Lampeye/Newer setup Question..

[CBTF]

Hello there. New to these forums, looking for some quick help or advice..

Recently I set up a 10 gallon tank. Inside I have a few different kinds of fish.

I have 3 lampeyes in the tank right now. In the store, they were swimming all over, however to my dissapointment I discovered that since I got them 5 days ago, they've done nothing but sit at the bottem of the tank. If they move, it's either to chase another fish away or because they've been startled. I also have 2 tetras in the tank, and they have simply been hiding in a plant.

It's very dissapointing. Will my fish- especially the Lampeyes (killiefish) lighten up at all? (No pun intended!) I love to keep fish but I find that if I have a community that sits around doing nothing, my interest dwindles..

The tank has a heater installed and the water quality seems to be ok. It was a little cloudy the first few days but that was quick to settle down, as usual.

 

[Roan Art]

If you just set up your tank then it's still cycling and chances are the fish are being affected by this. You'll need to post your water parameters: ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, before anyone can answer your question.

If you don't know what the exact numbers are, please by a liquid test kit and test the water.

How often are you doing water changes and how much?

Roan

 

[CBTF]

I hate to admit it, but I didn't research keeping a tank as much as I should have before setting mine up (eep- im sure you guys get this all the time) and therefore did not allow my tank to cycle before adding my new fish.

The reason I wasn't completely sure it was the water is the fact that the other fish in the tank seem to be doing fine, and they're of less hardy stock than those lampeyes.

I used the product that inroduces bacteria into the tank, as well as some water from a lager 40 gallon tank which is very healthy (those wal-mart fish have lived for ages..)

I will test the waters soon, and post the levels. I spoke with a person at the pet store earlier and he told me that the fish may be adjusting and that it can take a bit of time.

No water changes yet, but I plan on doing them every couple of weeks.

 

[Bitsy]

If your tank if not completely cycled and you have already added fish you need to test your water ASAP and you also need to be doing daily water changes as your fish are being poisoned. If you are serious about keeping your fish alive, water changes are a must!! Even after a tank is cycled and well established water changes should still be a part of your regular aquarium maintance schedule. Keeping an aquarium healthy and happy is a lot more work than buying a tank, filling it up and plopping in some unhealthy walmart fish. I don't mean to sound harsh here, just trying to tell it like it is. I would recommend reading, reading and more reading, it seems as if there is always something new to learn every day when keeping fish! The people on this board are quite knowledgable and extremely helpful, take full advantage of their expertise!!! Good luck!

 

[CBTF]

That's exactly why i'm here, to learn. =)

Daily water changes, eh? For how long, and how much?

PS: The deformed wal-mart fish aren't mine. I opted for the genetically flawed petsmart kind :