teddybear22482

I had 4 $0.28 goldfish in my tank cycling it. Today 2 of them died (which one wasnt doing well since he came out of the bag). My question is...Is it just the cycling proccess? Is it normal to lose some fish? Or all? Should I leave them in the tank for bacterial purposes? Because Ive read somewhere you can cycle a tank with a rotting piece of meat. Another thing was that he was really that bright orange color when he was alive as was the other one, but when they both dies, one of them changed to a real gold color(like gold jewelry). Anyone know why one changed and the other didnt?

MaryPa

Take it out and do daily water changes until the tank is cycled. This is why cycling with fish isn`t popular with hobbyist.

Butterfly

I agree Mary!! The cycling process is so hard on fish and even using 28 cent goldfish isn't humane. Thats why fishless cycling has become very popular.
Carol

chickadee

Fishless cycling is the only way to go.* Not only is it more humane, it is easier.* For heavens sake, why put the fish through that.* They are living beings.* I do not care if they only cost 28 cents they do not deserve to live in a sewer.

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

Note:* Starting the Cycle Fishless

Rose

teddybear22482

WELL! No need to be so harsh!!!!! This is how I read to cycle a tank. EXCUSE ME! And I wasnt saying "just because they are $0.28 fish that they dont deserve to live"! I was basically refering to the size! I had mentioned it before to gunnie and he never said anything to me about not using fish. And for your info I believe the tank is through cycling because all of my readings are normal. I plead ignorrance........

Gunnie

teddybear,
Please don't take it that way. They are not getting on to you. They are just trying to show you that this is why fishless cycling is the way to go. Now you've learned from experience, and you are a better fishkeeper for it. You certainly have the right to cycle with fish if you choose. I have done it with more than one of my tanks, so please don't think we are all angels and have never made any mistakes. We are just trying to help you learn from our mistakes. By the mere fact that you are here shows you care about your fish and want to learn how to better take care of them!

P.S. Gunnie is a she. :P

teddybear22482

Well I would hate to be labled a murderer...and I dont appreciate my tank being called a sewer. If people are trying to help using a little tact might help more then they know. When you come off like that there is no other way to take it...it ticked me off and sort of mad me feel bad because I killed my fish "on purpose" is seems. And sorry I called you a he. I guess we are even...LOL

Gunnie

Heheheheheheheheheeheheh No need to apologize. They don't call me Gunnie for nothing.

chickadee

I am sorry if you took my wording as an insult. I assure you it was not meant that way and in no way was personal. I was referring to the "normal" cycling phase where the fish is having to swim around in a tank of ammonia. All fish that are used to cycle a tank are forced to do this. It is something that happens EVERY time with every time the fish are used to cycle no matter who does it. It is not a personal comment, and I guessed that since you knew about the cycle process you would know that.

I put the name of the article in red because that is how it appears in the article I referred you to. I was not being harsh. If you feel that I was I am sorry.

Rose

teddybear22482

No big deal...but one question...the chemical I used said it "removes chlorine, cholramine, and ammonia" does my tank still have some sort ammonia in it? The other two fish in there seem to be doing great. They actually have quite a personality! I bought 4 and have two left. Like I said Im pretty sure one of the fish I had was on its way down the flusher when he came out of the bag and never did well...and the other one was OK but not great. The other 2 have been fine from the get go. Noone ever answered my question...Should I leave the dead fish in or take them out...I read about the rotting meat way to cycle and thought it may help...

teddybear22482

One more thing...when using a bio filter from an established tank, how long do you have to use it? Can it go straight back to the other tank?

Gunnie

Take the dead fish out. All the ammonia you need to cycle your tank is supplied by the fish that are still alive.

Keep the established filter in your new tank at least 2 weeks, and you should have your new filter running running also along with it so it can get the bacterial colony established. If you put an established filter into a new tank, it may show the tank as cycled in a couple of days, but all the good bacteria is in that filter media. If you take it out without another filter running with it for a couple of weeks, you will remove all the good bacteria from the tank, and the new filter will have to start the process all over again.

teddybear22482

If I do this will the tank I get the filter from suffer?

Gunnie

If the filter you borrow is the only one in that tank, don't do it, especially if you have fish in that tank. As far as the tank the filter came from, without a filter running on it, the bacteria in that tank will die, but you can always build the bacteria back up by adding pure ammonia to the tank. Again, removing the only filter from that tank will kill any fish you have in that tank, so this would not be an option to borrow it.