Couple questions from a new member

[solie]

I just recently started keeping fish and I have a couple of questions.
What type of filter should I use? In another thread I read that carbon filters aren't very good. Is this true? That's what I have been using.
My tank is a 10 gal tank. I decided it would be better to learn on a smaller tank than a bigger one. I've had it a couple of months and my first batch of fish died. I had a 1 Spotted Pictus Catfish and 2 Tiger Barbs. The people at PetCo didn't tell me that it's a bad idea to only get 2 barbs. They both ended up dieing. The cat lasted and I got 2 gourami's to add. After I did a water change they all died that night.
My second question is that I'm guessing I took out too much water out during the water change. I was told to leave 25% of the water in there and add fresh. I think that's what killed them. Isn't it the other way around? only take out 25%?

Thanks

 

[astroguy]

Hi and welcome to AA and to fish keeping.

There are several types of filters, but one which is sufficient for a 10g is a power filter. There are several brands, but one I find *very* good is the Marineland Penguin with Bio-wheel. A 125 gph is sufficient for a 10g. My suggestions is to buy it from a website, e.g., Big Al's online, as they are *much* cheaper even with shipping! At Petco in NY, the above power filter is $42, while it is *only* $15 online!! And buy some reserve filters (a 6-pack) since they are much cheaper online as well (factor of 2).

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=22149;category_id=1721;pcid1=2885;pcid2=
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=28887;category_id=1721;pcid1=2885;pcid2=

Why this one? Because it clearly separates the biological from the mechanical filters. You can change and throw your mechanical filter *without* loosing your bacteria, while several power filters only have one mechanical filter where the bacteria develop as well.

Now on your fishes: tiger barbs and spotted pictus catfish are not good for a 10g, much too small. They need at least 30g. Gouramis as well. Take male guppies (not female), cories, platies, otos, and that should be a good community tank.

They probably died because of the nitrogen cycle. Do you know about it? Read it on this website (see the articles link at the top) and at faq.thekrib.com. It is a very important cycle and you will much better understand fish keeping by reading the articles.

Take only 10-25% out. That is not what killed them, but it could have stressed them.


N

 

[grimlock3000]

solie, what type of filter are you using currently? are you using water conditioner? are you matching the temperature when you do a water change?

 

[solie]

astroguy - Thanks I know a little bit about the cycle but I'll read those articles.

grim - the filter I'm using came with the tank it's a Tetra Whisper Power Filter Jr. I haven't been using any conditioner. The water at my house is horrible so I've been using bottled distilled water and since it's been cold her lately I put the gallon jugs in luke warm water in the tub for awhile. Not sure of any better ways to do that.

 

[grimlock3000]

Distilled water is not good for fish usually because there are no trace elements of anything in it. It is just pure H2O and fish need more than that to be healthy.

Most people have pretty crappy tap water that is not safe for fish, that is why they make water conditioner Some water conditioner is just dechlorinator, other is dechlorninator and neutralized metals in the water too. Unless you have something specific in the local water that prevents you from keeping fish in it, tap water is usually the way to go.

Normall people can get by fine with whatever filter they have. But if you filter is the Whisper one that goes right in the tank, I think it is junk and an upgrade would be nice. A Penguin is a good choice, as would a AquaClear Mini.

 

[Christmasfish]

Any filtration is "sufficient" for a 10 gal as long as you keep up the water quality and don't overstock it.
Many of mine have no filtration "method" at all. They are full dutch (dutch = perfect balance of fish, plants and water changes). No deaths, no illness, no readings except nitrAte around .03 occasionally. A sponge filter can handle a 10 gallon just as easily as a HOB. And is easier to use and has more media space.

