Please advise re unexpected new arrivals...

[jdsunflower]

I have an unexpected situation that needs maximum emergency planning...

I have been reflecting on my aquarium plans for months, and finally decided to purchase a 40 or 50 g tank, to cycle with plants, and in 2 months or so, I would add a minimum of small community fish.

Well, I saw an excellent bargain (40 g tank with fixin's) AND STAND advertised in a local internet site, placed a bid, and it was accepted!
(I'm certain that the more experienced among you can see where this is going.)

Now, in my naive ignorance, I assumed this was an old picture, and they would be selling an EMPTY tank and its parts! It turns out I have accidentally inherited 6 fish as part of the bargain (egads +++). Quite apart from their choice of fish (yikes, one each of 6 different fish types), I have no cycled tank available, and have no way of contacting these people until they deliver the goods saturday noon.

I'll spare you the self-recrimination, and say I've decided that the best I can do for now is prepare the best environment I can. Not knowing if they'll even bring any water (outside a small bag each?) I'm going to assume I have no filter materials or tank water available from the old setup. If I'm lucky the tank will arrive with dregs of water and a semi-used filter (something tells me they'll clean up the filter to be nice).

I have two 5 gallon tanks I've taken out of storage, and I have filters, filter floss, air hose, heater, etc. I also have water testing materials. I'd like your advice on any "emergency" conditions I can try to supply...I'm rather resigned to simply keeping the tanks very well aerated and mechanically filtered, making frequent partial water changes... and a silly question is, given the mix of fish, I'm assuming that a Ph around 6.8 would be okay to aim for? Any value to adding charcoal? The quickest I can, I'll be off to buy lots of real plants...and set up the larger tank similarly, trying to use any filter floss and substrate available to boost the bacteria... (crash course for me!)

ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I don't have the heart to refuse the fish. Who knows what would happen to them! (if I recall, they are 1 neon tetra, one gourami, one angel, one whip tail, a tiger barb, and a last one I can't recall just now...)

JD (unexpected new mother)

[JustOneMore20]

Oh wow.

Do you plan on keeping the fish? If not, then could you take the fish to the fish store shortly after getting the tank and all? You could just keep them in the bags and head to the fish store. I would call around first to make sure you can find one that will take fish....tell them the situation, as it could help.

If you plan on keeping them, then maybe they'll have a filter with it that hasn't dried out (hopefully). If so, you are good. Dump the fish water (from bags or what not) and then fill it up the rest of the way with tap and dechlorinator. Turn the filter on and let it go. Plug in the heater (assuming the tank comes with one of those) and you'll be set.

When you get ready to set up the tank your way, you could move the fish to one of the 5g tanks (assuming they'll all fit) and run the filter on it, if its not too powerful. That will be an instantly cycled tank and keep the filter media wet. And you can put in substrate or whatnot to set it up your way.


Hopefully that helps! I wouldn't worry about a perfect pH. Just use tap water and don't try to adjust it. Do use dechlorinator though.

[jdsunflower]

Those are excellent ideas that hadn't occured to me (hence AA.com!).
I had no idea fish stores might take the fish. I'll check. Those are not the choices I would have made. But, when you save something's life you are responsible for it (ahem)

I'd much prefer not setting up 2 5 g then switching everything around--I don't think my hardwood floors could take the mess. I have more enthusiasm for the hobby than grace...

Thank you so much.

If I can I'll also try to set up (one or both) 5g filter(s) onto the large tank, so that when I switch the fish temporarily, I could give them lots of space by splitting them up, and use those small filters on the 5 g tanks, and, and...cycle the small tanks too! It begins...

Oh my, from an empty nest to 3 tanks!! That's funny.

[neilanh]

Quite honestly, I don't think there's much you can do in a few days to help the situation, other than prepare for what's coming with research.

You said you couldn't contact them, but you were able to contact them for winning the auction. This is going to be your best bet. Make an attempt to contact them, and ask them to do everything they can to sustain the filter media. I assume that, since they're bringing fish, the tank is up and running until the day they transfer it to you. If they can bag the filter media in tank water to sustain the bacteria this is going to be much, much easier for you. Keeping the media in water will keep the bacteria alive, and minimize the cycle time in the new setup.

