Huge Issues

I posted in the newbie bit about being miss sold and tank and the fish it could hold leading to the shop giving me a larger tank because the one they sold me was slowly killing the fish and the filter/ pump had stopped and couldn't be replaced due to it being fixed unit.

So had to do a tank change after 2 weeks, followed all the guide lines such as putting the tank eater in New yank added 50% treated water to the tank, left the media filters and rocks in the nee tank for a few days, added new bacteria.

Yesterday I noticed water flow wasn't the best and fish were stuck up the top so added a second pump and filter and they are now swimming happy.

Yes water has been checked and tested and was little high as I'm told it would be with a tank in cycle.

I've added some prime media from a friends tank, and also added a new live plant, and a ammonia detox bag which should now help the tank lower it's levels


I have a male Betta in there, which I had to adopt because of my nephews tank leaking. He cane to me a week ago and was happy but maybe little stressed, the new tank change hasn't gone down well and he rarely comes out of hiding, he is looking a little pale and sluggish, he hasn't been attacked or nipped .

This morning I woke up found him in the cave just chilling went back an hour ago and I can't fund him anywhere, he has vanished.

Is he stressed or ill, he hasn't eaten either today

In order to help you we need to understand more:
1. What size is the tank?
2. What fish are in the tank?
3. What filtration do you have?
4. What are you feeding the fish and how often?

It sounds like you are doing a fish in cycle? Read up about this in the links on the forum via the homepage/menu. I would recommend you get an API liquid test kit so you can monitor the water. The fish may well be suffering from Ammonia or NitrIte poisoning. Have you found your Betta? He certainly should not be behaving the way you describe.

Any pictures of the tank?

Yes I've found him, seems I have a blind spot in my tank that can't be seen from any angle.

40l
2 femal fighters
3 mollies

They have been together for a little while with no issues. Think the tank change and high levels of ammonia are effecting him.

Water was tested today but wasn't giveing numbers as me and the local aquarim shop or monitoring it every other day.

He said levels have dropped a lot, not idea but not bad, got to leave tank as it is for 3 days then test again.

Filtoration is

2 filters running one is a hydor 50ltr pump with carbon and sponge filter with power head, other is a open top pump filter that cane with the tank.

The other fish since adding the new hydor pump have come from the top now and activlt swimming around happy, think betta is shy and possibly scared still. It's been hard on the fish last fee days
my tank
 

One of your main problems there is that 2 female bettas in a tank is a no no. You will have issues eventually, even if not right now. I'd recommend separating them with a divider in the tank until you get that tank cycled, then up your numbers to at least 5 female bettas. They need to be a bit overstocked, or they will really beat each other up.
 
Also, I believe 40 liters is too small for mollies. You'd be better off rehoming those.
 
A betta sorority (all females) requires lots of hiding spots and above all proper tank parameters (temperature, properly cycled) to be successful.

Thanks for the info, and Gizaroo has already given you some pointers.

A male Betta cannot be kept with females, as they will beat him up or vice versa. Read up on the Betta care sheet within the menu. Therefore, you will need to separate him ASAP, as you cannot watch the fish all the time and he may well already be hassled. Also, plastic plants will rip the fins of a Betta, so ideally live plants are best otherwise silk. Do you have a picture of him?

Eventually the carbon will exhaust itself, usually about 6 weeks, as you have a real plant in there you probably do not want to use carbon in the long run. Many of us on here do not use carbon in our tanks.

What temperature is your tank at?
What are you feeding and how much?
Are you putting the Aquarium salt in the tank for the Mollies, if so how much?
Can you advise how you clean out your filters i.e. Are you using tank water to clean them, then disguarding it? Are you alternating the cleaning i.e. Cleaning them alternatively over a couple of weeks?

You mention your friend has a tank, assuming it is tropical, can they give you some mature media to put into your filters? This will help "seed" your filters with good bacteria, which is far more effective than the bottled stuff you have been sold. Do you have ceramic "noodles" in your filters?

Your tank does look very new, hence the issues you have been having. Thanks for the picture

I have mature media in both filters now, sponge and some of his rocks.

Tank filters are cleaned using the water taken out during a water change and placed back in the pumps, and new treated water is added in, temp is about 79f -80f.

Awaurium salt was added when we did tank change over and was very little maybe one table spoon.

At the min they are feed daily but on half measures, they have flake and blood worm.

Yes I understand female fighters need to come out but at the min I dint have any options for them, so they will stay with me until my nephew sets his tank up which he still hasn't bought yet.


Ceramic noodles NO

Today I have added some more prime.

Water tested again.

Ammonia levels still high and chap said it's needed to cycle it's just a shame your fish are in there.

So I have added some seachem prime stuff today with a 50% water change.

Need to get this tank cycled asap