Spiral Swimming - New Tank

[Roland6543]

Hi all,

So I just set up a 70g freshwater tank. After a day settling in (I added the appropriate quantity of dechlorinator, plus some salt for freshwater tanks), I decided it time to buy some hardy fish to begin the cycling process. I put in 3 Zebra Danios (they came with a second, smaller tank I bought), plus 4 new small Danios and 4 Tiger Barbs that I bought from a big box store.

On the way home from the store, one of the new Danios was swimming in a crazy corkscrew pattern. By the time we got home he was swimming normally again. Stress I thought. We acclimatized the fish to the new temp by floating the bag, then added some water from my tank to their bags in two stages, then finally netted them out and popped them in the tank.

Within 6 hours 1 Danio was dead, and another was also doing the corkscrew olympics, and shortly also dead. I took them out. By the next morning of the 2 remaining newly purchased Danios, one was missing (half of him showed up later in a Barbs mouth), and another spiralling out of control (which I euthanized in the freezer).

I figured a bad batch of Danios from the store, since the 4 Barbs and the older Danios were doing fine. To get back to the original planned stock level I went to a different specialized LFS and bought 3 more small Danios. By the next day one of the new Danios from the small LFS is showing the same symptoms.

My tank is obviously still in the early stages of cycling. Results are:
Day1 Day2 Day3
pH 7.4 8.0 8.0
NH3 0.10 0.10 0.10
NO2 0.00 0.25 0.00
NO3 0.00 0.00 0.00

I'm thinking one of the following could be happening:
- The chemistry in my tank is causing this (Unlikely because the first symptom was on the way back from the pet store).
- Both stores that I bought the Danios from bought them from the same supplier and they are carrying the same "issue".
- The 4 small Danios that I bought from the big box store brought in a disease that is beginning to spread to the other Danios (the 3 older Danios are still doing OK).

What do you think? Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

 

[tonyale]

first of all danios should not be used to cycle they are not hardy enough no matter u can use tetras platys are realy good an thats about it

 

[pdludbrooke]

Hi all,

So I just set up a 70g freshwater tank. After a day settling in (I added the appropriate quantity of dechlorinator, plus some salt for freshwater tanks), I decided it time to buy some hardy fish to begin the cycling process. I put in 3 Zebra Danios (they came with a second, smaller tank I bought), plus 4 new small Danios and 4 Tiger Barbs that I bought from a big box store.

On the way home from the store, one of the new Danios was swimming in a crazy corkscrew pattern. By the time we got home he was swimming normally again. Stress I thought. We acclimatized the fish to the new temp by floating the bag, then added some water from my tank to their bags in two stages, then finally netted them out and popped them in the tank.

Within 6 hours 1 Danio was dead, and another was also doing the corkscrew olympics, and shortly also dead. I took them out. By the next morning of the 2 remaining newly purchased Danios, one was missing (half of him showed up later in a Barbs mouth), and another spiralling out of control (which I euthanized in the freezer).

I figured a bad batch of Danios from the store, since the 4 Barbs and the older Danios were doing fine. To get back to the original planned stock level I went to a different specialized LFS and bought 3 more small Danios. By the next day one of the new Danios from the small LFS is showing the same symptoms.

My tank is obviously still in the early stages of cycling. Results are:
Day1 Day2 Day3
pH 7.4 8.0 8.0
NH3 0.10 0.10 0.10
NO2 0.00 0.25 0.00
NO3 0.00 0.00 0.00

I'm thinking one of the following could be happening:
- The chemistry in my tank is causing this (Unlikely because the first symptom was on the way back from the pet store).
- Both stores that I bought the Danios from bought them from the same supplier and they are carrying the same "issue".
- The 4 small Danios that I bought from the big box store brought in a disease that is beginning to spread to the other Danios (the 3 older Danios are still doing OK).

What do you think? Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

Perhaps the fish realised what you were going to do with them...I mean all fish now have heard of fishless cycling, it's the word on the street ermmm I mean water ways.

Perhaps you should research it, it would be a more decent humane thing than subjecting living creaatures to poisoning!!

CHECK THIS OUT!

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

 

[Bugdozer]

The word on the street is that tiger barbs are basically inconmpatible with almost all other fish. I don't see why they are as popular as they are.
Also if it only took 6 hours for your fish to die, you can rule out ammonia poisoning as the culprit, as that number of fish in that volume of water could not generate enough ammonia in 6 hours to kill themselves. I think they must have already had problems or been weakened.

 

[Roland6543]

Thank you for your replies. Do you think I should look into lowering the pH, or leave it alone for now?

 

[Easy]

Hi all,

So I just set up a 70g freshwater tank. After a day settling in (I added the appropriate quantity of dechlorinator, plus some salt for freshwater tanks), I decided it time to buy some hardy fish to begin the cycling process. I put in 3 Zebra Danios (they came with a second, smaller tank I bought), plus 4 new small Danios and 4 Tiger Barbs that I bought from a big box store.

