New and not quite sure

[catpear]

Hey everyone

I am kind of new to having a fish tank. 2 years ago my mom and sister gave me an Aqueon start up 10 gallon fish tank for my dorm room (it’s the biggest size you’re allowed to have). I started out with fancy goldfish, my sister’s boyfriend at that time swore they were easy. They weren’t. I went through a lot of poor fish. I had orandas, several bubble fish, lion heads, ping pong goldfish, regular goldfish, and I even had a Siamese algae eater at one point. Alas they all ended up dying. It was just one problem after another. Whether it was bullying, the fish’s bubble stuck in the filter, eye loss, I have even had fish gone missing. I always did my research and tried to fix the problems but nothing every really helped. I absolutely loved my fish and enjoyed them to the fullest, but when my fish kept dying I eventually I stopped having a tank for two year.

I started up my fish tank. I realize ten gallons isn’t very big, but I am going to work with what I have. I went out and bought a better filter (Marienland power filter penguin 150), blue sand, and some new decoration. I let my fish tank run for three days without fish in it. I put two male guppies in there at first. One black/red the other yellow with red streaks. The yellow one was stressed/shy. He wouldn’t really leave under the filter. I introduced 4 neon tetras 2 days later and one more guppy. I got them from petsmart. The new guppy started to bite the black one’s fin so I took him back and got a turquoise guppy. He seemed to like it in the tank, but overnight his back tail went missing. I have no idea what happened. I took him back to petsmart and saw a lot of their fish’s fins were beaten up pretty badly. Also one of the neon tetras that I had gotten there died as well. He got stuck to the filter. That’s when I got a golden apple snail. He really likes to move around the tank. My yellow guppy died overnight after the turquoise fish did. It was weird because he got stuck to the filter and he was a very good swimmer…….
I was scared my tank had fin rot in it so I did a water change and added salt into it. I’m not sure about the medicine because I really do like my snail, gary, and I don’t want to use anything that will hurt him. I’m not quite sure what to do. I check my PH, nitrite, nitrate, hardness level and they are in the correct range. I want to keep all my fish happy but my black guppy is not moving as much anymore. He staying in the top middle of the tank just swimming in one place. I feel that he is depressed. He does eat though and the tequila sunrise guppy I got will visit him every so often. I will not be adding any more fish. I realize that I am kind of pushing the limits to the tank.

In case you are lost in my long list of what fish I have it is:
1 Golden Apple Snail
2 Male Guppies
5 neon tetras

What should I do? Feedback is appreciated

[Andrew McFadden]

to AA! We hope ya enjoy

[GulfShrimplet]

I know you are checking levels but is your tank completely cycled? Are the fish surviving or dying in a cycle?

Another n00b just wondering. I use Dr Tim's One and Only bacteria when setting up a tank. Seems to work so far with the cycle and stress.

[George9]

Originally Posted by catpear

Hey everyone

I am kind of new to having a fish tank. 2 years ago my mom and sister gave me an Aqueon start up 10 gallon fish tank for my dorm room (it’s the biggest size you’re allowed to have). I started out with fancy goldfish, my sister’s boyfriend at that time swore they were easy. They weren’t. I went through a lot of poor fish. I had orandas, several bubble fish, lion heads, ping pong goldfish, regular goldfish, and I even had a Siamese algae eater at one point. Alas they all ended up dying. It was just one problem after another. Whether it was bullying, the fish’s bubble stuck in the filter, eye loss, I have even had fish gone missing. I always did my research and tried to fix the problems but nothing every really helped. I absolutely loved my fish and enjoyed them to the fullest, but when my fish kept dying I eventually I stopped having a tank for two year.

I started up my fish tank. I realize ten gallons isn’t very big, but I am going to work with what I have. I went out and bought a better filter (Marienland power filter penguin 150), blue sand, and some new decoration. I let my fish tank run for three days without fish in it. I put two male guppies in there at first. One black/red the other yellow with red streaks. The yellow one was stressed/shy. He wouldn’t really leave under the filter. I introduced 4 neon tetras 2 days later and one more guppy. I got them from petsmart. The new guppy started to bite the black one’s fin so I took him back and got a turquoise guppy. He seemed to like it in the tank, but overnight his back tail went missing. I have no idea what happened. I took him back to petsmart and saw a lot of their fish’s fins were beaten up pretty badly. Also one of the neon tetras that I had gotten there died as well. He got stuck to the filter. That’s when I got a golden apple snail. He really likes to move around the tank. My yellow guppy died overnight after the turquoise fish did. It was weird because he got stuck to the filter and he was a very good swimmer…….
I was scared my tank had fin rot in it so I did a water change and added salt into it. I’m not sure about the medicine because I really do like my snail, gary, and I don’t want to use anything that will hurt him. I’m not quite sure what to do. I check my PH, nitrite, nitrate, hardness level and they are in the correct range. I want to keep all my fish happy but my black guppy is not moving as much anymore. He staying in the top middle of the tank just swimming in one place. I feel that he is depressed. He does eat though and the tequila sunrise guppy I got will visit him every so often. I will not be adding any more fish. I realize that I am kind of pushing the limits to the tank.

