Dalton's Tanks

[Autumnsky]

Chinese Algae Eater/CAE or Siamese Algae Eater/SAE (also get too big for a 10G)? Big difference from what I have seen in behaviour.

Personally the CAE are nasty creatures, no good for a small tank for sure but even in a big tank I wouldn't want one, they suck on the other fish and cause severe injury and can cause death. Too big for a 10G, and I don't know if you would want them with your Cichlids in your 55G but for sure not good for a peaceful community!

You can also clean the tank with a no scratch aquarium scrubber, and baking soda and white vinegar. Remember if you trap dirt or sand particles in your scrubbie, you can scratch the glass, so rinse frequently and well while removing dirt. A Razor blade with a safety edge is great after letting it soak for a few minutes, just keep a nice 45 degree angle. Rinse, rinse, rinse and rinse some more, especially under the top edges!

Please read all about the fish in cycling articles on AA here in the articles section too!

 

[daltonxj]

Ok thanks I will do a 50% and check it after an hour.


Thanks

 

[kwandrsn]

Did you acclimate the fish. Did you use a water conditioner to remove the chlorine?

And as to clean a tank. I use vinegar and make sure you rinse really good DON'T USE SOAP

Sorry only seen page 2

I agree with scrubber and razor blade if its glass. If its acrylic you will scratch it up. I usually fill tank with vinegar and water and let sit a day then clean really good with green scrubby pad then rinse good. Then fill up and let sit a while new scrubby rinse and do that a few tinges

Petsmart sells a aquarium glass cleaner that is safe to use inside and outside. I use it to clean outside of mine.

 

[daltonxj]

Yeah I got some of that works good

 

[kwandrsn]

I have not used it inside a tank yet but it says it is safe.

 

[daltonxj]

I did a 50% water change and now all the fish are on the top upright but the algae eater is going nuts he tries to swim up but then falls back to the bottom and his gills are going 90 to nothen...???

 

[kwandrsn]

Are you using a chlorine remover? And are you making sure new water is the same temp?

I did a 50% water change and now all the fish are on the top upright but the algae eater is going nuts he tries to swim up but then falls back to the bottom and his gills are going 90 to nothen...???

The fish were not upright before ???

 

[daltonxj]

I have been using quick start. And yes they where upright before. I have lost a few fish the last couple of days due to the lfs person shook the bag and stressed the fish...now he no longer does the fish anymore. I think the temp was a little different didn't relies that would cause that.. hope it don't die.....

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok it sounded like they were upside down or something lol. fits the quick stay say it removes chlorine? I never have used that. And yes the temp maters a lot

That's one reason you acclimate the fish do they get used to the temp. Especially if you did a 50% change the water needs to be almost exact. Too hot or cold and it can kill the fish

I had to do
50% changes on my 20 and I was getting the water almost perfect and it still was too much and killed one. 1 out of 12

 

[daltonxj]

Yeah I lost 2 for sure and the algae eater went south don't even see it maybe hiding or something

 

[kwandrsn]

Man poor fish

Its a 10 gallon?

Ok I'm not 100% sure but API's website doesn't say quick start removes chlorine. I use API tap water conditioner to remove chlorine. If you don't remove chlorine it will burn the fishes gills and kill them. I use the tap water conditioner and API stress zyme which helps the fish

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I hate losing fish, I'm sorry to hear that . You should buy a water conditioner like prime. Api quick start is bacteria in a bottle, this stuff is doing you really no good.

 

[kwandrsn]

Anything to remove chlorine. And also you have to put water the same temp back in. Your doing two things that will kill fish

You should really look around here there are several "guides" for starting a tank. I really hope you read them they helped me out a lot

 

[daltonxj]

I hate when lfs sales something that don't work

 

[kwandrsn]

my local store recommends API tap conditioner to remove the chlorine and stress zyme to help the fishes slime coat. But if you didn't remove the chlorine the stress zyme or even the quick start you bought won't work cause the chlorine kills the good bacteria.

old school way of removing chlorine is to put it in a bottle and let it sit for a while

 

[daltonxj]

Well lost more then half this sux going to get some prime in the morning and go exchange the fish

 

[kwandrsn]

I've never used prime make sure it says it removes chlorine

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Well lost more then half this sux going to get some prime in the morning and go exchange the fish

Only buy a couple fish at a time. By adding a ton your just setting yourself up for punishment. It adds to much of a bio load then what the tank can handle. Get seachem prime its one of the best water conditioners on the market. It will help out more than anything.

I've never used prime make sure it says it removes chlorine

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Prime.html

 

[kwandrsn]

Prime sounds good

I started with 6 in my 20 gallon. I don't know what you're of fish you are wanting but in a ten I would get 2or 3 guppies our something small

If I'm understanding right you had 11 fish in a 10 gallon way too much and as for the algae eater there isn't any algae and for a 10 I wouldn't geta Chinese I would get a bristle - nosed pleco. They don't get real big but why get him if there isn't anything for him to eat yet

 

[daltonxj]

my wife bought the algea and 7 more fish.. lesson well learned