I am somewhat dismayed that you lost gourami so quickly, which are usually very forgiving of minor "newbie" mistakes. Something is highy amiss. Have you tested the water parameters? Do you have a test kit at all yet.
If you have no kit I suggest you go dutch andn do a 50% every third day until you buy a test kit. Vacuum once a week unless the bottom looks raspy.
Chances are pretty high that you have fatal ammonia and nitrite spikes underway made more severe by the size of the bioload you keep choosing.

Are there small children around..? a little but of unrinsed soapy paws is instant fish be gone.

Any way back to the gourami in case your water is not to bad, what were they like at the store? Shy, retiring, ,up at he top or back corner. Fins in?out? dorsal up?And were these dwarf? Were they same sex or not. Male dwarf gourami in small spaces gets you the same result as two male betta......one or more dead fish. Most gourami that are the popular types have fatally hostile tendencies except those that are leeri or tennminkki morphs. Maybe your source has unhealthy fish who sucumb to the first sign of a reading in your tank.

I still think it is ammonia or contamination for such fast deaths

 

[solie]

I don't like to take showers at my house because of the water. I have to clean out the faucets every couple months from some kind of buildup. And sometimes it comes out yellowish. It's well water by the way.
Will Conditioner make that ok?

 

[solie]

I have test kits and checked the pH and Ammonia levels every other day or so. I had a spike of ammonia and couldn't get it back down even after a water change. I beleive one of the gourami's death was from the other one. They looked identical.
That was about 2 months ago when this happend and since then I have new fish to work with. I've had them about a month and they seem to be doing good. They aren't tropical though. I have 1 fantail goldfish and 2 other fish that now I believe are koi. Didn't know what they were at the time and neither did Wal Mart
The ammonia levels are good and so is the pH levels. I just don't want them to die also.

 

[EEk]

Hi Solie! Welcome to AA!

I'm a relative newb too..

I think you should get the test kits for Nitrite and Nitrate as well. If those get too high, that could kill your fish too. As for your water, if you think that it might be too harsh for your fish, you could call the water company and find out the parameters for the water in your area, (or do the tests yourself) then choose fish that would be more suitable for the type of water you have. You'll also want to use a water treatment product after each water change, I use Aquasafe myself.

And of course, listen to the suggestions that were already made above. You'll find that everyone here is full of info and really nice.

 

[Allivymar]

EEk makes a very good point; contacting the water company to find out local water parameters would be a very good idea. Best to know

Also, you talk about ammonia and pH levels being ok, but what are they? Whats ok for one fish may not be ok for another. And any ammonia is never an ok thing. EEk is also correct in suggesting the nitrite and nitrate tests. Very important parameters to know; nitrite is just as deadly as ammonia! And while nitrates are generally not deadly, high levels (over 40ppm) is a sign of poor water husbandry and a harbinger of problems to come.

Nextly, be prepared to buy a larger tank. Goldfish need around 10g each! Koi? Even more. Goldies get big and koi get HUGE. A small tank will not stop that from happening. Plus, goldies and koi are VERY messy and really are hard on the bioload; the bigger the tank, the more room for error.

I tend to suspect the reason the gouramis died was due to the water change. A large water change (more then 50%) can play havok with water parameters, especially if the water coming in is of a different temp or especially pH then the water in the tank.

Lastly carbon filters. Carbon is great for removing medication or tinted water. It really doesn't do a heck of a lot otherwise. Its not a bad thing to have, just not totally necessary.

 

[Devilishturtles]

solie, welcome to AA!

First off, I wouldn't recommend goldfish for a 10 gallon, especially koi and fanitails. They will VERY quickly outgrow your 10 gallon tank. If the wal-mart that you got them from will allow you to take them back (and the one I work at does, so you should be able to, just talk to the dept. manager) I would do that. Go with something that will stay a little smaller, mollies, platies, neons, some cories, rasboras, etc.

And welcome to the world of hard water! It sucks! I have the same problem! Do some research for some hard water fish. Cichlids love hard water and If you plan to get a loarger tank later on, they could be one way to go. Or you could buy a water deionization unit. They cost around $35 on big-als (I think) and with your 10 gallon tank, it should last you a while by mixing half DI water and half tap water.

