Sick Fish? Bad Water? Dead Shrimp.

[heather6988]

I just set up my tank a few weeks ago.

I ran the water for 5 days then added 3 dano glo-fish.
One pink, "orange" (i think yellow) and a green. Also a snail.
My Pinky was hanging out in the corner and not really eating so I was worried.
I went to the pet store and she said it might not be schooling with the other fish so I got a second pink one.

That seemed to make Pinky happier to have another pink friend (racist fish!)
So they were fine, then i noticed their fins were funny.
Ich.

Got the treatment AP QuickCure and used it and they seemed better.
I got ghost shrimp. 3 of them. one died and one disappeared (possibly dead then eaten? i dunno).
Now all 4 of my fish are at the bottom of the tank barely swimming, just kind of floating in the "current" or hanging in the corner.
Their fins are kind of ghosty looking and their colors are not vibrant.
Pinky looks like if it were a person it would be drunk....very lopsided with its swimming... and they are all in one corner of the tank.

I have no idea what to do and i really don't want them to die!
And everything is closed!!! =( Walmart is open and they do have a SMALL selection of fish products.

Please help!!!

-Heather-

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Welcome to AA.

What I would suggest is a large water change with water the same temperature as the tank. Make sure to use conditioner. Since the tank is so new, it is probably going through an ammonia spike. Ammonia is poisonous to fish.

Do you own a test kit?

Give this article a read. It will explain the cycling process.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html

 

[Oohitsae]

Welcome to AA.

What I would suggest is a large water change with water the same temperature as the tank. Make sure to use conditioner. Since the tank is so new, it is probably going through an ammonia spike. Ammonia is poisonous to fish.

Do you own a test kit?

Give this article a read. It will explain the cycling process.
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

+1 - was just going to mention this could have been the cause.
How often have you been doing water changes, and how often since starting up your tank? Do you vacuum the gravel?

Shrimp tend to be more sensitive than fish to water parameters, so that'd be a good indicator that something is off in the tank.

 

[Pearly]

Heather first of all, welcome to AA! based on the info you posted it sounds like a "new tank syndrome". If you don't have one already, get a bottle of Prime (water conditioner) and fresh water master test kit (if you can, if not may need to make daily trips to your pet store to get your water tested while your tank is cycling. I know it's a pain, but if you want to save the fish that you already have in your tank that's what it takes to help them get through ammonia and nitrite spikes. Prime will help protect the fish. The "ghostly fins" are sign of how stressed out the fish are (assuming by water conditions). If you don't already get some live plants, that always helps. Can you tell us more about your set up? Size of the tank, what exactly do you have in it (filter, light, heater, type of substrate or anything else) water parameters if available, how much do you already know. This way posters will be able to give more targeted information that I'm sure will be helpful to you. Keep us posted do not add any more fish for now till things settle down