My fish are dying in my 5 gallon tank. I have had tons of problems recently. Please help!?

Question

First, my heater makes so that there is tons of water, which makes the water level above the lip of the filter. It's freezing in my house, so I have to make the heater work. Second, my housekeeper whom I trusted to feed the fish over-fed them, causing one fish (a Sunset Coral Dwarf Platy) to die. Second, since there is tons of fish food gunk in the gravel, I tried using the gravel vaccum (air pressure) to suck up the fish gunk. But the aquaruim is too small apparently for the vaccum or I don't know how to use it. The pH levels and stuff are fine, but I can't figure it out.

Well, I had two fish in my tank (max. size of those fish is 1.5 inches) Now I have one.
I'll make sure my housekeeper doesn't overfeed them, but branching off,
I know this is a stupid side question but....

How can you bag a fish????

Ah yes. The heater is a really clunky thing; it won't stick to the side of the tank and the water level thing on it is above the lip of the filter, which may be why there is tons of gunk everywhere....

Right now the male fish is fine....female died....

About the thermometer:the thermometer is one of those stick on things that go on the outside of the tank. Very hard to see what temperature is though....

Adding on...
what is the ideal water temperature for a sunset coral dwarf platy?

I cleaned the tank today with my new vaccum. Turns out, other one was too big, got a glass thermometer and a better heater....

Answer 1

ok it's not that bad first you have to get the food out you can vacume out abouta gallon to a two gallons out at a time over a period of about a week that should take care of any ammonia that is building up. when you put the new water back in add extar stres caot or noviqua in to the water. If you need to the gravel vac that you have may not be enough if it connects to a air pump go get one of the easy flows at your local shop or petsmart does not require a pump .All you do is put the head in the water and go up and down which starts the reverse flow. anything elese send me a e-mail [e-mail]

Answer 2

How many fish are in your tank? You should really only have 1 fish per gallon of water so that would be 5 fish for you. Also I would just get a bucket full of the water they need and put all your fish in there then dump all the gravel out and clean the tank with water no soap, in a bath tup or a hose outside.. If you can't afford new gravel just rinse the stones out with a collander and put them back in. But if you can I would buy some new gravel, but it would be fine with the old too. Then put your tank all back together put all your fish back in. And try not to let your house keeper over feed them anymore. Maybe consider you feeding them from now on.. or show her how much to feed them.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Ok, heres what I'd do.
1st. Tell the housekeeper to PAY ATTENTION!
2nd, make up a mixing bowl size of water with water conditioner and put the fish in it. 3rd. lower the amount of water in your tank to BELOW the level of where the water comes out of the filter.
4th.Then scoop out all of the rocks,etc. and rinse them real good in warm water(use a spagethii strainer with small holes, so you don't loose the rocks down the sink), 5th.then after you rinse the rocks,etc. in the water. Have a big bowl of water and drop a tablet of Alge/fungus cleaner in it, rinse your rocks in that,
6th. then re-rinse in plain water.
Your tank water is gonna look real DIRTY...but, if you take your filter cartridge and clean it out.(rinse it out under the faucet about every 30 mins) untill the water in the tank starts to clear up.
Which it will but its gonna take some paitence and few hrs.
Also, drop one of the Alge/fungus tablets into the tank...
Once the water has started to clear back up, put the rocks back into the tank, then put the fish back in.
The tablet will turn the water GREEN, but, it is supposed to do that.
When your cleaning the Filter Cartridge just run it under the tap with warm water use your hand to rub it to get the gunk off of it, then bang it on the sink,(Gently) and you'll see the black stuff comming out of it.(the black stuff IS NOT the carbon its the DIRT.
Also, if you have any caves, or BIG rocks in the tank use a soft toothbursh...to clean them.
AFTER the water is CLEAR....but a NEW filter Cartridge.
Replace the cartridge about every 2 weeks.
Also, when feeding your fish, just put a little bit in and if they eat all of it, you can give them just a little bit more till they stop.
you'll get the idea of how much to feed them.
Feed them that much about 3 times a day.

Answer 4

You need to bag your surviving fish and do a complete water change! You tank is only a 5 gal, so this would be very easy.

Dump the water out of your tank (careful not to loose the gravel). Take out any decor...fill your tank 1/2 full of just tap water...run your hand around in gravel...dump....do this until no more gunk in is your tank. If your decor can be..bleach it...rinse until all traces of bleach are gone. Refill with "treated" water.

I'm not sure what you mean about the heater...would it be easier to just get a new heater?

Rule of thumb is for every inch your fish is, it is one gal of water. A 5g. tank, you should only have 3 fish. I have 2 female Bettas in my 6gal.

Good luck on your fish.

Edit:
Bagging a fish is put a cup or so of water in a bag (ziplock bag)...net your fish and put fish in bag with water. No question is stupid unless you don't ask. The vac is easy to use...make sure container receiving the water is lower than the tank it's self, but a 5 g. tank is easier to just change the water every week.

Here is the address to a forum I love!:

http://www.forumsvibe.com/betta/index.php?sid=62d164009f462df8db3ca0aee2d779a1&mforum=betta

Become a member, introduce yourself, tell everyone Suzie Q sent you, and enjoy the forum. It has helped me a lot.

Answer 5

You overstocked a sparkling tank. PH is irrelavent in new tanks. you're able to be attempting out your own water (puppy shops often do it incorrect, or lie) for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. Any examining of ammonia/nitrite is poisonous to fish and inevitable in a sparkling tank that hasn't been put in the path of the nitrogen cycle (which takes a minimum of four-6 weeks from scratch). A 5g is this variety of small quantity it won't be able to be overstocked. that is appropriate for a Betta and that's approximately it. Guppies desire your 30g, or a minimum of 15g. Plecos desire something from 30-75g and are extensive waste manufacturers and a tank so new has no desire for any variety of "algae eater" besides. Tiny volumes = poisonous water lots faster than in an stronger set up. that is in part the shops fault for no longer bothering to invite you what you have been stocking and the workers being minimum salary artwork tension who do no longer somewhat care what they sell. it is likewise your fault for no longer learning the appropriate installation of this kit!

Answer 6

I would immediately clean the whole tank and refill with fish as soon as you can get the temperature back to normal . Keep an eye on your thermometer to make sure it is not malfunctioning also .

addition - it sounds like you did all the right things you could now , good luck , I love fish too.

Answer 7

Drain some water to adjust for proper water level? I don't know if the question is that obvious or I simply do not fully understand the question.

Answer 8

call a vet or try to find a fish bowl at your local petstore and get one of you're frieds to help you fix the tank

Answer 9

why don't u just clean out ur tank, take everything out and put it all back in so u can start all over again.

Answer 10

go 2 the vet.