new to fish

[Pattilee]

Hey everyone! My kids (14 and 9) wanted a fish tank and Santa brought one for Christmas. We went to the local pet/fish shoppe and have become members of the frequent flusher club ever since. I am here because it has become my obsession to keep some fish alive in my tank. I have a 10 gallon starter set up with heater, filter, etc. We took it slow, set the thing up with water we got from the tanks at the pet shop to help our ecosystem grow, then added a few fish. Been changing the filters, maintaining the water, and doing what the pet store people told me. It has been 8 weeks now and I have one fish left from the original buy and have flushed at least a dozen. I have no idea what I need to do different. Do they make an amateur aquarium for dummies book???

[Krissycakes]

Hey Pattilee, sorry to hear about your losses. You could buy a test kit so you know the chemistry of your tank water and the water you use to do water changes. Also, how often do you change your water? And with what kind of water conditioner do you use to replace?

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[Krissycakes]

Also, instead of changing out your filter for another new one, just take it out after you do a water change, and swish it in the water you took out. That way you don't loose your beneficial bacteria and you don't have to buy filters all the time.

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[uelissa]

Welcome! And sorry about all of that... That must suck.

[Huro]

Originally Posted by Krissycakes

Also, instead of changing out your filter for another new one, just take it out after you do a water change, and swish it in the water you took out. That way you don't loose your beneficial bacteria and you don't have to buy filters all the time.

Very important!!!! They tend to forget to mention this fact at most stores

[twiddlemuffin]

I 100% agree with the test kit, very important part of owning a tank. what fish did you have/do you have now ?

[tonedogz]

First off your tank probable wasn't cycled when you add the fish. How many fish did you add at one time. How many are in there now