Why are my fish sitting at the bottom?

[jldurfe]

I had to add some water to my tank today, it was down about an inch and a half. I have a 10 gallon freshwater tank with guppys and one beta... I added about a gallon of water. I added a little stress coat and a little "right start" to take out the chlorine. They usually don't like city water. I have been shutting the light off a little earlier because I have a female that is very pregnant and ready to pop any day now. when I was going to bed I checked in on them and all but about 4 of them are sitting on the bottom. they don't appear stressed. their fins are all up and their mouths are not going crazy like they are stressed... This is my first larger tank. I had a small tank with a beta in it before. Did I do something wrong? and can i fix it? I cant imagine using untreated water from the faucet... it doesn't taste great...

 

[Teakwood]

Are you familiar with the nitrogen cycle? Do you have an API master test kit to test your ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels? If you didn't do a fishless cycle on your tank you need to look at the thread in here in fish-in cycling and do water changes probably ever day or every other day until you filter had enough ammonia and nitrite eating bacteria to keep your water safe for the fish. Then do 20-50% water changes weekly to keep your water so fresh and so clean, clean.

 

[emerald76]

That pose in normal for bettas and guppies, the ones I have do that all the time after lights out.

 

[jldurfe]

you know i felt a little silly this morning because they were all swimming around like normal. so I'm sure they were just "sleeping" and I am a little familiar with the nitrogen cycle. I do have test strips and the only thing that is low is my alkalinity. I havent learned how to raise that up yet. It's just a smidge low.

 

[Hholly]

By "alkalinity" do you mean pH? If your pH is too low it could stop your nitrogen cycle. Water changes(not just topping off) are the way to keep pH stable so things don't crash. You have to take water out along with the fish waste, to keep things healthy. Here's a good article that explains a lot.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/

 

[jldurfe]

my tank has only been set up now for about three weeks, and honeslty I dont know if alkalinity means pH... on the test strip it just says alkalinity. although now that i think about it there is a square on it for pH and my pH is on "Ideal" when I checked last night. I think that when I check them last night they were probably "sleeping" because this morning when I turned the light on this morning they were all back to normal =)

 

[Hholly]

Check out this article. It sounds like you need some more info.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/

And this one too.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/fishin-cycling-step-dark-side/