new tank...lost my first fish today

oreo

New member
hey fishfans!!javascript:smilie(':confused:')
confused

HELP, i just stole a 10 gallon from my parents basement. I let tap water sit in the tank with the filter running at about 75 degrees (this is after i cleaned everything). i also added a normal dose of stress coat. i went and bought 3 fish after about 4 days one dalmation molly, one columbian shark, and one placo. right before i added the fish i put 2 tablespoons of sea salt in. i fed the fish (as instucted) twice a day just enough so they finished it all. on the third night about 2 hours after eating my columbian shark was on its side at the bottom of the tank and was twitching. after about 10 minutes he was back up swimming and has been fine ever since. the very next night i came home to see my molly lying on her side. since i got the fish the water has been a bit cloudy which i was told it would work itself out in a couple of days. im wondering (if anything) went wrong, and how i can fix it before adding more fish.
 
This is a Saltwater forum but...

Freshwater has a cycle too. There is always a decent ammonia spike (clowdiness) which will kill the fish. You need to have the water and filtration running for 1-2 weeks before adding livestock.

Also, you should only feed twice a WEEK.
 
ok stop right there!

get the reamining fish out of the tank straight away tack them back to the fish shop let them look after them (all shops will do this, learn about what your doing, and in a month or so u might be ready to go get them, maybe.

ok first tap water = bad

2 table spoons of sea salt? thats pretty much fresh water

3 im pretty sure them fish are tropical?

4 your not really serious are you?
 
Gotta love these post.

If you are for real, you need to take whatever lived back to the store. Keep the tank running, buy a book on how to keep an aquarium. After you read the book and know what you are doing, you will see why everything you did was wrong and everything died. Oh, and Aquarium rock salt is for freshwater not sea salt.
 
Yeah!!!... LOL Someone didn't read the Upper Banner!.. Or has no clue.

Every new setup needs to cycle. Test water parameters and go from there.
 
hope he knows that pacu's (if thats what he is meaning) get to be like 3 feet, lol I would say return the fish, let the tank run and get a few guppys.
 
I think the problem is there aren't enough tangs in that fish tank. or is it Tang? Either way you need to add more of something...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6762482#post6762482 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cutiewitbooty
hope he knows that pacu's (if thats what he is meaning) get to be like 3 feet, lol I would say return the fish, let the tank run and get a few guppys.

I think he means pleco, which isn't much better... because these fish max out at 1-2 feet as well! :D

I kinda suspect this is some troll/fake post, but if it is real, I think it may be beyond help :rolleye1: If he ever comes back... CYCLE your tank.... and spend the time READING instead of buying fish!
 
oh yeah i guess he could have ment that too, either way none of thoes fish belong in a 10 gal tank. Hopefully he reads this and takes our advice :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6763192#post6763192 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BurntOutReefer
to be devils advocate....why dont none of those fish belong in a 10G tank?

You ever try to stuff a 2ft fish into a 10g tank? Need I say more :)
 
since you asked, plecos need at least a 75 gal aquarium and can get a couple feet in length, the columbian shark gets really huge too and actually needs to be converted to saltwater as it gets older (babys will die in SW, but adults will die if not converted to SW), pacus (if he ment that) gen huge and need at least 100 gal tank, the molly would be ok i guess, but isn't compatable with the columbian shark (catfish)
 
Burnt Out: You know how reefers on this board get all freaked out when a beginner says he wants a tang in a 10-20 gallon tank? (I don't think you have to be tang police to see that this is not a healthy environment)

People who frequent FW boards go through the same thing time and time again with people who buy baby plecos and colombian/Bala sharks (not true sharks, but they do grow to be large) and want them for 10 gallons. If you have ever seen a full grown one (both get to around 1 foot in a few years in large tanks) you would feel the same. Don't even get me started on goldfish bowls.
 
I worked at wal-mart fish dept (i know they suck and when i worked there was the only time anything stayed alive :rolleyes: ) But i had people come in and grab a goldfish bowl and want a albino oscar to put in it, because "it's gold color so it will be fin" they just knew they were right and i was wrong. I would refuse to sell it to them though.
 
OK...I felt like I needed to respond.
1) Not all Plecos get big. In fact some, stay as small as 3".(Please dont ask for more info....BUT I can provide) and I dont think he meant Pacu's ( Red or Black Bellied). and I know how big those get....
2)Growth rate for a C/B shark is approx: 10cm per year......with
a possible max size of 13.5~14".So depending on the size it currently is, he can keep it in a 10G tank.......
3) The molly.....thats ok........

Not trying to start a flame war.....just people are to quick to judge/post ........i.e. (PLEASE NO OFFENSE MEANT), if the current set-up on one of the people here is true and correct, whats a False Percula doing in a 10G tank....everywhere I've read (including LiveAquaria.com) says minimum tank size is 20G........
 
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