Is New Tank Syndrome a thing of the past?

[rich]

When I purchased my new tropical aquarium last week, my lfs said that new tank syndrome was now a thing of the past, as long as you stock at a slow enough rate to let the filter sponge catch up.

He said in particular with my set up as it is specially designed. It is similar to a biorb, but twice as big, hexagonal and from Poland. I am not particularly worried as my first 3 minnows were added with the water, plants and rocks from their old set up so some bacteria should have been added. After a week ( and slow raisng of temperature) I added 5 neons, on lfs advice, the neons he buys being partcularly hardy.

Perhaps I should be suspicious of his advice, however I have always sourced my goldfish from there and they have all had good innings (i.e. long life for those who don't understand the cricket reference) and been healthy. He also dissuaded me from buying the tank set up I originally wanted, which was more expensive, so money is not his priority.

 

[maestro]

Its a thing of the past in the sense that people have learnt from their mistakes and gathered greater knowledge about how to keep fish, all the information is also freely available on the Interenet about how to aviod the problem.

I suppose the filters and media are of a better design now aswell

But it still happens, the laws of chemisty are still the same, add fish to quickly and you'll get ammonia and nitrite which are still deadly to fish, maybe even more so now they generally more inbred

 

[clutterydrawer]

also there will still be ammonia and nitrite spikes if you add few fish slowly, the spikes will jsut be smaller.

it *should* be a thing of the past now we have fishless cycling. not that many people bother with it.

 

[G_Sharky]

light stocking is a good step for a new tank, but the fish i think tough enough to endure the cylce are platy's and maybe danios, I don't know about the neons as they normally die on me without no apparent reason even though my tank's parameters are excellent and has been matured....

 

[MAM]

new tank syndrome WOULD be a thing of the past, if all new fish keepers were educated on how to properly cycle a tank. yes, you can avoid it if you take care and do it correctly. but those who don't, or don't know to do so, still suffer from it.