Oquorpahe

Hey everyone!

So- I have kept fish for a few years, but still consider myself fairly new to the hobby. I just finished cycling a 20 gallon tank (took almost 2 months) but all my test kits say that the nitrogen cycle is well established and that the tank is a quality place to live.
To begin with, I added my betta to the tank from his original 5.5 gallon tank. He seemed to do very well for a few weeks and showed no sign of anything hurting/annoying him. He acted exactly as he did in his other tank. Taking that as another good sign, I decided to finally buy fish. I began with 3 gold barbs. They acclimated well. About a week later though, one of them died (not sure what happened-- the barb seemed to be fairly shy from day one and the last day it stayed near the surface or hiding in the darkest place of plants. He seemed to be "gasping" but not at the surface.-any ideas?) Its been a good week and the other two barbs seem to be healthy: are active, playful with no clamped fins. After that two week period, I introduced to dwarf gouramis to my tank--and after 4 days, one died. I should note that he was missing part of his long extended fin (its like an antennae)-you know the one. But so far the other one is doing well. With theese guys I added a bamboo shrimp. I just barely found him and removed him from the tank. A few days ago I saw that he was kind of hiding and hadn't moved for a few days, but when the other fish were around him, he'd move away a bit. I just thought he was molting. Anyway-I had him around 6 days before he died.

So-- what I'm really getting too is: Is it possible that I just got some not so good livestock from the LFS, or is something wrong with my tank that I'm overlooking? I've checked ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, pH, temp, there's no chlorine or metals, and the water seems to check out fine-but some fish are dying. I'd like to know for sure before I start adding more fish.
After typing this I'm doing a 50% water change--
anyway-- would just like some advice!! Thanks!

Shawnie

Im sorry for your losses

I do have a few suggestions if I read your aquarium info correctly..if I didnt, correct me...

first off if you are using quick dip sticks for testing, you could very well be getting false readings and in fact do have ammonia or nitrites...test strips are not very reliable and a liquid API master kit is what allot of us use with 100's of tests available...

second, using stress zyme...how long have you been using it and do you continue to do so? its not self sustaining bacteria and can starve out the beneficial bacteria to cycle the tank...

although your fist fish that passed, sounds like it could have been weak from the start..and on the DG , putting 2 in there , especially with a betta, could have been the issue for that....bettas usually do not tolerate tank mates very well and especially dg's who are very much like them....

I hope things look up for you!

harpua2002

Agree with Shawnie, and as for the bamboo shrimp, they are filter feeders and do not fare well in new tanks. You could try one again when the tank has been up and running for several months.

Oquorpahe

Hmm- I was using the quick-dip strips for stuff like nitrate/nitrites/ etc.. Ammonia test were legit ones though with a powder and liquid re-agent. I've used stress zyme for my betta and have had him for two years, but have heard that its not the most necessary thing to have. I thought that after 6 weeks, and good test "results" all the water parameters should be good for the intro of fish. Maybe I'm totally wrong in that!
OH--haha-yeah, I should have mentioned that I removed the betta before I introduced the other fish. My betta is a very spunky little guy and doesnt like anyone in his space-although he did well with some ghost shrimp.

MizRamzi

I've got some experience with keeping bamboo shrimp. Very seldom do you see them caught while they are young. They don't live very long so you may have gotten one that was just old. When keeping these lil guys try and place a safe object for them to roost on in front of the flowing water from you filter. Mine love this and it's soooo neat to watch them feed in this manner. Their definitely not bottom feeders like most other shrimp.