Fish Tank Problem. Save my Tiger Barbs!?

Question

Please help! My 2 year old son is now into fish so I decided to get more fish for my 29 gallon tank. I origonaly had 1 danio and 1 large Pleco. I have since added 3 small cherry barbs, 3 tiger barbs and one kuhli loach. My tank is not stabolized. The pet store thought it was because before adding the new fish I had done a thorough gravel vacumming. But that was two weeks ago and my nitrates are still through the roof. I tested my tap and it is fine (better than my tank).
One tiger barb has died and the other two are swimming near the top for the last week or so (I don't know if that is normal) anyway, I temporarly lower my nitrates after 1/4 to 1/3 weekly water changes, but they keep raising up over 130ppms (it was over 200). My nitrites are 0, Hardness is 300, total alkalinity is 80-100, ph ranges from 6.6 to 7.0. Amonia is 0. I have a Penquin 270 biowheel and a large ornament that blows alot of bubbles (is it possible to have too many bubbles?) Any ideas will be helpful! Thanks!

Answer 1

Generally bubbles aren't a problem, but if you have high organic matter in the tank, there tends to be a bacterial film at the top which doesn't allow them to burst as quickly - that may be what you're seeing.

When you do your water changes, do you use a gravel vacuum to siphon out the debris from the gravel with every cleaning? It sounds as though you have sufficient bacteria to convert the ammonia and nitrite added by the new fish, so bacteria isn't your problem. But for some reason, you aren't able to get the nitrate lower, even through changes.

My first thought is how old is your test chemicals? If you use strips, these can go bad pretty quickly. Even liquid tests have a shelf-life of 4-5 years. If in doubt, you can have another source (a pet store) test a sample of your water. Also, if you're using liquid reagents, make sure to give the tubes a good cleaning and rinse them out with water from the tank. You may just need to do a one-time larger water change of around 50% (or do 25% changes over a few consecutive days) to bring the level down.

And just in case, I should mention to be sure you aren't overfeeding (or that your 2 year old is "helping" when you aren't looking because he thinks the fishies are hungry).

One thing I'll add about your stocking - the danio, barbs, tetras, and loaches are all schooling fish. You should have them in larger groups. The danio, barbs, and tigers should be at least 6 of each, and the loach should have 2 buddies. You may want to reconsider the tigers as well - even though the look pretty, they're more aggressice than your other fish, and may cause you probles by nipping fins of tankmates.

Answer 2

The ultimate fish killer is stress.
before you added the other fish, the tank was heathy.
When you added the other fish into the tank, new inhabiters couldve given the former inhabiters stress. stress can lead to all different sorts of messes. fungal infection, etc.
Some signs can be random floating in the tank, visible cottony substance on the fins or white dogs on fins and body.
I personally never relyed on antibiotics, overdosage can kill them. ive relyed on the more "natural" ways to cure fish. Try aquarium salt or non-iodized salt and raising temperature of the tank. both can be VERY helpful, healthy and can prevent future infections. Whenever you add something new to a tank, i highly suggest you use Stress coat.
I dont suggest the Kuhli loach with the tiger barbs. their "personality" dont match well.
I suggest you get a nother tiger barb since they dont do well in groups less than three.

I hope this helps you and your tank.
:D

Answer 3

I have owned a goldfish for three years and never have tested nitrate, Ph, or anything like that and he's still alive , I also have 6 barbs that are fine and have never tested those things I think it's just a gimic to sell more stuff you don't really need , A fish in the wild doesn't need stuff like that so why should pet ones need it? I know the only thing I have needed was aquarium salt and chlorine reducer because all of our tap water has chlorine in it and in the wild it doesn't thats the reason you really need the chlorine reducer. but thats just how I have managed and my fish aren't dead , but don't take my word for it it's just my answer, and the pet store doesn't know what their talking about just because you vaccum your tank will not kill your fish, (must have been a pet smart who told you that) I worked for a pet smart as a cashire and knoew more than the pet care people did about fish, customers were bringing in dead fish left and right because the pet care employees did not tell them the right things they said all of this water quality stuff to the customers but they still braught their fish back DEAD. I had to help several customers with buying fish and not one of them braught a dead fish back that I sold.

Answer 4

depart it to Wal-Mart to put in cost an fool interior the puppy area...the worker needless to say did not comprehend a rattling component, take the molly back and get yet another Tiger Barb, Tiger Barbs are education fish and would desire to be in a school of 5-6. they are aggressive, in a school of 5-6 they'll take their aggression out on one yet another and depart the different tank associates by myself. next time you purchase fish call for they not touch the fish with bare arms, they positioned sufficient quantities of water, and to place rigidity coat into the luggage. you will possibly want a tank length of 10-20(or extra beneficial) gallons for those fish. they are neat fish to demonstrate screen in colleges, I surely have a school of them and Black Widow (skirts) tetras, corie albinos, Blood Cichlids, and Jellybeans in my fifty 5 gallon aquarium. the way those Tiger Barbs sleep is so neat, they'll element their nostril downwards with their tail up in a 40 5 degree perspective....the 1st time I observed this I panicked, theory something replaced into incorrect..did analyze on them and are available to make sure they have been taking a cat-nap!! quickly they have been wakeful and chasing one yet another.

Answer 5

yes you can be blowing to much.I would suggest using an over the side filter system such as from tetra.treat your water with aquasafe.get rid of the penquin bio,it's junk.also get rid of the ornament,you really have too many fish for the size of tank you have but,if you go with my suggestion you should be ok.

my wife raises fish and has done so for many years.she sells to a lot of stores and pet shops.we raise just about everything you can think of.