Why is this so hard?

[WoopAhhh]

Was/is it this hard for everyone?

This whole fish thing, seriously.
I'm 15 and got into the fish hobby at the beginning of this year. Before that, I had no idea about this whole other world of proper fish care. I feel like I've learnt a lot since then, and have researched like crazy untill it even stressed me out. I've finally completely understood the nitrogen cycle and how to perform it myself. I've cycled my tank fishless and have bought an API Master Test Kit to help along the way.
Yet I've had absolutely no luck with fish.

I don't understand why; I try so hard. And what makes it worse is that no one that I know who has owned fish knows anything about proper water treatment or how to cycle a tank, but all of their fish lasted years. My mom never even conditioned the water that she used. Yet I can barely get mine to last a month.
Why am I so horrible at this?

 

[titchrules]

Don't beat yourself up!
It could be one of many reasons. You might just be purchasing your fish from a poor retailer.
I don't think your doing anything wrong.
Keep your chin up!!

 

[WoopAhhh]

Don't beat yourself up!
It could be one of many reasons. You might just be purchasing your fish from a poor retailer.
I don't think your doing anything wrong.
Keep your chin up!!

Well, I buy mine from Petsmart. But that's only because I can't find a LFS anywhere near me :/ Do that you think that could really be the problem?

 

[Ickletas]

Ok, lets begin at the beginning. By fishless cycling your tank you have shown a grasp of a) the nitrogen cycle and b) how to start a tank in a more humane fashion. What is exactly happening with your fish? Are they just randomly up and dying or is there something else?

 

[titchrules]

Well, I buy mine from Petsmart. But that's only because I can't find a LFS anywhere near me :/ Do that you think that could really be the problem?

Without knowing how the fish behaved and what actually happened I couldn't really say. But it's a possibility.
Some super pet stores are better than others. Even the same brand of stores.
The staff vary. The care varies. And the wellbeing of their fish varies.

 

[WoopAhhh]

Ok, lets begin at the beginning. By fishless cycling your tank you have shown a grasp of a) the nitrogen cycle and b) how to start a tank in a more humane fashion. What is exactly happening with your fish? Are they just randomly up and dying or is there something else?

Well, I've never been quite sure, because the feedback I've gotten has always been different. With the fish I have now, it is showing very strong swim bladder disease symptoms after it fell on the floor (jumped out of the net). Also, since I had to put the fish in my tank because my sister won it at a carnival, the tank had dangerous nitrate levels (due to tank cycling; I didn't have the tank prepared for fish yet because I didn't know I'd have to put one in), so I'm assuming its ailment was also caused by nitrate poisoning and shock. Otherwise, I'm not sure.

 

[Ickletas]

So you seem to have a fair idea as to what is currently wrong with the fish +1 to you. I will have to, at this point, defer to someone who has more knowledge than me regarding swim bladder disease and/or nitrate poisoning as I have no experience of either I'm afraid. However what I will say is that you seem to be doing everything right, joining all the dots so to speak. Persevere, I guarantee that you will come out of this on the right side and it will so much the sweeter. Best wishes and good luck x

 

[WoopAhhh]

So you seem to have a fair idea as to what is currently wrong with the fish +1 to you. I will have to, at this point, defer to someone who has more knowledge than me regarding swim bladder disease and/or nitrate poisoning as I have no experience of either I'm afraid. However what I will say is that you seem to be doing everything right, joining all the dots so to speak. Persevere, I guarantee that you will come out of this on the right side and it will so much the sweeter. Best wishes and good luck x

Thank you!

 

[WoopAhhh]

Without knowing how the fish behaved and what actually happened I couldn't really say. But it's a possibility.
Some super pet stores are better than others. Even the same brand of stores.
The staff vary. The care varies. And the wellbeing of their fish varies.

And thank you :]

 

[jcolon]

Was/is it this hard for everyone?

This whole fish thing, seriously.
I'm 15 and got into the fish hobby at the beginning of this year. Before that, I had no idea about this whole other world of proper fish care. I feel like I've learnt a lot since then, and have researched like crazy untill it even stressed me out. I've finally completely understood the nitrogen cycle and how to perform it myself. I've cycled my tank fishless and have bought an API Master Test Kit to help along the way.
Yet I've had absolutely no luck with fish.

I don't understand why; I try so hard. And what makes it worse is that no one that I know who has owned fish knows anything about proper water treatment or how to cycle a tank, but all of their fish lasted years. My mom never even conditioned the water that she used. Yet I can barely get mine to last a month.
Why am I so horrible at this?

