dying fish

Daveedka made a very valid point. Don't you think, though, that it would be better to use Tetra Aquasafe or like brand that gets rid or Chloramine as well, since we don't know which is present?

If you use that, then Stresscoat would be overkill and unnecessary I would think.
 
Can I test for chloramine?? I know I have chlorine because my landlord treats our water and he mentioned chlorine...I will ask him wether we have city water or well...or does it matter...also we have a water report at the office..should I grab one to find out what is in my tap water?
 
How often do I do water changes and total cleanings for the cycling...I have a ton of fish and didn't know about cycling...when i first got the tank i had no filtration system...so for about 2 weeks all I had was 3 danios and 2 femal bettas and a male betta. I only did total water changes once a week. I was told by the LFS to stop doing that but what she said and what I've read has totally confused me...also how often do i feed the fish...she said once a day...but the food containers say 2 to 3 times daily...help..the more i read the more confused i get.
 
mcdeali,

It's ok. It's really not that difficult. Confusing I know but it's not that bad.

Doing 100% water changes is not necessary I don't think. If you do 50% water changes daily, and test your water before you do the changes every day for Ammonia and Nitrite then you will have a solid grasp on what is occuring. Try and make the readings as low as non-detectable to zero as you can on those two tests. If you are doing 50% water changes daily and the readings are noticiable then post another thread and ask for more direction.

As for feeding, that is one of the hardest things to learn(Actually I'm not positive I know how to feed properly yet). From what I have read, you should take the food(hopefully a variety of types, one at a time) and give a pinch to the fish. Watch them and pay attention to these things:

Does every fish get to eat?(Not necessarily every time you feed but at least once in a while)

Does any non-sinking food make it to the gravel?(If it does you put too much in at once)

Wait until the fish have eaten all the food, then add another pinch. If any fish start to act uninterested then stop. Keep in mind that it is HARD to starve a fish. 99% of the time you overfeed not underfeed. So feed only enough that you think the fish got your version of a slice of bread not a steak dinner. Fish are used to getting small tidbits of food a day so it is best normally to feed small bits of food a few times a day, rather than once a day.

Many people only feed sparingly every other day, or put the fish on a fast for at least one day out of the week.

[EDIT] P.S. Forgot this point. Since you are cycling the tank now, go on starvation diet with the fish. Feed VERY little, and space it out to only maybe once every three days. The more food you give them the more waste and the harder the cycle will be with the fish.[/EDIT]
 
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thank you....although a 50% water change daily on a 55g tank with a 1 yr old is going to be hard but I will do that...

my husband will pick up a test kit tomorrow...what kind is best and what is he to look for.

once he does that i will start posting the readings to find out what else to do...thanks for all the advice
 
Hey Mc Deali,
I'm sure this is not what you want to hear right now, but I think your tank is way overstocked- is there any chance you could return a few fish?
 
Hi there --

You've gotten excellent advice on cycling. I'm surprised nobody mentioned that the bala sharks, tire-track eel and ropefish are surefire tankbusters for a 55-gallon tank. More information here:

Bala Shark

Tire Track Eel

Ropefish

As long as you are in the initial stages of putting the tank together, I would consider taking these fishes back to the LFS and choosing something more appropriate for a 55-gallon. By no fault of your own -- I'm sure the LFS folks didn't warn you -- you have chosen species that will get much too large for your tank.

It's still a pretty big tank, so you will have a wide range of choices. The species profiles on this site (such as the ones linked above) are a great resource for figuring out a stocking plan appropriate to your tank.
 
Your right I have told several LFS what we have and they have not said a word...not only that buy my husband got him some father's day presents today as well...yes more fish...

Please don't yell at me ...I am new at this...but I have been told by friends that have tanks that the fish will only get as big as the tank will allow....if this isn't true...i will call and see about returning these fish...it breaks my heart they are really cool to watch.
 
I'm not yelling, I just wanted to call your attention to it. Don't feel silly, we have ALL made these sorts of mistakes. but no, what your friend said is not true- I would return the eel, the gobies, the balas, and the ropefish. Your gouramis could run into problems too. Don't feel like this is your fault, it's not. I know this is a tough thing to think about but your tank will be much less stressful for you guys if you take back some of the fish and stock it properly. There's no sense in having a hobby (especially an expensive one ) if you're not going to enjoy it.
 
It was an honest mistake. Nobody wants to yell at you at all -- you're obviously dedicated to a healthy tank, so you're among many friends.

Here is a thread that discusses/debunks the myth of tank size regulating fish growth:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11885

The long and short of it is that keeping fish in tanks that are too small for them will result in excessive waste, stress, disease, and stunted growth. The upshot is a dramatically shortened lifespan for the fish.

I'm sorry that nobody at the fish store told you that the fish you were purchasing are not appropriate for your tank. It may have been inexperience, or it may have been a desire to make money.

The good news is that you have a lot of more trustworthy folks here on the boards to help you, and that a 55-gallon still offers the opportunity to put together a group of fascinating fish that will be perfectly happy in that size tank.

Edit: Sorry to keep posting right on top of you, ash. :)
 
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