Help please

[anderson4889]

I've just bought a 20 litre nano cube and after speaking to the guys at the store was told the fastest way to cycle would be with fish. I came away with four white mountain minnows, pure aquarium balls and some tap safe.

Everything was going fine until I came down and found two fish at the top of the tank as if they are trying to get more oxygen. I conducted a 25% water change but this hasn't really solved anything.

Any advice at all would be great

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[BettaBettas]

wow, you got ripped off af, you don't cycle a tank with fish >.>

 

[BettaBettas]

also they should be in schools of six plus

 

[NickAu]

How long have you had the tank?
How often do you change water?
What is the water temp?
Have you got a filter?
How much water conditioner do you use?
I suspect you are having issues with ammonia, I would suggest a 75% water change now and 25% everyday till it settles down, You will need to buy a water testing kit.

 

[Demeter32]

This is what it means to cycle a tank with fish. The fish usually get sick and die off. If you don't want them dying, do large water changes and try to get some established filter media or substrate from someone else, perhaps a family member or friend. That's the fastest way to cycle a tank.

 

[anderson4889]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I had the tank from new for a couple of days fitted with a dennerle corner filter and a heater set at 25. I have water conditioner in there and put the correct amount as per the bottle.

All of them were struggling last thing yesterday so I did another 25% water change and added 1.5 ml of tap safe (prior to adding to tank). I also reduced the temp down to 23.

After checking this morning three of the four seem to have improved but the fourth is looking like they are in trouble. I'm going to do another 25% this morning and monitor them throughout the day.

If I knew how inhumane this would be for the fish I certainly would not have gone down this route.


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[anderson4889]

Spoke to soon... The one struggling didn't make it. Body removed and another 25% change done, the others seem ok now though. I'm going to go back to the store today and get the water tested.


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[NickAu]

Make sure they give you the numbers " fine " means nothing,

 

[luca1980]

I would just bypass the place where you got this from, seeing as they gave you such inaccurate and irresponsible advice in the first place. Invest in an API freshwater test kit (the liquid dropper kind, not the one with the test strips) - this is one of the best tools you can get, especially as a beginner. I have been a fishkeeper for years and still use mine weekly. NickAu is right - if they say everything is 'fine' they are clearly lying get them to write the numbers down for you, or like I said just get a kit and test everything yourself. Post the results here when you have them and then we can give you more accurate advice. And if it was me, I would be finding myself a new LFS.

 

[anderson4889]

Thanks guys.

Just got back from the store. Everything was fine with the water, but that's after two days of nursing the tank so I expect whatever was going on was resolved.

Personally I think it was ammonia building up due to the filter not providing a sufficient flow around the tank. I have moved some of the bits n bobs out of the tank and now the fish seem a lot happier. I have also cleaned the gravel so this may have helped.

Could it have been I was over-feeding? I was feeding small amounts once a day but have since seen a blog post state it should be every other?


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[Essjay]

The ammonia build up is not due to insufficient filter flow but because the filter has not yet grown any bacteria to 'eat' the ammonia. It takes several weeks to grow enough bacteria.

Here are two links for you.
The first explains what cycling is and goes on to explain how to do a fishless cycle. But as you already have fish, you can't do a fishless cycle (unless all the fish you bought die, in which case I recommend doing a fishless cycle before getting any more)
The second explains fish-in cycling and what you need to do to keep your fish alive.

But as the others have said, you need your own test kit. You need to be able to test the tank at least once a day and not necessarily at times when the shop is open.

 

[luca1980]

Ammonia is due to a build up of waste from the fish to the point where there is too much ammonia combined with too little good bacteria to efficiently deal with it. This takes time to accomplish and once this does occur, it means your tank is 'cycled'. The links essjay gave you will provide all the information you need. I would also only feed every second or third day. A hungry tank is a healthy tank! Keep a very close eye on parameters and be prepared for frequent water changes - the absolute best way to do this is with an API test kit.