Help with new fish

[adammorrill]

Hello, well yesterday i went to the petstore and got a powder blue gourami and a black khuli loach. I havent seen the loach since it went in and i dont know if it is doing ok and the gourami looks like its breathing kinda hard and lost some colorand its been hiding too. I am wondering if this is due to them being new or if my tank is not good yet. I do not have any info on the tank like the ammonia or nitrates or anything but i do know that is a 36 gallon tank and has only been cycling for about 2 weeks (i know short time but i was going to get some more cherry barbs for the tank becuase i only have 2 in it but i saw the gourami and the loach and they were only like 2 dollars each so i got them instead)

 

[Cichildlife]

Did you cycle your tank?

 

[adammorrill]

kind of it has only been up for about 2 weeks and the 2 cherry barbs have been in there since pretty much the beggining, and i know i was not supposed to do that are put in new fish this soon

 

[Cichildlife]

Ummmmm idrk then id wait for an expert

 

[adammorrill]

ok well thanks for trying

 

[daileene]

you are quite not done with your cycling yet, that's for sure. what you can do now, is do a PWC right now. You didn't mention if you had a FW Master kit to check your water parameters. If you don't, it is really a good investment to have one coz your fish depends on the water parameters. Normally the API Freshwater Master Kit is highly reccommended.

For now since you do not know what causes the behavior of your fish, a 50-60% PWC with a good water conditioner is a must, Seachem Prime is good.

Loaches are nocturnal as I have learned, so they don't come out that much during daytime. On the other hand, the DG should not be hiding. Although they are also a labyrinth fish, they like to stay on top.

 

[adammorrill]

ok i will probally do a water change later today and the DG is hiding in the bottom right corner of my tank where most of the plants are and they are fake

 

[daileene]

Since you are not done with your cycling yet but already have fish, you can read this link below. It is greatly helpful.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

 

[daileene]

okay...you can never go wrong with PWC. it helps with everything.

hope they will act more normally later.

and oh, if you would bring your water to the LFS to be checked, please be informed that they use strip test and that is one of the most inaccurate test you could ever have. Liquid test is always reliable. that's why it's always good to have your own.

 

[adammorrill]

ok i will try to get a test kit but the gourami is actually doing good now...i think i went to go look at them after i posted my last thread and he was swimming all over the front of the tank and he was swimming next to the cherry barbs which last night when i got him he was scared of them so i think he is getting aclimated.

 

[daileene]

oh good. I am glad he is getting acclimated.

just make sure that you can check your water parameters as soon as you can. Ammonia more than 0.25ppm in a longer period is detrimental for your fish. just want you to have a healthy community tank.

 

[adammorrill]

ok thanks im going to look online at some test kits

 

[librarygirl]

There's a link in my signature: 'new tank with fish;' read it and it'll guide you. Your tank isn't cycled. You'll have to test the water daily for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. Any time ammonia and/or nitrite are over .25 do a water change, same with nitrate over 20 (add dechlorinator -- Prime is best if you can get it --- and temperature match the water you put in with the water in the tank. You can do this by feeling both with your hand). You'll be doing this for some weeks while the tank cycles. Just keep it up and don't add more fish until the cycle is complete. You can also always return the fish and cycle the tank properly first (the other guide in my sig, new empty tank). Good luck.

 

[aqua_chem]

Kuhli loaches are schooling fish and shouldn't be kept on their own. If they are on their own, you will almost never see them and they will have reduced lifespans. Not only that, but Kuhlis should NOT be put in an uncycled, unestablished tank. They are a species with very fine scales (leading them to be called scaleless), which leads to them being much more affected by chemicals in the water (ammonium, nitrite, ich meds, etc). Your loach is in a pretty bad place right now. Is there anywhere else you can put him, assuming you can find/catch the little bugger?

 

[adammorrill]

hey yah today i was doing a water change and i lifted up my log and i found the khuli loach deadthe gourami do is doing great hes even eating now and swimming like crazybut, im still going to wait like 2 to 3 more weeks before i add any more fish. do you guys have any ideas on which fish i should put in. i have 2 cherry barbs and a gourami now and im planning on adding 5 more cherry barbs

 

[alex07]

Did you buy the API freshwater liquid master kit? It's must to have this kit if you want to be successful in this hobby.