Hello everyone. I'm very very new to the fish life adventure. Any input would be wonderful, but please go easy on me. I'm sure cases like this have been posted a million times, but I'd like to make it a million and one.
I recently was lucky enough to get a tank from my girlfriend's mother. Its a 10 gallon glass tank. I filled it with water and was able to get 2 gallons of water from a well established tank to mix in. I used water conditioner and did most of the necessary steps to start a tank. How long do you think it will take until the bacteria starts? Its been in operation for about a week, but the filter was in my smaller 5 gallon tank before that for about 2 weeks. I have a mystery snail, named Bruce haha, that has been in there and hes been less active lately. I also went to Petsmart and was thinking about getting a goldfish or 2 to help speed up the cycle. I know they are strong fish. The fish person there said not to get them because they would end up creating too much ammonia and would cause me more problems. She asked me about the tank and I told her what I just told you above. I told her ultimately I would like guppies (what else would be good for a 10 gallon tank?) in my tank. She insisted I get 2 guppies to try out in there. Apparently guppies are strong for cycling she said. I did. I put them in the other night. I floated the bag for 20 or so mins before putting them in and used stress coat. They seemed happy swimming crazily around in there. I chedked on them the next morning and one was dead. Later on that day the other one died. I then went back to Petsmart and got a refund for my fish. I then went with my original plan of getting a fancy goldfish. I took the small fancy home and within a couple hours he was dead too! What am I doing wrong?!?! I did water changes and everything :irked:....I know a 10 gallon is "too small" but I need to get at least a starter before I move onto something bigger. I need help please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:nilly:
I recently was lucky enough to get a tank from my girlfriend's mother. Its a 10 gallon glass tank. I filled it with water and was able to get 2 gallons of water from a well established tank to mix in. I used water conditioner and did most of the necessary steps to start a tank. How long do you think it will take until the bacteria starts? Its been in operation for about a week, but the filter was in my smaller 5 gallon tank before that for about 2 weeks. I have a mystery snail, named Bruce haha, that has been in there and hes been less active lately. I also went to Petsmart and was thinking about getting a goldfish or 2 to help speed up the cycle. I know they are strong fish. The fish person there said not to get them because they would end up creating too much ammonia and would cause me more problems. She asked me about the tank and I told her what I just told you above. I told her ultimately I would like guppies (what else would be good for a 10 gallon tank?) in my tank. She insisted I get 2 guppies to try out in there. Apparently guppies are strong for cycling she said. I did. I put them in the other night. I floated the bag for 20 or so mins before putting them in and used stress coat. They seemed happy swimming crazily around in there. I chedked on them the next morning and one was dead. Later on that day the other one died. I then went back to Petsmart and got a refund for my fish. I then went with my original plan of getting a fancy goldfish. I took the small fancy home and within a couple hours he was dead too! What am I doing wrong?!?! I did water changes and everything :irked:....I know a 10 gallon is "too small" but I need to get at least a starter before I move onto something bigger. I need help please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:nilly:
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