#*%&$@#^ aquarium...

[knewsom]

So, like an idiot, recently I let the wife talk me into getting a goldfish for the boy. It lasted about four or five days. Then, tears, burial, etc. Time for a new fish. *sigh* This time a Betta, and a whole tank to go with it, with a filter, plants, and a fucking castle. Yes, I realize this is serious overkill for a Betta, but I didn't want to kill any more fish. Well, that lasted about four or five days too. The teenagers at the pet-store told me that Bettas hate water changes and that can kill them, and I had put her in an interim container while the main tank was acclimating. *sigh* This time we decide to just get a bunch of fish, hoping one will survive, so we got 7 - 4 tetras, 2 swordtails, and a little catfish thing. All 7 died before the night was through. Did a water test. Nitrites in our water. Treated the water for it. They replaced the fish, and I threw in a shrimp and another random fish for good measure. That was yesterday morning. This morning, awoke to 3 dead tetras, one dead swordtail, and the random good-measure fish too. The remaining fish seem ok, but they seemed fine last night too. :banghead:

Fucking aquarium....

 

[Big Papa]

Castle? Man, you need to get the sunken pirate ship, treasure chest, or the topless mermaid with the double d's.

 

[brianhoberg]

Castle? Man, you need to get the sunken pirate ship, treasure chest, or the topless mermaid with the double d's.

x2

 

[d1driver]

Sounds to me like you have a water problem. We had a betta for years. Was kept in a vase in the middle of our kitchen table. Fed once a day, water changed maybe every few weeks.

We did use double filtered water though that was left out overnight to allow temp change and chlorine to evap.

 

[jrose609]

X2 on water. Our betas live for years.

I'm with Big Papa. Can't go wrong with topless mermaid with DD's. I had one of those in my fish tank when I was in elementary school. I was the most popular kid on the block

 

[az_max]

I've had all kinds of fish tanks for years and not had as many problems as you have. I had a couple of goldfish that must have lasted 5 years. I think they died of old age. I use city tap water, no treatment or chemicals for fresh water. Just keep it topped up every other week. I use Fluval canister filters (foam, charcoal, biological beads) and maybe clean it once a year. One of the longest lasting tanks had brine shrimp in the bottom and they did a pretty good job of keeping the bottom clean.
Once you have the tank set up and are importing fish, put the fish in their fish store bag in the tank for a couple of hours so the water temps are similar. then just cut the bag open and let them go in the new tank.
Also, bettas like to hide. you can get the clear tunnels or fancy betta houses for the bottom of the aquarium.

 

[Big_mark]

I went through a Fish killing spree myself.
What finally worked was the following;

#1 get on of those 3 part filters http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-30-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B00020SVDG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1309365743&sr=8-2

#2 install it on your tank, fill tank with water let it run for a week (No Fish)

#3 When you get the fish follow the instructions on the bag, typically put the plastic bag with the fish in the tank, let it sit for 20-30 minutes (this brings the temperature to the same levels) then open the bag with the fish in it, add 1 cup or so of the tank water into the bag, let that sit for 10-20 minutes, then dump the contents (water and fish) into the tank.

#4 When changing water don't change more than 50% (I do 30%) at a time.

Make sure you treat the water in your tank with some kind of water conditioner http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-433-Prime-500ml/dp/B00025694O/ref=sr_1_7?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1309366015&sr=1-7

Thats about it, don't over feed (feed the fuckers every other day or every 3rd depending on size etc..)

When you change the water you need to be sure to match the temperature as closely as possible (dip finger in tank, adjust water temp as close as you can at the faucet) I treat each bucket of water with the solution, other people I know just dump the new water in the pour the conditioner into the tank for the equivalent amount of water they've added.

One other important bit. Make sure to use a bucket, pot or whatever that is only used for fish water. Any soap or oil will effect your fish.

Thats it brain dump over.

Hope this helps you out.

 

[stu454]

Sounds like an average day at Long John Silver's.

 

[ArmyRover]

Sounds like an average day at Long John Silver's.

