EMERGENCY Fish Compatability!!!

[masoud100]

Well being in the fish hobby for over a year and a half I am still making mistakes. I cant find my Apistogramma anywhere (think its dead). Came home and see one of my green tiger barbs swimming upside down. My plants are starting to look dirty, some always float up out of the florite. I am angry about the live plants idea since I think I am doing a bad job.

Somebody help me

[Fishnut]

We've been trying.  

Please re-read the previous posts...specifically about properly testing your water (you never posted the results that I asked for to help figure things out) and about what cycling a tank is REALLY all about.

My 20+ years in the fish hobby is telling me that your tank is not cycling properly.  There are several reasons for that but I can't even begin to speculate until you share what your water parameters are.  Making matters worse is the fact that you have not been researching your fish properly.

So, it's up to you.  We can only help those who are willing to learn and listen.

[masoud100]

Ok so my water test results were all good nitrate, etc 0. My apistogramma seems dead, or disapeared. Not in the tank at all. So my stocking is 10 tiger barbs, 10 green tiger barbs, 3 bala sharks, 1 red tail black shark, and 1 hillstream loach. I need stocking suggestions. Its a planted tank with no co2 but it has 2 T5 HO bulbs. I could sell the bala sharks and hillstream loaches in order to make accomadation. I now have 2 AquaClear 50s running. I usually always shop at Big Als, or PetsMart unless there is a better price elsewhere.

I will post pictures soon of how my tank looks like. I will be getting 1 or 2 java moss as I heard it sucks the algea off the glass like a magnet. So what are good tankmates for Tiger Barbs I like to have an exciting colourful tank. How about Gouramis?

Any suggestions help, please include which fish I should add and quantity. Thanks

[76brian]

Nitrates are at 0?

What about Nitrite and Ammonia?

[masoud100]

everything  is good. I need stocking ideas now

[sylros]

Here's a link to a compatibility chart for tiger barbs. No gouramis or anything with long fins.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/fwcompatibility_chart.cfm

Oh and about the java moss...it certainly doesn't do that, it needs to be tied to a piece of wood. Even if you let grow, it doesn't climb the tank walls. If ever you see something like that, it's because they've put a mesh cloth behind and attached it to the tank.

The think that works for me to get rid of my algae on the glass is zebra snails. They do a marvelous job and are usually available at big Al's...pet smart is hit or miss.

[76brian]

everything  is good. I need stocking ideas now

4. Pets Mart said 0
5. Petsmart said 0
6. Petsmart said 0

Define "good"? This is not possible. If nitrates are 0 for this length of time with that amount of fish, either your tank isn't cycled and there's still ammonia or nitrite present, or you aren't doing the test correctly. There should be SOME amount of nitrate in a well established tank.

Regardless, SOMETHING is killing your fish and it's probably not a good idea to look for new stock until you figure that out.

[Fishnut]

It's a common mistake for newbies in the hobby to assume that 0 across the board is good. 

It's just proof that someone is either not being honest in order to get what they want at whatever cost or that they are too embarrassed to admit to the bad water.

When I worked at the fish shops in my youth, I used to get readings like that from my customers and ask them to go home and bring me a container of tank water, not tap water...LOL!!  The shop I worked at had a policy where people were required to provide a water sample that tests good in order to receive the 2 week guarantee on fish.  Great policy IMO!!  You should have seen the shock on their faces when I caught them trying to be sneaky!!

I'm not willing to suggest that ANY fish be added at this point.

[Peekay]

Stocking idea:
Wait for 4 consecutive weeks with no illness/mortality before adding anything else. 

[Peekay]

Here's a link to a compatibility chart for tiger barbs. No gouramis or anything with long fins.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/fwcompatibility_chart.cfm

Good chart!  bookmarking!

[charlie]

Define "good"? This is not possible. If nitrates are 0 for this length of time with that amount of fish, either your tank isn't cycled and there's still ammonia or nitrite present, or you aren't doing the test correctly. There should be SOME amount of nitrate in a well established tank.

Regardless, SOMETHING is killing your fish and it's probably not a good idea to look for new stock until you figure that out.

Well said .