# Very Very New. I think I need some help!



## Blue Lamb (Jan 13, 2007)

Mmmmmmmk. Its been a week and a half since i got my fish.
I have 4 of them but i forgot what they are called. They are in a 10g tank with a heater and a filter. Both made for 10g tanks.

Here they are. (2 of each)

















The water keeps on disappearing!!! I know. Its evaporating but I dont know where i can find a cover for it. I just add more water every time i see that it is pretty low.

Well, I just tested the water. 

The ammonia is .25 or less. I think thats a good thing but i dont know.

Here's everything I'm worried about. I used a test strip. The thing you dip into the water.
NitrAte is 80-160
NitrIte is 3.0
Hardness is 150
Chlorine is s 0
Alkalanity is 180-300 (couldnt really tell)
pH is 7.2

Please help me fix all of these things!!!


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## Guest (Mar 10, 2007)

Welcome to Fishforums. :hi:

Well you have a few problems with your tank. The first two orange and black fish are tiger barbs, which are fine for a 10 gallon tank but can nip the fins of other fish, so watch out.
However, the other two fish are called irridescent sharks and they get VERY large. They are capable of reaching lengths upward of 4 feet, so they are not good tank inhabitants unless you have a HUGE tank (300+ gallons) so my advice would be to try and take them back to the pet store. They will usually except them for store credit or an exchange so you can get something more reasonable.
Second thing: Do you know about the nitrogen cycle? Its good that you know about testing the water for ammonia and such, but if you understand the cycle process your test readings will make more sense. There is a sticky posting around here all about it, so i suggest giving that a read.
as for your test readings, you are striving for 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites. Your tank is still cycling and trying to develop the bacteria necessary to consume these harmful chemicals (produced by fish waste).

Here's the link explaining the nitrogen cycle. Give this a read and let us know if you have any more questions about it.
http://www.fishforums.com/forum/general-freshwater/7125-nitrogen-cycle-basics.html

Also about you tank cover: Ten gallon tank hoods are pretty easily found in most pet stores. You can get a full hood that has a light built in for very cheap almost anywhere. Check petco, petsmart, or any local fish/pet shop.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

Oh my, you do have a problem!
Ok, first you need to do a water change. Dip out about 1/3 of the water and replace it with fresh DECLORINATED water. This will help bring those numbers down a bit.
Your tank is going through what is called the NITRIFICATION CYCLE. This means it is growing beneficial bacteria that will eat the ammonia and convert it to nitrItes. Then another type of bacteria will start to grow and convert the nitrItes to nitrAtes. When the bacterial colonies have grown to a sufficient size to "eat up" the ammonia and nitrItes then the tank is cycled. The tests should read: ammonia-0; nitrItes-0; nitrAtes-10 - 20ppm. You will need to do small water changes (20% or 2 gals) two to three times a week while this is going on. The cycle usually takes 4-6 weeks. Since the ammonia is going down and the nitrItes are going up, you should be about halfway through the cycle.
As for the water evaporation, you can buy a lighted hood for a 10 gal tank at Walmart of any pet supply store....about $20, or check your local newspaper or www.craigslist.org to find a used one. 
Do not add any new fish at this point. Wait until the cycle is finished or you will overload the "bio" and it will take longer to finish.
The ammonia and nitrites are very toxic to your fish so please do the water changes (topping off the tank is not good enough) and with luck your fish will be ok.

And btw, you have two tiger barbs (the round ones with the red fins) and I think the other two are zebra danios...but I could be wrong on those. Someone else will be able to tell you for sure. Good luck and happy fish keeping!


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## Blue Lamb (Jan 13, 2007)

So then what should I do?
After I remove the irridescent sharks, do I keep the Tiger Barbs there and just feed them everyday? I'm not exactly sure that those irridescent sharks were actually irridescent sharks. When i bought them, it said they were some kind of cat fish. I chose these fish because it said they grew up to 12". Same as the tiger barbs.

Edit: I think they are the Zebra Danio's. Nevermind about the catfish hehe

Edit: Oh. I dont know anymore!!! IM CONFUSED!!! It said that those fish grew up to 12" though. :/


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

Ok, I was wrong about the danios, sorry about that.
Here is a link for the barbs. http://www.aquariacentral.com/fishinfo/fresh/tigerb.htm 
They won't get 12", only about three. 
One 12" fish is far too big for a 10 gal tank, let alone 2. IMO the barbs will be fine but research what other types of fish are compatible with them before you buy anything else. They are fin nippers.


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## Guest (Mar 10, 2007)

Blue Lamb said:


> So then what should I do?
> After I remove the irridescent sharks, do I keep the Tiger Barbs there and just feed them everyday? I'm not exactly sure that those irridescent sharks were actually irridescent sharks. When i bought them, it said they were some kind of cat fish. I chose these fish because it said they grew up to 12". Same as the tiger barbs.
> 
> Edit: I think they are the Zebra Danio's. Nevermind about the catfish hehe
> ...


