Advice For A Newbie Please!

[xscape]

hi,

i recently purchased a new tank and have been having a problem with fish dying - was hoping i could please get some advice on what to do!

the tank is 60+ litres. i let the water cycle for 4 days before adding fish.. (i dont have any live plants, i just have a filter, heater and fake plants.. added water conditioner and some stress something or other sold to me at the aquarium).

after 4 days i added 3 guppies and 10 neon tetras. overnight 1 guppie and one tetra died. i removed their poor bodies in the morning... the next day one other guppie died. today i purchased 8 small tiger barbs, who seemed to be enjoying themselves!... just now (7 hours later) i went to have a look at them and 3 were dead, along with one more tetra.

any idea what is causing this? im guessing i didnt let the water cycle for long enough?

thanks in advance!

 

[catxx]

you got that right, read up on fishless cycling on the board (a trillion threads on it)

it takes between 2 and 4 weeks for a tank to cycle fully

as you now have fish in the tank, you need to do 20% daily water changes and buy yourself a liquid test kit, you'll need to be measuring ammonia, nitrate and nitrate levels.

OH..and NO MORE FISH!! don't add anything else until the cycle has completed.

Here I found the thread for you:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=141944

 

[Pheonix]

adding large quantities of fish like that can cause large spikes in ammonium

do you have a test kit? 2 test for ammonium nitrite and nitrate?

if not pop to your local LFS and get one asap

for now 20% water changes regularly will be a good start

dont add any fish for some time let things stabalise and good luck you will need to place close attention to the tank for the next few days

 

[Griz]

I just wanted to welcome you to TFF and echo the advice you have been given. Don't despair, I think most of us have made the same mistake in the past.

 

[mr.dark-saint]

the tank is 60+ litres. i let the water cycle for 4 days before adding fish.. (i dont have any live plants, i just have a filter, heater and fake plants.. added water conditioner and some stress something or other sold to me at the aquarium). What's that 15 gallons? So basically you got the water warm and you added fish? (I've done that, too ). Basically the tank was not cycled, dechlorinated but not cycled.

after 4 days i added 3 guppies and 10 neon tetras. overnight 1 guppie and one tetra died. i removed their poor bodies in the morning... the next day one other guppie died. today i purchased 8 small tiger barbs, who seemed to be enjoying themselves!... just now (7 hours later) i went to have a look at them and 3 were dead, along with one more tetra. Neons for a new tank let alone with a guy who knows some "Fu" is still touchy. If they did live the Tiger Barbs would've jacked them for fun . Looks like you need to do a little reading up on mixes while the tank cycles. For now leave the tank alone or add more ammonia or bacteria (store bought number).

any idea what is causing this? Tank not cycled, so ammonia spiked and off the fish (as mentioned before).

im guessing i didnt let the water cycle for long enough?Without addition of Ammonia to get the "cycle" started you would be waiting a good long time for the tank to cycle.

thanks in advance!