2 barbs in 2 days swimming on its side and in circles

[Cama Lama]

i have had to flush 1 albino and 1 tiger barb with the same symptoms

within 2 days

water levels are good according to petsmart as of yesterday.

Tank is 2 weeks old

1 dragon goby
4 tiger barbs
1 ropefish
1 albino claw frog
1 regular claw frog
1 blue lobster
2 bala sharks
3 albino barbs
1 spotted eel
1 needle fish
1 raphael cat
1 asian hybrid cat
3 clown loaches

several plants of different species
55 g total

100g canister filter and two bubble wands


Any suggestions?

 

[MatthewLaw]

too many fishes too fast?? did you completely cycle the tank before putting all those marine creatures in?

 

[Cama Lama]

too many fishes too fast?? did you completely cycle the tank before putting all those marine creatures in?

yea...

I followed all instructions to a T

 

[Cama Lama]

however you are probably right...i will make sure all is stable and keep a close eye on everything for the next week or so

 

[roark fishies]

2 weeks isn't really long enough to cycle a tank. It usually takes closer to 6 wks. Unless you used something like Biospira. You said you followed instructions to a T. What exactly where the instructions? Most people are told to add the water and let the filter run for a few days then add fish. That's not cycling.
Also, just a suggestion, you may want to get your own test kit so u don't have to depend on Petsmart every time you need to test your water for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Most of us on here have our own. That's just something every tank owner needs to have in their fish "medicine cabinet."

 

[Cama Lama]

2 weeks isn't really long enough to cycle a tank. It usually takes closer to 6 wks. Unless you used something like Biospira. You said you followed instructions to a T. What exactly where the instructions? Most people are told to add the water and let the filter run for a few days then add fish. That's not cycling.
Also, just a suggestion, you may want to get your own test kit so u don't have to depend on Petsmart every time you need to test your water for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Most of us on here have our own. That's just something every tank owner needs to have in their fish "medicine cabinet."

i used biospyra...


yeah im gonna go get a test kit today...


all seems well. I haven't had any problems, except the crawfish keeps pulling up my plants...

Thats to be expected.

what do you recommend as far as a test kit goes..?

my local pet store uses tubes and different chemicals.

Pet smart uses strips

 

[TabMorte]

1 dragon goby
4 tiger barbs
1 ropefish
1 albino claw frog
1 regular claw frog
1 blue lobster
2 bala sharks
3 albino barbs
1 spotted eel
1 needle fish
1 raphael cat
1 asian hybrid cat
3 clown loaches

Just some FYIs.

The Dragon Goby is a brackish fish
The Barbs need to be kept in groups of 5+
The lobster will get eatten when it molts
The loaches are going to grow to a foot long (eventually it will take years), you'll need to rehome them down the road or get a much much larger tank.
The Bala Shark also needs a much larger tank (90G, they grow to a foot long)
THe Clawed frogs are aggressive.

Even if your tank is chemically okay you have a lot of high needs fish crammed into too small a space and trying to stake out territory. I would expect your Barb's illness is more a the product of them being bullied and harassed then anything else.

 

[Cama Lama]

Just some FYIs.

The Dragon Goby is a brackish fish
The Barbs need to be kept in groups of 5+
The lobster will get eatten when it molts
The loaches are going to grow to a foot long (eventually it will take years), you'll need to rehome them down the road or get a much much larger tank.
The Bala Shark also needs a much larger tank (90G, they grow to a foot long)
THe Clawed frogs are aggressive.

Even if your tank is chemically okay you have a lot of high needs fish crammed into too small a space and trying to stake out territory. I would expect your Barb's illness is more a the product of them being bullied and harassed then anything else.

Thanks for the info...

The plan is to get a 125g in the next 3 mos for the loaches and the sharks.

I have quite a bit of salt in the tank for the goby.

I dont know what will eat the lobster since he is almost adult size...

 

[TabMorte]

Aquarium salt isn't the same as ocean salt though. He's going to need a completely brackish tank to really thrive (I know the pet store probably kept him in fresh but he's a brackish fish).



I'm sorry if I came off kinda mean there I didn't mean to.

The 125 would be perfect for the loaches and sharks. You'll wanna get a few more loaches then.

 

[Cama Lama]

I'm sorry if I came off kinda mean there I didn't mean to.

*celebrate

no man not at all...

I was being serious when I said thanks for the info.

Emotion is hard to purvey when you are just reading text.

I am very appreciative to those who have responded to this thread...

I'm actually kind've dissappointed at my local petstore(s) for letting me get all this stuff so soon.


They are both FULLY AWARE OF EVERYTHING I HAVE.

So whatever..

I cant be fully lost in this tank..

I'm sure I can make it work..

I've had 0 problems today.
I need to go buy a test kit STAT.

 

[TabMorte]

The test kit is a really good and important start. I think you can make your tank work but it's going to take some work.

Though if you can't do the brackish tank in the near future I would consider taking goby back This sort of thing happens all the time though pet store employees often don't even know what's compatible with what.

 

[Cama Lama]

The test kit is a really good and important start. I think you can make your tank work but it's going to take some work.

Though if you can't do the brackish tank in the near future I would consider taking goby back This sort of thing happens all the time though pet store employees often don't even know what's compatible with what.

i might even buy a small tank for brackish water..i like the goby..

maybe if i do that i can get a puffer

 

[AlyKat]

Ok, test kits you'll need are one for ammonia, one for nitrites and one for nitrates...make sure you get good ones...the strips are garbage...make sure it's got drops/powder and vials. Make sure you get a test for pH as well.

Not sure about the needle fish or the ropefish, as I don't really know about those...as for your blue cray (I had one until very recently...) he should be fine as long as you've got somewhere for him to hide out. And as for plants with him in there, forget it...lol...get some plastic ones, cuz he'll rip apart and eat every live one you've got in there...

I hope you don't lose any more fish!!!

 

[MadridKid]

wow, well your fish are most likely hating you right now.... 50 fish in a day wow... alright well my barbs acted real weird too when i got them... check for disease... and other issues.. all i got to say.

 

[TabMorte]

i might even buy a small tank for brackish water..i like the goby..

maybe if i do that i can get a puffer

Puffers are best kept in Species only tanks. But there's other fish like mollies that can be kept in brackish water.

 

[roark fishies]

About test kits- most people on here are gonna tell not to go with strips. Strips are fine for a quick reading. They are supposed to be less accurate though I haven't had that prob. I keep them on hand but don't depend on them entirely. They are expensive considering you don't get many tests out of them versus how many test you can get from the drops version. But if you want accuracy you'll need the drops.