ChefKitty;3097157; said:
We understand that you joined the forum to get some advice...and advice was given...take the fish back to the store until you have an adequate set up.
You admit you screwed up on your purchase, but you also defiantly have said you're going to do whatever it takes to raise them and to hell with what folks here have said.
Well I will try to assist you the best way I can think of. I would recommend you ask someone you might know who is a fellow aquarist to please house them until you have your new fish habitat setup.
Second, when you begin to prepare your larger tank for habitation seed the tank with either gravel/sand from an established tank and at least 25% of the volume of your new tank with mature water (this is water from a tank that has already cycled), find someone who is getting ready to do a water change and take what they drain out.
Then go to your LFS and buy RO water to make up the difference. Allow this water to filter through your system 24 to 48 hours before adding any fish. Don't use tap water in your tank unless you don't plan on putting fish in it for more than a week. While you may get drops that will remove chlorine, there are many other additives such as fluoride (once used to kill rats) in city water that drops don't remove. Additionally, as a novice aquarist I would urge you to get a filtration system that is at a minimum of 6X (the filter needs to process 6 times your tank volume per hour, ie. 30 gallon tank 180 gallons/hour), higher would even be better.
If you feel this is too much of a hassle or you don't know any other aquarists, for about $20 a bag (will do a 20 gallon tank) you can buy seeded gravel that will cycle your tank in 24 hours. You should still refrain from putting any fish in for another day.
I would also recommend putting live plants into the tank when you fill it with water they will help oxygenate the water.
Lastly, begin adding fish a few at a time over a period of time. Watch them for signs of sickness such as ich, Popeye, pinch-tail, fin-rot etc., etc., etc. If any fish develop any diseases treat them separately from worst first to least last.
After your tank is all settled in and all your fish are doing well, take some pics and post them here at MFK for all to see.
Good Luck. If you do the above you should have great success.
PS Unless you live in a refrigerator or Alaska, a 5.5 gallon tank doesn't need a heater. Tropical fishes do very well in the 68 to 80 degree range and a 5.5 will come to room temp in a matter of hours. So unless you wear a heavy sweater in your home, the heater isn't all that needed in the summer.
PSS As was previously stated unless it's a absolute steal of a buy...refrain from purchases at a chain-store such as Petsmart. They run their tanks off of a central filtration system, so if there is a dead fish in tank #1 whatever killed it is probably down in tank #20 also.