The water that you mentioned is of little to no value to anything, so don't even consider it.

What I recommend is this. Get all the stuff into your place, and setup the tank. Make sure to use a good dechlorinator in an attempt to sustain any bacteria that hopefully will still be alive. Fill the aquarium and get it ready to go. Do an acclimation on the fish just as if you had purchased new fish from an LFS. I prefer the drip method personally, to get the fish accustomed to your potentially different quality of water. Get them all in the tank. If the sellers were successful in sustaining the bacteria on the media, get that up and running too right away. Then, the key is going to be monitoring your parameters to see what happens. Make sure you have a good test set ready to go to keep tabs on everything.

Setting up the smaller tanks you have available isn't going to buy you anything at all through this process. In my opinion, just deal with the 1 new tank, then if you desire to setup the other tanks later we can work you through the easiest way to do that too.

As Kristin said, if you don't want the fish that are coming with it and can find an LFS or local person who will take them, that will make this much easier process as well.

[jdsunflower]

riiiight...
Stress does affect clarity of thought...I see that now.

thanks for your suggestions. They are certainly less painful than my own plan of trying to get the large tank set up immediately the way I'd like it. Only switching them (to a by-then set of smaller and naturally cycled tanks) on the day of the big switch is better for everyone and gives me time to organize.

Thanks,
JD

[jdsunflower]

Hello,
Quick question about tank temperatures. My new arrivals later this morning are likely to be at least a bit chilled. It is a cold day in Ottawa today...
Is it best to give the their 'ideal' tank temperature right away to prevent their being overly chilled, or this a situation that warrants slow accommodation even if they are a bit chilled initially. I'm leaning towards the ideal temperature, but please advise?
but .
thanks,
jd

[Devilishturtles]

No, definitely acclimate them slowly. Temperature swings are not good.

[jdsunflower]

It's nice to hear a definite!
How would I estimate the best starting temperature in your view? Room temperature to start? It will probably be a max of 19 Celsius (about 66 F) outside (of course they won't really be outside--that's what's confusing). I don't want to risk chilling them in my effort not to shock them with warmth. I thought I could keep a couple of containers of conditioned water, and maybe at different temperatures? (I've got a couple of spare 5 g tanks kicking around...)
Another question concerns the decholorinator, which in this case has aloe vera (maybe they all do?). Is there any value to putting a smidgen more in case they were a bit roughed up in transit?
Finally, should I be concerned about the fact that there are 6 different kinds--Amato's own tanks keep to about 26 degrees (about 78 F) pretty well about the board (He is my Hobby God).
Thanks! Feel free to make other suggestions. I would never get offended by that (that's why I'm on AA!)

[Devilishturtles]

If you don't use this method, google "drip acclimation". I find it's the best method to use especially to prevent any temperature shock. Most people use this for reef tanks, but in your case I think it would work fine. That way you don't need to worry about what temp to start the fish at... if that makes sense? You just leave them in the water they are in now and drip the water they are going into, into that water. That way, it levels out over time nice and slowly.

The aloe stuff doesn't do much in my opinion, I wouldn't worry about adding any extra, but you can if you want to. It won't do any harm at all.

Sorry, I don't do freshwater anymore, who is Amato? lol

Another thought, the packaging the fish come in might be pretty good... and they might not be that cold. Especially if they were packed with a heat pack at all (doubtful, but maybe). A well packaged box (with lots of styrofoam) can retain heat pretty well and you might not have that much of a problem.

HTH

[jdsunflower]

excellent!

I'd forgotten about the drip method, which I've seen mentioned. That really would be the easiest approach in this case. It also saves me from MTS (although it's like a drunkard falling off the wagon, isn't it, how much you want to resist this syndrome...)

Not sure how experienced the curent owners are. Do many people buy one of each kind of fish like they're picking a bouquet of flowers? That seems unkind to each solitary soul... I'll be splitting up the lot into 2 tanks as soon as I can, and buying them playmates and lots of plants.
monique