Dead fish

[Kazz]

Okay Elaine, seems just one of those things, the tank is coldwater isn't it? tanks have to cycle? the water provides the fish with the oxygen to live - but the ammount of oxygen is directly related to thequality of the water - dirty water has very little oxygen in it. In a tank the waste (ammonia) from the fish can build up polluting the water and reducing the oxygen in it,plants and filters can help breakdown and remove waste products from the water. This is called the nitrogen cycle and is essential this works before you add fish.
To start of the nitrogen cycle in your tank, you need a source of ammonia. This can be achieved in two ways: you can buy a starter kit that will add ammonia to the water; or you can add one or two hardy fish that will excrete ammonia into the water (called starter fish). Goldfish are the best starter fish for coldwater tanks: you will need one goldfish for a 45 litre tank and two goldfish for a 136 litre tank.
Do not add many more fish until the nitrogen cycle in your tank is established!

Before you stock your tank fully, you need to establish the nitrogen cycle in the tank. This means that any waste products (e.g. ammonia) in the tank are broken down by the plants, filter and bacteria in the water.

Your starter fish or start kit is the source of the ammonia. If you use a starter fish do not overfeed it!

Test the water levels regularly over the next few weeks. The nitrogen cycle is working when the ammonia and nitrate levels are zero. For a coldwater tank, this can take six weeks and longer. There are safe products that you can add to the water containing bacteria that can speed this process up safely.

Do not add any further fish than the starter fish until you are sure that the tank is cycling naturally.

I assume you know all the above but just checking. Karen

Oh another surefire way of kick starting the filters is to take a cup ful of "established tank water" from a ank you know to be healthy but be careful you cna introduce - problems infection this way too without realising it.

[Kazz]

Have just reread what I wrote and not sure it makes sense so tried to explain clearly here; hope it helps you Elaine.

You need test kits for testing the water during cycling.
The three main things you will be testing are.....
ammonia
nirtIte
nitrAte

The first two are very toxic to fish and can kill them.
NitrAte is less toxic but research has shown that it isn't as innocent as used to be thought.
But don't worry about it at this stage as the aim is to observe an increase as part of the cycle.


Also useful to test the pH but you won't need to do this as often as the other three at this stage.

It's also a good idea to test and make a record of your tap water.
Some water companies add nitrAte to the water supply.

Test the tank water before you start the cycle, then you'll have a baseline to refer to.

No water changes are required during the fishless cycle


In order for the tank to be ready for fish, it must be cycled first.
This means establishing the biological filter.

You may now add a product to help kick start the biological filter
ie stress zyme.
There are several others available too
It can be added to the water or poured directly onto the filter media to start with.
Some people don't rate it as being very useful though.
So it's up to the individual whether or not you choose to use it.

Next add a few fish flakes, then add these daily
Or prawns, fresh or frozen......is a good idea to tie them up in a bit of clean stocking or pop into a little net bag. Like the washing tablets ones
Remove and renew every couple of days.

Both (food and prawns) will break down to produce ammonia.
Over time Ammonia will spike then fall.
As it falls, it converts into nitrIte.This will peak then fall and will finally convert into NitrAte
When both ammonia and nitrIte are nil and nitrAte has risen, the tank has cycled
This is called the nitrogen cycle.

The average tank takes around 6 weeks to cycle.
But it may take a bit longer or not as long depending on things like the zize of the tank.
Cycling can be speeded up if filter media or gravel from a mature tank is added.


Leave it a couple of days, keep testing just to make sure.
Then do about a 30% water change before adding first fish.
Remember all water that goes into the tank should be dechlorinated.
Chlorine with kill the established bacteria in the filter.
So add a product such as stress coat.
Many other such products available.

Only add a few fish to start with so as not to overload the newly cycled filter. As fish excrete, so until your filter is working right slowly slowly.
Test the water after a couple of days, then thereafter weekly.

UNLESS YOU ARE DOING SOME MAINTENANCE TO IT, THE FILTER MUST BE LEFT ON ALL THE TIME, 24 HOURS A DAY. OTHERWISE, THE BACTERIA WILL DIE. THIS APPLIES FROM THE MOMENT YOU SWITCH IT ON ONCE YOUR TANK IS SET UP AND THE CYCLING PROCESS HAS STARTED.

SWITCHING IT OFF DURING A WATER CHANGE ONCE THE TANK HAS FISH IN IT AFTER THE CYCLE,IS FINE AS IT USUALLY WON'T BE OFF FOR VERY LONG

Hope this helps Karen

[Elaine]

Thanks alot for that Kazz, some of it I knew but didnt fully understand. Thanx loads. Will start from scratch and take it very slowly. Have copied and pasted your posts so I can print them off and follow them.

[Kim]

Ah, I'm so sorry Elaine. Fish are fragile little creatures and when they are poorly not much can be done to save them, well in my experience anyway. We used to keep fish when I was younger. I'm sure you did nothing wrong and had the best of intentions.

[charliebubs]

RIP little fishies

[Sweet]

I am sorry to read this .

R.I.P. Little fishes x

[Elaine]

Thanx every one. I have set the tank up again and am following Kazz's instruction before getting some more fish. Will only get 2 gold fish this time as they are the hardier ones, well more so that blackmoores anyway.
I have also fallen in love with the malawi's at work, I call them piranahs, but I love the way they follow your hand around the tank and they are very pretty. Wont be getting any though untill I know what I am doing properly with them and have a bigger tank etc.