Death death death

[james80000]

thank you mac, i will take him back. he only seems to be about 3 inches long now though, do they really grow so big? We got 3 guppies and 5 neon tetras yesterday and seem t be well (I think!).
Anna i seriously thought that the fish would die very quickly and it didnt even cross my mind too bring them back to the shop. Basically i didnt think. I do care about the animals and i dont think that my age is an excuse. However, about what you said about reading books, i didnt feel it necessary as i thought the pet shop would advise me correctly. However, they certainly did not. I now go to somebody else and will not make the same mistake again

 

[Great Lakes]

Well, I'm glad everyone is shaking hands.
We do get a bit passionate sometimes..lol..

 

[Dragonslair]

Here..here. :laugh: :laugh:

 

[PETE A]

Big Hello James, Welcome to the site and has everyone forgot we all need to start from the beginining, and learn.

James I know how it is belive me, and did Davy not mention my article in the begininers section on the home page have a read and I'm sure it will make you feel that your not the only person to have had these problems.

Cheers Pete A

 

[james80000]

We have bought a few new fish again. An angel to go with the other one, a couple of mollies and more tetras. this was yesterday. However as every time before, the tetras are gone by the next morning. Leporinus chases them a tiny bit during the day. Does he eat them during the night or do they die from my water condition?

 

[Alien Anna]

We have bought a few new fish again. An angel to go with the other one, a couple of mollies and more tetras. this was yesterday. However as every time before, the tetras are gone by the next morning. Leporinus chases them a tiny bit during the day. Does he eat them during the night or do they die from my water condition?

James,
are you aware of what angelfish eat in the wild? Neon tetras form a large part of their diet.

Your Leporinus might also be guilty. I doubt if it's your water quality now - I expect you've got that largely under control.

 

[james80000]

I know they usually eat them but they never seem to be chasing them at all during the day. however we have had the same 2 neons since the beginning almost and they are fine. it is only the new ones that get eaten. the leporinus was chasing all of the new fish yesterday, but has stopped now.

 

[Dragonslair]

James, your fish are behaving normally. Predator and Prey.
New members are intruders to an established terroritory. This happened to me at one stage. What I read was to introduce new comers to what could be a potential hostile environment.You should open the bag containing the new fish and just let the bag float in the tank, firstly to acclimatise and secondly to let the other fish in your tank "meet" the newcomers. Fish are naturally curious creatures and they will come and examine the foreign object in their world. Once you feel the tankmates no longer pose a threat to your newcomers then you can release them slowly. This process can take hours. However some fishes will never mix, as Anna said Angelfish and Neons.(predator and prey) Just the same as you should not put big fishes in with smaller one. Most fish have no parental instinct. Their only one basic instinct-survival! That is the reason many fish have so many eggs/fry.Nature has a built in survival ratio.

 

[james80000]

ok just a few more questions for ye to deal with! Feeding:I feed once every monday, wednesday and sunday-enough that they can eat in 2 mins. (its usually 3 though!) I was told to do this by the person we get our fish from. They then eat and scavange the bottom of the tank for food for about 10mins. It is then all gone. However the upside down catfish never comes out during feeding. (well actually i have never seen him out from his shell!) How does he live? There is no food on the bottom for him!
Next, I have had the tank about a month now and i should be doing a water change. How??? Do i have to do anything with the water that is going in? The pH in the tank is about 7.6, as with the water from the tap.

 

[Great Lakes]

Feeding your fish, they probably won't starve at the rate you are feeding them. Instead of everyone answering here, I will start a thread in Tropical chit chat so everyone can put in their opinion. That way we won't get to far off track.

Water changes. Mark a spot on the back of your tank that is a 1/4 or 1/3 down from the top. using a hose attached to a gravel cleaning head, start siphoning water, and use the attachmeant to clean 1/2 your gravel until you reach your mark. You may have to unplug your heater and filter depending on how far down this mark is. Then add room temp water that you have tested to know what the parameters are. I have several of those 5 gallon water jugs that I use to siphon water into, and and add water with.

You are only cleaning half your gravel in order to keep your beneficial bacteria in place.