Will they live?

J

JoeFreedom

New Fish
#1
Jan 9, 2012
2
0
0
Sturgis, MI
www.ffmcentreville.com
#1
I have read and learned a lot of things from this web site I has been very helpfull. I have set up a tank for the first time in years and this time I want to do it the right way. My daughter got a gold fish at the fair a few months ago and at Christmas we went from a fish bowl to a 10g tank.

We have the goldfish, 5 glass tetras and a clown placo.

I know I need to cycle the tank but I'm getting concerned my chemical levels are way to high and the tertas are getting what looks like dry skin. At first I thought they we nipping at each other but I thinks it's more.

I'm using Jungle test strips

NO3@ 60 NO2@10+ (off the chart) Hardness 300 Alkalinity 300 PH 8.4+

We have been changing the water and using Jungle Start Right conditioner.

Any input would be great thanks
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#2
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#2
Okay, lets start at the beginning. You don't say whether you have a heater or a filter, but you are trying to mix cold water fish (the goldfish) with tropical fish (all the rest). Did you read the "Stickies" about cycling and/or starting a tank at the beginning of this forum? The important things to be checking are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The hardness, alkalinity, and pH you can ignore as they shouldn't affect your current fish. You will need to find a way to check your ammonia level and if you have read much of this forum you already know most recommend a liquid test kit. What you are striving for is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and about 20ppm of nitrate. Your local fish store may be able to test your water, but if they do, make sure they give you the numbers and not just say "fine". Any amount of either the ammonia or nitrite can be deadly. For right now start doing at least 50% water changes a day until you get the nitrite to zero and hopefully get an ammonia reading that is zero. That should bring the nitrate level down to an acceptable place. I don't know what to say about the "dry looking skin - maybe someone else will chime in on that, but I would not start adding medications until you have some idea whats causing it and get your water parameters under control. And please don't add any more fish at this stage. Oh - and Welcome to the forum!
 

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