Okay....

well i am 110% positive that they are irridescent sharks (yes, they are a type of catfish). They do not grow to 12 inches, way past that. But regardless, a 12 inch fish is beyond too large for your tank....
Who told you that tiger barbs grow to be 12 inches? They stay around 2-3 inches.
Okay, did you read that link i gave you? Do what Buggy said and do a water change, pronto. Change about 1/3 or more of the water to bring down the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels.


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## Plyr58 (Mar 7, 2007)

The tiger barbs will get 3" max--not 12". The other fish are irridescent sharks and will grow up to 12" if given the proper room. Your 10 gallon aquarium will stunt their growth, they will be sickly, and will probably die in several months. Take them back to your LFS and get more Tiger Barbs (not more than 4 more). The barbs will school up and look pretty cool swimming around together. 
OR you could take the Tiger Barbs back as well and get some colorful small tetras (spotlights or neons, Serpaes, or the like). Get a total of about 8 Serpaes OR about 15 neons or spotlights. They also look really neat swimming around together. Maybe 4 Serpas and 7 or 8 spotlights or other small tetras.:fish:

Edit: I just saw it has only been a week and a half since you got your tank, so DO NOT get any more fish until you finish your cycle. There is a product called Biospira which is kept refigerated in Fish Stores (i haven't ever seen it in Petsmart and the like, but if you have a local fish-only store they will probably have it) and when added to your tank with the two Tiger barbs will cycle the tank in 24 hours for you. Then you can do something about the fish.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

Blue Lamb, I would like to invite you to chat. We can help you there.


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## Blue Lamb (Jan 13, 2007)

Scuba Kid said:


> Okay....
> 
> well i am 110% positive that they are irridescent sharks. They do not grow to 12 inches, way past that. But regardless, a 12 inch fish is beyond too large for your tank....
> Who told you that tiger barbs grow to be 12 inches? They stay around 2-3 inches.
> Okay, did you read that link i gave you? Do what Buggy said and do a water change, pronto. Change about 1/3 or more of the water to bring down the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels.


Oh heh. I thought it said 12"  Okay so then now 1/3 of the tank? Dont know exactly how much that is but ill figure it out. and after i do that, I change 2 gallons 3 times a week? and i test the water weekly. Okay. Anything else i need to add to this list?


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## PEVINE (Mar 7, 2007)

i had to put my tiger barbs in a new 10 gallon i have 5 now i got some from my girlfriend. they will travel in a pack and nipp the heck out of other fish. and i got an angel fish and he was 8$ and the tigerbarbs were 1 each. so i seprated them because i did not want a blood bath. so now i have 5 tiger barbs in one tank and 2 angelfish and an alge eater in another. the tigerbarbs is going to be a planted tank as soon as i go to the local pet store ( half hour away is closest :lol: ) again to get a few plants.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

As everyone says, the sharks are completely wrong for this tank and must go. I feel that the tiger barbs are also too big for this tank, but at least they *could* live in this tank, they just won't have anywhere near the swimming space that (I feel) they need.

My suggestion is to take the sharks back *now*, and when you're at the shop try to get something that will help your tank cycle: BioSpira, Seachem Stability, or the squeezings of a filter from an established tank. Then let your tank cycle with just the tiger barbs. When the cycle is complete, take the tiger barbs back and get some smaller fish that are more appropriate for a 10g tank, like:

cherry barbs
tetras like neon, glowlight, etc
danios (not giant danio!)


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## Kageshi17 (Sep 6, 2006)

Yeah I heard you comment about the sharks and I was thinking: "Those look a hella lot like long finned zebra danios..." Hehehe


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

the are sharks no doubt. irridescents are my all time fav. fish. i can spot one any time


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

Yep... the sharks can get five feet long and over a hundred pounds. 

also... if you thought they get 12", why would you WANT to get them? can you imagine foot long fish in your tiny tank?

You need to read alot. your tank isnt cyled.


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## Guest (Mar 13, 2007)

Okay, I don't really know what the confusion is with the danios vs shark thing. Lets clear this up.

Zebra Danio









Iridescent Shark









Bottom line, this fish is not appropriate for your tank.


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## Kyoberr (Dec 6, 2006)

I don't exactly know everything about the water stuff, but you have to make sure you aren't just adding plain water to you tank. You have to put idk, something like aquasafe in it. You should be able to buy tops for the tank at the store. I'm also assuming your regulating the temperature.

It's good to know about you a bit more and welcome to FF.


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## Guest (Mar 13, 2007)

You can NOT put angelfish in a 10gallon tank they will be stunted and die they need a 29g+ tank


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## manda (Feb 9, 2006)

havent you mentioned this to him twice already!!
lay off, i am sure he knows this now


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## PEVINE (Mar 7, 2007)

E17 i know this i learned, thanks a bunch :chair: read the other post you said this in and read were the angelfish are going. . . . . . :chair: again


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