# Help with new tank and new P's...



## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

I set up my new 55 gal tank and had it sitting for 5 or 6 days and then i got my new p's 10 2" rbp's. And put them in there... Now they are all dieing... I have 2 left. I know a bunch of you said that my tank isnt cycled and that i needed to go get some bio-spira and other stuff... Well i got that yesterday and stress coat and some marine salt and put that all in there to safe my fish... But today out of the 6 from yesterday i have 1 stuck to the filter and 3 just floating around on the top then spinning around on their sides...

The levels in my tank are...
Ammonia... Between (stress .5) and (harmful 3.0)
nitrite... .5
nitrate...20
hardness... 25
alkalinity... 40
ph... between (6.8-7.2)

Was this just a hard lesson for my fish and my money i dont get it...






















Please help me out....
Thanks

I have also have 3 gouramis in there bout the same size as the p's and they are doing fine... i got them about two days after i got the tank set up... And they are doing prefect... I dont get it...

Please give me some more insight...


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Sounds like it was a hard lesson for your fish. Many people dont cycle their tanks before adding fish...but you started off with a really large bio-load. That just creates a ton of waste.

I would do some water changes to lower the ammonia and nitrite. Also, Im not sure about using marine salt for a fresh water tank. I though marine salt contained a lot more then just salt.


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## mikfleye (Jul 27, 2006)

too many fish at once. You should only add about 3 fish at a time, because then your tank goes through another "mini-cycle", and 10 p's is wayyyyy to much for your 55g, id say 3 max, and thats pushing it


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## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

even if they are really small... What size and how many many for that size... THere seems to be a ton of space. Even if they are 2"ers...
Could i have 3-4 4-5"ers?


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## mikfleye (Jul 27, 2006)

Reddawgman said:


> even if they are really small... What size and how many many for that size... THere seems to be a ton of space. Even if they are 2"ers...
> Could i have 3-4 4-5"ers?


yea they are really small now, and they are going to grow, and your going to have to get rid of your p's, if i where you id get 4, or 5 juvi's, cause you might lose some due to aggresive behavior, but in the end you should only have 3 rbp's in a 55, and thats pushing it


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## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

Ok but that doesnt really understand why 6 of my 10 are already dead and 2 are spiralling at the top and the other 2 are doing good... for now... And those gouramiis are doing fine... ? I dont get it


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## mikfleye (Jul 27, 2006)

you probably spiked your ammonia because you added too many fish at once, your bio load couldnt handle it


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

yes even though 10 is a lot in a 55g uncycled tank, the ammonia and nitrites don't seem that extremely high, so there might be another reason

Maybe it's like GG said, the marine salt. Normally you should use "aquarium salt" or even kitchen salt. How much salt did you add?

Daily water changes should help.


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## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

I added a tbsp for every 10 gallon. my lfs and some of the guys on here told me to do that also, they said it would help with teh ammonia... Well right now i only got 2 gouramiis and 2 strong rbps and 2 playing dead on the top of the water rbps's i would really like for these other 2 not to die so i can have 4... waht do you guys suggest...


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

ammo lock or amquel plus and leaving some salt in at all times. And as GG said.


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## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

I have Ammo-Carbin there right now... I put it into my filters... Is that good? Im just dont understand how all my p's died and the 3 gouramiis are having no problems at all.. i have 4 p's left with two struggeling and two doing good...


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## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

What else would u guys do to the tank to make it sustainable... I lost all these fish and dont know what to do... Do i just leave it now with the two dieing p's and the two healthy( for Now) p's and the two giramiis... or should i take them all out or jsut leave them in and let it keep cycling or let it go and change out some water every day... What should i be adding or doing??? I WANT PIRANHAS!!!


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## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

Anyone??


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## rusty (Jul 6, 2006)

stay on top of the water parameters and if you can get them back to the store you bought them at for the time being that would be great sounds like you need to finish the cycle, they are tough fish but they cant ahndls a new tank, hopefully you can savr the last of them


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## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

how and how long do i finish the cycle...?


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## RB 32 (Mar 2, 2005)

Do not use marine salt in a fresh water tank....just use regular table salt.


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## Reddawgman (Aug 24, 2006)

is iodized salt ok? 
How long will it take for my tank to cycle out if i keep my fish in there now vs. daily water changes and things like that...?


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## RB 32 (Mar 2, 2005)

Reddawgman said:


> is iodized salt ok?
> How long will it take for my tank to cycle out if i keep my fish in there now vs. daily water changes and things like that...?


 Iodized salt is ok to use!

Me personally don't like to do any water-changes while cycling a tank...but you could do some small daily water-changes not a problem it should cycle in few weeks.

With water changes it might take a bit longer to cycle ...but it's ok plus you got fish in there.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

Reddawgman said:


> is iodized salt ok?
> How long will it take for my tank to cycle out if i keep my fish in there now vs. daily water changes and things like that...?


yes it doesn't matter because the quanity of iodine you add with table salt is too small to be harmful

it will take 4-6 weeks. If you do small daily water changes (10-15%) it won't change that much in time I think; And even if it would take longer, you'd rather have the tank cycle for a few days extra then a cycled tank with dead fish because of extremely high ammonia/nitrites/nitrates.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Water changes wont extend the cycle at all. All you are doing is diluting the ammonia and nitrites, not removing them....so the bacteria will be fine.


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## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

rusty said:


> stay on top of the water parameters and if you can get them back to the store you bought them at for the time being that would be great sounds like you need to finish the cycle, they are tough fish but they cant ahndls a new tank, hopefully you can savr the last of them


great advice rusty.......keep your patience in check man, get rid of the
fish and cycle your tank, keep an eye on your water, THEM add them
whe the time is right


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