New tank, fish is struggling

[stx.dead.I]

I got this tank about 4 weeks ago, it is a 55 gallon freshwater setup.
-Marineland penguin 350 filter
-Heater it's about 76 degrees right now but I turned the heater up a little more.
Air pump to two air wands
-60lbs of gravel
-1 electric yellow cichlid
-1 tiger oscar
-1 Chinese algae eater
-4 zebra danios
-2 assorted cichlids

Everything in the tank seems good other than the temp, course I haven't tested any of the water yet. Just based on activity of all the fish (except the newest addition the oscar) it looks like it's tail fin is almost decaying away or something and he has been pretty inactive the last two days... Which is the main reason I'm posting right now. Anyone here know what it could be? It doesn't look like he's getting beaten up by the others

 

[Chiroptera]

Well, what you need to do is test the water ASAP. Your tank may be having issues if you recently added fish or if it never cycled correctly.

I'm not sure all the fish you have are compatible, either.

 

[stx.dead.I]

Well, what you need to do is test the water ASAP. Your tank may be having issues if you recently added fish or if it never cycled correctly.

I'm not sure all the fish you have are compatible, either.

What shouldn't be in there?

 

[Astro387]

Was the tank properly cycled?

 

[Coursair]

African Cichlids should NOT be mixed with So American Cichlids IME. Different diets and water params and different aggression.

Please learn about your fish before you buy them

Do an immediate 50% water change with temperature matched and water conditioner.

The Africans will prob kill the young Oscar if the Ammonia doesn't kill all of them.

Please test your water for
Ammonia
Nitrite
And nitrate.

Don't add anymore fish till you know exactly what stock is compatible. And until tank is stable.

Please learn about Cycling your tank. We have lots of info.

Everyone makes mistakes. Save your fish and reset and learn and keep learning.

Pick the fish that is your favorite and only stock compatible fish that won't outgrow your tank.

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[Astro387]

African Cichlids should NOT be mixed with So American Cichlids IME. Different diets and water params and different aggression.

Please learn about your fish before you buy them

Do an immediate 50% water change with temperature matched and water conditioner.

The Africans will prob kill the young Oscar if the Ammonia doesn't kill all of them.

Please test your water for
Ammonia
Nitrite
And nitrate.

Don't add anymore fish till you know exactly what stock is compatible. And until tank is stable.


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Oh WOW I miss read the fish list at first glance. I'm surprised the danios are still alive

 

[Coursair]

Oh WOW I miss read the fish list at first glance. I'm surprised the danios are still alive

They'll get killed eventually. Probably too fast for now.


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[stx.dead.I]

Well I had a tank a couple years ago, it had oscars and danios in it. And the danios are just too fast so they gave up on them. I asked the petco people and they said these are all compatible...except the danios which from experience I believed would be too fast for them anyways. I was also told that the cichlids I had purchased were all juveniles. I plan on getting a water test done tomorow by the lfs and also plan on getting a master test kit.

 

[stx.dead.I]

Was the tank properly cycled?

It was cycled as I was told to do it and did it on 4 other tanks before this one. Just set everything up add the dechlorinater and leave it running for a week or so

 

[yudhas]

I don't think just setting it up, adding a Dechlorinator, and leave it running for a week will cycle any tank. Please read about nitrogen cycle. And as far as I know you need more than 4 zebra danios in a tank.

 

[Brookster123]

First thing you're going to want to do us disregard everything your Lfs told you. They're wrong and your the one who is going to suffer from it.. Return everything but the danios,buy a API test kit and cycle your tank with the danios.. Just simply putting water and a filter on a tank will not do anything but waste electricity.. ammonia needs to be introduced via fish waste or bottled product to start the process..The fish you currently have will kill the oscar than each other.. You can do whatever you want.. From experience on this forumn.. I've seem this post 10 times.. It's not your fault, certain chain stores are notorious for doling out this type of fast sale= zero success rate kind of advice.. Luckily you have a head start in correcting their mistake.. We'll be here if you have any questions.. Ps-oscars can grow to 10" in a year.. They are recommended to be kept in a 60 gallon minimum by themselves with extremely good filtration as they are capable if dropping dumps that would scare a small child.. Cichlids can seem all cute and cuddly together until they hit puberty and you wake up to one barely breathing "king of the tank" and a bunch if floaters in his wake..

