[ilikefishies]

I'm not sure whether or not this will stay in this thread or not but I'll try. I want badly to create a malawi tank. I want to make a 3d background and have colorful fish but most of all I don't want to spend money on beautiful fish to have them die in a bad tank setup. I plan on using a 65 gallon tank (48"l x 16"w x 16"t). I already have a cobalt blue zebra (about 3" and female) and want to of course move her into the new tank. I would really like a baenschi also. Questions right off the bat would be how long does it take to cycle the tank to get it to the proper levels in order to introduce fish? I plan on using a sand substrate btw. I have read a lot of the articles and cookie cutter setups for these tanks but still I am not really sure how to match up to make compatible fish buddy groups and how many of each and so forth. I've gone from extreme excitement to overwhelming anxiety. I don't want to get fish that will kill each other or die because I didn't do something right. Some of this anxiety comes from my experience from last night and today. Now bear with me and remember that I'm an excited beginner. I have had my cobalt blue in a 10 gallon for around 7-8 months now with no problems. Last night I decided to buy a few more fish to experiment with (3 to be exact, 1 acei and two zebras, one yellow and one ob albino) Some may question the yellow zebra but that is what the store had it listed as and it looked a lot like my cobalt. If you noticed I said looked because the fish already died by the time I got home today. Last night I took my cobalt blue out and rearranged the tank adding some lava rock and some pvc pieces and some more gravel. I washed everything thoroughly btw. I then introduced all 4 of the fish at the same time. Everything seemed fine last night and this morning. Now today when I got home the yellow fish was already dead and the albino is basically just sitting at the bottom breathing fast. the acei and my cobalt blue seem to be just fine. I took out the dead fish and immediately did a water change, raised the tank temp to about 84f and added some aquarium salt. I know that I probably overstocked the tank and let my impatience get the better of me but it is still a very disapointing experience. One fish is boring. I realize I've probably rattled off way too much so if you are actually still reading this I'm sorry. Newbies have so many setbacks and here is one of mine.

Jon

 

[fumoffu]

That's horrible what happened

First what is the water chemistry of the 10g, what chemical/products do you use? Did you remember the declorinator?

Let me take a stab at a couple of your questions and problems to see if I can help It's important to understand the nitrogen cycle and that the bacteria to perform this gets every where in the tank, but is concentrated in areas like you filter. Read the article "Tips For "Jump Starting" Your Tank" it should give you some idea how to get the 65 going from the 10g.

84 seems too warm to me.

The was you describe the "albino is basically sitting on the bottom breathing fast" makes me think that there is/was a water problem.

What is the size of your cobalt? He may be too big with the rest of the fish in the tank!

 

[nchoe123]

opinions are mixed, but at least according to some people bio-spira is a way to jumpstart the cycle, or at least get it going well enough while it really gets into gear.

it's worked for me.

 

[ilikefishies]

Yeah I know it makes me feel horrible and really puts some fear into a large tank setup with many fish when I can't keep 4 healthy. My cobalt is real close to 3" and I believe it is a she because her coloring is kind of a gray blue. To be honest I ran out of test kits for the tank without realizing it so I don't know. My wife and I used to test the turle tank out like crazy while we were setting it up but now that it has been established and all are flourishing in that tank we rarely check it. I looked for some of my test strips but no luck so I'll have to get some more. I noticed while watching the tank tonight that it seems like the albino is a little more active but also the cobalt is chasing it a lot. The acei hangs around the surface and the cobalt doesn't even seem to hardly notice it but the albino seems to be getting picked on a little. I haven't noticed the cobalt actually attack physically but I'm sure that chasing the albino isn't helping any stress levels.

 

[Dewdrop]

Maybe you should find out exactly what fish you have first. I guess it's to late for the yellow one but the ob albino is something I don't know. You say it's a zebra? Could you post a pic of it?

When you took the cobalt out and "washed everything" before intoducing the new fish, do you mean you emptied all the water out of the tank and washed it too? You may be going through another cycle if you did. Did you use some type of cleaner or soap when you washed everything? How much water did you change when you did the water change after finding the dead fish? Higher heat is harder on the oxygen in the water(I think). I'd turn it down some & use and airstone if you have one.
Maybe you should take the albino & acei back to the store until you get the bigger tanked cycled. Chances are if you just take the albino back because it's the one getting picked on the cobalt will pick on the acei next. The cobalt has been in that small tank by itself so long it's claimed the whole tank as it's own (what I'm thinking anyway).

From what I understand bigger tanks are really easier than small ones so don't be afraid. You can figure out how you want to stock it and make good decisions about the stocking while it's cycling. I'm really excited for you. I know how much fun it is when you're just starting out and how tempting it is to buy fish you see without knowing what they are lol but take your time and learn about the fish before you get them and it can save you alot of trouble. :thumb:

 

[BrianNFlint]

Everything that has been said in this thread is good information, as was the info you received last nite in "chat."

Something you have not been told is that keeping turtles is absolutely nothing like keeping fish. Its not harder, its not easier, its just completely different.