Rough start...Need help PLEASE

[tyler_medeiros]

This is so awesome! Last night we got a 29 gallon tank and some plants, decorations. It all got set up today and tomorrow we're getting the Danio's. It looks really nice in my girlfriends room. We're both quite satisfied. One its all done, we'll take a picture and show everyone.

[grnlemonade]

thats way to quick.....wait a few weeks for the water to cycle, or else all the danios have a gret chance of dying right away

[tyler_medeiros]

ok so we have 6 zebra danios, 2 blue tetras, and 1 dwarf gourami in a 29 gallon tank. we are not sure what else to put in with them.
We are thinking we want something that stays near the bottom of the tank but we are not sure. we wanted to put some neons but i heard that the danios and gourami would haras them.
any suggestions

[t_chelle16]

You shouldn't have added that many fish all at once since you didn't cycle the tank first. You'll now need to test your water every day for ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte and probably start doing daily water changes once the ammonia & nitrIte start getting above 0. Don't add any more fish right now.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

We dont have the gourami just yet. We were going to get it today, then decided to wait about another week or so to let the tank do its cycle. All our other fish are well, and seem quite healthy... All the pet store owners/experts are saying what we have now is ok, but to wait about a week before adding the gourami and which ever else we decide. So, thats the route we're taking. So far so good, so we're going to run with that.

[tyler_medeiros]

not all of those fish are in it yet. that is what we are plannin gon putting in it.

[tyler_medeiros]

I was thinking in about a week or to for the tank to have 6 zebra danios, 2 blue tetras, 4 redeye tetras, and 1 dwarf gouramis
im not sure about the 4 red eyes yet but i think it would be nice.
I also want a bottem feeder .
What do you think.

[t_chelle16]

If you're goign to cycle the tank with fish in it, you should only add 3 or 4 fish/week.

And you have to remember that tetras are social fish so you should keep around 4 or 5 of them. You'd be better off forgetting about the red eye tetras and getting a couple more blue tetras.

So that would be
6 danios x 2" = 12 gallons
4 blue tetras x 2" = 8 gallons
1 dwarf gourami = 2" = 2 gallons
3 otos or 3 small cories (bottom feeders) x 2" = 6 gallons
Total = 28 gallons

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

ya that would be good we were interested in the panda cories for the bottom feeder. we also like the blue tetras alot.

[t_chelle16]

If you get panda cories, add them last. They're one of the more delicate cories and won't withstand a cycle very well.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

We decided against panda's. We're going to look around as soon as we have a day off, as some questions and find 3 bottom feeders to finish the tank.
Amanda's getting anxious to finish though! She's excited to see it finished and full with nice fish..

[tyler_medeiros]

ok i have a question. A whole buch of people are saying my amonium is going to sky rocket but it hasnt yet.
Its been up and running since saturday and it is thursday night. Ive done checks on amonium and nitrite every second day and the amonium has been 0, 0 , 0.3 today. and the nitrite has been at 0.1 everytime. There are 6 zebra danios in it and the light is on for about 4-5 hours a day. I feed them 2 times daily and its ussually all gone in 30 -45 seconds.
I have also added aquarium cycle stuff but still nothing has happened. The water is crystal clear and temp is perfect.
Any suggestions on what is going on would help me alot

[grnlemonade]

well, so far you have been lucky then, and just hope your luck holds on for another week or two and you should be in the clear.

[tyler_medeiros]

ok so it is day 7. the i tested it again today and the nitrite is 0.1 still but the amonium has gone up to 1.0. when would be a good time to start doing 30% water changes.

[t_chelle16]

Go ahead and start doing water changes. Even 1ppm of ammonia is toxic and can cause permanant gill damage.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

ok thanks. would 30% be good enough and how often should i do them

[grnlemonade]

25-30% sounds about right, and for waterchanges u should do them once every week to once every week and a half.

[t_chelle16]

While the tank is cycling, you should be doing them daily to try to keep the ammonia as low as possible.

-Chelle

[tyler_medeiros]

One of our danio's is looking bloated and pregnant, like rosie's. It is eating fine, pooping normally and is quite active. The one that convinices us is pregnant, is really protective of this little area in the aquarium, so thats where we think she may have laid her eggs. The other thing is that she has a little red, blood mark where her "area" is... Could that be from giving birth, or preparing to? Or is it something to worry about?

[t_chelle16]

Could be septicemia which can lead to dropsy (serious bloating generally caused by a bacterial infection that damages the kidneys).

Can you post a pic?

I recently bought some neons and had them in quarantine. I used seeded media but something happened and it went through a mini cycle with the ammonia getting up to 1ppm. Two of the neons ended up with septcemia & dropsy.

-Chelle