 

[Kelly247]

They are recommended to be kept in a 60 gallon minimum by themselves with extremely good filtration as they are capable if dropping dumps that would scare a small child.. Cichlids can seem all cute and cuddly together until they hit puberty and you wake up to one barely breathing "king of the tank" and a bunch if floaters in his wake..

What do you guys think, quote of the day?

 

[stx.dead.I]

So ammonia level is fine
Nitrite was Hugh at 3.0 mg/l
Ph is 7.8

 

[Tank Girl]

Definitely quote of the day!

 

[Brookster123]

Haha I was inspired

 

[venymae]

So ammonia level is fine
Nitrite was Hugh at 3.0 mg/l
Ph is 7.8

And now you do a HUGE water change. At least 70% IMO. Nitrite can be more toxic than ammonia. And at those levels your fish are suffering majorly.

Besides that, your tank is really nice looking, I hope you get your stocking and cycling worked out.

 

[stx.dead.I]

And now you do a HUGE water change. At least 70% IMO. Nitrite can be more toxic than ammonia. And at those levels your fish are suffering majorly.

Besides that, your tank is really nice looking, I hope you get your stocking and cycling worked out.

I did two water changes today at 50% each so that equates to approx 75%

 

[Tommy10]

Well I had a tank a couple years ago, it had oscars and danios in it. And the danios are just too fast so they gave up on them. I asked the petco people and they said these are all compatible...except the danios which from experience I believed would be too fast for them anyways. I was also told that the cichlids I had purchased were all juveniles. I plan on getting a water test done tomorow by the lfs and also plan on getting a master test kit.

People at petco, lol don't listen to anything they say they just want to make a quick sale and don't care about the fish.

 

[Coursair]

People at petco, lol don't listen to anything they say they just want to make a quick sale and don't care about the fish.

That's a pretty broad statement for a huge chain. Many employees care, but aren't trained properly.

I was a Lead in Petcare at a store called Petsmart. I was nicknamed Fish Nazi. I refused to sell Goldfish or Bettas into Bowls. I refused to sell Oscars into 10g tanks.

My other nickname was Dr Fish. I helped a man save his 17yo Fancy ( over salting tank ).
I helped a family that had killed 2 tanks of fish. After helping them with a new Fish In Cycle...a few months later they proudly brought me pics of their 30 baby Cherry Barbs they had bred and raised.

Yes its a chain. But in any store Chain or LFSs the advice can be solid or crappy. There are good people as well as indifferent.

I no longer work at Petsmart. I got burned out by all the people fighting my good advice. Calling my manager over to complain. He backed me up.
We did refuse sales in the best interest of fish/animals. Because if they bought something and it died, they blamed us. Even when they did not follow our advice.

Ok, Off the soapbox...carry on.
Sore subject.

I am passionate about fish and other living creatures. They are not "just fish" to me.

Regards,
Tina
Coursair Whippets and other critters


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[trennamw]

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned trying to add some Seachem Prime and getting some filter material from one of your other tanks, or someone else's tank. What you need are the bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite then nitrite to nitrate, ASAP. Sounds like you have a little, if your ammonia is zero (you said "fine", not "zero" though).

Prime helps detox a little very temporarily.

Does your dechlorinator also help with slime coat?

Are you also keeping the GH and pH where cichlids like them?

The previous positive experience with danios may not repeat.

Aqua advisor gives a little info on fish compatibility and I think Live Aquaria has a chart.