How do I get rid of new tank syndrome in my fish tank?

Answer 1

If you want an "instant" cycle, see if your local pet store sells Bio-Spira (Petco and PetSmart do not), or see if you can order it online. StressZyme and other products that say they have the bacteria do not work as well, if they work at all (I've had mild success using Cycle, but that could just be coincidence).

Otherwise, keep an eye on your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. When your ammonia and nitrite show at 0ppm, and your nitrates at less than 40ppm (less than 20ppm is ideal), you know your tank is cycled. If your ammonia and nitrites peak while you have fish in the tank, add either Ammo-Lock or AmquelPlus. Both will detoxify ammonia to a non-toxic form for the fish, but the bacteria will still be able to convert it to nitrites. Do plenty of water changes as well.

Good luck!

EDIT: To the person who posted above me, it takes more than a week for enough bacteria to grow to support a tank full of fish. It usually takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks.

Answer 2

The problem is that a 10 gallon tank is not big enough for even a single goldfish. The 'feeder' goldfish (aka common goldfish) and what I am assuming is a shubunkin, all can grow up to a foot in length (not including tail). Strictly speaking these are pond fish, as they grow so big and are so active it is difficult to keep them happy and healthy in an aquarium. The three of them that you have left will (as adults) require nothing less than a 100 gallon tank. No joke. Fancy goldfish (which includes the blackmoors and fantail) don't grow quite as big, but they can still reach 8-10 inches. A single fancy goldfish needs 20-30 gallons, with an extra 10 gallons for each additional fancy goldfish. From what you've said, it doesn't sound like your tank was cycled before you added the fish, which means that there was no good bacteria to help get rid of the fishes waste. Then you added a heck of a lot of very messy fish all at once, which will have caused the ammonia and nitrite to skyrocket, effectively poisoning the fish. What you need to do is daily 50% water changes. Goldfish produce an awful lot of waste, and four goldfish in a 10 gallon tank will make the water toxic in a matter of hours. Then you need to either get a much bigger tank, or return the fish. They will not survive in a 10 gallon tank.

Answer 3

I think you do not really understand what that is. New tank syndrom is a saying that describes what happens when a person adds too many fish to a new tank. When given food, or just respirating, fish excrete ammonia, a very toxic substance. ANY ammount in water is very bad. It impares gill function, and shortens life span. Then, as fish go through the grueling torture of living in their waste, most of them die. The ones remaning are luckier, they have their ammonia turned into nitrite by bacteria that build up. The bacteria use oxygen, and live on your filter mateiral, and anything else in your tank. Unfortunatly though, nitrite is still toxic. It impares breathing by making blood have a hard time carrying oxygen. Finally, when most fish are dead, the nitrite is converted into nitrAte, a much less toxic form of fish waste. Again bacteria do this. When testing, ammo and nitrite at 0, after the cycle, and nitrate under 40ppm
If you have fish in the tank, wait, while doing water changes many times daily. This prevents toxic ammonia and nitrite from building up. I would also reccomend adding bio-spira. Only this product will work, as i learned the hard way. It adds benficial bacteria. Most other brands are saying that they can keep both salt and fresh water bacteria in one bottle, without food or oxygen, for monthes. I cannot beleve that.

If there are no fish llook into fishless cycling. This rather easy method cycles without harming fish, and actually is faster. It takes about 2 weeks, and then you can add all your fish. Try this with the normal cycle, and you'll have a lot of dead fish. Look here http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

Either way, you need a test kit, this one works great http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19383;category_id=3081

Answer 4

New tank syndrome is when you first start a tank. Water contains nitrite's and nitrate's than are dangerous to fish. The only way to get rid of them is to let the filter run in the tank for about a week. Bring a water sample to your local Petco and they will test it for free! I suggest that you run a tank with the filer going for at least a week before adding any fish. Water canges can also cause new tank syndrome so never change more than 10% of the water at once.

Answer 5

New Tank Syndrome

Answer 6

If you have substrate and a dirty sponge filter from a cycled tank put that in your new tank and treat the water with Stress Zyme and Bio Zyme (if you can afford to wait roughly a month). To speed up the process add a live fish and cut the time nearly in half. If you can get your hands on some Bio-Spira you can cycle the tank in a week (it says in one day, but that's not true). Best of luck.

Answer 7

Only time and regular water changes will get rid of the new tank syndrome.

Answer 8

I washed my tank well with hot soapy water then i Set it up filled it up with water and let it set with everything running for a week so it could build up the good bacteria it needed to support the fish. That is what a fish store told me and that is what i did. Everything was fine.

Answer 9

Start fresh and cycle your tank. Add one fish at a time, to allow the biological filtration (helpful bacteria) to grow. It takes a month. You shouldn't add a second fish during this time.

Answer 10

Add some type of bacteria, like Hagen Cycle, this would kickstart your biological filter and lessen the new tank syndrome