New 55 gallon tank, lost a pleco :(

[New fish Keeper]

Hello and thanks for any help

About a month ago or a little bit more I got a 35 gallon tank from a friend who was getting a new tank. I really wanted fish and was happy to get a free one. after having it about 3 weeks it got a leak at this point I bought a new 55 gallon tank.

I started the tank with one pleco, one blood parrot, and one zebra cichlid. I kept only these fish for about all of the 3 weeks and had been taking my water in to get tested at the petco (I recently found out that the strips are not the best) but every time I went they said levels where okay. So I bought 3 silver dollars then I saw the leak in the tank, and had to move all of these fish to a new tank. I also bought a tube test kit for at home. All the fish seem to be okay but my pleco ramdomly died today I think maybe his belly was a little bloated?? I am so sad about this ...but here are my water levels ph 7.8 ammonia 0.50 ppm nitrite 2.0 ppm or possiably 1.0 ppm its really hard for me to read the color just yesterday the nitrite was 0.25ppm also about 3 days ago I put 20 ghost shrimp in the tank only one is left the fish ate them all.

I feel like I had to restart the whole process getting a new tank because I have to move everything and add new water can anyone help

I thought I was doing well but now I think it was a bad idea getting my fish so soon.

 

[sinibotia]

Definitely would have been better to start without fish, but you can work work what you got! The best option might be to see if you can bring back the fish for now and cycle the tank without them. It's a TON of work to cycle a tank with fish in it.

Another thing is your stocking isn't so great. I'm guessing the "zebra cichlid" is an mbuna- an extremely aggressive fish that likes very hard water with high pH. On the other hand you have silver dollars which like much softer water, and you need at least 6 for them to be happy. Your tank is also really heavily stocked to start out with. Again, I think it would be best if you returned your fish and did some research on what you can put in the tank while you get it ready.

 

[New fish Keeper]

Sorry the "zebra cichlid" is a black convict. I should take them back because my water is showing bad signs? Would a store be willing to take back a fish? Also you would say the pleco died from my water or something else so that I can know for the future?

 

[ImACoolguy]

Sorry the "zebra cichlid" is a black convict. I should take them back because my water is showing bad signs? Would a store be willing to take back a fish? Also you would say the pleco died from my water or something else so that I can know for the future?

It likely died from the water. Ammonia and nitrite at any level above 0ppm is toxic to fish. You need to let the tank cycle.


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[sinibotia]

Sorry the "zebra cichlid" is a black convict. I should take them back because my water is showing bad signs? Would a store be willing to take back a fish? Also you would say the pleco died from my water or something else so that I can know for the future?

Convicts have similar water preferences to the rest of your fish, but they're still mean as hell. I definitely think it died from the bad water. The thing is, your tank doesn't have the right beneficial bacteria to process fish waste, and until it does your fish are essentially swimming in poison. The only way to effectively build populations of these bacteria is to have a source of that waste, but with fish in the tank you need to do water changes to keep that waste low. Ultimately you're looking at frequently changing half the water in the tank, especially with the fish you have right now.

 

[New fish Keeper]

I got the fish from different stores and if I can I would like to keep the fish. I was in an accident and cant work currently so I have my to day to care for these fish but I also don't want to be a bad provider by keeping them longer.

Is there a way to keep them if I don't mind the work? if so what would I have to do. I thought I did my research before and now I feel lost.

 

[sinibotia]

I got the fish from different stores and if I can I would like to keep the fish. I was in an accident and cant work currently so I have my to day to care for these fish but I also don't want to be a bad provider by keeping them longer.

Is there a way to keep them if I don't mind the work? if so what would I have to do. I thought I did my research before and now I feel lost.

You basically need to keep the ammonia and nitrite below .5ppm until they stay 0 and nitrates keep going up. Do this by replacing water in the tank any time it gets above .5 to dilute it down below .5

 

[New fish Keeper]

Thank you, how long after I do a water change should I test? and I should only do about 30% change at a time right?

 

[ImACoolguy]

50% is quite common to change. Or if you want you can break it down to 2- 25% changes


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[New fish Keeper]