What should I look for...what are the signs of stress...I am cycling my tank (55gl) and have just added my first few fish.
Stress Signs?
- Thread starter LadyV
- Start date
well, they will start darting around the tanka nd lose color...
if it's cycling you really shouldn't add fish. they can suffer permanent gill damage if you are not right on top of your water params day and night.
well the tank has set for about 2 weeks...I checked the water myself....then took it to work and had it checked.....levels were all good......there's so much conflicting information from book to book, store to store, site to site and person to person thats it's VERY hard for a newbie!
Thank You for the response
Thank You for the response
Did the numbers ever spike though? If they did and then came back down to 0, then it would be cycled but 2 weeks just seems so short to me.
Anyway, signs of stress for your fish would be inactivity, not eating well, red gill inflammation, "gasping" for air at the top of the tank, hanging out at the bottom of the tank, breathing heavily, swimming erratically, etc. These are just signs of a stressed fish in general, but most of them would be exhibited with ammonia poisoning as well.
How many fish did you add, and what kind kind?
Anyway, signs of stress for your fish would be inactivity, not eating well, red gill inflammation, "gasping" for air at the top of the tank, hanging out at the bottom of the tank, breathing heavily, swimming erratically, etc. These are just signs of a stressed fish in general, but most of them would be exhibited with ammonia poisoning as well.
How many fish did you add, and what kind kind?
a tank is cycled once a bacteria colony has been established and Ammonia is broken down into Nitrites and Nitrites into Nitrates. Since you have added fish already in a tank that probably does not have the cycle established you need to keep an eye on the Ammonia level - it will start rising - you will have to make sure you do water changes to keep it from getting too high. Otherwise your fish will DIE.
Once the bacteria is doing its job you will see the level return back to Zero and you will see the Nitrite level rise - same issue - once that bacteria is established it will also go back to zero.
Look up "nitrogen cycle" on yahoo to better understand this.
Ideally you would have cycled the tank without fish - by adding a cap of Ammonia to the tank or some fish food. but since you already got fish you will have to be really careful and watch the water parameters and dont add any new fish.
Once the bacteria is doing its job you will see the level return back to Zero and you will see the Nitrite level rise - same issue - once that bacteria is established it will also go back to zero.
Look up "nitrogen cycle" on yahoo to better understand this.
Ideally you would have cycled the tank without fish - by adding a cap of Ammonia to the tank or some fish food. but since you already got fish you will have to be really careful and watch the water parameters and dont add any new fish.
This site.. you won't find much conflicting information.
Recommended:
1. Fishless cycle
2. Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0
3. Regular water changes...
