Need some help to solve a problem

[g1barron]

I need some advice from you experts.* I have a 20 gallon tank that I have started.* Tank has been active for 5 weeks and added my first fish last week.* Everything was fine the first day then it went down hill.* I have 6 fish 3 mollies and 3 platys along with one cory catfish.* 3 of the fish are staying on the top and 3 are on the bottom, mixed between the two types.Temp 76-78 GH 30 KH-0 PH-6.0 NO2-0 NO3-0 Ammonia .25 I use two filters* Marineland and Topfin 20 and a 4" air stone.What am I doing wrong.**

 

[SaraB]

You may have added too many fish all at once. What is your water change schedule?
Your PH is too low it should be around 7.0-8.0
Your ammonia should be at 0
Keeping a steady temperature will also help.

 

[g1barron]

thank you

Thanks for the reply. I don't think 6 fish were to many for a 20 gal. tank, though I could be wrong. I will try to raise the ph and as for the ammonia 0 is the best but from what I read 0.25 in not to bad. I change water about 25% each week and vacuum as I remove water. I always add stress coat and chlorine remover with the new water. I feed the fish every other day and then just a small amount.

 

[SaraB]

It's not too many fish for the tank (mollies are too active and get too big for a 20 gal imo). I was talking more about the fact that it sounded like you added them all at once after cycling the tank.
Feeding every day might help as well. You can skip one day a week but I don't see a need to fast them every other day.
Do you have plants/hiding spots for the fish. Mollies and platys are livebearers and will breed like rabbits. Do you know the genders of your fish?

 

[earhtmother]

Adding 6 at once actually is probably too many when adding to a *new* tank, and at 5 weeks yours IS still new. You also need a minimum of 4 (6 is better) for your cories for them to feel comfortable.
First you need larger weekly water changes should be a min 50%, 2 x 1/3 would be better. If you do 2 changes you only need to vacuum 1/2 the tank per change.
DON'T use chemicals to change the pH. Your pH IS a little *lower* than I *think* most fish prefer but if the fish were purchased locally and this is close to what they were in at the store then you're fine as fish are very adaptable.

 

[Swampman]

Newbie

Your tank hasn't completely cycled yet. Buy a seed to jump start the tank. .25 ammonia and 0 nitrates tells me that. Don't change the water. You don't say how you "cycled" the tank. If you just left the tank alone it won't cycle. You need ammonia,food or poop to cycle. Ammonia sound strange but it does work but not now. Cycling mean to get a bio load in the tank. Right now the bioload is too big for the bio in your tank. Puts some plants in your tank. I hope you have a good plant growing light above the tank. Check the water condition a week after the seed is used. You will get the water conditions to a good point. Than change some of the water.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello g1...

You simply need to remove and replace half the tank water twice weekly. If you want to keep livebearring fish healthy, there can be no trace of ammonia or nitrite in the water. When you change the water, do a good job of vacuuming the bottom material to keep nitrates at an absolute minimum.

B