# Help me get through New Tank Syndrome!



## MeganMarie (Feb 15, 2012)

I will preface this with 'please don't be mean'. I know I have made a mistake, and a lot of people on the internet have not been kind when I have asked for help.

I started a new aquarium - 30 gallon glass tank, penguin 200 power filter with biowheel, 150 watt heater, air pump and a sweet castle!

The book I was reading about aquariums (and I read the whole thing for a week before I bought anything!  ) insinuated that the Nitrogen cycle was something that started as soon as you put fish in (as in, it didn't even discuss a fish less cycle and the way it was written suggested it was just some easy walk in the park).

Well, I got my fishes yesterday and now half of them have already died in 1 day. I am aware I must have overstocked, but I got really excited. 

I started with 3 mollys, 3 zebra danios, 5 tetra, 1 pleco, and 3 gouramis. 

I am now down to 3 zebra danios, 2 tetra, 3 gouramis and 1 molly. 

Overnight, my tank became quite cloudy and got that great stink to it. The water parameter strips I got do not measure Ammonia (aghh) but the pH jumped from neutral to 8.0, so I'm assuming I'm full of ammonia right now.

I just did a 30% water change, and the water looks a bit clearer, but the pH is still at 8.0. No sign of any nitrates or nitrites on the strip. 

One other note is that I did add aquarium salt (as I had two different people explain to me that the salt adds electrolytes and acts like a destresser when you do water changes and the like) and I had some mean people berate me and tell me that I'm an idiot for it. 

Does anyone have any advice to help me get through this cycle without EVERYONE dying? Should I get some plants?


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## Marci99205 (Dec 13, 2011)

Don't worry about the cloudiness, go buy a master test kit, the strips are not accurate, the read about the nitrogen cycle. You might loose more fish, and will probably take about a month to cycle through (my 29 took about that long). Plants are good, what kind of light do you have?


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Lose the test strips, get the API master test kit. when in doubt, do a big water change. Seems odd they would all die in one night, I'm assuming you are using a dechlorinator? Where did you get your fish from?


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## MeganMarie (Feb 15, 2012)

Summer said:


> Lose the test strips, get the API master test kit. when in doubt, do a big water change. Seems odd they would all die in one night, I'm assuming you are using a dechlorinator? Where did you get your fish from?


Yes, I am using a water conditioner/dechlorinator. 
And Petsmart, which I know isn't the greatest, but the only other pet store is 20 miles from me :/


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## Marci99205 (Dec 13, 2011)

did you acclimate them?


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## MeganMarie (Feb 15, 2012)

Marci99205 said:


> did you acclimate them?


Yes, I let the bag float in the tank for about 30 minutes before I transferred them.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

that was my next question, what was your acclimation process? theres a sticky here somewhere explainging drip acclimation and so far since I learned about it I havnt lost any fish.


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## MeganMarie (Feb 15, 2012)

Summer said:


> that was my next question, what was your acclimation process? theres a sticky here somewhere explainging drip acclimation and so far since I learned about it I havnt lost any fish.


I read that too today, but unfortunately after the fact. I've always been told to never mix the waters, so that didn't even cross my mind. Im leaving now to see if Petsmart has the API master test kit and see if it's water quality or acclimation problems.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Good luck, and dont worry, you'll learn. One step at a time. Don't add any more fish til ya get through the cycle. Good luck!


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

MeganMarie said:


> ..
> 
> 
> Should I get some plants?


IMHO yes. 

See link in my signature.

And best tank ever. *old dude


my .02


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## AndehX (Jan 14, 2012)

i wouldn't worry too much about drip acclimation. It's not really neccessary, and floating the bag in the water for 15-30 mins is basically protocol, as long as the water temp in the tank and bag are similar. I've never had issues doing it this way.

Like everyone has said, get the API master test kit. I got one off ebay for 18 pounds, and its probably the best investment I have made for my tank. It basically tells me when I need to do water changes. It's also saved alot of my friends fish too. She setup her tank, and dropped about 15 fish in it the same day. Lost about 5 fish a week later, and the test kit showed her that the ammonia in the water was sufforcating the fish.

