We need advice!

[Alaris]

Who tested the water and with what method? Did YOU test the water with a reagent kit (NOT strips)?

PWC's reduce ammonia and nitrate. A cycled tank with proper bacteria reduces ammonia and nitrate. I don't think your tank is cycled... and you added more fish. Probably not a good idea and you should seriously consider taking them back or risk losing them.

Get a test kit. Test for ammonia and nitrites DAILY. If either are over .5ppm do a 50% water change. This may mean DAILY. Get a big bucket and a gravel vac (works as a water siphon to minimize mess) and roll up your sleeves... fishkeeping is not just watching fish swim in a tank.

Amen!

The only thing that helps reduce ammonia is the little guys (beneficial bacteria) that eats it. You can't buy that in a bottle. And yes, it probably was ammonia that killed your fish as it is extremely TOXIC to fish (which is why you don't want it....)

 

[longliveglam]

We tested it properly with the tubes (fill with water, etc). The tank is completely free of both ammonia and nitrites. Everything was perfectly fine and apparently the tank HAS cycled enough, since we waited a week and a half with the tank set up before getting the first batch, and those four were around for two weeks before Odin died. This is when we changed some of the water and tested it, and all is well.

Apparently we haven't done anything wrong. How else are we supposed to get bacteria in our tank if we don't have real plants? We have done all that we can do and did everything we were advised to do after talking to staff at the fish place.

So, an UPDATE: One of our newest fish died one night after being put in the tank, but the others are completely healthy and all of the remaining ones seem a lot happier. Perhaps Diva (the dead one) was already sick. We don't know what else could have killed him, as we tested the tank minutes before adding them to the "family".

 

[verucaproduce]

My 1st rule is to never name a fish. It seems like right after you do they die.

J/K.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

How else are we supposed to get bacteria in our tank if we don't have real plants? We have done all that we can do and did everything we were advised to do after talking to staff at the fish place.

So, an UPDATE: One of our newest fish died one night after being put in the tank, but the others are completely healthy and all of the remaining ones seem a lot happier. Perhaps Diva (the dead one) was already sick. We don't know what else could have killed him, as we tested the tank minutes before adding them to the "family".

The bacteria will become present with a food source(ammonia/nitrite). There have been studies in sterile tanks where the bacteria will show up.

Also dont believe everything you hear, thats a great life lessen. Also be questionable of people that are selling you things, like "fish places".


How did you acclimate the new fish?

You need to do it as slow as possible, especially if the fish are used to different water parameters(ph/kh/temp). The "drip method" is the recommended best way. At the very least you need to float the bag, then add some of your tank water to it a little at a time, again the slower the better. Some people use ~2hrs or so to acclimate fish if they are rare.

 

[bluerose]

Have you tested nitrates?

The presence of nitrates with*out* the presence of nitrites or ammonia generally indicates a cycled tank.