terp2318

Sorry for the length in advance, just want to provide whole story.
10 gallon Tank; nitrite 0; nitrate 0, Harndess 0-25 (color on strip between 2), chlorine 0, pH 6.8, ammonia .5 (now, was 0 see story below for details); temp 76

I bought a ten gallon tank, set it up on dec. 27, filled it with bottled water and left it run for 3 days. Tested the water and all the numbers above were the same except for the ammonia was 0. I went PETSMART and purchased 4 fish (based on the advice of employee there). I like the way the tiger barb looked, the emplyee said I need to get at least three so they school, so I got three. I also wanted a fish to help clean up any extra food, so he recommended and I liked the rainbow shark. Brought them home and released them into the tank. All seamed fine for a while except for the larger of the Barbs (female) who died 6 hours later. One of the barbs seems very aggressive towards all of them and he banged in to this one alot, the other one was too fast. The water has become a little cloudy. Took it back, got two more barbs, thinking another one could calm down the nipper. Well put the new ones in, the next day one of the original ones is swimming upside done and dies later that day, and one of the new ones looks sick (sitting still at top, not eating). I did like a 10% water change. Now learning about (more appreciating it) I figured that the leaving my tank running for a couple of days at the beggining was really not doing anything but pushing water around. So I went out and bought Nutrafin cycle and added it to the water. The sick Barb mentioned above was dead the next morning, and to add insult to injury, the shark jumped out of the tank and is now dead (Only small gap in hood next to filter, an amazing jump). This morning was the first morning I had any hint of ammonia, I was wondering if I kicked it off with the Nutrifin Cycle stuff. So now I have only 2 barbs and one of them looks a little bad, the nipper is chasing him all over.

Again sorry for all that, I know its a lot to read.

So the question is where to go from here. My plan is too continue the prescribed NUTRIFIN Cycle process on the bottle and leave the two Barbs in and see if the survive. I am hoping my cycle will be right after a few days/weeks. Is this a practical way to go? How do I tell the cycle is complete? Any other advice? Part of me hope the other two die so I can get a less agressive fish.

THANKS SO MUCH

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!
im sorry for your losses
the tank needs to get cycled....thats the first step ...cycle doesnt contain the aquatic bacteria needed to do that...so at this point, i wold get some prime or ammo lock water conditioner and do daily partial water changes with it.....stop using the cycle and just let the tank cycle with the water changes....you will be complete when you have 0 for ammonia/nitrites and under 20 nitrates

i wold also return the barbs as they are huge nippers if they cant be in larger schools of 6 or more..and a 10g tank wont allow that and give them space..nor is there enough space for a rainbow shark they are super territorial to other fish and Id do a min of 30gals for each shark.....maybe go with your guppies or platies or neons ? what fish are left in there now?

terp2318

2 barbs

konstargirl

Take your barbs and shark back. >< If you want to do a fish-in cycle( Like I did and it was sucessful) try to get hardy fish like platies, guppies or maybe if you can smal catfish like cories. These fish will do well in a newly set up tank and in the cycling process.

Lucy

Welcome to FishLore!
I'm sorry about your losses
Great advice above.

The shark isn't with us anymore.

terp2318

Will never buy fish from PETSMART again. I told th idiot there exactly what tank I had and he told me those fish would be fine. I can except the fact thay I didn't have a good cycle going, theres no way for them to know that, thats my bad. But telling me that those fish would be fine is completly rediculous.

Thanks for your help

Shawnie

unfortunately, you will find that in most every pet store... they are out to make money ...some of your smaller mom and pop places do ok, but overall, its like that everywhere...very sad but true....

if you return the barbs, heres 4 easy ways to cycle without fish Four Methods of Fish Less Cycling
then you never have to worry about the ammonia/nitrite exposure to them that can be deadly as you have already had ..again im sorry for your losses and take some faith that ALLOT of us have been there and got the same advice before

good luck!

thorpbrian

Never trust what the employees at your local pet store tell you unless you know for a fact they know exactly what they are talking about. Unfortunately, myself and almost everyone else on these boards, learned that the hard way.

If it were me I'd take the barbs back and do a fishless cycle. You can read more about it here: http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

In the time it'll take you to cycle the tank without fish you can research a good stocking list for your tank.

Shawnie

im glad it worked for you but doing a cycle with fish, isnt nice and its very stressful even on danios....cories and catfish are super sensitive and dont usually handle a cycle well..they like more of an established type tank....

1hawaii50

My LFS has two 10 gallon tanks FULL of small chinese algae eaters. They have smiley faces painted on BOTH tanks (meaning they are peaceful fish)...I guess they never googled "chinese algae eater". One LFS sold me 2 rainbow fish, and a chinese algae eater, and another LFS sold me an angelfish. These were all for a 10 gallon tank, which already had other fish in it.

Myllissa

I've found that the other customers know more than the employees at the PetsMart. I've gotten some good advice from the employees but also received some really bad advice as well. The customers seemed to know so much more and I plan on trying a smaller specialized fish store in the future. Good luck!