New to the fish life!

[briemol12]

Alright! Congrats and welcome to the hobby. It's addicting and gets even worse when you take the leap into planted tanks. That's where I started.

You have two female guppies. Bad news: females are practically born pregnant. Nearly every female from the LFS will join your tank full of babies.
Worse news: they don't even have to breed every time they drop a clutch!
Good news: there isn't much room to hide in your tank. So babies will be exposed.
Better news: neons and guppies LOVE to eat fry. I've seen my guppies pop out fry and turn around and eat them.

I admire that you didn't do the trendy thing and buy males. I don't have an answer for your comet issue. If you can return him do it. Other wise.... Sigh. Water changes will need to be a mandatory weekly thing, maybe biweekly depending on your water readings. As you're cycling it's going to be a delicate thing.

Plus 1 for prime! Prime is your best friend.

After the tank runs for several months I say more cories! Preferably the same markings as the ones you already have. I have 6 in my tank 3 like you're, 2 peppered, 1 albino and they pretty much stuck with those who look like them, they'll mingle some times but I rarely see the peppered apart and the false juli stay pretty close too.

As for a center piece I bet a dwarf gourami would be okay.

Once you get the hang of this, come to the dark side and learn about planted aquariums. Good luck.


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What is plus 1 for prime for?? I try to google but couldn't find anything. I have API quick start and Prime for taking away chlorine from water ... Wait!!! Are we talking about the same prime??????
And yes a dwarf would probably be the centerpiece ... I'm order my water test kit and it should be here by the 12 or before that date ... When it comes I'll check the water.
I am adding fish weekly not too much just to see if they going to get along or not.

They told me to change the water monthly!? And I keep people saying to change water weekly or every 2 weeks.

 

[emilygupps]

What is plus 1 for prime for?? I try to google but couldn't find anything. I have API quick start and Prime for taking away chlorine from water ... Wait!!! Are we talking about the same prime??????
And yes a dwarf would probably be the centerpiece ... I'm order my water test kit and it should be here by the 12 or before that date ... When it comes I'll check the water.
I am adding fish weekly not too much just to see if they going to get along or not.

They told me to change the water monthly!? And I keep people saying to change water weekly or every 2 weeks.

"Plus one" just means I agree. So I meant "yay! Prime!"

Please change your water. Soon. Now. Right now. Go. And put a half cap of prime in. Take %30 out with your siphon. Put prime in and add water.

No more fish. At least no more until your test kit comes. Those fish are all social. Don't worry about who will get along. They're all "the more the merrier" fish, except for guppies, but I've had lots of guppies and I've never met a mean female guppy. They're usually just happy no one is hounding them to breed.


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[briemol12]

"Plus one" just means I agree. So I meant "yay! Prime!"

Please change your water. Soon. Now. Right now. Go. And put a half cap of prime in. Take %30 out with your siphon. Put prime in and add water.

No more fish. At least no more until your test kit comes. Those fish are all social. Don't worry about who will get along. They're all "the more the merrier" fish, except for guppies, but I've had lots of guppies and I've never met a mean female guppy. They're usually just happy no one is hounding them to breed.


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So your telling me to take water out, put prime inside the tank and dump water from the sink? Wouldn't the chlorine kill the fish???
My way of thinking was to get bucket add water from the sink and add prime, let it sit for a bit so prime can kill the chlorine and then add the new water to the tank. ( doesn't that make more sense?) I'm confuse lol
And my guppies are friendly ... Just one of them like to follow one of the catfish, it's kinda funny.

 

[emilygupps]

So your telling me to take water out, put prime inside the tank and dump water from the sink? Wouldn't the chlorine kill the fish???
My way of thinking was to get bucket add water from the sink and add prime, let it sit for a bit so prime can kill the chlorine and then add the new water to the tank. ( doesn't that make more sense?) I'm confuse lol
And my guppies are friendly ... Just one of them like to follow one of the catfish, it's kinda funny.

You can do that. But it's not necessary. Prime detoxifies chorine and chloramine instantly that's why I said to add the prime to the tank directly and to add it BEFORE you add the fresh water. if you're using buckets your way works. I have large tanks and at one time I had 7, we used a python that attaches to the sink to suck water out. I treat the tanks with prime then use the Python to pump fresh water from our tap in to the tank. Do you know how many buckets it would take to do a %20 water change on 180 gallons? I don't have the time or energy for that.

Your way is safest especially for a newbie, but you don't have to do it that way.


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[briemol12]

You can do that. But it's not necessary. Prime detoxifies chorine and chloramine instantly that's why I said to add the prime to the tank directly and to add it BEFORE you add the fresh water. if you're using buckets your way works. I have large tanks and at one time I had 7, we used a python that attaches to the sink to suck water out. I treat the tanks with prime then use the Python to pump fresh water from our tap in to the tank. Do you know how many buckets it would take to do a %20 water change on 180 gallons? I don't have the time or energy for that.

Your way is safest especially for a newbie, but you don't have to do it that way.


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Got cha! Okay will do! I'll change it as soon as possible thanks for the info! ?

 

[ppo8820]

The conditioner that I use for the water it's call prime View attachment 257653
They told me at the store that it's really good and work in high amount of water. I haven't change my water ... They told me to do monthly to change 40% of it and I'll be okay.
Can you tell me the best way to change the water I have a pump that I bought to clean the gravel and everything. My goldfish is those 15 cent fish that they buy to feed the bigger fish and it has survive ... He gets along with the rest of the fish.

Looks like my tetra is back swimming with the group woohoo.

Here is my suggestion. No more fish for a while until this tank is cycled. Ignore most things your fish store tells you, especially large chain big box stores as they dont usually know anything.

Since you added fish, you are now doing a fish in cycle. You will need to use Prime, which is the best, and do water changes every 24-40 hours. I suggest at least 50% water changes during the cycling process. The Prime will detox the ammonia and nitrites for 24 hours, so they wont harm your fish, but you need to do your part and change the water and redose the prime every day or e/o day at the minimum.

I agree also that you bought the goldfish, so now he is yours and deserves the best care you can provide. Do a water change now, add the prime, and repeat repeat repeat. The cycling can take 4-6 weeks, so get used to doing these water changes. In the end, its worth it.

Adding the safestart will HUGELY benefit you as it will allow you to not do water changes for 2 weeks, but you cant use prime with the safestart as it will kill the safestart bacteria.

If you want to use safestart, then do a water change and use a cheap water chlorine remover. Wait a day or 12 hours, and then add the safestart. Its your best bet now if you dont want to do daily water changes for the next 2 months. I would also get a test kit. If you cant afford one, you can use strips to get a broad range idea of how your tank is doing.

Ask any more questions you have!