I bought four fish for my friend's birthday and found out he doesn't even have an aquarium anymore. He said he'd take them but I felt bad and actually like them so I just decided to keep and now I'm left with these fish I knew nothing about. They've been in a one gallon tank since friday.Bought from Walmart two tiger barbs and two fish that I can't seem to find the name. The lable at the store said they grow to 2" and are hardy, but may nip at long fins. I'm also buying a bigger 10 gallon tank cos it's the most I can afford and I was wondering if I should leave them or buy three more tiger barb and one more of these fish? They've all been getting along fine and they stay together.
What Kind Of Fish Is This?
Yeah they look like "blue tetras" which is a dyed fish, its a really horrible process in which the fish are run through various terrible chemicals to the point they can be dyed from the inside out. So the blue on them is synthetic, it has horrific mortality rates something like a 35-55% success rate and it leave the survivors exceptionally weak and susceptible to common diseases. It also opens up chances of transferring more diseases associated with the process. IMO its just outright animal abuse.
They are unfortunately sold on because lets face it they do look sort of nice. To new people they seem a good option as well but its a shame because of how easy natural healthy alternatives are to find - for example you can get actual Blue Tetras but people new to the hobby wouldnt be able to tell the two apart.
For the tiger barbs your going to want at least a 20-25 gallon tank as they get quite big and as they are nippy fish you tend to need about 10 of them to keep them calm.
wills
They are unfortunately sold on because lets face it they do look sort of nice. To new people they seem a good option as well but its a shame because of how easy natural healthy alternatives are to find - for example you can get actual Blue Tetras but people new to the hobby wouldnt be able to tell the two apart.
For the tiger barbs your going to want at least a 20-25 gallon tank as they get quite big and as they are nippy fish you tend to need about 10 of them to keep them calm.
wills
Those four fish will die very quickly in your one-gallon tank, poisoned by their own waste. It's a death trap. Like Wills said, a 10g will not be big enough. Poor things. Can you return them to the shop?
I think it's a really bad idea to buy fish, or any live animals, as presents for other people. Even if your friend had a fish tank you wouldn't have known if these fish were compatible with his own fish or if he had space for more fish. Please think more carefully and do research before you buy.
I think it's a really bad idea to buy fish, or any live animals, as presents for other people. Even if your friend had a fish tank you wouldn't have known if these fish were compatible with his own fish or if he had space for more fish. Please think more carefully and do research before you buy.
I bought them cos his last fish were killed by his crab so he had no more. I relied on the walmart worker since he acted like he knew a lot but no I can't return them I'm going to buy a 10 gallon today but I'll buy a 20 when I have more money if they still live
They're getting along fine tho. I had them in the bag for a while and I think that's why. They school together and hide in this rock thing together, so would I really need to buy more? Also, one of the blue one is acting sickly and swimming around slowly but still eating
They're getting along fine tho. I had them in the bag for a while and I think that's why. They school together and hide in this rock thing together, so would I really need to buy more? Also, one of the blue one is acting sickly and swimming around slowly but still eating
Its upto you - to keep them its going to take more than a 10g tank and a commitment to getting into a regular maintenance routine.
Since you are getting a new tank and already have fish you will be looking at doing a fish in cycle.
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/
Have a read through some of the articles in there and see if it is something you want to take on and have as part of your life. You want to read the ones about Fish In Cycling and the Nitogen Cycle.
Fish keeping can be a very rewarding hobby but it is time consuming and it is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. If you decide its not for you and you would rather take them back - from what I have heard if you call them Wallmart will take fish back.
If you keep them though, you will want to get an other 4-5 Tiger Barbs and if you can take some better shots of the dyed fish maybe we can help you find the natural undyed fish to go with them you will need an other 4-5 of them also. Tiger Barbs and Tetras / Glass Fish ( Im not sure which they are yet ) are shoaling fish which means they have to be kept in groups, in the wild they are found in huge numbers in rivers - but in a tank keeping them in numbers like 6-10 means in their field of vision they can always see school members which makes them feel comfortable in their surroundings.
Hope that makes sense
We are not trying to put you off keeping fish I just want to make sure you realise excatly what your taking on. Like I said fish keeping is a really rewarding hobby and learning about the fish we keep is all part of it. The way you have joined the hobby is a very common situation and even after many years of keeping fish many people still impulse buy new fish all the time.
Wills
Since you are getting a new tank and already have fish you will be looking at doing a fish in cycle.
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/Have a read through some of the articles in there and see if it is something you want to take on and have as part of your life. You want to read the ones about Fish In Cycling and the Nitogen Cycle.
Fish keeping can be a very rewarding hobby but it is time consuming and it is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. If you decide its not for you and you would rather take them back - from what I have heard if you call them Wallmart will take fish back.
If you keep them though, you will want to get an other 4-5 Tiger Barbs and if you can take some better shots of the dyed fish maybe we can help you find the natural undyed fish to go with them you will need an other 4-5 of them also. Tiger Barbs and Tetras / Glass Fish ( Im not sure which they are yet ) are shoaling fish which means they have to be kept in groups, in the wild they are found in huge numbers in rivers - but in a tank keeping them in numbers like 6-10 means in their field of vision they can always see school members which makes them feel comfortable in their surroundings.
Hope that makes sense
We are not trying to put you off keeping fish I just want to make sure you realise excatly what your taking on. Like I said fish keeping is a really rewarding hobby and learning about the fish we keep is all part of it. The way you have joined the hobby is a very common situation and even after many years of keeping fish many people still impulse buy new fish all the time.Wills
Oh and I've also read that they do good with semi aggressive fish, and the dyed ones were said to be nippers on the label, so would they do good together?
Thank you! Should I try to do a fish-in cycle or do a fish less cycle but wash clean the 1 gallon every other day??
Thank you! Should I try to do a fish-in cycle or do a fish less cycle but wash clean the 1 gallon every other day??
The blue once are nippers but i guess with the bards it wouldnt be much of a problem. Still poor things which they hVe to go through. Before i knew what they did to thise fish i had some but i remember them been called mixed tetras. Still not a nice process. Also they need to be in a larger tabk has others have said and put them in larger groups. Idk if i would mix those two but if it works i guess its ok .
Ok I want to return the tiger barbs but I don't like the conditions they're in at walmart and I'm torn lol but idk if id be able to give them proper care. I'm trying to find the cheapest 20 gallon I can online rn
Have you looked for second hand tanks and equipment? Try ebay or the classifieds section on this site at the bottom.
Dont forget you need a good filter, heater and lights set
Wills
Dont forget you need a good filter, heater and lights set
Wills
Bettabuddy664
New Member
They're painted glass fish. They will lose their color about one month into their life in captivity, and they get sick a lot easier than other fish. I would suggest returning them for another kind of species of fish.
The sick one just died and the other one always seems left out. I'm scared he gave the disease to the other fish though cos i read about neon tetra disease and think that's what he had. I separated him last night when I moved them but he still died. I'm gonna buy more and I think they're skirt tetras
Don't buy anymore. You shouldn't get any more until you can suitably house them. If you've only got the one gallon now, it would be kindest to return all the fish. If you are dead set on keeping them, don't get anymore fish until you have a tank large enough. Then you can choose other appropriate tank mates. But these painted fish you've got are really weak. They are more prone to disease and they have dramatically reduced life spans. Return the remaining one or keep it but don't buy any more.
And they aren't skirt tetras.
And they aren't skirt tetras.
I agree with the above but additionally, don't get any more fish until you have a suitable tank that is cycled. You should keep the number of fish low while you are doing a fish-in cycle. The more fish, the more waste they produce and the more they suffer.
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