Child’s first fish(es)

[anonymous-user]

Turn7 said:

The biggest issue with Noobs coming into the hobby is being fed utter garbage by Saturday boys in Maidenhead type shops.

Ha! Yeah already struck them off my list.
Tried shopping there for some Stability and they didn’t even know what it was or what it did. Their best advice was to “see what’s on the shelf and read the label”

[anonymous-user]

FFS......relax.
Seems Sickboy may be Sickgirl and was simply playing hard to get as her and the blue one are now chasing each other round the tank, mimicking one another.

[Sway]

[AlexC1981]

Too big a water change can upset them due to the sudden change in water parameters. As well as all the disruption of having jugs of water going in and out, stirring up the tank and scaring the fish.

I had a very rocky start to fish keeping 5 years ago, but my philosophy now is to keep it simple. I have only two different species of fish, an understocked tank, and do smaller, less disruptive water changes. I use a nitrate filter for new water going in the tank and Seachem Prime water conditioner.

I have marimo moss balls in the tank, which have minimal requirements and no maintenance. I feed the fish much less as well now. I used to do a pea day once a week as peas are supposed to be good to clear out their gut, but now I have them go without any food for one day per week instead.

[budgie smuggler]

AlexC1981 said:

Too big a water change can upset them due to the sudden change in water parameters. As well as all the disruption of having jugs of water going in and out, stirring up the tank and scaring the fish.

It's not too much of an issue if you do it every week. It's when you start getting a bit lazy and leaving it a couple of months then trying to 'catch up' and doing a big change all at once that there's a problem.

[Lazermilk]

I would recommend one of these for water changes, vacuums the bottom of the tank as well as pumping out/in the water easily without the need for jugs etc.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-Complete-Set-changing...

[budgie smuggler]

Lazermilk said:

I would recommend one of these for water changes, vacuums the bottom of the tank as well as pumping out/in the water easily without the need for jugs etc.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-Complete-Set-changing...

Yes, those are good. Python is another make with a similar product. You can also make your own pretty easily using PVC waste pipe, a hose and a hozelock tap connector.

[anonymous-user]

Seems I spoke too soon for tonight, we are a fish down.
Didn’t come out from hiding all evening, even when food was added.
On closer inspection it’d taken to the little cave and croaked.
Removed it immediately, much to the distress/disturbance of the other two.
Didn’t look bloated, disfigured or otherwise unhealthy in any way.
The two remaining fish look absolutely fine, are active and feeding and appear completely normal.
I wonder if it was simply a bit crowded and ex-fish simply got bullied in to submission? The blue one did seem to have a fair go at it over the last few days.

[Turn7]

Ive said before - have you bought a test kit yet ?

[anonymous-user]

No. Simply haven’t had the opportunity since you mentioned it.
Don’t hate me. Already feel bad enough that CFKJnr went to bed with three fish but is gonna wake up with two.

[Turn7]

Dont hate you at all,just pissed off at the money grabbing aquatic shops...

[YankeePorker]

dave_s13 said:

This is why fish are ste pets for little kids. They lose interest in few weeks then your left with a complicated chemistry set to mess about with.

I identify with this. Was so glad to give the damned aquarium away after a year of tending to it.

[anonymous-user]

So, dip-tested the water tonight.
Bizarrely both nitrates and nitrites came back as zero which I find quite hard to believe, but the hardness and Ph were indicating as “dangerously” high.
Have added some water conditioner as recommended. Will see what gives.
After the demise of fishy last night, the other two have settled and are acting normally, and maybe it’s me but the water seems noticeably clearer.

[otolith]

How was the ammonia?

[anonymous-user]

Dunno.
The only test strips we could get today didn’t test for that.

[otolith]

That’s the priority test at the moment - and lack of nitrite and nitrate would suggest that the tank isn’t cycling and ammonia is high

I am in the opposite boat to you - I have a tank I set up and fishless cycled months ago and still haven’t got round to stocking - just keep chucking ammonia into it

[Turn7]

Your LFS should be able to test all the parameters for a tiny fee, assuming they are worth a wk that is.

The strips are "ok" but more accurate kits are available.....

Regularly test:
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Ph

But the top too are the killers......Fish cannot tolerate any levels of either Nitrite or Ammo.....

[AlexC1981]

otolith said:

That’s the priority test at the moment - and lack of nitrite and nitrate would suggest that the tank isn’t cycling and ammonia is high

I am in the opposite boat to you - I have a tank I set up and fishless cycled months ago and still haven’t got round to stocking - just keep chucking ammonia into it

I was looking at Forktail Rainbow fish the other day. I like the way they have those bright coloured fluttering pectoral fins positioned above their head. Looks like they are swimming around whist waving their hands up in the air like little mad things.

[otolith]

AlexC1981 said:

I was looking at Forktail Rainbow fish the other day. I like the way they have those bright coloured fluttering pectoral fins positioned above their head. Looks like they are swimming around whist waving their hands up in the air like little mad things.

I was looking at those too, the big planted tank has a lot of rainbowfish and they’d fit in there. But need to sort the other tank out with cichlids.

[anonymous-user]

Turn7 said:

Your LFS should be able to test all the parameters for a tiny fee, assuming they are worth a wk that is.

The strips are "ok" but more accurate kits are available.....
.

Yes, was aware it was very much an interim method.
We’re working on it.
The good news is CFKJnr has recognised a fish has gone and realises it was a living thing that’s no longer living etc etc.
Sad but not distraught.
Also commented by herself that we need to make sure the two remaining don’t get sick.
So it’s not all been a total waste of time.