I got new fish! Questions

[cowgirluntamed]

Well, I ordered 65 fish from live aquaria. I had 5 doa's. I suppose that's not too bad. Out of 40 glowlight tetras, 3 were dead. Out of 15 harlequin rasboras, 2 were dead. All 10 peppered cories are alive and well.

I set up 2 ten gallon tanks for quarantine. The glowlights went in one and the rest in the other.

Now...I have noticed an oddball fish in with my glowlights....I'm believing it's a cherry barb if I'm not mistaken. Let me know if I am and if not...is there anything I can do? It does seem to be chasing the glowlights around sporadically and they haven't really started moving around much yet. Then harlequins and cories, well, the cories started it..lol. they are super active! Here are the videos!

 

[Colin_T]

let the supplier know they sent you a cherry barb instead of a glolight tetra. Tell them you have no use for 1 cherry barb. Maybe send them a picture of the fish. Then give it to someone who has cherry barbs or take it to a pet shop and get a credit for it. Or buy a partner for it.

Photograph the dead fish too. You should be able to claim them as doa (dead on arrival).

watch the new fish closely and if they show any weird marks, patches, colour or behaviour, post images or video of them on here immediately.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

let the supplier know they sent you a cherry barb instead of a glolight tetra. Tell them you have no use for 1 cherry barb. Maybe send them a picture of the fish. Then give it to someone who has cherry barbs or take it to a pet shop and get a credit for it. Or buy a partner for it.

Photograph the dead fish too. You should be able to claim them as doa (dead on arrival).

Thanks Colin! I did send them an email. I took pictures(and the video) but haven't sent them in yet as I didn't know their process. I may have one place to take the cherry barb. I didn't plan in having these so yeah. Lol. Should I let it go through at least a couple weeks of quarantine first though? Live aquaria has a 14 day guarantee on fish.

watch the new fish closely and if they show any weird marks, patches, colour or behaviour, post images or video of them on here immediately.

Will do! Right now the glowlights still aren't moving around much but they've spread themselves around the tank more. I just put food in the tank. They let it sink a little and some of them ate. So not sure what to think on that. Shipping stress still maybe? They are really small too. Didn't have a problem with the harlequins and cories eating. They are pigs....lol.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Quick update. Live aquaria has issued me a refund for the losses. But they didn't say anything about the barb. IF I keep it through its quarantine, should I put it in its own place? I have a small tote that can hold five gallons and a spare heater and sponge filter to use. Would that be better than letting it chase the tetras around? And then find some place to take it?

 

[Colin_T]

quarantine the cherry barb with the glolights that it came with. The less you move them around the less stress they will suffer.

If all the glolight tetras were all together in the same bag they are probably recovering from poor water quality in the bag. Make sure the tank water is good (no ammonia or nitrite) and make sure the pH isn't too high.

 

[NickAu]

]
and make sure the pH isn't too high.

The PH in the tank is what it is and cant be easily changed. Once you have the fish,Its a bit late to worry about PH

 

[cowgirluntamed]

quarantine the cherry barb with the glolights that it came with. The less you move them around the less stress they will suffer.

If all the glolight tetras were all together in the same bag they are probably recovering from poor water quality in the bag. Make sure the tank water is good (no ammonia or nitrite) and make sure the pH isn't too high.

The PH in the tank is what it is and cant be easily changed. Once you have the fish,Its a bit late to worry about PH

I will keep checking the water quality and do changes as needed for sure. I got more test tubes and I also have the strips so can test quick too. I will be gone for part of the day today but will check when I get home. I won't be feeding them today (only did a little yesterday). They seemed to perk up later which is good. All but two which may not make it. Suppose it's to be expected though.

As for Ph, I'm still going to say 8.2. That's what the tanks normally go to. And I knew this going in. But I stuck with more tank raised hardier species. They did good the last time I had some. But at least, well it used to be stable. Lol. Hopefully it will get back to that.

 

[Colin_T]

The fish might have been kept in slightly acid water and are currently dealing with the alkaline water in your tank. Perhaps contact the company you got them from and ask what pH and hardness their fish are kept in.

If the fish are packed properly, they should travel fine for 24 hours and not have issues.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

The fish might have been kept in slightly acid water and are currently dealing with the alkaline water in your tank. Perhaps contact the company you got them from and ask what pH and hardness their fish are kept in.

If the fish are packed properly, they should travel fine for 24 hours and not have issues.

I wanna say it was about half water half air. 4 bags. Harlequins came in one. Cories another. And the glowlights in two seperate bags. I'm think they may have got a little cold to be honest as they put a cold pack (felt cold) in with them. They were in a styro foam line box though and it was 24 hours or less. But, they also don't fast their fish before shipping either. You get the order in before 9:30 am central one day and they arrive the next. I also did the plop and drop method too. They suggest adding tank water and such. But I knew better. Lol.

 

[Colin_T]

I also did the plop and drop method too. They suggest adding tank water and such. But I knew better

what's that?

 

[Spen2cer]

what's that?

It’s letting the fish acclimate, then pouring the fish in. At least, that’s what I got from researching it. It’s highly debated whether that or the drip acclimation is better

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Plop and drop is acclimatng to temperature only. Then opening the bag and quickly pouring them into a net so the bag water doesn't contaminate anything and then putting the fish directly in the tank.

 

[Spen2cer]

Plop and drop is acclimatng to temperature only. Then opening the bag and quickly pouring them into a net so the bag water doesn't contaminate anything and then putting the fish directly in the tank.

Yep. I plop and drop

 

[cowgirluntamed]

The basis is that the fish use the oxygen in the bag which lowers the pH which means the waste the produce isn't as toxic. But as soon as you open the bag and let in oxygen, the pH goes back up and the waste gets toxic. So getting them into clean water fast is essential for their health.

 

[Essjay]

To be pedantic the fish use the oxygen in the bag and excrete carbon dioxide, which then dissolves in the water to form carbonic acid, which lowers the pH. When the bag is opened, carbon dioxide gasses off so there is less carbonic acid in the water so the pH rises.
And we all know that ammonia is in the less toxic ammonium form at lower pH.