Why I didn't see where he cooked the dead fish:rofl:

 

[Rugbier]

Knwesom Sushi House

LMAO

 

[knewsom]

Thanks for the tips gents - I have a filter in the tank, and I let it do its thing for the better part of a week before adding fish or even the snail that's somehow managed to survive when all others perished. It's not as fancy as the one linked above to Amazon, but it's supposed to be pretty good, and it looks similar.

I treated the water with a chlorine neutralizing treatment AND a nitrite neutralizing treatment, and of course let the bags with the new fish sit in the tank for 30-60 minutes before opening them and letting the fish out. Great tip about letting in some of the tank water to the bag, that makes a lot of sense, and I'll definitely be doing that with the new ones.

Good tips on the bucket, the water changing, and treating the water before adding. I think I'm going to install my old reverse-osmosis water filter in the sink today, all the dead fish have me nervous about my tap-water, even though I'm told SD has some of the best there is (the dead fish tend to disagree). I do have to wonder if there's something else going on besides the water though - the gravel? The plants? The snail? I washed the SHIT out of the gravel before putting it in the tank, and that was when I first put it all together. The plants I got at the pet-store, and the snail, everyone I've spoken with has said should only HELP the tank.

Oh yeah - and a topless mermaid is at the TOP of my list, but I can't find one anywhere.

 

[fishEH]

Biological filtration is the only way to go for freshwater. It's simple, cheap, and effective. Go to a good fish shop, usually NOT a major chain. Ask them if they have any "live" bio balls or similar to help seed your tank. Then get 6 of the cheapest/hardiest fish they have to help cycle your tank. Danio's work well IIRC. Add the bio balls to your filter. Foam and lava rock are also good media for bio filtration, along with bio balls and ceramic rings/stars. Run your tank for a few weeks like this. Do 25% water changes weekly. Test your water and once shit has settled down you can add your good fish and remove the guinnea pig fish. Get a bristlenose catfish, too. It looks like a pleco but stays small, eats algae, and is non aggressive.

This aquarium talk has got me wanting to get my 5gal All In One desktop tank back up and running.

 

[teledan]

When I was little we had a big aquarium, my parents were probably wondering the same thing when all of the fish died...until they found out that I was pissing in the tank.

 

[KyleT]

i have had my beta for about a year now.

it sits in about a 2-3 gallon candle pot thing, with rocks on the bottom and a little tent. i feed it once a day or less and have changed the water 3 times (before i took the stupid plants out). plants will make it very dirty and will eventually die. there is no need for them for a single beta... i do top the water off once in a whole as it evaporates kinda fast.

i grew up with a 45 or so gallon tank at my parents house. it was cool, but took a long time to stabilize/figure out the best kind of filter and fish to have.

 

[landrovered]

I have an 80 gallon tank with goldfish in it. They are the size of Bream now. It is the Taj Mahal of goldfish habitats.

Water quality is the key. Chlorine is deadly poisonous (otherwise why put it in water Duh!) It is really easy to buy a bunch of expensive stuff to get the water just right but the best thing is to be on a well and not on city water. If you are in the city then you need to put the de-chlor stuff in the water and let it sit for a day or more before you pour it in with the fish.

Since we are on a well, my Fish love the stuff straight out of the tap but I am lucky that way. Also do a 2/3 water change once a month and keep the filter clean. Simple, don't over think it.

 

[p m]

SoCal water is really bad. I used to enjoy drinking tap water in Detroit - and gave up that habit in San Diego.
Come to think of it, it comes here all the way from Colorado River, via an open aqueduct, picking up whatever crap happens on its way. By far the hardest water I've ever encountered in any place.

 

[AMCM Disco]

Simple, don't over think it.

Exactly. I've also heard (and not seen here yet) that it's pretty bad ju ju to put the store water into your tank - if they've got issues (like a PetCo or Wally-world fish) then you'll be transfering it into your home tank.

Strange the tetra's went, they're usually pretty bomber on tolerance levels. Possibly just keep the 1 or 2 in there for a little bit and let the system get going before going nuts with a bunch of fish.

Anyway, cheap little things so who cares? - have at it!

atriot:

 

[rover4x4]

Betas could live ina mud puddle. I had one for like 4 years.

 

[Big Papa]

Hermit Crab FTW!

 

[LRflip]

watch out for them snails, them things come pregnant. They'll overrun a tank.