Newbee Help

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T

trkchezz

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2013
18
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Detroit
First I would like to say how much info there is on this forum and has really helped me get things going.

My situation I have a 10 Gal tank that I bought 4 feeder fish for as pets. The first day 1 of the fish died, a second fish died due to my stupidity (took the cover off the filter intake..need I say more) That was last weekend, this weekend I went out a purchased 2 more feeder fish (witch were sick and died). I then added a fan tail goldfish from a different pet store.

Here is the problem the 2 comet feeder fish are looking great, getting bigger swimming all over the tank. My fan tail was swimming all over the tank yesterday, it didn't eat the first day (not sure if that's normal). Now today he is hanging out at the bottom of the tank and is not using one of his pectoral fins and he has not eaten at all yet.

I cannot afford to get a water testing kit until next weekend, so that is out of the question. I did perform a 30%-40% water change today. I also changed the filter media yesterday per the instructions on the package. I added some salt (2 tbsp) to the tank and some dichloride additive to the water change.

He is just a little guy 1.5 inches with the tale. Any help would be great, I very new to this and any help would be appreciated.

PS I rank the tank 3 weeks before adding any fish.
 
Update, at the night time feeding he ate the other fish took a lot of his food, but I did put him in a bowl and feed him by him self and he ate a lot.
 
I think part of the problem may be when you changed filter media you killed off your bio-filter (benificial bacteria) this would start you tank cycling over again. Is this a hang on the back type filter? What is the make and size? What temp is the water? I would do daly 50% water changes and continue with the salt adding 1 tbls with each 50% water change, salt is good for amminia or nitrite poisining if the issue is an uncycled tank, which is likly in this instance. Take some water to your LFS and they will test it for free. Then post the results so we can have a look at what's going on. Test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph would also be helpful as the toxicity is higher at a higher ph.

The posibility alwys exists the fish could have been sick to begin with. A 10 gallon tank is small for 3 goldfish they produce a lot of waste, so you would need a lot of bio capacity to compensate along with regular water changes. There is the posibility of flukes which sometimes present with a fish using one gill or keeping a pectoral pinned to it's side. You can't treat for it and I wouldn't be so quick as to recomend you do until this water issue is resolved which may just solve the issue completly on it's own.
 
Its a hang on the back filter, cascade 80 I believe. Water Temp is 74 Degrees.

I will try to test the water this afternoon, depends on what time I get home from work. I will do a 50% water change tonight as well. I'm planing on getting a larger tank very soon looking somewhere in the 40-55 gal range, might go bigger if I can find the right deal on Craigslist.

He is swimming around a little more this morning, still moving kinda slow. Looks like he is having a hard time swimming.
 
Ok if you can get the water checked that would be helpful. Take the water before you do the water change. A better filter for you would be somthing like an Aquaclear 20. The foam block will hold much more BB and can be rinsed out in a bucket of tank water so the bacteria stays viable. One the debris is rinsed from the foam block just put it back and your tank wouln't recycle every time you change the media.
 
What about adding a sponge filter?

What are you thoughts with a DIY option. Any good places to find some good builds? I have a power head and a old canister filter. Its a magnum 220, I just ordered new filters and other parts. I want to upgrade to a larger tank asap but I want to keep it on the cheap or spread out the cost a few weeks.

Sent from my LG-VM670 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
deffinately need some water results. it does sound like a bit of tank cycling. aquanero deffinately got it right. do what he said lol.
 
Look through the DIY section of the forum for some great ideas. Yes sponge filters are great for holding loads of BB and would be a great addition to your tank.
 
Thanks for the help, The little guy didn't make it :(

The Pet Store said water quality wasn't the problem. They think could have been the other fish. Going to just keep the 2 in that small tank for the time being.
 
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