Fish problems

[Zac]

Hi, seven days ago i bought four fish; two Glass blood fin and two rummy nose. When they started living in their new home they seemed fine but the next day they we'rent eating any of the food i had been feeding them and my light blew, so it was a dark atmosphere for long periods of time. Three days ago one of the rummy nose died, and i also got and new light the day before. Now every time i turn the light on after having it off, i notice the glass blood fin are very pale and their red fin is almost completely pale as well with a slight amount of red. My fish still aren't eating and I've seen them "darting" around a little bit.

Please help

 

[Mrc8858]

Welcome to AA glad you decided to join have you cycled the tank yet? Do you know about the nitrogen cycle?

 

[Zac]

Thanks No is that when you take out a third of the water and replace it with new water every fortnight? or is that something different?

 

[Mrc8858]

Check out this thread by jetajockey. You are bow in the process of a fish in cycle.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/fish-in-cycling-step-over-into-the-dark-side-176446.html

 

[Zac]

Yes i had my tank running without fish for four weeks

 

[Mrc8858]

Did you add an ammonia source for the bacteria to feed off of? Do you have tests results of your water from recent? Things like ammo nitrIte nitrate and PH.

 

[Zac]

Before i put my fish in i had an ammonia and pH test and the results were fine and the store said my tank was ready for fish. No i didn't put in an ammonia source.

 

[Mrc8858]

That's why your tests cam back fine then.. they never even began converting anything so all tests would read zero. If you'd test now I bet you have ammo and nitrIte readings

 

[Zac]

Ok so what should i do?

 

[Mrc8858]

Get a liquid API master test lit so you can test your water but most importantly water changes

 

[Zac]

Should i do that every fortnight? (do a water change) and is it fine to just have a pH test kit?

 

[Mrc8858]

Did you read that article?

 

[Zac]

So should i do water changes every fortnight? and can i have only a pH test kit and do the other tests at my fish store?

 

[Zac]

sorry i didn't think i sent that other message

 

[Zac]

Not completely

 

[Mrc8858]

Well read over the whole thing and do some other research too if your still not comfortable with how it works. You'll want to be able to test for ammo nitrIte and nitrates during any cycle as these levels will indicate where you are in your cycle. The bacteria eats ammo and converts them into nitrites at which point a different bacteria will eat the nitrites to produce nitrates (the least deadly of the three). From there you'll want to remove nitrates by doing water changes. If the ammo or nitrIte levels get to high it'll kill fish fairly fast and they will look to be gasping for air when they are ammo/trite poisoned. you'll probably need back to back water changes to bring your levels down to a safe level but with no tests or exact numbers I myself can't give you an exact answer.

 

[Zac]

So are you saying the main reason for my fish being pale and not eating is because of the water not having correct levels?

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

Well everything said thus far is true I'm only chiming in because I really like Terra's I have 5x rummy nose and had a blood fin tetra R. I. P anywho what is your llighting schedule? (when do you turn it off/on) mine are also pale when I wake them up I think it's just because they sleep and let's be honest when my mom comes in and pulls the Shade on me I'm probably not my normal color either lol

 

[Zac]

Good point i hope your right. sorry about your blood fin. Lately the schedule has been changing a bit (sleeping in ect) which i was worried about but other than that i've been having the light on all day and turning it off when i go to bed.

 

[Mrc8858]

Good point i hope your right. sorry about your blood fin. Lately the schedule has been changing a bit (sleeping in ect) which i was worried about but other than that i've been having the light on all day and turning it off when i go to bed.

When not dealing with plants or corals your schedule isn't really all that important other then its good to give your fish some down time.