top fin 20 gal tank do I need an air pump.

I have had my water tested both times and the fish have died, my most recent fish a glofish tetra died within hours , i put in stress relief and wait 30 minutes before placing fish in water. As my tank is very deep do I need more air in my tank? I hate killing these poor fish? Thanks

jjlegre said:

I have had my water tested both times and the fish have died, my most recent fish a glofish tetra died within hours , i put in stress relief and wait 30 minutes before placing fish in water. As my tank is very deep do I need more air in my tank? I hate killing these poor fish? Thanks View attachment 145064View attachment 145065

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What are your tank parameters? (meaning ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, gh, and ph.) Has your tank been cycled? What filter are you using? And what size is your tank?

Rocky998 said:

What are your tank parameters? (meaning ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, gh, and ph.) Has your tank been cycled? What filter are you using? And what size is your tank?

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My water was tested at petco and petsmart and all levels were perfect, I have cycled the tank for almost 4 weeks, the filter is a topfin pump that came with the tank. the tank is 20 gals but its a deep aquarium.

jjlegre said:

My water was tested at petco and petsmart and all levels were perfect, I have cycled the tank for almost 4 weeks, the filter is a topfin pump that came with the tank. the tank is 20 gals but its a deep aquarium.

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I would recommend an aqua clear but dont replace the filter now that its cycled... Have your fish been at the top more, maybe opening their mouths at the surface?

jjlegre said:

My water was tested at petco and petsmart and all levels were perfect, I have cycled the tank for almost 4 weeks, the filter is a topfin pump that came with the tank. the tank is 20 gals but its a deep aquarium.

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Sorry, but it's best not to trust these and to get your own test kit. That way, you can get trustworthy results every time, whenever YOU need them.
Whilst that style of decor is as far as you can get from my own personal tastes, I'd really suspect that, besides water chemistry, the decor will be stressful to any fish.

As for the tank itself, whilst it may contain a decent volume of water, it is the actual surface area at the top that is important and, for the volume, there isn't a lot of it.
A decent air pump, driving at least one bubbler, would be helpful.

I can almost guarantee that your tank will not be 'cycled' and, as a direct consequence, any waste your fish make will be hanging around to burn their skin and gills.
This is just one way to cycle a tank and there is another, using plants, which I prefer.
If you want to follow this route, then please just ask...otherwise you'll be killing more fish.

Rocky998 said:

I would recommend an aqua clear but dont replace the filter now that its cycled... Have your fish been at the top more, maybe opening their mouths at the surface?

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The one fish was alot, it was the one who died...

Rocky998 said:

I would recommend an aqua clear but dont replace the filter now that its cycled... Have your fish been at the top more, maybe opening their mouths at the surface

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I used the aqueon pure balls too. do u think an airpump would be necessary?

jjlegre said:

I have had my water tested both times and the fish have died, my most recent fish a glofish tetra died within hours , i put in stress relief and wait 30 minutes before placing fish in water. As my tank is very deep do I need more air in my tank? I hate killing these poor fish? Thanks

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Just to clarify...
You bought a single 'glofish tetra' that 'died within hours'?
(Tetra need to be with others of their species...at least 6 to 8 others).
You waited 30 minutes before placing fish in water...where was the fish during this time?
You're somehow killing fish and you hate it?

...And yes...for the second time...you'll need an airpump.

Bruce Leyland-Jones said:

Just to clarify...
You bought a single 'glofish tetra' that 'died within hours'?
(Tetra need to be with others of their species...at least 6 to 8 others).
You waited 30 minutes before placing fish in water...where was the fish during this time?
You're somehow killing fish and you hate it?

...And yes...for the second time...you'll need an airpump.

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No I bought 2 fish, the fish were in the bag supplied by petsmart floating in the tank. so you recommend getting rid of the big coral décor? No water from bag was let into tank, The one fish is now looking fine, What kind of air pump do you recommend? I have 10 gal tank that is doing fine, thanks for the advice.

jjlegre said:

No I bought 2 fish, the fish were in the bag supplied by petsmart floating in the tank. so you recommend getting rid of the big coral décor? No water from bag was let into tank, The one fish is now looking fine, What kind of air pump do you recommend? I have 10 gal tank that is doing fine, thanks for the advice.

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It's not real coral, is it? That'd be doing it's very best to raise the pH if it was.
The decor I was on about was the fluorescence.

Anyhow, on airpumps, I always believe that it's usually worth the best you can afford, as it's likely you'll be wanting to upgrade atank (or two) in the future and, if you only went for the smallest/cheapest, you'll end up having to buy another pump.
Personally, I'm partial to the Eheim range, not least because they can run two airlines and each one can have its rate of flow controlled.

jjlegre said:

I used the aqueon pure balls too. do u think an airpump would be necessary?

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jjlegre said:

The one fish was alot, it was the one who died...

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Most likely oxygen deficiency... If they were gasping for air and like you said, you have a high tank... Oxygen can distribute evenly in those type of tanks so a small bubbler wouldnt be a bad idea...