I came home today and the silvertip was dead. Idk what is making all my fish die but I was planning a trip to the pet store on Monday and trying a different that will give me advice and not jut sell me whatever fish I think look cool. As of right now my fish seem to be doing okay and getting along
My fish keep dyeing!!!!
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-Mac-
Aquarium Advice Activist
Return what fish you are able, however this is a kind, but strong reminder to not purchase any new fish while you are at the store. You are currently in the process of cycling your tank and until you have a large enough bacteria colony, any new fish is simply adding more ammonia (poison!) to the tank with no recourse to process it away to less toxic nitrates.
Also, and this is a sad truth, hold the advice from the pet store or your lfs as highly suspect until you've done your own research and confirmed or refuted the information they gave you with other experienced hobbyists. (Such as here, a local aquarium club, or other active hobbyist site)
This can't be said enough: get your own test kit.
Google, and AA (or places like it) will stand you in much better stead than your lfs, 7 out of 10 times, and 100% of the time if you're dealing with a chain store.
Also, and this is a sad truth, hold the advice from the pet store or your lfs as highly suspect until you've done your own research and confirmed or refuted the information they gave you with other experienced hobbyists. (Such as here, a local aquarium club, or other active hobbyist site)
This can't be said enough: get your own test kit.
Google, and AA (or places like it) will stand you in much better stead than your lfs, 7 out of 10 times, and 100% of the time if you're dealing with a chain store.
Rosebud
Aquarium Advice Regular
I'm sorry you are losing your fish but am glad you found this forum. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people here who can help you.
Roxi
-Mac-
Aquarium Advice Activist
If you return all the fish, rather than just the ones that are unsuitable for size/compatibility issues, then you'll want to do a fish-less cycle using ammonia. If you choose to keep some of the fish, you'll do a fish-in cycle. Both are in post #8 of this thread and both will require, you guessed it, a master test kit for freshwater. 
Homer8
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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since no one has really said it instead they just told you to read something, ill explain what cycling the tank is. This will give you an idea. sounds a lot harder then it really is.
when you have fish they give off ammonia. Ammonia is very poisonous to fish. There are bacteria in the tank(mainly in your filter and substrate). these bacteria break down the ammonia and turn it into nitrite. nitrite is also poisonous so even more bacteria breaks that down into nitrAte. nitrate is not very harmful in small doses but that is why you do water changes. you take out some of the water(usually 20% a week, so in your case 2 gallons) and put fresh water in.
The problem with new tanks is that there isnt any bacteria. you need time for that bacteria to multiply. the fastest way to jump start a cycle is if you know someone that has a cycled tank, you can ask them for their filter media or gravel from their tank. now that you have bacteria in your tank you need to keep it alive. i personally like to do a fish in cycle. i find some hardy fish or cheap fish like zebra danios, neons, tiger barbs. the fish will give off ammonia and feed the bacteria and the bacteria will multiply.
in order to tell where you are at in the cycle you will need a test kit. once your ammonia and nitrites are very very very low or non existent and you have nitrates you cycle is most likely done.
if anyone sees any mistakes let me know.
P.S.
When i say i like to do a fish in cycle this only really happens if i do not have any tanks up and running which has only happened twice. otherwise i just take filter media and gravel from my cycled tanks and the water wait a day or two and throw some inexpensive fish in there and do 10% daily water changes from the middle to the surface of the tank for about a week. i rarely lose a fish like this maybe 1 in 20 fish but that doesnt really seem too bad. this is just how i set up a new tank and i feel that it works for me.
when you have fish they give off ammonia. Ammonia is very poisonous to fish. There are bacteria in the tank(mainly in your filter and substrate). these bacteria break down the ammonia and turn it into nitrite. nitrite is also poisonous so even more bacteria breaks that down into nitrAte. nitrate is not very harmful in small doses but that is why you do water changes. you take out some of the water(usually 20% a week, so in your case 2 gallons) and put fresh water in.
The problem with new tanks is that there isnt any bacteria. you need time for that bacteria to multiply. the fastest way to jump start a cycle is if you know someone that has a cycled tank, you can ask them for their filter media or gravel from their tank. now that you have bacteria in your tank you need to keep it alive. i personally like to do a fish in cycle. i find some hardy fish or cheap fish like zebra danios, neons, tiger barbs. the fish will give off ammonia and feed the bacteria and the bacteria will multiply.
in order to tell where you are at in the cycle you will need a test kit. once your ammonia and nitrites are very very very low or non existent and you have nitrates you cycle is most likely done.
if anyone sees any mistakes let me know.
P.S.
When i say i like to do a fish in cycle this only really happens if i do not have any tanks up and running which has only happened twice. otherwise i just take filter media and gravel from my cycled tanks and the water wait a day or two and throw some inexpensive fish in there and do 10% daily water changes from the middle to the surface of the tank for about a week. i rarely lose a fish like this maybe 1 in 20 fish but that doesnt really seem too bad. this is just how i set up a new tank and i feel that it works for me.
Homer8 said:
Thank you for just explaining it but is there anyway of knowing the levels without buying a test kit? I had a 10 gallon tank and the water was clean and everything idk bout the nitrate and Ammonia levels. I put a 20 gallon filter in my 10 gallon tank so when I got my new tank I just put the filter from my 10 gallon tank in there yesterday. I'm probably going to do a 50% water change today. I have the tetra aqua safe declorinates and conditions and API stress coat, that's what I put in my tank when I do a water change
You put drops of aqua safe conditioner in the new tap water, dont just dump in the tap water. Also, find a reliable local fish store, not owned by a chain company, and have them test your water for you. Most are very reliable tools, and this is what i do every time as i have one 2 minutes away
I looked up fish stores for around where I live and found a couple but they all are a 45 min drive away from where I live but next time I plan in going up there I was going to get my water tested and return my fish to pet smart then try out the other fish stores I found
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
Don't ever depend on the lfs to stock your tank correctly. I'm sure you've read the horror stories on here from the multitude of people who got lousy advice from the lfs.
It's your responsibility to do the research. Yours and yours alone.
Oh, and if you haven't already, buy yourself a good quality test kit like the API master kit. Your fish will thank you.
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