Am I doing something wrong?!?!?!

[rickles23]

You need to set the tank up, check the PH and ammonia (a good pool shop can do that) if all is okay add plants.

Nothing wrong with undergravel filters. I've used them on tanks up to a 1000 gallons.

Wait a week, check water and if okay add fish. Buy the cheapest. Put the plastic bag of fish in the tank to equalize temperatures, say 30 minutes. Slowly change the water in the bag with the tank water, say 30 minutes.

[AndyJudge]

Kate,

I also live in the south East & have never managed to get Cardinals to survive for long in my tank. Its something to do with the water hardness.

You could try Neon tetras next time as they seem to live OK in my tank (Well they did untl we introduced a rogue fish that ae them)

Have you got any plants in the tank ?

Wen I set my tank up (4ft jobbie) I was advised to clean etc. Fill with water & heat it, Add Chemicals, leave for a week, Add Plants, Leave a week,Test Water - If all OK (Shop did the test) we'l sell you a couple of Hardy fish, leave 2 weeks, test water, Add fish if all OK etc.....

Tank has an external Filter & gets a 25% water change every 2-3 weeks.

Andy

[Rick Huggins]

As others have said, you need to let the tank settle with the de-chlorinated water, plants, gravel and filters etc.

Buy some Neons first of, say about 10 and open the bag and put them into the tank. Allow 10 mins for the bag to become the same temperature then introduce the fish to their new environment.

See how this goes for a bit, then do the same again with some catfish type suckers, then again with a few top swimmers and build it up slowley.

Good luck

[abucksdiver]

Kate,
How big is your tank? This is an important consideration regardingthe number of fish you can keep in it....


Andrew

[Kate]

How big is your tank?

I do. Some green and reddy colour thing.

Have you got any plants in the tank ?

I'm ashamed to say, I don't know. But I did point out the same size tank to the fish shop people and they told me how many fish to have, maximum

[Lou]

Do I get this right - you buy cheap fish because you might kill them, so you don't want to waste too much money on dear ones?

Test the water by adding same fish and wait to see if they die....

Nice.

[Gavin Smith]

It's alright - they don't have any feelings.

Ducks and runs.

[MATTBIN]

Originally Posted by Lou

Do I get this right - you buy cheap fish because you might kill them, so you don't want to waste too much money on dear ones?

Test the water by adding same fish and wait to see if they die....

Nice.

Nope
you clean tank, add stuff to netralize any nasties and get tank sorted before adding any fish. Then get water tested, if it passes you add fish slowly so any build up of more nasties is slow and self righting, BUT if it goes wrong the fish that die havent cost a fortune.
Its not intended to use the fish as test kits Lou.

Matt

[Lou]

Originally Posted by Gavin Smith

It's alright - they don't have any feelings.

Ducks and runs.

You know that cricket ball that Woz thought he could hit Bono with?????

[Juz]

Originally Posted by Lou

Do I get this right - you buy cheap fish because you might kill them, so you don't want to waste too much money on dear ones?

Test the water by adding same fish and wait to see if they die....

Nice.

Wonder if this method might work to tell me when the bath water needs changing?

Juz