Should i get my tank water checked?

Question

I got a new fish tank on sunday. I put two of my guppies in the tank yesterday to see if the water was safe for my other fish. Then today i put six more guppies in the tank and one of my males died right away. So i took them back out of the new tank and put them in a small bowl so more didnt die. Do you think i should get the water checked or do you think it was just bad timing. Maybe i hit it with the net when i caught him. I dont want to keep stressing my fish out so i dont know what to do? HELP!

Answer 1

Putting in your fish to see if it's safe isn't exactly the best practice here. You also need to acclimate new fish into a tank slowly and not just put them in. They need to adjust in temperature as well as the water chemistry itself. Your tank is also new and the water chemistry is going to be really bad for the next couple months while it cycles out. For now, you need to put a couple of those guppies in, but do so after you check the water. Did you condition the water in the tank before you put it in? You're going to want to get an ammonia, nitrite, and ph testing kit, if possible a nitrate testing kit as well. If you don't keep an eye on your water chemistry, and take the proper actions you need to do when it is cycling out, you're going to see more funerals for your guppies then anything else. If you are not sure about cycling I can post a follow up or provide you a link.

JV

Answer 2

You might have put too many fish in too quickly. I recommend putting no more than three new fish into the tank per week. Otherwise, the cleaning cycle in the tank made by the bacteria in the tank will become overwhelmed by too much new fish waste and the additional food you will be putting in the tank to feed the new fish. But even if that's not the case, I don't think you need the water checked. You can if it makes you feel better, but if you put in some Stress Zyme from API once a week, rinse the filter once a week, and change the water once a month it should be perfectly fine.

Answer 3

You should never net fish from one tank to another. Firstly your tank from Sunday is no where near ready to house fish. Also, prior to adding any fish you need to test the water.

When moving fish from one aquarium to another, you should only move 2 at a time a few days apart. Put them into either a baggie or clean tupperwear container with your tank water in it. Float the bag or bowl in your new tank. for about 15 minutes. Add some of the new tank water to the bag or bowl and wait another 15 minutes. Do this 5 or 6 times. This allows for the fish to acclimate to the new tank, mostly the PH. Do not add more than 2 fish at a time. Adding too many fish will reak havoc on your biofilter and cause the ammonia or nitrites to spike.

Answer 4

For the fish that died right away, that would be stress, your water most likely didn't have anything to do with it. Water that would kill a fish that fast would kill ANY and ALL fish that fast.

However, depending on your tank size, you could be adding fish too fast. In my sources is a link on how to properly start up your aquarium. I hope it helps you with getting your fish happy.

Answer 5

definately check out the site provided by jorge

You can actually test your water by yourself
Get a "Quicktip Test" and an "Ammonia Test kit" from your petstore to check your water.
You can also bring a sample from your tank to the petstore and they will do a free test on it.
But I also don't think that your water is the problem, guppies are very sensitive and die easily due to stress
Good luck

Answer 6

just put them in the new tank!!!!! it was most likely stress that killed them!!!!

Answer 7

Petsore should do it free. It can't hurt!!