Help With Keeping Fish Alive In Fish Bowl

Hello, I’m new to the forum, so thank you in advance for any help.

I have a question about some tetra fish. I have a six gallon fish tank but a few of the fish in there have died recently, so only two tetra remain. Today when my mother was cleaning it, she moved the two tetra to a different bowl, and completely cleaned the tank, changing all the water for new. We completely forgot that the nitrogen cycle would need to be restarted now.

Do you have any advice on what to do with the two tetra in the mean time? At the moment they are in a large metal bowl in the old water from the fish tank with some gravel at the bottom. I know it is cruel to keep them in there, but since there is completely fresh water in the tank, I have no other option. I want to give them the best environment until the fish tank is ready again, so I would appreciate any advice.

 

Did the tank have a cycled filter on it? Removing all the water wouldn't have restarted the cycle as the bacteria lives on surfaces and not in the water column itself. Was the filter, substrate and decor completely cleaned and with what? Either way unless the bowl is cycled with a filter the smaller amount of water will turn toxic faster than the tank would. The filter/substrate/decor could simply be added to the tank.

 

What type of tetra are they? The only tetra you could even consider keeping in 6 gallons would be neon tetra, but even that would be very small for them. Make sure you do water changes and use water conditioner. Did you complete your nitrogen cycle? If you did not I recommend rehoming the 2 tetra until your tank is completely cycled. Also tetras are schooling fish so you must keep at least 6. I’m assuming these are neon tetra because no other tetra is even physically small enough to live in a 6g. Even neon tetras should be kept in at least 10 gallon and a tank preferably

 

IMO the only tetra that could possibly be ok in a 6 gallon would be Ember tetra. I think any others would require at least a 15-20 to do well in a school.

 

Thanks for the replies.

They were neon tetra, and I previously had more, but they have died recently.

The tank was completely emptied, and the stones at the bottom were rinsed with water along with the plants. The sides of the tank were also cleaned. I have had the tank for a few years, so the nitrogen cycle was done a long time ago.

The tank does get water changes every week. I thought by washing everything in the tank and putting completely new water would make the tank like a new one, so I would have to wait a few weeks before putting fish in.

The filter is a sponge air driven one attached at the inside, top of the tank.

I think I got the size of the tank wrong. It is around 17” x 17” by 10”.

So if it’s between putting the two remaining fish in the tank with completely new water but with a filter and heater while it goes through the cycle, vs the bowl with no filter or heater but with the old fish tank water, you think I should go for the tank?

I don’t want the fish to suffer any more than I have already made them. Thank you very much fir your help, I really appreciate it.

 

Did your mom clean the sponge filter?

 

The old water doesn't matter. That's not where the bacteria is. It's in the filter. So as long as the filter wasn't cleaned with chemicals or anything then the filter is still cycled. The bowl isn't cycled either so the water will only get toxic faster in that small a space. The tank is the better solution, though I would really keep neons in a bigger tank.

 

Many frown upon a fish in cycle but if you have an API freshwater test kit and can test ammonia nitrites and nitrates daily and put in the work and do WC's probably daily or every other day then you can add them to the tank but don't add anyone new. just keep up on your testing and also get a bottle of Prime for your water changes so it will detoxify any ammonia and nitrites upto 1ppm.

 

Also if the tank is 17x17x10 it would be 12.5 gallons rather than 6. Unless some of the height is not where the water actually fills to. Do you have a link to the type of tank, or even just the name of it?

 

I definitely mixed up the tanks, sorry about that, and thank you Feohw for correcting that. I found the tank, it’s this one.

That’s good news about the filter. The sponge was cleaned, but not inside the filter.

So just to confirm, we should put the two tetras back in the tank, and do water changes every day. How big should the water changes be, and for how long should they be done every day?

I didn’t know about the neon tetras needing to be in bigger tanks. The pet store said they were the best option. For future reference, what species do you recommend and how many for a 12 gallon tank?

 

Ah okay, I have the 6 gallon version of that tank. In a tank of that size I like to recommend nano fish such as ember tetra, or my favourite which would be celestial pearl danios. Maybe some shrimp too. So the filter would be an aquaclear 20 hang on back and not a sponge filter. Was the biomax (ceramic rings) cleaned with anything as well? I would get an API master testkit and test the water everyday to be sure the cycle is alright. Until then water changes daily may be best and the bigger tank is better than the bowl too.

 

Thank you for the fish recommendations, I really like the look of the danios. How many shrimp would you recommenced?

The rings were cleaned as well, but just with the fish water. So do you think 15% water changes every day for now?

Thanks again for all the advice, I really appreciate it!

Many frown upon a fish in cycle but if you have an API freshwater test kit and can test ammonia nitrites and nitrates daily and put in the work and do WC's probably daily or every other day then you can add them to the tank but don't add anyone new. just keep up on your testing and also get a bottle of Prime for your water changes so it will detoxify any ammonia and nitrites upto 1ppm.

I’m sorry, I just have one more question. Since I’m doing a water change every day for now, should I add Prime every day too? And if so, how much do you think? Should it be 1 drop per litre?

 

In a tank of that size I would only ever really do 50% changes personally. It takes no time at all. You could do as low as 25% though if you wanted. If the media was only rinsed in tank water it should still have bacteria. The test kit still would be important as its good to be sure, and it comes in handy too. I'd do the water changes with prime daily, until you know the water parameters I'd probably stick to 50%, though I'm sure the rings still have bacteria. Usually its 2 drops of prime per gallon (3.78l). So if you do 50% water change there should be around 12 drops. If you do a quarter then 6 drops.

 

I’m sorry, I just have one more question. Since I’m doing a water change every day for now, should I add Prime every day too? And if so, how much do you think? Should it be 1 drop per litre?

Whenever I do WC's I always add Prime for the entire volume of the tank not just what i'm draining and filling. You can dose up to 5x the suggested dosage of Prime so I usually do 50-75% WC's weekly so my doses are only a bit over a full dose if that makes sense.
Edit: sorry missed the question. Always dose with Prime with every WC or top off.

 

Ok, thank you both for the advice about prime! I got a test kit, and so far everything looks ok. The ph is a bit high, but the ammonia was alright.