On the way home from the store, one of the new Danios was swimming in a crazy corkscrew pattern. By the time we got home he was swimming normally again. Stress I thought. We acclimatized the fish to the new temp by floating the bag, then added some water from my tank to their bags in two stages, then finally netted them out and popped them in the tank.

Within 6 hours 1 Danio was dead, and another was also doing the corkscrew olympics, and shortly also dead. I took them out. By the next morning of the 2 remaining newly purchased Danios, one was missing (half of him showed up later in a Barbs mouth), and another spiralling out of control (which I euthanized in the freezer).

I figured a bad batch of Danios from the store, since the 4 Barbs and the older Danios were doing fine. To get back to the original planned stock level I went to a different specialized LFS and bought 3 more small Danios. By the next day one of the new Danios from the small LFS is showing the same symptoms.

My tank is obviously still in the early stages of cycling. Results are:
Day1 Day2 Day3
pH 7.4 8.0 8.0
NH3 0.10 0.10 0.10
NO2 0.00 0.25 0.00
NO3 0.00 0.00 0.00

I'm thinking one of the following could be happening:
- The chemistry in my tank is causing this (Unlikely because the first symptom was on the way back from the pet store).
- Both stores that I bought the Danios from bought them from the same supplier and they are carrying the same "issue".
- The 4 small Danios that I bought from the big box store brought in a disease that is beginning to spread to the other Danios (the 3 older Danios are still doing OK).

What do you think? Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

I'm sorry I know it's not funny, I am going through the same thing basically. But that had me CRACKING UP.

 

[Staxx]

i dont get whats funny tbh.

i wouldnt start messing with ph either it gets very complicated when you start trying to alter your waters chemistry and so on.

just pick fish with like a higher ph.

 

[Easy]

i dont get whats funny tbh.

i wouldnt start messing with ph either it gets very complicated when you start trying to alter your waters chemistry and so on.

just pick fish with like a higher ph.

Highlighted in red as for the "funny part" . Don't get all crazy about it either. im just saying the description not the act was humorous. If you don't think so, you need to lighten up.

 

[sadguppy]

first of all danios should not be used to cycle they are not hardy enough no matter u can use tetras platys are realy good an thats about it

Danios are very hardy fish, tetras in the main are not and most will not survive a new tank.

However, there are really no fish guaranteed to survive a fish-in cycle. It's a lot of hard work, big water changes every day and to get through it with no deaths is very difficult. Fishless all the way!

 

[Gilli]

Hi Roland and welcome to fish keeping. It could be that your danios were damaged when the fish shop assistant caught them - some are a bit heavy handed and they are fast and hard to catch. That combined with the stress could have killed them off.

I dont see why you are adding salt to a freshwater tank - what amount did you put in as that might be the problem?.

I expect you know all about cycling with fish, but incase you need any help go to this link on this forum

Beginners resource center

 

[Roland6543]

Wow... thanks for all the advice. This is an active forum!

pH, I'll leave alone as suggested.

Salt, I'm beginning to regret. It was recommended by a setup article I read, and I recall the same advice from many years back when I had aquariums too. I think I'll just let the frequent water changes while cycling take care of diluting the salt away over time.

"Corkscrew Olympics", I hope I didn't offend our more sensitive friends. I wasn't specifically trying to joke about a troublesome situation, but yes, I do tend to bring a bit of humour in all my conversations without even realizing it.

 

[fluttermoth]

Just a thought, but were you looking at the fish on the way home? holding fish in bags up to the light can be very stressful for them and that might have caused some problems, even death. In future you should try and keep the fish in the dark as much as possible, until you've got them in the tank.

 

[Roland6543]

Just a thought, but were you looking at the fish on the way home?

Yes I was unfortunately, but only the first group from the big box store. I'll remember your advice for next time (after the cycle is complete) but that wouldn't explain why one of the next batch from the smaller lfs dies since they were in darkness all the way home.

 

[jujeheb72]

I am VERY much an amateur. I have had a 10 gallon tank for about 6 years. 2 giant danios, 2 little zebra danios and 2 cory doras. I have had the giants for about 3-4 years. The funny thing is about 6 months ago one of my danios started doing the crazy cork-screw dance. I thought his days were numbered and prepared for the inevitable toilet bowl funeral with my young sons. The thing is still alive and still swimming like he thinks he's a dolphin. Cork-screw, rolling, back and forth. It is amazing to watch. I swear I just feed him regular gold fish flakes and not crack. Everyday he swims like he is auditioning for MarineLand and everyday he is still alive. None of the other fish are doing it and everyone appears healthy. If it hadn't been going on so long I would think there is something wrong. Of course I probably just jinxed myself and will be scooping him out in the morning.

 

[Questions?]

this problem might be solved alrighty, if not.......
try adding some lowlight plants, the java moss will eat ammonia and nitrates, and so will some other plants(i heard that adding plants, instanty cycles your tank) I would recommend getiing java moss and java fern, both are easy to care for, and both are the only aquatic plants i know about lol