My advice, is to get some real plants, lower your ph with some bogwood/peat balls and test your water for ammonia. When the ammonia starts to climb, do a water change (40% or so)
Do this for about 2 weeks, to keep your fish alive, until your filter starts to handle the ammonia levels. Then you should no longer see dead fish


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

AndehX said:


> i wouldn't worry too much about drip acclimation. It's not really neccessary, and floating the bag in the water for 15-30 mins is basically protocol, as long as the water temp in the tank and bag are similar. I've never had issues doing it this way.


yes. actually it helps a LOT. it not only acclimated the fish to the water temp whichi s what you do when floating them, but acclimates them to your water conditions--pH, hardness, acidity etc. You can lose fish weeks and even months down the road from improper acclimation.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Can't always relate "what I've done" to every situation. If drip acclimation hasn't been needed for you then your water must be fairly close to the store's or your fish have all been hardy. Drip acclimation is the safest and just too plain easy to NOT do and give the fish the best possible chance of survival.

Any idea what your ph is out of your tap? Your fish may have been wiped out from a big ph swing.

I wouldn't add anymore fish until the cycle is over....if that needed to be said. Try to keep ammonia and nitrite levels at 1ppm or lower. If it gets above do a water change. Plants will help.


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## AndehX (Jan 14, 2012)

Summer said:


> yes. actually it helps a LOT. it not only acclimated the fish to the water temp whichi s what you do when floating them, but acclimates them to your water conditions--pH, hardness, acidity etc. You can lose fish weeks and even months down the road from improper acclimation.


Oh well, I've never encountered problems like that in the 15+ years ive been in the hobby.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

AndehX said:


> Oh well, I've never encountered problems like that in the 15+ years ive been in the hobby.


You've never lost a fish a few days or a week after buying it? If not, you have been very blessed in great stock that you have been buying.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

You can not worry about ph if you want....ammonia didn't kill that many fish in 24hrs. It takes just a little time to build even in this situation.


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## AndehX (Jan 14, 2012)

jrman83 said:


> You've never lost a fish a few days or a week after buying it? If not, you have been very blessed in great stock that you have been buying.


From what I can recall, I have never lost a fish within the first 3 months or so. Every fish I've lost (that I can remember) has pretty much died through old age.
I've certainly never lost any fish through bad acclimation.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

I say return two of the gouramis as well. If the theoretical upcoming water conditions don't kill them, eventually they will kill each other.


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## Marci99205 (Dec 13, 2011)

Can you return fish to Petsmart?


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

AndehX said:


> From what I can recall, I have never lost a fish within the first 3 months or so. Every fish I've lost (that I can remember) has pretty much died through old age.
> I've certainly never lost any fish through bad acclimation.


You must either get some REALLY good fish, or have good luck....I think everyone loses a fish at some point or another to a cause other than old age... You said you had 15 years in the hobby....arent you the same person who was just posting that you didnt know what stunting meant?


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## MeganMarie (Feb 15, 2012)

jbrown5217 said:


> I say return two of the gouramis as well. If the theoretical upcoming water conditions don't kill them, eventually they will kill each other.


they are honey sunset gouramis, which were labeled as a good tropical community fish. I saw that they other gouramis were labeled semi-aggressive, but not these.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

Marci99205 said:


> Can you return fish to Petsmart?


Within 14 days if you have the receipt. If you had a bigger tank I would say that you could get away with two. Basically they claim a territory as their own and are aggressive towards their own species. The females tend to be less aggressive.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

MeganMarie said:


> they are honey sunset gouramis, which were labeled as a good tropical community fish. I saw that they other gouramis were labeled semi-aggressive, but not these.


You can put most gouramis in with most community fish, but generally only one is used because of territory issues (most of the time when a large enough tank is not provided). 