In case you are lost in my long list of what fish I have it is:
1 Golden Apple Snail
2 Male Guppies
5 neon tetras

What should I do? Feedback is appreciated

Welcome to AA!

I think your problem might be ammonia. You added a lot of fish to a new tank and the ammonia probably spiked. I'd recommend picking up an ammonia test and see where you're at.

Also The fish were probably sucked to the filter intake after they died, I doubt it was how they died.

Chick your parameters daily and when your ammonia gets above .5, do a pwc. You're going though a fish in cycle now, and you don't want the ammo to spike again and kill your fish.

You could try adding some Dr. Tim's One and Only to help the cycle, I've never used it but heard great thing.

Good luck! Don't be afraid to ask questions

[catpear]

I know it takes several months to cycle. I wrote up another thread and others were saying since it's a new tank to often check it and I may have to keep doing water changes if it's ammonia. I have check the ammonia, but I have the strips right now to hold me over until my liquid tester kit arrives in the mail. The strips says my Nitrite and Nitrate are at 0, but I did a water change just in case. I feel that the strips are more of a general idea of what's actually going on but not very accurate. I have the liquid PH tester and it told me my level was 7.5 but the strip was in between 6.5 /7.0. They are both by API.

The one thing I am having a hard time understanding is the water hardness. Online I read that guppies like hardness level of 6-10... well my strips goes from 0 to 30 to 60... I don't understand why it jumps so high.

Thank you for your help

[GulfShrimplet]

Originally Posted by catpear

I know it takes several months to cycle. I wrote up another thread and others were saying since it's a new tank to often check it and I may have to keep doing water changes if it's ammonia. I have check the ammonia, but I have the strips right now to hold me over until my liquid tester kit arrives in the mail. The strips says my Nitrite and Nitrate are at 0, but I did a water change just in case. I feel that the strips are more of a general idea of what's actually going on but not very accurate. I have the liquid PH tester and it told me my level was 7.5 but the strip was in between 6.5 /7.0. They are both by API.

The one thing I am having a hard time understanding is the water hardness. Online I read that guppies like hardness level of 6-10... well my strips goes from 0 to 30 to 60... I don't understand why it jumps so high.

Thank you for your help

Before you go, check out the Dr. Tim's. You can start over with fresh dechlor water (the high ammonia you already have might kill the bacteria) and cycle immediately or in days. If not, then the bacteria should certainly help it not take 'several months'. Just make sure the shipper protects it from freezing.

Be sure to get the fresh water version. It is an expense but it and its predecessor freshwater BioSpira (no longer available - now a shelf-stable Tetra Safe something or other. Make sure it not the water dechlor Safe but the bacteria. I've not tried this one so can't vouch for it.) worked for me in five tanks over the last several years.

Just a suggestion. Best wishes.


Setting up a new aquarium: Ammonia Removal: One And Only Nitrifying Bacteria by Dr Tim's Aquatics

http://store.drtimsaquatics.com/One-...aria-_p_3.html

[catpear]

I’m not quite sure anymore that it is ammonia. I did a water change today, about 30%. My black guppy is doing a lot worse. He is shaking and his back fin looks more beat up. No one is picking on him. I am starting to think that the Turquoise fish I got from Petsmart had fin rot. The other guppy’s tail is looking a little split as well, but he is swimming around without any problems. what are your thoughts?

[GulfShrimplet]

Hmm. I'm not up on diseases. Whenever my early Bettas had fin rot it was water quality issues and their fins just turned black at the edges and got shorter - I don't recall any shaking but there could have been, I guess.

Could this be fish shimmy or some such? Or maybe it's in shock from changing or dangerous water parameters?

Someone with more experience will have to help you with that.

Sorry.

[catpear]

Thank you so much for your help. I will keep looking into it.

[GulfShrimplet]

Originally Posted by catpear

Thank you so much for your help. I will keep looking into it.

Okay. All the best.