2/3 fish dead in less than a week

[abelo]

I am new to the game. I was given a 5 gallon tank and filter by a friend that knew I wanted to start a aquarium. After going to store I walked out with a 50watt heater, some Stress Zyme, ChlorOut, a test kit, an air pump with a rock and tube that attache to it. I was told to come back in two days and i could get some fish. So due to the Electrical Blackout of the century I went back after 3 days. I picked up 1 Balloon Mollie, 1 Royal Red Velvet swordtail and a bloodfin tetra. I asked a number of times if the fist would live we together and was told by what seemed to be a summer student and his manager the college student that all was well and I would be fine.

Well about 3 days later I found the Mollie on the bottom of the tank. This after a day of just kind of swimming in the same spot for minutes on end. Then today I found the Swordtail on the bottom of the tank. The tetra seems to be alive still but I don't know for how long.

After having done more investigation I have read that the Mollie like salt in the water and someone else told me that possibly the Swordtail likes salt. Could this be? Should the people at the store not have told me this? I must admit that I find this a bit discuraging.

I just checked the levels in the water and the Nitrite has seemed to have spiked but this was not the case last night or before the first fish died.

I think I should have known not to buy from them when they gave me conflicting reports as to if I needed to check the acidity of the water and didn't tell me what temperature they I should set them at.

I will admit that I may have been somewhat naive in my purchase but I went into it thinking that the sales guy would give me advice unlike thinking the sales man was basically like a car sales man and just there to sell high volume. And yes this was an Aquarium only store. With about 15 locations accrues Canada.

Does anyone have any advice for me to before I venture out to buy some more fish to put in. I intend on just building it up slowly and thought that three was slow. Should I just stick with the Tetra in there for a few more weeks and see how that survives then add one fish at a time?

[azn dreamer]

keep your temperature at 24 degrees celcius. You wouldn't really need a 50 watt heater for a 5 gallon...and the fish died probably due to the high ammonia. whats your reading for ammonia? i would say keep with one fish until the cycling is over...and if unfortuantely they all die...try going for a fishless cycle.

[e-cat]

the fish most likely died from the tank not being able too cycle, and yes mollys do like salt in there water but its not detramental too there health, i would suggest getting a bigger tank, so you have more room for errors, oh yeah tetra like too be in groups.

[abelo]

That's the funny thing. The Amonia level was 0. At least as far as I can read. Clear is a reading of 0 and it can't get any clearer than what I saw. I think that you may be right about the temperature though. The store said to set it for 25.6. The so I did that but it seems that it's running alot hotter than that. It's been really warm here so I wonder if the temperature went really high it's reading 27-29 right now with the heater off.

[e-cat]

27-29 is pretty wamr for you tetra, how long has the tank been running for? try testing for nitrate and nitrite, because the ammonia will show up after those two.

[abelo]

The tank has been up for a week and a half. And fish in a little less than a week. I tested nitrate and it's very high right now. Amost 2.0. I am going to do a partial water change after I eat dinner. I planned on just taking out about 2 liters of water and then putting in two liters in which I have added some chlorout. That should lower the temperature also.

[e-cat]

the tank just hasnt cycles properly yet, becarefull not too take out too much water ,as that will just start the cycle over again, move the tank too a cooler part of the house of a bit , too help cool it of

[harleychick]

I don't know what kind of light you have on this tank, but it might be warming the water up also. I'm with e-cat, move the tank to a cooler part of the house and don't run the light to let the water cool off.

Tetras have always been pretty hardy for me. Maybe this one will live through the cycle.

~ T

[An t-iasg]

Hi, If you do move the tank, be very careful. Moving tanks full of water can cause the glass to crack. I have a 5 1/2 gallon tank, and I have a 25-watt heater. Can you return your heater and get a smaller one?

Also, when changing the water, change as much as you need to, to lower the ammonia or nitrite. Maybe change 50 % or more if you need to. The cycling may slow somewhat, but your one fish will be safer. The bacteria can live on the gravel and decorations, so you won't be removing the beginnings of the good bacteria all that much. If your ammonia is 0, and the nitrites are high, then the tank is beginning the cycle. At first the ammonia is high, then it goes to 0. Then the nitrite is high, then it goes to 0. Then the nitrates appear -- when they do, you are all cycled. Don't let the nitrates get any higher than 40ppm, and some people like to keep them closer to 20-30ppm. Regular water changes will keep the nitrates down.

[e-cat]

there wont be much bacteria in a tanks gravel and decorations that has been running for a week.

[Allivymar]

Hiya abelo and welcome :)

Couple of things. Your tank is pretty small, and as such is difficult to maintain water parameters. A small ammonia or nitrite spike in a big tank isn't that big a deal; in a small tank can be deadly. COnsequently, small tanks need a LOT more work keeping on top of water parameters. Frequent testing is a must, even after the tank cycles.

You really don't have much room in there for a lot of fish; those 3 you chose puts you close to your max bio-load. The bloodfin tetras will get to be about 2 inchs long, mollies about 2.5 inches and the swords around 5.5 inches. Plus, I believe they are schooling types fish. You may want to stick with the tetra, and have a small school of 3 or so in that tank (and maybe an oto for algae or a cory or 2 for bottom cleanup). The mollies and swordtails would quite possibly breed themselves right out of the tank LOL

Your tank is just starting to cycle. You may want to double check those ammonia levels, by either using a diff test or asking the lfs to check it for you. Impossible for nitrites to show up without ammonia showing up first, although there is a small possibility it has spiked already (somewhat doubtful in a tank that new tho). Nice write-up on the nitrogen cycle here: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html . Keep in mind, ammonia and nitrites are deadly to fish; ammonia burns the gills and nitrite competes with O2. Both suffocate the fish. Wait until ammonia and nitrites are zero before adding more fish, or they will be starting at a great disadvantage.

Obviously, that may NOT be the cause of your poor dead fishies. One or both may have also been sick coming from the store. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee the lfs has your best interests in mind, or even the fish's. Its a business, and thats the top priority (for the most part; there are some amazing lfs out there, but they are few and far between). I strongly suggest you do your own research and continue to throw questions at us. Just as you wouldn't buy a car without doing some research and price comparisons, don't depend on one lfs for your info. The cycling website I posted has lots of other pages that might be of interest to you; you'll see the links to other bits of info at the bottom.

[abelo]

Thanks everyone. I have been doign partial water changes everyday. I will continue to do that for a few more weeks. Next week I may get a plant from a friend that says his grows to much. He thinks that this may help cycle the tank.

[abelo]

Just as an update. The tank has now fully cycled. I added a second Tetra a week ago and it seems to be fine. The first one is now about an inch long and kind of muscles the little guy when it comes to feeding but the little one seems to be standing up for itself more and more every day. My fiance likes the Barbs so we are thinking of getting one of those next. mabye on sat.

[morleyz]

It's a common misconception that changing water slows the cycle. As long as there is detectable amounts of ammonia and nitrite, there is an EXCESS of it and the bacterial colony will continue to grow until it runs out of nutrients. Change as much water as needed to keep the levels of ammonia and nitrite low.

Also, blowing a fan across the surface of the tank will cool that water significantly, although it will greatly increase evaporation.