Taken from Honey Gourami, Trichogaster chuna, Syn: Colisa Chuna, Family: Osphronemidae, Subfamily: Luciocephalinae

"Habitat: Distribution / Background

The Honey Gourami or Honey Dwarf Gourami was first described by Hamilton, F. [Buchanan] in 1822 as Colisa Chuna, today it is described as Trichogaster chuna. This fish It is found in the rivers and lakes of Asia: India and Bangladesh. They typically inhabit areas with thick vegetation in soft, mineral poor waters.
This term Colisa Soto has also been used to describe the female of this species. Reportedly there is also a species described as Colisa Soto that has rarely been imported. But whether this fish is the female of this species or a separate species that deserves special ranking has not yet been determined.

Scientific Name: Trichogaster chuna
Social Grouping: Groups - Can be kept singly, in pairs, or groups. If kept in a group make sure there are plenty of hiding places to keep one or more of the individuals from being bullied.
IUCN Red List: NE - Not Evaluated or not listed"


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I believe Holly has several female honey gourami's in her 20 gallon, and I don't recall her having an issue but I'm not sure.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

AndehX said:


> Oh well, I've never encountered problems like that in the 15+ years ive been in the hobby.


D0 you buy your fish locally? Have you ever kept sensitive fish?


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## dante322 (Jan 15, 2012)

You say the other fish store is 20 miles away? Is it another box store like petsmart? or is it a "mom and pops" store?

The reason i'm asking is if its a mom and pops type store they might be willing to do a couple different things for you; they might set you up with some gravel or filter media out of an established tank. This would contain a population of the bacteria you need to jump start the cycle. They might also be willing to trade some of the fish for store credit.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

Summer said:


> I believe Holly has several female honey gourami's in her 20 gallon, and I don't recall her having an issue but I'm not sure.


Yea, I am just quoting what i've research on the species has said, and overall the honey do seem like a more peaceful fish than its cousins.


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## AndehX (Jan 14, 2012)

Summer said:


> You must either get some REALLY good fish, or have good luck....I think everyone loses a fish at some point or another to a cause other than old age... You said you had 15 years in the hobby....arent you the same person who was just posting that you didnt know what stunting meant?


I knew what stunting meant in general, I just wasn't sure how it applied to fish. It was the first time I had heard that term used for fish.


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## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

AndehX said:


> From what I can recall, I have never lost a fish within the first 3 months or so. Every fish I've lost (that I can remember) has pretty much died through old age.
> I've certainly never lost any fish through bad acclimation.


Where do you get your fish? Is there some magical fish store we havent heard of?*r2 Or your just the luckiest person in the hobby.

MeganMarie, Welcome to our forum and to the fishkeeping hobby, as you can see you will get counterdicting advice from time to time. You did the right thing by reading up before jumping in, its just you didnt get all the info you needed.
IMO water parameters are the biggest battle and keeping the fish from big swings in any of them is important. slightly High PH is ok as long as its not going up and down. DRIP ACCLIMATE is the best way to introduce new fish. Keep ammonia and nitrites below 1ppm, your zebra danios are hardy little guys and keep them to cycle the tank, I would try to take the rest back for now and you can always buy them again when tank is ready. Good Luck and feel free to ask all the questions you want


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## AndehX (Jan 14, 2012)

I get my fish from a LFS. 2 actually. but I never really thought of it as luck... I just figured I was always doing things right. Guess I thought too highly of myself lol


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Or, maybe your memory isn't as good as it used to be


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

AndehX said:


> I get my fish from a LFS. 2 actually. but I never really thought of it as luck... I just figured I was always doing things right. Guess I thought too highly of myself lol


Fish bought locally can be easier to acclimate if the store has the same tap water you do.


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## omidod (Feb 25, 2012)

Hello, i got a new tropical tank about 2 years ago, zebra danios and some tetras, and most of them died in the first week... after that they where fine, i think the same will happen with you. As for the cloudy water, mine got cloudy a few times. i didn't do much then, but i hear you can buy certain porous rocks to de-cloud the tanks. hope your fish are fine!:fish-in-a-bag:


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