If your doing everything you just mentioned ... then is sounds like bad stock .. it happens. You can do everything right ... but bad stock already puts you two strikes behind.

Keep doing what your doing ... the great tank will come along

 

[WoopAhhh]

If your doing everything you just mentioned ... then is sounds like bad stock .. it happens. You can do everything right ... but bad stock already puts you two strikes behind.

Keep doing what your doing ... the great tank will come along

I hope that's just the case.. But I'll keep trying.

 

[titchrules]

I hope that's just the case.. But I'll keep trying.

That's the spirit! Good luck

 

[librarygirl]

Sorry about your fish...but I wouldn't blame yourself.

You should post your issue with your current fish in the "unhealthy fish" forum; there are a lot of experienced people there who could help you with the swim bladder or any other issues going on with your fish.

Some information to include in your new post on that forum:
How long have you had the fish?
Are you over-feeding?
When did you first noticed the problem(s)?
What are you current water parameters and when did you last test?
How often do you do water changes and how much?
And any other info you think is relevant

Good luck!

 

[plecoking]

Cycling a tank is over-rated, the only difference between a cycled tank and one that isn't is "beneficial bacteria" and the only reason it's beneficial is to automate the process of reducing toxins in the tank for lazy people who don't want to do water changes. You can do the same thing with weekly water changes. I don't give cycling or beneficial bacteria a second thought. Fish enthusiasts get into this to enjoy raising fish not to become bio-fish-scientists. As long as you care for the fish, they will be happy, healthy and thrive. My tanks are cycled but I didn't give it any thought and I believe more often than not, the only reason you lose a fish is because it was unhealthy to begin with from the LFS. You would have to have some seriously bad water for several days before it would impact the health of the fish and if you did then it's your fault. Weekly water changes will take care of most problems. I also use only Microbe-Lift products that take care of the beneficial bacterial thing for me. Fish keeping is only hard if you try to be all scientific about it. Just feed them (in moderation) and enjoy them, the rest will take care of itself. Remember too everyone's experience is unique, what may happen to one tank or fish will not happen with another. An example, the advice never keep an oscar with an oto, the oscar will eat poor oto. In my experience this is false, I have an oscar and oto getting a long great. Another, never add fish to cycle a tank, they will die off one by one and it's inhumane. In my experience this too is false, my fish handled it quite well. If the water is clean fish will thrive as long as they are healthy.

 

[WoopAhhh]

Sorry about your fish...but I wouldn't blame yourself.

You should post your issue with your current fish in the "unhealthy fish" forum; there are a lot of experienced people there who could help you with the swim bladder or any other issues going on with your fish.

Some information to include in your new post on that forum:
How long have you had the fish?
Are you over-feeding?
When did you first noticed the problem(s)?
What are you current water parameters and when did you last test?
How often do you do water changes and how much?
And any other info you think is relevant

Good luck!

Well, I already have posted something about him. But it's kind of too late for the fish

 

[WoopAhhh]

Cycling a tank is over-rated, the only difference between a cycled tank and one that isn't is "beneficial bacteria" and the only reason it's beneficial is to automate the process of reducing toxins in the tank for lazy people who don't want to do water changes. You can do the same thing with weekly water changes. I don't give cycling or beneficial bacteria a second thought. Fish enthusiasts get into this to enjoy raising fish not to become bio-fish-scientists. As long as you care for the fish, they will be happy, healthy and thrive. My tanks are cycled but I didn't give it any thought and I believe more often than not, the only reason you lose a fish is because it was unhealthy to begin with from the LFS. You would have to have some seriously bad water for several days before it would impact the health of the fish and if you did then it's your fault. Weekly water changes will take care of most problems. I also use only Microbe-Lift products that take care of the beneficial bacterial thing for me. Fish keeping is only hard if you try to be all scientific about it. Just feed them (in moderation) and enjoy them, the rest will take care of itself. Remember too everyone's experience is unique, what may happen to one tank or fish will not happen with another. An example, the advice never keep an oscar with an oto, the oscar will eat poor oto. In my experience this is false, I have an oscar and oto getting a long great. Another, never add fish to cycle a tank, they will die off one by one and it's inhumane. In my experience this too is false, my fish handled it quite well. If the water is clean fish will thrive as long as they are healthy.

Well if you just worry about water changes rather than cycling the tank, technically you're still cycling the tank, considering the bacteria still build up