lalo J.]

IKR? We just bombarded him which he will not want to hear information and he will certainly not cycle that tank ?

It's possible, in my opinion it's not good to give aquariums because the recipient most of the time has no idea how to take care of them.

 

[Sprinkle]

It's possible, in my opinion it's not good to give aquariums because the recipient most of the time has no idea how to take care of them.

Exactly, and fish no décor. I met some ppl who got fish and a fish tank as a ”christmas present” and dont no how take care of there pets. They never did a water change, there fish have shimmies and internal parasites. Filter does no work properly and the tank is no cycled and there are lots of algae in the tank and there no proper lighting. Disgraceful of them.