Help, the lady at the pet store gave me false information and now I screwed up!?

Question

She told me that a 5 gallon aquarium would hold 10-15 fish and that all i had to do was add water and put the fish in and they would be ok. I bought 8 fish. Since then , I discovered that this was totally bad information. One fish has died (coulda been sick anyways cuz he died in 1 day) and I removed one fish. So now I am down to 6. I since took back the 5 gallon and bought a 10. I have the six fish in about 7 gallons of water, I kept the filter cartridge that I was using in the five, put it in a bigger filter pump, and I had added some Cycle solution. Right now I have 4 neon tetras, 1 glowlight tetra, which I will be returning since the lady failed to mention it was a schooling fish, and 1 red zebra danio. I need to get a few more of those, but i don't know how long to wait. Please give me any suggestions that you can! Thanks!

the problem is, I already have 6 fish in a new aquarium because I was given wrong information. How do I keep them from dying from ammonia etc and how long til I can add a few more fish?

The reason that I only have 7 gallons is because I took the 5 from the old tank, and added two more. I will add 1/2 gallon per day until up to ten to give the bacteria a chance to disperse evenly.

Answer 1

First, I'd call a complain to the store manager on that lady. I've found that most, not all but most, pet store employees are really ignorant about fish. So really, take their advice with a grain of salt. And, I'd pitch a fit too about the dead fish, since she gave you poor advice. They might give you a credit at least.

With neons, they generally aren't much of a load on the tank. But, they are super sensitive to water quality and such. I've stopped buying them years ago, they just aren't very hardy fish.

That's good that you added the old filter, wouldn't put much faith in the Cycle though. I'd say wait another week or two, test your water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, or bring it in to the pet store to test. The neons will be good testers too, they tend to lose their color a bit if they're stressed, or they'll most likely die if the ammonia/nitrites are present. Once the water checks out, get 2 more danios, and maybe an oto cat for a cleaner. Don't get a common pleco-they get too big.

Why onlly 7 gallons? Is it because of the gravel and decorations? You only need about a 1/2 inch to an inch of gravel, and really you don't have to have it in there at all, it's just decoration really. If that's the case, I'd remove some to have more water in the tank.

Answer 2

you can usually get about 2 inch of fish for every gallon. But I would suggest with you tetras that you get around 10 max for your 10 gallon tank. Tetras will school with all tetras so dont worry about that. Make sure that whenever you change the water in your tank that you only change around a third of it at a time, and that when you add more you use something to take out the harmful chemicals in the water like StartRite or AquaSafe. If its a new tank, dont add all your fish at once, add some and then wait a week and add some more. Dont just dump them in either, while they are still in the bag, set the bag in the water for around 15 minutes to let the temperatures equal each toher, and then cut the bag open and let the fish in. Make sure your pump is adequate enough for the 10 gallon tank, and change the filter as needed or once every 3 months. Make sure you put in a decoration or two, like a rock formation or something, fish like to be able to hide behind things. Also dont leave the tank light on all day long, turn it on in the am, and then turn it off sometime in the evening. Feed your fish twice a day, usually before you goto school/work and once again around when you eat., Dont put but 4-5 flakes per fish in, more if needed, otherwise the flakes will sit there and eventually clould your water all up.

Answer 3

wow if you have 5 gallons you should have 2 fish max. and if they are a little bit big, only one. some kinds of fish none. And you are supposed to set up the fish tank for 4 days with the filter and/or heater on. Then, you add one fish at a time. You open up the bag, and let if float in the tank for 30 minutes. do not mix the water from the bag to the water in the tank for now. Then, take a cup of the tank water and put it in the bag. less than a cup actually like half a cup. wait 15 minutes. then, take the fish out of the bag with the net and put it in the tank. The reason you should do this with a net is so the water doesnt get mixed. That lady at the pet store should be fired.

