Dark_Rider2k3

Okay so this is my first time at owning fish and maintaining an aquarium, so please bear with me.

I bought the Aquarium (it's not too big.. only 5 gallons.. and yeah now I know i should have gone bigger after reading the stuff on here ), and bought 2 Tetras with the tank (the tetras have this totally amazing black dot on their red tails that really stands out). After a few days or so, and after seeing the tank cloud up and return to it's clear state, I bought 3 more fish:

2 Zebrafish and 1 Otto cat

The next day, I saw that one of my Zebras had it's fins and tails ripped off, and though alive, could barely move. It looked like it was in a horrible fight.

I moved both Zebras into separate tanks, and it looks like the sick and injured Zebra is doing better (i do not have them together btw)

My questions is why is the zebrafish so injured? I highly doubt he jumped into the filter, or that it hurt him.

I heard that Zebras need to be in schools of 5 or more, or else they attack each other. If this is true, then should i go get more, or should I return them for more tetras? I am afraid if I get more Zebras, they will gang up on the tetras, and I really love the look of the tetras.

Also, should I get Algae wafers (i think thats what they are called) for my otto cat? he is the only one in the tank, and I do not know if I should worry about him or not. he seems very healthy and is very shy (always hiding in the fake foliage.. and LOL wow I just looked up and saw him actually swimming outside of it for the first time haha).

Thanks for reading this everyone! hope you all can give me an idea on what to do.. =)

Blub

Dark_Rider2k3

Thank you very much!

I am not sure if my bottom feeder is an Otto after looking at some of the pictures. I will post a picture of mine shortly.

My Zebra just died this morning

So now I am pretty much sure that I will want to get more tetras in replace of the dead Zebra, returning the other Zebra and trying to manage a way to get a refund for the dead Zebra.

Also I did read about the Nitrogen cycle, and all I guess I can do for now is just pray my Tetras make it through.

The first guy who helped us with the setting up had told me about the Nitrogen cycle, and gave us a good amount of dirty water that he said would help speed it up, but did not tell us we could start the cycle "fishless." he told us that it was started by the fish pooing in the water and also the fish food that we gave them, and that we could only hope our fish survive this process.

Anyways thanks for the help!!!

Allie

Do you mean a zebra danio or a cichlid?

Dark_Rider2k3

Zebra Danio

edit: LOL we were waaaaay wrong. The guy @ the pet store today was totally helpful..

First, we found out we do not have tetras, but rather White Clouds.

Second, our "Catfish" isn't an otto cat, and the girl who sold us the fish accidentally sold us an Upsie-down catfish.

So now I have 4 White clouds and an upsie-down catfish, though I will be exchanging him for an ottocinclad (I don't have the space for the upsie-down cat).

Pics up in a sec

COBettaCouple

Welcome to FishLore!

I would recommend returning all the fish and cycling fishless. It would be the easiest and faster way, plus you would end up with healthier fish.

Water from an established tank has little to no effect on cycling a tank. The good bacteria is only in very, very small amounts in the water. Most is in the substrate and filter media.

Dark_Rider2k3

Thanks for the response. When I said "dirty water" I meant water from the filter. he squeezed some out for me.

I actually am getting a much larger tank (about 30g I think) from my friend's family, and will start off fresh from there.

I am hoping to put in a Combtail Gourami, as I saw them and think they are beautiful (if it's a bad idea to put him with my school of White Clouds please tell me).

Thanks again for reading!!

COBettaCouple

White clouds can be nippers and those feelers on the Gourami are awfully tempting. It would be 50/50 on that working out, I think.

Dark_Rider2k3

okay thank you.

I saw some of them and think they are totall amazing.. Even if I don't put them with the Clouds, i'll get another tank for one...

It would upset me to see him being hurt lol... soo yea i may just not do it...