im getting a neon tetra today and i need HELP!

[neontetra2006]

*SICK* *SICK* *SICK* *SICK* hi i am buying a neon tera in afew hours today i need help with it i only have a one quart fish bowl and i am gettig 2 fish! i know they are small but im scared they will be cramped and die. problem 2, i dont have a filter! my friend told me to blow in a staw thats in the tank every day afew times an hour but what if it doesnt work! and im still in school and i know my mom wont do it. I.....NEED.......HEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!! i have trouble every time i get a fish. i got a betta and i fed him wrong oce and his liver burst and he died, i got another betta and he grew mold on himself and died too! im scared my friends say its a death sentence once i bring fish into my house and i get embarressed that my friends have healthy fish and i dont!

 

[VirgoWolf]

Iwould wait untill you can get a bigger setup before you get any fish. Neons need schools, usually 6+ is best, and they need filtration to oxygenate the water so they can breathe. Also, 1 quart is NOT an apropriate size for any aquatic 'pet' that I know of. I would say a 1-2 gallon is the smallest tank that should ever be used, and even with that, a betta or african dwarf frog is about all I would ever keep in something that small.

Use this forum and learn all you can about fish before jumping into this, you are not ready to buy any fish yet.

 

[MissFishy]

I agree with Virgo, you do not have the adequate equipment necessary to keep fish alive and healthy. Hold off on getting the neon tetras, they need a heater, 6 or more to school with, a good sized tank, and a filter of some sort. Maybe for Christmas ask for a 10 gallon starter kit? That would be sufficient for a small school of neon tetras. Read this forum, you'll learn a lot about keeping healthy fish! And we're always here to answer any questions you have along the way.

 

[azfishgal]

I have to agree with everyone else. You can't keep any type of fish in your current set up. Like MissFishy said ask for a 10 gallon tank set for Christmas, or even better yet, ask for one of those 12 Gallon Eclipses. A bit more money, but it comes with everything you need and it's VERY easy. I've had one set up for 2 years now and it stays much cleaner than my 10 gallon glass tank I used to have.

 

[Dan Steveo]

i also agree but why didn't your friends help you. and also blowing into the straw is not an efficient way to give oxygen to the fish.
also like the others said ask people on this site questions and learn a lot and soon your friends will be sooo jealous of your tank and they will be asking for your help.



Good luck for the future.

 

[tropicalfish]

Its not fun to be constantly blowing into the straw until an air pump arrives. Also, slowly after time, if you keep blowing in with a straw, the CO2 levels will start to rise.

 

[JWright]

Actually... blowing into the tank with a straw will help oxygenate the water, since all airpumps really do is stir the air around and blowing into will accomplish that. What it _won't_ do is filter that water. Which means your fish will die of ammonia poisoning (their own waste), in very short order.

 

[usacutie81]

Don't get the tetras, wait till you can get an actual tank. I'd go for a 10 gal. at the very very least. Although, if you have problems with fish dying a lot, you may want to go for a bigger tank so you are less likely to experience drastic parameter changes, that way the fish are less likely to die. 40-55 gal. are supposed to be the best size for beginners, from what I understand.

 

[MissFishy]

Anyways...I just suggest the 10 gal starter kits since most beginning fishkeepers or their parents don't like to put in the $ required to keep a larger tank. A 10 gal is much better than a bowl in any regard. Bigger is better!

 

[SANND]

Seriously?

 

[neontetra2006]

thank u

thanks guys im happy that i can depend on u for all my problems.do u know how much it usally casts to buy a large tank? and would it be okay to put 2 neons in a tank or would i need more?

 

[VirgoWolf]

Cost depends on the size tank, the equipment (heater, filter, etc...) and yes, you would need more, 5 minimum, they need a school to feel secure.

 

[MissFishy]

Definitely read up on cycling a tank. Neons are not the best beginner fish as they are very sensitive to water conditions, if you don't know about cycling, they will probably die. A good beginner fish are some danios. They come in a bunch of different colors and you can mix all the colors together. A beginner starter kit for a 10gal w/ a filter and heater is $29.99, a 20 gallon is a bit more. Get the 20 gal and be the envy of all your friends!

 

[neontetra2006]

thank u soooo much i canceled the idea of getting any fish for a long time i need more experiace.

 

[usacutie81]

Good for you. I am so glad that you didn't disregard everyone's advice and go out and buy fish anyway. Just do some research and keep talking to people who have fish. Visit friends who have fish, and ask questions. You'll have fish of your own soon enough and you'll be glad you waited!

 

[neontetra2006]

i know this is out of topic but i have a younger friend that is 7 years old and im worried about his fish he's a real sensitive kid and one fish out of the 2 is like stopping moving and then going in fast spurts. he's also really pale i dont want to see my friend cry i also need help with this problem.

 

[GIS Guy]

Cardinals are supposedly more hardy than neons.
You could get a small school of them once you're ready.

 

[MrBungle]

about your friend, get another fish of the same kind and same size without him knowing if that one passes.

 

[MissFishy]

What kind of set up does he have for his fish? How old is the fish tank? Does it have a heater/filter?

 

[neontetra2006]

it has a filter and it doesnt have a heater. i really thik its because they moved around their stuff for christmas and now the fish are infront of the window, instead of the heater.