Whoes Advice Should I Follow For Setting Up A Tropical Fish Tank? Pets

[b_uffy_summers]

I went to pets at home and bought a tropical fish tank. I set it up and everything like they told me to and they said wait at least 3 days and let it run. I waited 8. So i went in and got 3 neon tetras. They were fine and swimming around, Next day..Dead. So i took them in back to the shop and also took a sample of water.

They said the water was ok. Had a bit too much ammonia but not higher than expected from a tank that has had dead fish in it over night.

I have been given two pieces of advice. One from Pets at Home and one form my friend who breeds fish and keeps fish and never has any deaths.

1. PETS AT HOME: they said take out 5 liters of the water (my tank is 25 liters) and they add in a liter at a time or water and treat each liter before putting it in. Let it run and then go back in a couple of weeks for them to test the water so that they can retest in and hopefully give me some more fish if the water is ok.

2. FRIEND: he has given me 4 liters of water from one of his own tanks and told me to do a water change with that.

I don't know what fish he has in the tank he got the water from and also when i told pets at home this is what my friend said, they told me it was the worst thing i could do as the water could be perfect for his fish but kill mine
17 minutes ago - 4 days left to answer.

His fish are definatly not salt water.
Mine is tropical and i think his are too as he has a heater and everything like mine.
I dont know what fish they are though

 

[lilfishie]

there both wrong

the quickest and simpliest way your going to get your fish it so ask your friend for some of there filter media. this will contain plenty of good bacteria to break down the ammonia therefore making it safe for fish to live in.

Neons are not suitable for your tank size however, they need shoals of atleast 6 which your tank can't house.

I would search/ask on here about a more suited stocking then ask your friend for some media (no point getting it before as the bacteria will die off without a food source of ammonia)

 

[b_uffy_summers]

how can a 25 liter not house 6 tetras? the box says it can have like 4 tatra 4 of another type , 4 of a nother type and a catfish and a snail or something

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Lilfishie is spot on. If all the fish are dead and you have a have a empty tank do a a fishless cycle which you can find in the resourse centre. Get some media fom your friend and this will speed it up. I find it very odd that your friend breeds fish yet had no idea about Water Chemistry

Any way good luck

 

[lilfishie]

how can a 25 liter not house 6 tetras? the box says it can have like 4 tatra 4 of another type , 4 of a nother type and a catfish and a snail or something

its not that it can't house 6 tetra, its the adult size of the fish in question, neons get to 2" which is too big for your tank.

you could have 6 mirco rasboras as they are less than an inch adult size. its all down to the adult size of the fish.

Theres still plenty of options for your tank if done correctly. but before this we need to make it safe so you don't loose anymore fish

you will need to fo a fishless cycle which you can read about HERE having some of your friends media will speed things up

you will also need to know about the Nitrogen Cycle which you can find HERE

 

[KISSfn]

how can a 25 liter not house 6 tetras? the box says it can have like 4 tatra 4 of another type , 4 of a nother type and a catfish and a snail or something

A 25 liter can house 15cm of total adult fish length. The box, like the entire fishkeeping industry, is lying.

 

[Tizer]

i would also avoid snails in tanks that size, if it dies they pump out loads of ammonia, more than the filter will cope with and could kill the rest of the fish.

 

[minnnt]

I would not use any 'stocking rules' for this tank, as you couldn't put a 5" adult fish in there. I would stock with typical micro species such as the Micro Rasboras and maybe some Shrimp.

 

[Rickzayne]

Buy 1 betta

But steal a bit of your friends filter stuff and put it in your filter.

Buy some nice plants.


Or take your tank back and buy a 200l on eBay for about £100 if you want more/bigger fish

 

[willowstwin]

Pets at home are regular liars! I can understand your friends advice (the LFS I used to go to gave me a bag of "fish poo" to help cycle my tank, and boy did it, it even cleared the cloudyness), but you really need some of the filter sponge from your friends filter.

The box also lies! Black moors, goldfish and orandas are always put on fish tank boxes, tanks which are only tiny like 10 - 25 litres... now, bear in mind a black moor can grow to cover your hand, and then tell me these fish are suitable for that size tank (I'm not having a go here, I'm just trying to explain). People always say "well yes, a goldfish will only grow to the size of the tank"... no, they are STUNTED in a small tank, which leads to metabolism problems and internal organ problems, and the fish's lifespan RAPIDLY decreased.

As already said, stick to micro species like the micro rasbora:

aren't they adorable? You could maybe squeeze a school of 5, possibly 6 in there.

Can we know the dimensions of your tank?

 

[Davehutton92]

I would not use any 'stocking rules' for this tank, as you couldn't put a 5" adult fish in there. I would stock with typical micro species such as the Micro Rasboras and maybe some Shrimp.

+1 for this