klk1221

I'm getting a lot of problem with my new tank its a 10 gallon, set up about 3 weeks ago and i have
2 fantail goldfish - 1" each
2 comet - 2" each
3 shark catfish - one is about 3" and the 2" each (don't know the exact name)

I know my tank is too small for these kind of fish..But it was a present from my wife.. the 3 sharks were just added 3 days ago The water was clear,
The problem start when i tried to make a water changes, like everyday i test my water for ammonia it was 0.50 and nitrite 0, so i removed about 5 lts and vacuum the gravel too.. there was a lot of particles and poop coming out of gravel and the water became white cloudy.. i put back the same amount of tap water with API stress coat conditioner..

I wait for few hours but it was still cloudy, I wait till tomorrow to check the water but it was the same.. I make daily changes about 3 days but nothing happen it stay cloudy, my ammonia reading was between 0.25 and 0.50 and nitrite was 0.. I have only these 2 test kit..

My fish are gasping at the surface i don't think its lack of oxygen because i have an electronic air pump which is enough powerful with an airs stone and it makes enough bubbles..

This morning i make a test my reading was ammonia 1.0 andd nitrite 0 and the fish were gasping and sometimes staying at the bottom opening and closing there mouth constantly.. Theres no sign of any diseases. I don't know what to do.. I really need help, it is not nice to see these little fish in this situation.
Hope to get an answer from you guys thanks....!

capekate

Your tank is uncycled as you know, and with the ammonia readings your fish are feeling the effects of ammonia poisoning. Also, as you stated your tank is severly overstocked with big waste producers like your gold fish. Having known this, I wonder why you went back and bought 3 sharks? Only possible thing you can do is get a larger tank asap or return the fish. You have cold water fish, the goldies with a tropical fish the sharks both are uncompatable..
All your fish are going to grow HUGE and fast! You can try doing daily water changes of at least 50% at this time and add a ammonia detox such as Prime or Amquel+. I wish you the best and hope that you find a solution asap for your fish as they are not going to fare very well in the situation they are in now.

Lucy

Welcome to Fish Lore

It sounds like your fish are suffering from an uncycled over crowded tank with tank mates that aren't compatable.
Lots of stress factors there.

Daily water changes will help with keep the ammonia down. If you use Prime or Stress Coat+ they'll detox the ammonia for 24 hrs between changes.

The shark catfish are brackish fish that can grow really big, I've read any where between 14-24" and are more suited to a tank that's over 100 gallons with lots of open swim space.

Your goldies are huge waste producers. For the four of them, they should be in a 55+ gallon tank.

If you do some research with your wife, I'm sure you'll both agree, this 10g just isn't going to suffice.

agabr123

welcome to fishlore

you've gotten great advice above, the best thing you can do for your fish is daily 50% water changes with conditioner until you can get them a more suitable tank for their sizes.

klk1221

thanks for replying, i will try to buy another tank.. But at the petstore they said we can mix them together! I'm from mauritius island and i think that they don't have enough experience here.. thks again for your advise

Sharkitty

If you can't get another tank, take some back. I just returned three after finding out I got ridiculous advice from the fish store owner. Better to take them back than watch them die because of bad conditions.

Lucy

Didn't know where mauritius island was so I looked it up. It looks lovely....a paradise.

Good luck with your tanks

BerkleyJL

I wanna go just because of this picture I found.
http://www.bigtravelweb.com/images/mauritius_l.gif

klk1221

yeah its really a paradise, but we don't have good product here.. most of the product are from china! They don't even have test kit, i've been waiting for 2 weeks get my ammonia & nitrite test kit.. I was looking for Bio Spira they don't have they sell only stress zyme.. But we have beautiful beaches and so on

BerkleyJL

Bio Spira is only for saltwater tanks now. What you need for freshwater is Tetra SafeStart.

I tried to find it at PetSmart/PetCo but they both produce their own competing product and don't carry Tetra, so today I'm looking at some of the other LFS.

klk1221

I don't think that we have tetra safe start here, we just do have some api products, Is stress zyme a good product.. What does the tetra safe start do?

Blub

I think right nwo you need to make a desicion on whever or not to keep these fish. If you did, you would need to buy a 55gal and a 100+gal brackish tank. If you really want to keep them, then cycle the tank and in the near future get the necesary tanks. Or, return them to the LFS ASAP and get some fish that will fit that tank once it's cycled.

BerkleyJL

Tetra SafeStart is to freshwater what BioSpira is to saltwater. It seeds your tank with nitrifying bacteria to speed up the nitrogen cycle of your tank. From my research (no personal experience yet), Tetra is the only one that has the right bacteria. Other products out there will help control the ammonia and nitrite, but for some reason the bacteria aren't self-sustaining so you are stuck using the product forever. Someone correct me if I'm wrong*.

I can't speak intelligently about Stress Zyme but I've heard nothing but wonderful things about the API products (especially PRIME) and plan to use them myself.

-Berk

* What was I thinking? This is a FORUM. Of course someone will happily correct me if I'm wrong.

Blub

From what I've heard, it's one of the 'Bacteria supplements' that has the wrong bacteria in it.

AlyeskaGirl

Stress Zyme eats up the ammonia and doesn't allow the real benefial bacteria to establish in your filter and such. So basically it keeps the paramaters at zero! And when and if you ever stop using it it will crash your tank. Can be a bit hard on your bank account.

BerkleyJL

That must be where the Stress comes in.

AlyeskaGirl

Blub

Lol!

Lucy

I'm sorry to say Tetra SafeStart or any other additive is going to solve this problem.
These fish just do not belong in a 10g tank.

BerkleyJL

Good catch Lucy. I didn't mean to imply SafeStart was the answer here.

shih-tzu mom

Your Fantails will grow very quickly and they need at least a 40-gallon tank to be happy -mine were that size just a few months ago and now at least 6-inches lol please rethink your fish and maybe a bigger tank and goldies are a coldwater fish and the others are tropical and need a heater the fish will not do well. Good Luck bella

midnightwolf

i think you should return your fish, cycle your tank and seperate it. then you could get two betta fish.