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I need Advice please

Amy Dermody

Amy Dermody

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If someone could give me some advice I would greatly appreciate it! Someone gave me a tank with 3 fish in it. I have never owned fish before. I may not know much but I do know that the tank is very Dirty. And I think one fish might be pregnant because it's very fat but I could be wrong. Anyway I went out and got a new 20 gallon fish tank and all new rocks and plants and stuff and also got a Water cleaning solution. I know that you have to let the tank cycle I think for a few day right before I put the fish in? Also I'm not sure if I should move the other fish if she is pregnant. I'm sorry if I'm rambling on I just dont want kill the fish. I took them because the previous owner was just going to flush them and I couldn't let that happen. So any advice would be great!! Thanks
 
The first thing to do is post photos of the fish so we can ID them for you. The pregnant fish might not be pregnant, but it could have dropsy - do its scales stock out like a pine cone when viewed from above?

Fish tanks don't cycle in a few days, it takes a few weeks. Cycling is the process of growing beneficial bacteria, and this takes time. But as you have the old tank, you can move the filter across to the new tank, or put the old filter media inside the new tank's filter, filling up any gaps with new media. It is OK to cut sponges up to make them fit. Also move any decor that isn't too disgusting, but don't scrub it as it will also have beneficial bacteria on its surface. You will need a test kit that measures ammonia and nitrite as these two are very toxic to fish, measure them every day and do a water change whenever they show above zero.

As for moving the fish, do this at the same time as you move the filter/filter media. If the very fat fish is indeed a pregnant livebearer, you'll need to catch her by nudging her into a container and lifting her out of the tank in this container full of water so that the developing babies aren't harmed.


The first part of this link explains what cycling is and why you need to preserve the old filter media. http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ (You don't need the second part of the link as you already have bacteria in the filter so you don't need to add ammonia in this case)
 
Thank you so much for the info!! I spent most of the night looking for info on Google and you just told me more then o found and I appreciate it!! I will try to put a picture up of the fish so you can maybe tell me what kind of fish it is and if you might think its pregnant. Thanks so much!!
 
20181010_081447.jpg
 
The fish in the picture is a female red wagtail platy, and she is a livebearer that appears to be pregnant. Wagtail platies have the black fins & tail and come in various body colours, usually red or yellow.

Female livebearers like platies have a fan or triangular shaped anal (bottom) fin, whereas the males have a long thin straight anal fin called a gonopodium. The females carry the babies for about 1 month before giving birth. :)
 
Colin_T said:
The fish in the picture is a female red wagtail platy, and she is a livebearer that appears to be pregnant. Wagtail platies have the black fins & tail and come in various body colours, usually red or yellow.

Female livebearers like platies have a fan or triangular shaped anal (bottom) fin, whereas the males have a long thin straight anal fin called a gonopodium. The females carry the babies for about 1 month before giving birth. :)
Click to expand...
That's so good to know thank you!! So since my new tank wont be ready for a couple weeks should I just leave her and the other fish in the old tank and will the babies be ok?
 
If the new 20 gallon tank is bigger than the tank you were given, then move the fish, plants, ornaments and filter into the 20 gallon tank. The larger volume of water in the 20 gallon tank will be more stabile and better for the fish.

Keep feeding down to once every couple of days and do a 75% water change 4-8 hours after feeding.

Monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels in the water and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

----------------------
You could leave the baby fish in the old tank and put some live floating plants in the tank for them. But put the old filter on the new 20 gallon tank with the adult fish to keep their water clean.

The baby fish should be fed regularly but you will have to monitor their water closely and do a big (75%) water change if they get an ammonia or nitrite reading. Hopefully the floating plants will help keep their water clean.
 
Colin_T said:
If the new 20 gallon tank is bigger than the tank you were given, then move the fish, plants, ornaments and filter into the 20 gallon tank. The larger volume of water in the 20 gallon tank will be more stabile and better for the fish.

Keep feeding down to once every couple of days and do a 75% water change 4-8 hours after feeding.

Monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels in the water and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

----------------------
You could leave the baby fish in the old tank and put some live floating plants in the tank for them. But put the old filter on the new 20 gallon tank with the adult fish to keep their water clean.

The baby fish should be fed regularly but you will have to monitor their water closely and do a big (75%) water change if they get an ammonia or nitrite reading. Hopefully the floating plants will help keep their water clean.
Click to expand...
The new tank I got is 20 gallon I think the old one is 10. I'm going to head out soon to the pet store and get the other things you said I need. Also grab some live plants as well. This is a little overwhelming for me to have to learn so much in such a short period of time lol but I'm determined I'm really liking being a fish owner!! This is something I can see getting in to and enjoying!! Thank you so much for all the information I truly appreciate you taking you time to explain thing!!
 
The pink fish is a coloured widow tetra or coloured skirt tetra. They are fin nippers that need to be kept in groups of 10 or more. They are pretty tough fish but not well suited to a peaceful community tank.

*NB* Do not buy any fish today when you go to the shop. Let the tank settle down first and maybe get more ina few weeks when the filters are good.

--------------------------
The black stuff on the plants looks like black beard algae and is a pain in the blank. You can put the plastic plants and ornaments in a container with some bleach for 15 minutes and then rinse them off really well under fresh water. Then put them out in the sun for a couple of hours before rinsing under tap water again. Then put them in the new tank.

Black beard algae is horrible to deal with so try not to put it in the new tank or it will continue growing on everything in the 20 gallon.

--------------------------
I assume there is a light unit above the aquarium. If yes, then the best floating plant is Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) and can be grown on the surface or planted in the gravel.

Other good plants to try include: Ambulia, Hygrophila rubra & H. polysperma, Ludwigia natans, normal Amazon Sword, narrow Vallis. These plants should all be planted in the gravel.

--------------------------
When you go to the pet shop, buy a basic model gravel cleaner like the one in the following link. Grab a couple of new buckets too and write "FISH ONLY" on the buckets. Use these buckets for the fish and nothing else.
https://www.about-goldfish.com/aquarium-cleaning.html
 
Colin_T said:
The pink fish is a coloured widow tetra or coloured skirt tetra. They are fin nippers that need to be kept in groups of 10 or more. They are pretty tough fish but not well suited to a peaceful community tank.

*NB* Do not buy any fish today when you go to the shop. Let the tank settle down first and maybe get more ina few weeks when the filters are good.

--------------------------
The black stuff on the plants looks like black beard algae and is a pain in the blank. You can put the plastic plants and ornaments in a container with some bleach for 15 minutes and then rinse them off really well under fresh water. Then put them out in the sun for a couple of hours before rinsing under tap water again. Then put them in the new tank.

Black beard algae is horrible to deal with so try not to put it in the new tank or it will continue growing on everything in the 20 gallon.

--------------------------
I assume there is a light unit above the aquarium. If yes, then the best floating plant is Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) and can be grown on the surface or planted in the gravel.

Other good plants to try include: Ambulia, Hygrophila rubra & H. polysperma, Ludwigia natans, normal Amazon Sword, narrow Vallis. These plants should all be planted in the gravel.

--------------------------
When you go to the pet shop, buy a basic model gravel cleaner like the one in the following link. Grab a couple of new buckets too and write "FISH ONLY" on the buckets. Use these buckets for the fish and nothing else.
https://www.about-goldfish.com/aquarium-cleaning.html
Click to expand...
I already got new plastic plants for the new tank and gravel. So today I will be buying a testing kit, buckets , gravel cleaner, live plants and new Ornaments. I'm not going to even put any of the old stuff in the new tank will it be ok if I just start new ? So i dont have to worry about the black beard algae.
 
Amy Dermody said:
I already got new plastic plants for the new tank and gravel. So today I will be buying a testing kit, buckets , gravel cleaner, live plants and new Ornaments. I'm not going to even put any of the old stuff in the new tank will it be ok if I just start new ? So i dont have to worry about the black beard algae.
Click to expand...
And the pink fish In The future should I just get another 20 gallon tank for just that fish and Eventually add more of the same fish.
 
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