Urgent Fish Advice

[sosadforhim]

Need some urgent advice. I'm a beginner and had my tank for just over 3 months. I have 5 Neon Tetras; 1 Sword Tail and 3 Zebra Danios. Tank is around 24 litres I think. In the last day 1 Zebra Danio is rarely moving from above the filter. It's looking very skinny and its mouth is open. I think it's being bullied by the other tubby Zebra and is stressed. Tried moving it to a separate tub for a while to feed it alone but it never seemed to eat. Water change done last night when I noticed him looking ill. I suspect it'll die very soon. Can I work any magic on him?

Can anyone help?

The tank is far too small I'm afraid and your problems are most likely water quality related. Have you got a water testing kit? What are your results for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Did you cycle the tank before adding fish? How often and how do you clean your filter? 80 litre food safe boxes are readily available and will make a good temporary home until you can source a larger tank. You need to transfer over your existing water and filter and then top up with fresh dechlorinated tap water and then keep doing water changes until you get zero ammonia. You will also probably need to add a larger filter to run at the same time as your existing one. The new filter will gradually develop the appropriate bacterial colonies. Keep an eye out on freecycle for an appropriate tank. Something over 60 litres will be ok but get the biggest you can fit.

Thanks for the advice. I had originally planned on getting a goldfish but as they grow so big, I was advised to get the smaller tropical fish.

I don't have a testing kit, but will buy one today. I change the water regularly -originally 3 times a week, but now once or twice depending on how happy the fish look. The filter also rinsed every now and then, tank scraped etc.

As it's over 3months old now, I was thinking I needed new carbon. I was chuffed with myself that I've not had a death in the 3 months since getting the fish and they all seemed happy. The tank was cycled appropriately before I got my fish.

It seems my Zebra Danio is happy at night but not during he day. I agree I think I need a bigger tank, with interesting areas for them to swim to or hide if need be. I have read that 3 Zebras isn't a good number because there can be bullies etc.

I'm away to look for a bigger tank of Gumtree. I don't know what a food safe box if but I'll look it up. Thanks again.

If you've had the carbon in for 3 months then definitely bin it- it needs replacing every 6 weeks if you're going to use it, but there's no need to in a properly stocked tank.

I agree that 24 litres is too small. 60 would be much better, but ideally bigger especially for the zebra danios because they're so active. You're right that 3 isn't a good number, they are a shoaling fish so need to be in a big group of 6+. They're also not tropical fish, they are temperate and have different requirements to the neons and swordtail. Personally I would not say they're compatible.

How often would you say you clean the filter? How do you clean it?

I've placed a message on gumtree for a tank at least 60 litres. Will add carbon to my list too.

I admit to being confused about the filter. I have rinsed it all in tank water whilst I do water changes. Just take the gunk off around the filter. Have opened it a couple of times and rinsed the sponge. The sponge of the filter is black though and I've never been able to work out if that's the carbon or the sponge? I've been sort of afraid to clean because when I told the woman in the shop I'd cleaned it she was horrified in case I'd cleaned the carbon off. Youtube clips I've watched have white sponges. Can't find my actual filter online. Sorry, I am not very knowledgeable.

I was told Zebras can go in cold or warm water and they sold me all the fish together.

Oh dear, it's all quite confusing. My poor unhappy, cramped, overheated fish

Sorry, in answer to your question: the filter is opened and cleaned approx. once a month, with gunk being cleaned off it about once a week.

If there's just a black sponge and no bag of granules or other thin piece of sponge then that'll be the carbon. I wouldn't bother buying more, it gets very expensive and once you've got a big enough tank, you won't need it.

If it's an activated carbon sponge then I don't see how you can clean the carbon off and they sold you all those fish together for a new tank? I wouldn't shop there again, they don't sound like they know what they're doing.

What you're doing with the filter cleaning-wise sounds OK. A normal sponge with no carbon will be fine, they can be any colour- it will say on the packaging if it has activated carbon. Normal sponges only need replacing once they start losing their shape, usually about once a year.