I'm new.

[BrittME]

Hi everyone.

I'm not really sure what to say. I'm new to fish-keeping. But it's something I've always loved and wanted to do. I currently just have a 15 gallon tall tank with 1 Platy, 1 Otocinclus, a mystery snail and a zebra snail. I've only had it for about a month but they seem to be doing well.

Originally I had 2 Platy's and 2 Lemon tetras but they died within the first week.

I have lots of questions and I'm open to suggestions as well.

[Aiken Drum]

Welcome to the community. Looking forward to seeing and hearing about what you are getting up to.

[BrittME]

Thank you!

I actually have a dilemma. I'm really not sure what to do.

I have been wanting to get a few more fish for my tank. Mostly for my platy so it's not alone. I went 4 days ago, so Friday and bought 1 platy, 1 longfin black skirt tetra and a longfin white skirt tetra. I noticed last night that the white skirt tetra had damage to it's fins and it was not swimming or trying to eat and this morning it was dead. The black tetra also has damage but not as much. Both the remaining tetra and the platy are very dull in colors right now and I'm worried that there may be a disease. This is a 10 gallon quarantine tank.

Also... I don't see any damage to the platy and other than the dullness it seems fine. The black skirt tetra is swimming and eating.

I'd appreciate any and all advice.

[Aiken Drum]

Tetras are social fish. They do better when kept in groups of their own kind. When not kept in sufficiently sized groups they feel stress. Stress can manifest in a variety of ways. They are more likely to be agressive towards each other, they are more likely to hide away because they dont feel safe, they are more likely to get sick and less likely to recover. 6 tetras are often thought to be the minimum number of fish for them to be comfortable, but really 10 would be better.

Tetras also need an amount of swimming space, and unfortunately a 10g isnt big enough to support a group of black/ white skirt tetras.

There could also be a water quality issue. Do you know your water parameters? pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? What is your usual water change schedule? How much, how often?

Can you post clear photos of the dead and sick fish?

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

[BrittME]

[/QUOTE][/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Aiken Drum

Tetras are social fish. They do better when kept in groups of their own kind. When not kept in sufficiently sized groups they feel stress. Stress can manifest in a variety of ways. They are more likely to be agressive towards each other, they are more likely to hide away because they dont feel safe, they are more likely to get sick and less likely to recover. 6 tetras are often thought to be the minimum number of fish for them to be comfortable, but really 10 would be better.

Tetras also need an amount of swimming space, and unfortunately a 10g isnt big enough to support a group of black/ white skirt tetras.

There could also be a water quality issue. Do you know your water parameters? pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? What is your usual water change schedule? How much, how often?

Can you post clear photos of the dead and sick fish?

I wish I had done research prior to purchasing these fish. And I wish the pet store informed me that they needed a minimum of 6. I was not aware. I took a chance on the platy and moved it to my main tank. As of right now I'm very unsure what to do with the black skirt tetra. I do not have a tank big enough to hold 6 of them.

I don't know my water parameters as of right now because I do not have a test kit. But that will change. The quarantine tank has only been running for about a week now, so it has not had a water change yet. As far as pictures... The water isn't very clear right now due to the Ich treatment but I'll try to attach what I have.

Also I noticed that the black coloring has come back quite a bit.

[Aiken Drum]

I dont think you mentioned ich. Are you sure you have ich in the tank? Can you post a photo of an infected fish?

Your main tank might have cycled by now if its been running for a month. But to be sure change 25% of the water every day until you get a test kit.

Your quarantine tank wont have cycled in a week, so if there is anything alive in there change 50% of the water every day until you get a test kit.

Are you aware of the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle a tank?

[BrittME]

I didn't mention Ich because I don't think it's an issue. But the store told me that it's a good idea to treat for it with new fish just in case.

The black skirt tetra is the only thing in the quarantine tank and it's also the only fish that is sick.

I have done a water change in my main tank. I have live plants in it and it has been tested. As of right now my main tank is doing well.

I'm about to do a water change now for the quarantine tank but I'm also going to go to the pet store to return the dead fish and maybe even the black skirt tetra. I don't know what else to do with it. And I'll be purchasing a test kit while I'm there as well.

[Aiken Drum]

You should only medicate a fish tank if you know you have a problem, you know what the problem is, and you are sure you are using the correct medication. Occasionally it might be worth throwing a hail mary (im not american, did i use that phrase correctly?) if nothing you are trying is working, but generally throwing medication in a tank isnt a good idea. Medication is stressful to fish, combine it with the stress of the move, and potentially poor water quality and its not usually going to end well. If you think a fish is infected from the store dont buy it.

Quarantine is a great idea. You can keep your new fish isolated from your main tank, observe them for a few weeks, then treat anything correctly should the need arise.

Which tank has the ich medication in it?

[BrittME]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised at this point but I was just doing what the pet store suggested.

I bought 5 fish from them a little over a month ago. 2 platys, 2 lemon tetras, and an otocinclus. The only thing still alive from that purchase is the otocinclus. I got a replacement for one of the platys and it's the only other living fish in my main tank now. Aside from the otocinclus and the new platy. I'm sorry if my explanation was confusing and unnecessary. That was just to say that I know one of the platys died from Ich because I saw it. That's when the store told me that pre-treating the water won't hurt.

That was the idea. That way, new fish won't contaminate my main tank. I just won't pre-treat the tank like they told me to.

The treatment is in the quarantine tank. The store also told me to use stress coat, so I dosed the water with that as well. I just did a 50% water change. I don't know what to do with this tetra.

[Aiken Drum]

Its a bit of a judgement call for you to make.

10g isnt really big enough, but 6 skirt tetras and 3 or 4 platys will probably survive in it. Its not ideal though. 15 or 20g would be better and a few more tetras.

Stresscoat is a water conditioner, same as every other water conditioner is removes chlorine and chloramine. Its just a very expensive one and does the same job as Prime for 5x the price.

I wouldnt just take it as read your fish died of ich. There are many diseases that look similar. Also its the tank that is infected so if you didnt treat the tank, and it was ich then the tank is still infected.

You need to raise the temperature to 27c/80f and medicate for 1 week. If you didnt do both of these the parasites will have survived the treatment and still be in the tank.

[BrittME]

My main tank is 15 gallons. That's where I was going to put them before all of this happened.

I did treat the tank once I noticed it. I did assume it was Ich but I haven't had any other issues with that tank.

I'll contact the pet store and see if I can take the live tetra back... Otherwise I'll look into maybe getting more? Not sure yet.

I forgot to mention in my last reply... You did use that phrase correctly.

And thank you very much for taking the time to help me. I really appreciate it.

[Aiken Drum]

I think 15g could work with a nice group of skirt tetras. Ive never kept skirt tetras, but they are similar to black phantom tetras which are one of my favourite fish and i would be happy with phantom tetras in a 15g tank. A group of 8 skirt tetras, 3 or 4 platys, 4 otos would work quite nicely IMO.

I wouldnt return the one you have, just add a few more and gradually build up the group. Try and keep up with water changes to maintain water quality as your QT won't be cycled

[BrittME]

I'll keep that option open then.

I'm worried. It's tail keeps getting worse. It's in a tank by itself so it can't be fin nipping.

And I just discover another potential issue. The platy I had already and the one I just introduced are both male. I didn't know that and now the new one is bullying my original. I just can't win. Literally one thing after another.

[Aiken Drum]

If its tail is getting worse, then its likely to be a water quality issue.

Aquarium salt will help prevent infection. 1 rounded*tablespoon*per 20 litres/ 5 gallons. Double this if you see no improvement after a couple of days.

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.