Got a new 20 gallon tank filled it up with water did a cycle then I got my boys once I got him now he doesn't really do anything he just sits at at the back corner of the tank doesn't pay any attention to the food and last night he was sticking his mouth out of the water hours on end is there something wrong with him
Fish not eating and sticking his head out of the water for hours on end
- Thread starter SfG
- Start date
The October FOTM Contest Poll is open!
🏆 Click to vote! 🏆
We need your levels of PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. What species fish is it?
Are you sure your tank is fully cycled? If cycled, how long did the cycling take?
Are you sure your tank is fully cycled? If cycled, how long did the cycling take?
Last edited:
CaptainBarnicles
Moderate Pleco Tolerator
Staff member
Global Moderator ⚒️
Tank of the Month 🏆
Pet of the Month 🎖️
Would love to help but need more details please, some photos of your tank and fish would be helpful too
I cycled my tank for 3 weeks my testing Strips doesn't say the ammonia but it tells me my nitrite and nitrate the nitrite is 0 and the nitrate is 7 it is a platy fish he's all alone someone said it might be happening because he's alone so do I get another fish to keep him company
Welcome to the forum.
What method of cycling did you perform? Fishless, fish-in? What kind of water conditioner are you using?
Get one of these, the paper strips can be inaccurate and unreliable: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit
After you get the liquid test kit, perform a test on ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte, and report the results here.
What method of cycling did you perform? Fishless, fish-in? What kind of water conditioner are you using?
Get one of these, the paper strips can be inaccurate and unreliable: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit
After you get the liquid test kit, perform a test on ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte, and report the results here.
ClownLurch
Fish Gatherer
Was water conditioner used?
Fish gasping for air at water surface is a sure sign that something is wrong with the water, basically means the fish is in toxic water unfortunately.
What you may need to do is to read this article first, this explain the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle your fish tank properly to make the water safe for your livestock that goes into this tank.
www.fishforums.net
Essentailly it means the fish produces something called ammonia simply by breathing and pooping. This ammonia is toxic for fish.
So we then 'cycle' the tank to deal with this ammonia by growing good bacterias to consume this ammonia, which then the becomes nitrite, this is also toxic for fish but on a lesser scale than ammonia so then a new type of bacteria grows to deal with this nitrite and this become something called nitrate, nitrate is also toxic but the least toxic of the three elements. Nitrate is then dealt with by us, the fishkeeper, doing water changes once or twice every week to get rid of the nitrate. So then this becomes the cycle.
One other important factor is the fact tap water has chlorine and this is not good for fish / livestock so we then need to add some tap safe conditioner into the tank to get rid of this chlorine.
First thing would do is to do a large water change, at least 75% with water temperature being fairly close to tank water as possible also make sure you add dechlorinator / tap safe to the new water into the tank.
Then try and purchase a more accurate test kit. @Slaphppy7 has mentioned thi and linked to an API test kit product, that is not a bad test kit for beginners as is good value for money and is fairly accurate as long as the tests is carried out exactly as instructions state.
What you may need to do is to read this article first, this explain the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle your fish tank properly to make the water safe for your livestock that goes into this tank.
Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!
Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...
www.fishforums.net
Essentailly it means the fish produces something called ammonia simply by breathing and pooping. This ammonia is toxic for fish.
So we then 'cycle' the tank to deal with this ammonia by growing good bacterias to consume this ammonia, which then the becomes nitrite, this is also toxic for fish but on a lesser scale than ammonia so then a new type of bacteria grows to deal with this nitrite and this become something called nitrate, nitrate is also toxic but the least toxic of the three elements. Nitrate is then dealt with by us, the fishkeeper, doing water changes once or twice every week to get rid of the nitrate. So then this becomes the cycle.
One other important factor is the fact tap water has chlorine and this is not good for fish / livestock so we then need to add some tap safe conditioner into the tank to get rid of this chlorine.
First thing would do is to do a large water change, at least 75% with water temperature being fairly close to tank water as possible also make sure you add dechlorinator / tap safe to the new water into the tank.
Then try and purchase a more accurate test kit. @Slaphppy7 has mentioned thi and linked to an API test kit product, that is not a bad test kit for beginners as is good value for money and is fairly accurate as long as the tests is carried out exactly as instructions state.
lazarusthefishboy10
Fish Crazy
Doing a big water change can help get rid of any ammonia, and if sill acting the same, try get an air pump coz it could just be lack of oxygen, too.
Similar threads
Most reactions
-
335 -
214 -
173 -
170 -
169 -
159 -
154 -
151
-
147 -
125 -
123 -
114 -
110 -
92 -
81