Isabella17
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2008
- Messages
- 20
We recently set up a 20 gallon tank and then when it was in good shape (tested it), transferred 4 guppies (2m and 2f) and 2 ghost shrimp that were in a small tank. We are now using the small tank for some surprise fry. The fry are doing great.
We proceeded to Petsmart (which we will not do again! unfortunately, we can not find a good fish store in our area...will have to keep looking) and the children picked out some fish. Over a few hours, after adding a little water to the bag every 20 minutes or so, we added the fish to the tank. By the next morning half of the new fish were dead. I shouldn't be surprised really since Petsmart can be hit or miss really. A few days later, replaced those fish at Petsmart and brought home some more (the previous fish were stressed since they were a new shipment) of the same kind (since the kids picked them out). All the 3 female guppies died, yet again along with 2 of the, I assume, new zebras. *sigh* My poor children now think that fish die easily.
Anyways, last night I noticed the pleco we bought was covered in ich! Great. Nice present from Petsmart. So I am slowly raising the temperature (which was already at 80 degrees) and will be buying some aquarium salt today.
Can someone tell me a good amount of salt per gallon?
Also, I lowered the tank water so that the filter water "falls" and gives some more splash to help with oxygen. I was also thinking about buying a bubble wanter and pump to add more aeration but I am reading that this may not help with oxygen levels much. Can someone recommend a good way to provide a bit more oxygen in the tank to compensate with the higher heat and the salt? Preferably not an overly expensive option at this point but I do want the fish happy.
So that is our beginning fish story. I have a bit of experience with fish but it has been quite a while. I have NEVER had so much trouble with fish dying though. At least the fry are doing great (if only 4 hid well enough) and the kids are enjoying watching them. And our original guppies are doing just fine.
We proceeded to Petsmart (which we will not do again! unfortunately, we can not find a good fish store in our area...will have to keep looking) and the children picked out some fish. Over a few hours, after adding a little water to the bag every 20 minutes or so, we added the fish to the tank. By the next morning half of the new fish were dead. I shouldn't be surprised really since Petsmart can be hit or miss really. A few days later, replaced those fish at Petsmart and brought home some more (the previous fish were stressed since they were a new shipment) of the same kind (since the kids picked them out). All the 3 female guppies died, yet again along with 2 of the, I assume, new zebras. *sigh* My poor children now think that fish die easily.
Anyways, last night I noticed the pleco we bought was covered in ich! Great. Nice present from Petsmart. So I am slowly raising the temperature (which was already at 80 degrees) and will be buying some aquarium salt today.
Can someone tell me a good amount of salt per gallon?
Also, I lowered the tank water so that the filter water "falls" and gives some more splash to help with oxygen. I was also thinking about buying a bubble wanter and pump to add more aeration but I am reading that this may not help with oxygen levels much. Can someone recommend a good way to provide a bit more oxygen in the tank to compensate with the higher heat and the salt? Preferably not an overly expensive option at this point but I do want the fish happy.
So that is our beginning fish story. I have a bit of experience with fish but it has been quite a while. I have NEVER had so much trouble with fish dying though. At least the fry are doing great (if only 4 hid well enough) and the kids are enjoying watching them. And our original guppies are doing just fine.