# My Zebra danio is laying on the bottom of the tank



## RobSchuele247

I had just recently purchased a 30 gallon tank to have zebra danios.

Some history: I have already had fish before in my life. I built a type of current thing for my fish have a heater on 75 have pH, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia hangers in my tank , two filters, and all the necessary conditioners for the fish. 

The weird thing: I cycled my tank with four of these fish for a month and two weeks. The test hangers read perfect levels, so i went and bout four more, due to the size of my tank. I also acclimated them through drip for two hours. But when i added these new fish almost all of the fish started to sit at the bottom like they were schooling. They were not swimming around much after a day of being in the tank i checked the levels of everything and it all seemed to be fine. 

Please help me figure out why they are sitting at the bottom of the tank?!? I thought at first they were sleeping but only one seems to do this regularly, and they all follow after. Maybe because they are a schooling fish?!? I have no idea? Any Ideas?


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## ladayen

Zebra Danios are shoaling fish.. but normally hang out at the top of the tank. 

I'd question the accuracy of your hangers.


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## RobSchuele247

Yes, I just did that about an hour ago i went out and bought test strips, they said the same thing. The only thing that was a little bit off was the hardness of the water, but that seemed to be changing and getting more soft as the tank aged. I really can not think of anything that would do that besides pH or nitrite or nitrate?

Would Shoaling be similar to schooling?

Anything else?


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## gmate

I have 6 zebra danios in a 20 gallon long tank. They are in there with other fish species as well. They usual stick together in a shoal (or school, same thing just different term) and are VERY active swimmers. Usually hang out on the top of the water / tank, but can be seen zipping around the bottom and substrate as well.

They are hardy fish. If they're sitting on the bottom not doing much, they may just be stressed initially. See if it wears off in a day or two. Were they like that at the fish store? I wouldn't have purchased fish that are a very active species if they were to be demonstrating this behavior in a LFS tank. 

Any more information you can provide would help us. Thanks, and best of luck.​


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## RobSchuele247

Well, there is one problem i did not buy the fish :-( my girl friend surprised me. 

Any way I woke up this morning to find they are still doing it. I really can not understand what is going on.

I think I might test the water again. Um, there isn't much more to say besides that It only started to happen when I got the new fish. When I didn't have them they were normal swimming fast, hanging out in the current, chasing each other, all the good stuff. 

So I don't know.


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## RobSchuele247

Well, I just looked at my tank a second time and two fish are on the filter dead........:-(

I am so pissed this is the last time I ever let anyone go to petsmart to buy fish, because I can not find anything wrong with my water, and now I have to wait to put more fish in or do a 75% water change. I can not believe this my other fish were so happy :-( omg!


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## KendraMc

don't waste your time with test strips. they are horribly inaccurate. pretty much every one here prefers API Master Test kit, with the liquid chemicals. it is far more accurate, as long as you shake bottle 2 for nitrate longer than it says to.


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## RobSchuele247

Yeah, I'm going to pick that up today after I Get my dead fish out and see what happens with the other ones. 
Thank you guys for being so supportive I sound stupid, but it really upset me and I really thought I did everything right. I am going to test the water once more, and probably do a 50 or 70% water change. Then, test it again and try again. I hope that it will be okay.

I just feel really bad for the first fish I had, because prior to the new fish they were so happy.


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## gmate

Petsmart has a gaurantee on fiah if you bring the bodies and a water sample. So does Petco. Anytime I ever lose a fish I always either get a replacement or my money back, especially because these chains are overpriced.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RobSchuele247

Yeah, that is what i am going to do and most def. get my money back.

Then I think i am going to do a 100% water change, and put the fish that are alive in a different tank or container then. Also, test it for problems as to disease or chemical changes. I might actually scrub my decorations and things. 

Do you think i should leave the fish that are a live in the other container until i figure out if anything was wrong with the fish?

How long do you think I should wait to get new fish if it comes down to recycling the tank all over again?


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## MinaMinaMina

What were you saying about a current thing that you built? What is that? I ask because I think they are calm water fish and may have been at the bottom to avoid the current. Perhaps the current stressed them to the point that they died?

Also, there's a sticky about adding lotsa stem/floating plants to help ease or even erase the cycle, depending on how many plants. I think its here http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...inners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-38617/ Other people here have a lot of experience in that. So, its an idea for you, if ya want. 
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...inners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-38617/


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## Byron

Don't do all the scrubbing and massive water changes yet, this will likely only make things worse as it will probably destroy your nitrificaton cycle. Get an API liquid test kit, the "Master" has pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate which is all you need, and check the water. Let us know the numbers for each test. We'll go from there.

In the meantime, a 50% water change can't hurt anything. But add nothing else except the water conditioner; which one are you using?

Byron.


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## RobSchuele247

I am using the tetra aqua safe if you have anything better please let me know.


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## Byron

RobSchuele247 said:


> I am using the tetra aqua safe if you have anything better please let me know.


That's fine. If the test results indicate ammonia or nitrites, a conditioner that also detoxifies these would be advisable during the initial phase. Prime by Seachem does, and Ultimate (forgotten the manufacturer, Aquarium Solutions I think). This will deal with initial cycling ammonia and nitrite.


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## RobSchuele247

Okay, well I also have easy balance from tetra. Does that do the same thing? And, also, I was wondering should i recycle my tank, but try it with out fish?


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## Byron

RobSchuele247 said:


> Okay, well I also have easy balance from tetra. Does that do the same thing? And, also, I was wondering should i recycle my tank, but try it with out fish?


This has to be worked through naturally. At this stage, the fish will die or they won't, no matter what, so I would let the tank establish. Regular daily water changes of 50% if ammonia and nitrite remain above zero is the best remedy. If you can get a small bottle of Prime or Ultimate, fine.

EasyBalance is a substance i do not recommend. It messes with the natural biology, creating ammonia initially. I would not use it. Let the tank biology establish naturally.

Byron.


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## RobSchuele247

Okay, sorry it took me so long I have been busy the past two days. Tonight I am going to get the API test kit along with that prime solution. I am also going to do a 50 percent water change then test again. I should be able to give you the numbers from the test tonight. Anything else you think I should do let me know.


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