One lonely neon

[Pennina]

Help, we've had a disaster!

I have a 28 L tank. I know it's small please don't flame me but we got it for the kids years and years ago and have always successfully had a few danios there.

We have decided to switch over to tropical. So I cleaned the tank cycled it tested it and it was fine. I added soil and gravel and planted my plants. The water was a bit cloudy but I was told it would clear. It has cleared but is now slightly brown stained which is a bit of a disappointment so that's my first question will that eventually go?

I was told by the shop that we could have six tiny neon tetras and six small guppies in the tank and I went ahead and bought six neons. I added them and they seemed fine but the next morning, all dead except one. I have checked the water and the levels are fine. Should I buy any more? I am obviously rather worried about there only being one fish on its own as I know they prefer to be in a little shoal but equally worried that died overnight for no apparent reason. The surviving fish has now been there for three days.

I am told that the general rule is 1 cm of fish per litre of water so that would mean 12 fish that are very small isn't overstocking.

Thanks in advance.

Test your water before you buy anything else. What are your ammonia/nitrite and nitrate readings? Aquatic soil can cause changes in water chemistry.

Neons aren't very hardy, neither are Guppies. Neons are farmed in their millions for the pet trade. Cardinals or Black Neons are hardier but would be too big for a 28 litre.

I don't like the cm per litre, or inch per gallon, rules. They tend to encourage over stocked tanks with the wrong kind of fish. It was originally meant to be SQUARE cm measurements but it's been entirely distorted. Basically it doesn't really work! I wouldn't keep 12 small fish in a 28 litre, shoaling fish are very active and need more space to swim than that.

I would test your water first and monitor it.

Thank you! I'm so sorry I have got such a small tank. I did go to Maidenhead Aquatics for it who I understand to be reputable supplier. Nitrite is still slightly high but everything else is okay I am doing partial water changes to try and get it down. It is almost normal and lonely neon is still hanging on in there. Once normal I'll get him a few chums. We do have a plan to get a bigger set up in the near future