Answer 4

For a brand new 10 gallon aquarium and all-new filter, gravel, and decorations, I would also include the water conditioner. Plus ammonia and nitrite test kits. I would only put 2 cory catfish in the tank for the first 2 weeks. Then maybe add a small school of 3 tetras every other week until you have about 10-15 small fish.

Answer 5

Wow. That lady is a real pet store ninny!
For a new tank, you're supposed to start with hardy fish and a light fish load. Neons are easy to kill and aren't even the fish to start a new tank with.

Even better is doing a fishless cycle. See:
http://thegab.org/Articles/FishlessCycling.html

Glad you're reading up on things!
It's good you kept the old filter pad and put it in your new filter.

During the first month or so in a new tank, while the bacteria in your filter that convert ammonia (toxic) to nitrIte (still toxic) to nitrAte (less toxic) are getting up to speed, you need to test the water and do things (e.g. partial water changes and ammonia binders like amquel or prime) to make sure ammonia and nitrIte don't kill your fish. Here's an article on cycling a new tank
http://thegab.org/Articles/WaterQualityCycling.html
Note, I'm not sure if salt will protect your tropicals against nitrIte poisoning... It will for goldfish.

I'd wait to add any more fish until both ammonia and nitrIte are down to 0ppm. You'll also want to quarantine new fish to make sure they're not going to make your existing fish sick.

Answer 6

Just fill up the tank now. (I'm assuming you're removing the chlorine.) It won't harm the bacteria as they live mostly in the gravel, or in filter media. Other than that you just need to watch the ammonia, and nitrate levels. (Watching the nitrite level would hurt either.) If the levels of ammonia, or nitrate get too high do a 20-30 water change. Remember to vacuum the gravel with a cheap plastic gravel vacuum once a week.

PS- I'd expect that a glowlight tetra would school with the neons given their similar habits. Of course neons won't truly school until you get 5-6 in a tanl.

Answer 7

I'm not too familiar with fish tanks, but most of what i heard from people when i was considering starting an aquarium of my own was this fact from almost everyone i talked to, including some pet shop owners.....if you are setting up a new tank, you must set it up as normal but let it sit and run for about a week to get all the toxins out of the water, BEFORE you add the fish. Most petshops tanks have been up and running way before they put their stock of fish in them, so any toxins in their water has been gone long ago and the fish do fine. The only fish that do well in brand new set up tanks are goldfish. Hope this helps you alittle.

Answer 8

If you have a hang-on-the-side filter, leave the tank a little low for a week. The waterfall effect and increased oxygen will help speed up the cycle process. Adding salt for freshwater aquariums will also help. One level teaspoon/gallon will help the fish absorb less ammonia-filled water and increase their slime coats. A bit more slime will protect them from ammonia burn and parasites which they are more likely to get from being stressed. Feed them only every other day (they won't starve). It'll reduce the amount of poop and therefore reduce the amount of stress. Other then that you are doing extremely well.
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Answer 9

First - most of the LFS's in the united states are employing both kids and adults who don't know their butts from a hole in the ground about the aquatic hobby of keeping fish.

Here are some sites to go to from now on in advance to get good information from (join the forums - they are free).

Aquaria Central
http://www.aquariacentral.com

AquariumBoard
http://www.aquariumboard.com

Look for users like "Daveedka", "RTR", and "Plah831". They are the best at this hobby and will not steer your wrong.

Second - take the fish back to the LFS you got them from, and MAKE them give you a refund. Explain to them that you are preparing to do a fishless cycle, and that the person who sold you the fish should have known this and not told you what they told you.

Here is how to do a fishless cycle...

Fishless Cycling
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm

Sorry things have not started off the best for you, but please don't give up! You will fall in love with this hobby.

Good luck!

Answer 10

you should sue the woman that told you that you can put fish in the tank striaght away because you have to leave a tank running for at least two weeks before adding fish take the fish back to her or ask for your money back and wait till your tank is ready to take fish buy a book on fish keeping you will get some good answers in that good luck