Tropical fish disaster

[darlingsweetpea]

Just before Christmas I brought a tropical fish tank and on Boxing day added 6 Harlequin fish. They have all died.

Everything is from pets at home and I have followed to the letter all their instructions. They have since contradicted themselves as the person I spoke to today said we should only have been sold 2.

I had the water tested this morning at the store and it was all fine.

My aibu is...I want to return everything and receive a full refund about £150. I'm cross as I have followed everything and achieved nothing but I'm not sure if this is realistic.

Thanks

I've chosen 3 females for this reason. I do appreciate they may already be carrying babies, so we will cross that bridge when we get to it!

They will absolutely be pregnant already. Look for a dark spot under their abdomens - it’s called the gravid spot. They get pregnant very soon after birth and they store sperm, so females basically just give birth forever. You should have picked three males if you don’t want overcrowding! Easy to sex them as they have slimmer bodies and pointed anal fins rather than rounded ones.

These fish will probably die very quickly, too - you’ve put them into an aquarium without cycling it. It’s very likely that is what killed your first set of fish and now you’ve plunged more straight into the tank.

If they do survive then yes, you will likely end up with babies soon, as some or all are likely to be pregnant. You’ll need to try and keep the tank as bare as possible so that the babies get eaten.

This. You shouldn't have any pets. Try plants.

OP, buy some Seachem Prime and add it every 48 hours, or some API Quick Start and add it weekly. Do this ASAP. Depending on how big your tank is, even just 3 fish can produce an ammonia spike big enough to kill them if the biological filter isn't established (which yours isn't)

Fish-in cycles are easy enough but you do have to use the right additives at the right intervals, as above

Wow I can't believe you bought more, you still didn't research as you haven't cycled your tank. When they die please don't torture any more fish.

You're joking. Right?

I found best advice from independent retailer. Much more knowledgeable

Vile.

No, I do not think it is. Realistically, you got pets without properly educating yourself about their care. You should never just rely on someone in pets at home. Your pets are your responsibility. You cannot be arsed with fish clearly. That is not the fault of a shop.

Fresh tanks need a good 2 weeks settling in with out fish just turning the water over with the filter unit. PAH will no way refund you as the onus is entirely your fault. Just for information, it’s 1inch of fish per gallon.

This is why you do not buy fish until you have researched and know what you are doing.

Why have you added more fish to an un-cycled tank? This is not the recommended way, and especially not for someone who is new to fish keeping. You are likely to lose these fish, too.

As for Platy fry- I currently have a tank full of the bloody things. Incredibly cute, but I do need to give some away and very soon.

Quite honestly, fish are a pain OP.

You can ask on fishkeeping forums but if you follow their advice you will end up with a tank half the size of your living room and a humungous bill for all sorts of kit.

My advice: a large coldwater tank with 6 white cloud mountain minnows. Easy, hardy, pretty fish. Add colour with plants and stones.

Anything more complicated will cost you in time and money (or lots of dead fish).

Good lord OP why did you buy more?

Poor fish.

There’s a fish forum on MN (a bit hidden away). You might get useful advice there in the future if your fish survive,

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/fishnet

FISH NET!