This can't be good...

[GeminiPrincess]

I was told to cycle my tanks with zebra danios. So i went and got my son 2 for his 10 gallon and me 2 long fins for my 26 gallon. My son's 10 gallon has been up for 2 weeks and min has been up for a few days. Mine are doing great, but one of his just died and was floating around throughout the tank. The long fins seem to be really really active while the regular ones just sit there. The other one in the 10 gallon is just hangin out at the bottom of the tank towards the back. I do not have a test kit and can't afford one atm. Any ideas what might be going on? Are the long fins heartier then the normals?

 

[jeremyblevins]

have you been doing water changes? if not then it's most likely ammonia poisoning.

 

[GeminiPrincess]

I have done 3. The last water change was the day before i added the 2 fish.

 

[jeremyblevins]

okay do you know about the nitrogen cycle? ammonia is a by product of the fish's waste and it is toxic to them. you need to start doing daily water changes to help keep the levels down. but without a proper liquid test kit you're pretty much guess at what the levels are, but i understand money is tight.
here is a good read on the nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
and another about cycling with fish
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/i-just-learned-about-cycling-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

 

[GeminiPrincess]

okay do you know about the nitrogen cycle? ammonia is a by product of the fish's waste and it is toxic to them. you need to start doing daily water changes to help keep the levels down. but without a proper liquid test kit you're pretty much guess at what the levels are, but i understand money is tight.
here is a good read on the nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
and another about cycling with fish
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

I have zeolite crystals in my filter to keep ammonia away...what else could be wrong? Oh and thank you for the links, they were helpful

 

[Zagz]

Zeolite crystals will not remove ammonia, only water changes will. Did you add a dechlorinator when you did your water change?

 

[GeminiPrincess]

Zeolite crystals will not remove ammonia, only water changes will. Did you add a dechlorinator when you did your water change?

Yes always add conditionare to the water when i do water changes. I am going to do another one today.

 

[brimac41]

Without a test kit and giving us the full details/results of your water parameters , it will be hard for us to nail down what is going on in your aquarium . But as stated above , it is more than likely ammonia poisoning .

Just a tip to save you some money, if you can , you can get an API master test kit from Wal-mart for $18 along with $0.97 shipping to your door .

 

[GeminiPrincess]

Without a test kit and giving us the full details/results of your water parameters , it will be hard for us to nail down what is going on in your aquarium . But as stated above , it is more than likely ammonia poisoning .

Just a tip to save you some money, if you can , you can get an API master test kit from Wal-mart for $18 along with $0.97 shipping to your door .

Ok, i might beable to pull off the test kit from walmart. I just did a 40-50% water change on my sons tank. I vacumed it too because it was rather nasty so that is probably what it was. The first fish we tried to cycle with were 2 guppies which had babies within an hour of being put into the tank - ALL of them died and the fry being so tiny i couldn't ever find them to get them out so that is probably what killed almost everything.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Water changes before you get fish are pointless.
Sorry if I sound harsh but if you cannot afford a test kit then take your fish back to the shop, drain your tanks and stop keeping fish until you can. They really are that important

Doubtless you will won't buy a kit so at the very least read up on the nitrogen cycle.

I thought the same when I first started.

 

[brimac41]

Gemini , being new to the hobby you will make mistakes , we all have . But you are now on the right track coming here and doing research . So do not lose interest or get disheartened over the loss of the fish , I lost all the fish in my first tank many , many years ago before the days of the internet , but by research and asking questions and through trial and error I now have beautiful aquariums .

Order that test kit (get the liquid test , cheaper and more accurate), read and follow the directions of the cycling process in the links provided above , read up on stocking limits for your tank size , ask all the questions you want and we will answer them and help you along , and before long you will have a healthy , stable aquarium that you and your son will enjoy .

 

[GeminiPrincess]

Gemini , being new to the hobby you will make mistakes , we all have . But you are now on the right track coming here and doing research . So do not lose interest or get disheartened over the loss of the fish , I lost all the fish in my first tank many , many years ago before the days of the internet , but by research and asking questions and through trial and error I now have beautiful aquariums .

Order that test kit (get the liquid test , cheaper and more accurate), read and follow the directions of the cycling process in the links provided above , read up on stocking limits for your tank size , ask all the questions you want and we will answer them and help you along , and before long you will have a healthy , stable aquarium that you and your son will enjoy .

Thanks for that! You are one of the few people who havn't made me feel like a total and complete failure and an awful person. Most people yell at me and tell me im an idiot for not doing more research first. So thank you!!!!!!