irishpenny
New Member
We just purchased a 50 gal tank so that we could start our saltwater aquarium. We got the filter, lighting. heater, thermostat and live sand.
We put the sand and water in the tank and got the filter going. We were told by the clerk that we should start out with damselfish before getting into the more expensive and colorful fishes. They told us to wait two days until the tank has settled from the sand dust. When that day came, we got 6 damselfishes. We were instructed on how to place the fishes in the water. Leave them in the bag for 15 mins, then add a cup of our water to it, let it sit another 15 minutes and then we could place them in our tank, but do not put the water that they came in, in our tank. So, we used a net to get the little fishes out. All of them bit the dust thru the night somehow.
We went back to the store (this is just an aquarium store) and the clerk was surprised they all died, even when we got the okay to put the fishes in. Somehow I thought maybe the tank wasn't quite cleared from the sand dust, this was the cause of them dying. The clerk said that shouldn't of been a problem. So he offered to replace the fishes with four more.
We decided to wait a few more days till the tank was very clear.We got those micro filters which we cleaned every few hours to help make the water get clearer.
Today, we went back to the store with our sample of the water. They tested it and everything came out normal....so we the other four damselfishes. Did the same procedure of preparing them for our tank.
Within 5 hours, they all died. I understand there may be stress factor in this, but I can't understand how all 9 fishes total since day one can all die. Seems impossible to get the fishes stress free from the store to the tank.
Perhaps I am not putting them in the tank the right way, but I did follow the instructions of transporting. Perhaps the tank wasn't ready for them...I really don't know. The clerks seem to make it sound so simple, you buy the fishes and just put them in the tank. I know there is more to that. We had read some books and everything we are doing, we are doing right (so we think).
I keep reading something about cycle...is this something I am not being told by the clerks....tank needs to be filtered a week or so before you bring the first fish home.
I hope someone can help me, because I don't know how much more my granddaughter can take toilet bowl funerals. I will appreciate any advice or help you can give me. I really would like to have a sucessful aquarium.
Thanks
We put the sand and water in the tank and got the filter going. We were told by the clerk that we should start out with damselfish before getting into the more expensive and colorful fishes. They told us to wait two days until the tank has settled from the sand dust. When that day came, we got 6 damselfishes. We were instructed on how to place the fishes in the water. Leave them in the bag for 15 mins, then add a cup of our water to it, let it sit another 15 minutes and then we could place them in our tank, but do not put the water that they came in, in our tank. So, we used a net to get the little fishes out. All of them bit the dust thru the night somehow.
We went back to the store (this is just an aquarium store) and the clerk was surprised they all died, even when we got the okay to put the fishes in. Somehow I thought maybe the tank wasn't quite cleared from the sand dust, this was the cause of them dying. The clerk said that shouldn't of been a problem. So he offered to replace the fishes with four more.
We decided to wait a few more days till the tank was very clear.We got those micro filters which we cleaned every few hours to help make the water get clearer.
Today, we went back to the store with our sample of the water. They tested it and everything came out normal....so we the other four damselfishes. Did the same procedure of preparing them for our tank.
Within 5 hours, they all died. I understand there may be stress factor in this, but I can't understand how all 9 fishes total since day one can all die. Seems impossible to get the fishes stress free from the store to the tank.
Perhaps I am not putting them in the tank the right way, but I did follow the instructions of transporting. Perhaps the tank wasn't ready for them...I really don't know. The clerks seem to make it sound so simple, you buy the fishes and just put them in the tank. I know there is more to that. We had read some books and everything we are doing, we are doing right (so we think).
I keep reading something about cycle...is this something I am not being told by the clerks....tank needs to be filtered a week or so before you bring the first fish home.
I hope someone can help me, because I don't know how much more my granddaughter can take toilet bowl funerals. I will appreciate any advice or help you can give me. I really would like to have a sucessful aquarium.
Thanks