BTW, don't use distilled water as someone else has already said. Since it contains no trace elements, it doesn't allow bacteria to readily invade it and help to break down fish waste. Using your tap water, and buying a water conditioner should solve your problem. HTH, and have fun!

 

[Christmasfish]

With your shower comment it seems like has been assumed you have hard water.
Gourami do not like hard water and some species are less adaptable than others.
And many SA species prefer very sofe acidic water. Also if you have a small shop that maybe sells wild caught animals they are far less adaptable.
If it is private well water it can have all kindsa nasty things that we large animals can handle but wee fishies cannot. Iron, phosphates, magnese, calcium , lyme, bacterias...

And as Alli already mentioned..you say your levels are okay......
but you haven't posted numbers.
Nor mentioned the type kit, dip sticks are way too inaccurate to try to watch a cycle properly with.

And as I mentioned earlier you are choosing many fish that are too large a bioload for 10 gallon on their own; much less with company....

 

[solie]

The pH kit I'm currently using is from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals and the ammonia kit is from the same company. It has 2 bottles. Are these test kits ok or should I invest in others? I know I need to get a Nitrate kit now also. Which test kits are best? I'm also planning on getting a bigger tank but not until I move which will be in 6 months or so. I'm not sure of the exact ammonia levels right now. It's color was the second one from the top on the card if that helps.

 

[EEk]

Actually, I think you need a nitrIte kit more than a nitrate kit. Nitrite is the more deadly of the two. Nitrite is the second stage in the cycling process vs nitrate being the third..

As for your test kits, I think those are ok since they use chemicals to test the water vs a piece of litmus paper

 

[Allivymar]

The Aquarium Pharm kits are fine; they'll do well for you. I do suggest you use them OFTEN! As mentioned over n over, you have fish which have a heavy bioload on your tank and you're nitrogenous waste levels are going to spike frequently until the tank is completely cycled; even then theres a good chance things will go bad quickly. Definitely grab that nitrite test, and you'll want the nitrate test as well (when theres no nitrites or ammonia, and nitrates are registering, the tank is cycled. plus you don't want nitrates to go over 40ppm).

Oh, and if you take good care of your fish? Don't be surprised if your guys outgrow that tank in less then 6 months *grin*

 

[krap101]

oh yeah lil late like always... been playing a lil diablo II.. but okay i too had bad experiences with gouramis (dwarf) before my tank got cycled... sad 2 say it was 2 late when i got my fish when the cycle thing got to me.. so yeah i lost 3 gouramis.. 1 sis got 4 bday.. another 1 got from same place when recognised that they suck!!! only 24 hour gaurentee... id only go to places with at least a week gaurentee. ive also heard that some breeds of fish have been inbred too much so they may look nice but their like failing or sumtin like dat gl and hf (good luck and have fun)

 

[solie]

Ok just tested my tap and tank water. I haven't got the nitrate or nitrite test kits yet. My tap water is - Ammonia - 0, pH - 6.0. My tank is Ammonia - 4.0, pH - 6.0. What do I do now? Where should the levels be? What's the best way to bring the ammonia down? Thanks

 

[solie]

anyone?

 

[EEk]

well considering your ammonia is at 4 (at the time of testing.. it's probably worse now), you should do a water change. i'd say about 25-30% for a couple days in a row. You'll want to get the other test kits though and test before each water change.. your tank will be cycled and ready for fish when you have 0 ammonia readings, 0.0 - 0.3mg/l nitrite readings and some nitrate readings (my test kit shows optimum nitrate readings to be between 12 and 25 mg/l.)

hope that helps..

 

[solie]

thanks
I did a 25% water change yesterday and I'll do another one this evening when I get home from work. I added Aquarium Pharm. Ammolock in there after the water change but didn't notice any real difference this morning