# New fish, new fish tank



## mtilton (May 9, 2009)

I'm a beginner fish keeper. I bought a ten gallon tank about three days ago. I have the filter (of course), the air pump with an air stone, thermometer, and a submersible heater. I put TetraAqua _AquaSafe_ in the water to take care of the chlorine/chloramine. According to instructions, 1 teaspoon for every 10 gallons of water.

I bought two new fish today and one of them is already staying at the bottom of the tank. I know a little bit about nitrogen cycling but not that much. Please tell me how I can save it!

I don't even know what kind they are. This was before I released them into the tank. I floated it in the water for about 10-15 minutes. Please identify! Do one or both of them need a heater? Thank you.


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## froglady (Apr 12, 2009)

These look like platties.


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## whitedevil (Apr 24, 2009)

they need heaters around 78 degrees


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## froglady (Apr 12, 2009)

whitedevil is right have to have heat 78 degrees.


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## mtilton (May 9, 2009)

Does anybody know how long it takes for the _Start Right_ or _AquaSafe_ to de-chlorinate the water. Can it be used immediately? I want to try to do a significant water change. If I replaced about 50% of the water, would that help? Or could it be the "new tank" syndrome? Help!


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

The AquaSafe will work immediately.

Have you read up on the nitrogen cycle? Here's a link for you to read. The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle 

Since your tank is not cycled yet and you have fish in the tank you will need to keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite levels and do water changes when readings get above .25ppm. Ammonia and nitrites are lethal to fish so these need to be kept in check for your fish to survive. Or you can return the fish and try a fishless cycle (explained in the link above). You should purchase a water test kit that will test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and Ph such as this one Aquarium Water Testing: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kit

Your tank is cycled once your ammonia and nitrites readings stay at 0 and you have some reading for nitrates. This cycle usually takes anywhere from 2-6 weeks or so. Don't add anymore fish until the cycle is complete and your tank is stable. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. We are here to help!


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

If the fish have only been in there one day, I do not think there would be a harmful amount of ammonia yet. My guess would be they are still adjusting to their new home.
I am glad you have been reading up on the cycle. The best thing you can do, since you are cycling with fish, would be to buy an API water test kit.
This will help you monitor ammonia and nitrite levels. Doing a fish cycle, you want to try to keep both ammonia and nitites under .25 ppm through water changes.
Buy a 5 gal bucket to mix the declorinater and tap water. Just swirl it around a bit and it will be ready to use. Try to match tap water tempt. to the tank water.
Hope this helps some. Anymore questions, just ask.

HaHa, Jeaninel beat me to it!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

mtilton said:


> I'm a beginner fish keeper. I bought a ten gallon tank about three days ago. I have the filter (of course), the air pump with an air stone, thermometer, and a submersible heater. I put TetraAqua _AquaSafe_ in the water to take care of the chlorine/chloramine. According to instructions, 1 teaspoon for every 10 gallons of water.
> 
> I bought two new fish today and one of them is already staying at the bottom of the tank. I know a little bit about nitrogen cycling but not that much. Please tell me how I can save it!
> 
> I don't even know what kind they are. This was before I released them into the tank. I floated it in the water for about 10-15 minutes. Please identify! Do one or both of them need a heater? Thank you.


The upper (orange) fish is a platy, the lower is a male swordtail. Both are livebearers. Your other questions have been answered by previous posts. I will add to the cycling info. 

You should immediately add "Cycle" or a similar product to your tank. Cycle is a biological preparation that quickstarts the bacteria that are essential to detoxify the ammonia and the nitrite. If you read the links earlier posted you will understand this. "Cycle" or any similar product adds bacteria immediately, which in my experience eases the stress of new tank syndrome on fish in a tank that is cycling (a 2-8 week process). Ammonia and nitrite are very lethal to fish.

Also test your water for pH. That will have some importance later on.


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## Burninator (Dec 3, 2008)

Byron said:


> You should immediately add "Cycle" or a similar product to your


I thought for the most part people in this forum were against these products because all you were adding was dead matter or basically an ammonia source. Dont take this as fact but i thought the general consus was that these products have the opportunity to do more bad then good to your tank.


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## princesuhaib (Apr 1, 2009)

They are platties, temp needs to be 78 F . What you should do is try buying a piece of driftwood, that will help you stabilize the water parameters in your tank.


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## Bottomfeeder (May 9, 2009)

upper Fish: Platy
lower Fish: Swordtail

temperature needs to be regulated...plus, how did you acclimate them?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Burninator said:


> I thought for the most part people in this forum were against these products because all you were adding was dead matter or basically an ammonia source. Dont take this as fact but i thought the general consus was that these products have the opportunity to do more bad then good to your tank.


I haven't had this come up before, and I've posted comments in several threads where beginners were losing fish because they didn't first cycle the tank. For 12+ years I have cycled tanks of 33g, 70g, 90g and 115g with fish and used Cycle and never lost a fish nor had any problems that could be attributed to Cycle. Besides, Cycle is not dead matter nor ammonia, it is living bacteria that immediately jumpstarts the bacteria colonization if there is ammonia present, which there is if there is a fish in the tank. Without something like Cycle (there are other brands) fish are swimming in ammonia until the bacteria get colonized to handle it, and while one small fish in a 50g tank will not have too much of a problem, the more fish there are and the smaller the water volume, the more ammonia and the longer for the nitrosomonas and nitrobacter bacteria to establish in sufficient quantity to consume the ammonia and nitrite, which equals much greater stress on the fish that weakens it and can often result in death.


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## mtilton (May 9, 2009)

Thank you for your help!


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## Burninator (Dec 3, 2008)

Byron said:


> I haven't had this come up before, and I've posted comments in several threads where beginners were losing fish because they didn't first cycle the tank. For 12+ years I have cycled tanks of 33g, 70g, 90g and 115g with fish and used Cycle and never lost a fish nor had any problems that could be attributed to Cycle. Besides, Cycle is not dead matter nor ammonia, it is living bacteria that immediately jumpstarts the bacteria colonization if there is ammonia present, which there is if there is a fish in the tank. Without something like Cycle (there are other brands) fish are swimming in ammonia until the bacteria get colonized to handle it, and while one small fish in a 50g tank will not have too much of a problem, the more fish there are and the smaller the water volume, the more ammonia and the longer for the nitrosomonas and nitrobacter bacteria to establish in sufficient quantity to consume the ammonia and nitrite, which equals much greater stress on the fish that weakens it and can often result in death.



And thats why i did fishless cylce by adding an ammonia source.


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## Fishin Pole (Feb 17, 2009)

Byron is givng advice on what Mtilton next steps should be since he has fish in the tank, and are no doubt stressed from ammonia buildup........Telling him to look fora booster for the cycle is the best direction to go for the fish and tank......Talking about fishless cycle is a great way to go, but Mtilton already is passed that stage....He needs help with fish in the tank, not a fishless cycle..........I'm sure if he gets the multi tank syndrome he will be looking NOT to make the same mistakes he made this time......Give everyone some latitude, everybody doesnt do things the same way and who is to say that they are wrong?


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