2.5 Gallon Tank - 2 Weeks Old - 3 of 4 Dead

[Caralot416]

I have a 2.5 Gallon Tank that is 2 weeks new. I started with 1 Betta, 2 Ghost Shrimp, and 1 really awesome snail. In the past 3 days the 2 Ghost Shrimp and Snail have died. My betta (Freddie) appears active and healthy. I keep the temperature @ 80 degrees. Any suggested reasons for these deaths. I refuse to purchase more if something I am doing is causing it.

 

[Emclenaghan]

Did you cycle your tank?

 

[Caralot416]

Since it was such a small amount, the Pet Store gave me 100% of the water I needed from one of their established fish tanks.

 

[Emclenaghan]

Unfortunately the bacteria you need to process all of the fish waste doesn't exist in large amounts in the water, you need a healthy colony to grow in your filter and gravel and that takes time. At this point you probably have so much ammonia in the water it's killing the fish so you are going to need to do partial water changes at least once or twice a day. I would recommend doing some reading on this site about tank cycling and investing in a water testing kit, the liquid kind not the strips.

 

[melosu58]

I agree. The bacteria does not reside in the water. It needs surfaces to colonize as mentioned above.

 

[Caralot416]

Yikes... Thought I did enough research. Much more to go. I will do a 25% change immediately.

 

[Emclenaghan]

It will take much patience and many, many water changes but your tank will get there. I am still in the process if cycling my tank. It has been over two weeks and I am hoping I am about half way there.

 

[fataldart]

i left my tank for 4 to 8 weeks to be on the safe side and now i have breeding cray fish and a tank full of helthy fish

 

[maxwellag]

If I were you, I would put the last living fish in a temporary container with some distilled water. That way it isn't in the new tank, where there is all that ammonia and bad bacteria. Google "new tank syndrome" and "cycling a fish tank"... it will help you... put the last fish back into the big tank after about a week.

 

[Emclenaghan]

I don't think a new container is necessary, especially since your tank is relatively small. Just keeping up with PWCs should be fine. Also, distilled water is very bad for fish. It is too acidic.

 

[maxwellag]

I don't think a new container is necessary, especially since your tank is relatively small. Just keeping up with PWCs should be fine. Also, distilled water is very bad for fish. It is too acidic.

I tested my distilled water and it is perfect. No acid.

 

[maxwellag]

I tested my distilled water and it is perfect. No acid.

Also, a new container IS necessary or else the fry will be killed or eaten.

 

[maxwellag]

Also, a new container IS necessary or else the fry will be killed or eaten.

Lol sorry meant to post that in a different thread. (not even the separate container part.

 

[minnowman]

If I were you, I would put the last living fish in a temporary container with some distilled water. That way it isn't in the new tank, where there is all that ammonia and bad bacteria. Google "new tank syndrome" and "cycling a fish tank"... it will help you... put the last fish back into the big tank after about a week.

spring water would be better .bettas like spring water because i kept one in a 1 gallon with spring water and it lived a nice long life

 

[Caralot416]

Thank you everyone! Freddie seems good today and my water is testing much lower for Nitrite than yesterday. I did the 25% water change and added one half ounce of salt. I will do another PWC each night until the levels test "Safe".

 

[Dylan5359]

Why did you add salt? It was aquarium salt though right? Aquarium salt should only be used for ripped fins and tears, not normally.

 

[adadkins1]

Salt can help lessen the effects of nitrIte poisoning, but I don't know how tolerant bettas are. I have only done it when I cycled a tank with livebearers, since they don't mind salt.

 

[wabbitbugs]

Just to add my 2 cent, with the water volume you have, you need to stay on top of water changes. If any of you friends have a cycled tank, the quickest way to get bacteria into yours would be to float o e of thier sponges in your tank for a while. Also looks for stresszyme. Helped me when I made the same mistake. What kind of Betta you got?

 

[fort384]

Moved to FW Getting Started