Problems From The Start

[Fish Girl 5]

Hello All,

I need some help. I am a new (and fast learning) aquarium owner. I have a 15G freshwater column tank. I have recently experienced "new tank syndrome" and lost all the fish we have put in the tank. (So far, 2 goldfish, then 5 platys, then 4 tetras...all at separate times.) We have only had our tank for 3 weeks. Upon doing our water changes, I have transitioned from tap water to spring water, once I got the tetras...as it seemed more suitable for them. Our last tetra (who lived the longest at about 3 days) had fin rot and died from that, which I am guessing was caused from stress, due to being alone in a cycling tank. After I lost her, I spoke to a local pet store's fish department and was told it would be beneficial to treat my now empty tank with tetracycline. I have since discovered that this was unnecessary. I have not had any fish in my tank for about a week and a half & have red water from the tetracycline treatment which ended several days ago. I have changed out about half of the water, with no reprieve from the red water in sight. My question is...do I need to empty my tank to make it hospitable for future fish? Can they live in this environment as is? I am thinking zebra danios, once all is ok. I am anxious to get this aquarium going...but not to lose more fish! What is recommended from this point?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I would change out 100% of the water and start fresh. Carbon in the filter will help too (if you're already running carbon and it is the same from when you first set it up, switch it out with fresh carbon).

Why are you using spring water? Generally tap water with dechlorinator will be fine for the majority of species.

It sounds as though the tank is not yet cycled. I'm also not sure if the tetracycline is one of those fun antibiotics that will destroy your beneficial bacteria and restart your cycle. What are your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels? If the tank isn't cycled, you shouldn't add any fish yet - read up on doing a fishless cycle. Or you could add one or two small fish (like danios) and just change out 25-50% of the water daily or every other day until you are cycled.

 

[Fish Girl 5]

Thanks, Capslock. I appreciate your advice. I think I will take your suggestion and start fresh, as the tank is not clearing up at all after any water changes. I use spring water as the levels are ideal for the tetras I had. Fairly acidic, neutral pH and soft. I just kept using it since I don't need to add anything to it. Just a pain to have to get it from the store. My testing levels are all good, as I have had it tested at home and at the store. That was my only hesitation in starting over...is that the water is ideal for fish, except it is fairly dark red, medicated and still cycling. Should I clean the tank out with water & baking soda? Or just empty the water & leave the gravel? Once new water is in, how soon would you add fish?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I'd be inclined to add some water to rinse the gravel (swish it around with your hands a little) and then siphon that out again, just because why leave the medicated water in there for new fish. If the tank is fairly near a window it makes this process super easy. You can just use straight tap for this purpose. Do you have any carbon or fresh filter cartridges to add? That should absorb the rest of the medication that might be kicking around after. Or something like polyfilter.

When to add new fish depends on the status of the cycle. I googled it a little and it seems that tetracycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic, meaning that it probably took a toll on your beneficial bacteria. Though that may not show up on tests right away as there aren't any fish producing wastes at the moment.

So you will be starting to cycle more or less from scratch. Either doing fishless with pure ammonia or a pinch of fish food, or doing a fish in cycle (which involves frequent large changes as stated above). Fishlessly, you'd be waiting until the cycle is ready before adding fish. This is easier on the fish as none are exposed to any ammonia - the other benefit to fishless cycling is that once the cycle is done, you can add all the fish all at once and not have to worry about mini cycles as the bacteria catch up.

If you choose to do fish in, you could add a few basically as soon as you've gotten the tank cleaned out and ready. But stick with one or two small fish if you do it that way, so that the ammonia doesn't climb up too fast between water changes. I'd recommend having Prime or ammo-lock or similar on hand so you've got it if needed as a backup too. Then once you are getting nitrates and the ammonia is staying at zero, you can start adding a few fish every few weeks.

 

[Fish Girl 5]

Thanks again, Capslock. I did as suggested and started over...with tap water that I treated! Everything looks great! No more red water!! My levels aren't perfect, as I am starting over & I know that takes time...so I will be patient this time! Thanks for the suggestion to get some ammo lock too, I will look for that. I hope fish can survive in pretty hard water, as that is what my city water is...very hard. Any suggestions to soften water?? You have been an extraordinary help!! Thanks so much!!!

 

[OrangeCones]

My levels aren't perfect, as I am starting over & I know that takes time...so I will be patient this time!

What levels are you referring to? Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? You should be showing no ammonia or nitirite on the tank just started over with no fish in it. Your tap water may have some nitrates in it, but the reading would be very small if any.

I hope fish can survive in pretty hard water, as that is what my city water is...very hard. Any suggestions to soften water??

Changing your water supply to a softer water take a lot of work on your part, and is very stressful to fish if not done properly. I would suggest not messing with it. Your local fish store likely has the hard water you do, and the fish you purchase from there will be acclimated to that water already.

 

[Fish Girl 5]

Thanks, OC. Correct. My nitrite and nitrate levels are zero. I did an ammonia test also, and that was 0 also. I am a little "gun-shy" to add fish. I am going on 48 hours of new water in the tank. Do you guys think that is enough time passed, and now ok to try some danios?? I have added some stress coat to the water also. Thanks so much for your help!!!

 

[OrangeCones]

If you use a water conditioner that binds ammonia (I use Prime), it can be used to bind ammonia and detoxify nitrite (you have to overdose it and add aeration - follow the label instructions carefully).

To do a fish-in cycle can be dangerous to the fish. Danio are one of the few species that can regenerate gill damage from ammonia burns.

You need to do constant water changes until your beneficial bacteria, and do a lot of water testing. Keep in mind, that the ammonia, if bound, will still show on the test kits.

Do you know anyone with a healthy already-established aquarium? If so, ask that they swish their filter media in your tank, or grab a handful of gravel. You want the 'gunk' from the filter or the gravel, as it contains the bacteria that consume ammonia, then nitrite, to produce nitrate.

Good luck and keep posting!

 

[exhumed07]

one thing i have done for my own tanks and for friends is if they have the samy types of filters, exchange the filter media entirly. i'll take the filter media from a fully cycled tank and put it into the filter on a new tank. I've done it with 3 of my tanks and i've noticed with doing that I have pretty much an instant cycle. seen no rise in ammonia or nitrites and nitrates will level off at about 20ppm in unplanted tanks. in a sense it's my way of cheating the cycle.

 

[KcMopar]

If you use a water conditioner that binds ammonia (I use Prime), it can be used to bind ammonia and detoxify nitrite (you have to overdose it and add aeration - follow the label instructions carefully).

To do a fish-in cycle can be dangerous to the fish. Danio are one of the few species that can regenerate gill damage from ammonia burns.

You need to do constant water changes until your beneficial bacteria, and do a lot of water testing. Keep in mind, that the ammonia, if bound, will still show on the test kits.

Do you know anyone with a healthy already-established aquarium? If so, ask that they swish their filter media in your tank, or grab a handful of gravel. You want the 'gunk' from the filter or the gravel, as it contains the bacteria that consume ammonia, then nitrite, to produce nitrate.

Good luck and keep posting!

I did not know that about Danio's!!! Thank you for the info.

 

[Thyra]

Just one added note - Gold fish are not tropical fish and they also need a much larger tank.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yep, the 4 zebra danios I used to help cycle my community 55 are still doing great, ~1.5yrs later.