Hello everyone, I'd like to introduce myself first, my name is Joe Hickey. I just as of 6 months bought my first tank and thought this was going to be the easiest thing since slicing your own bread. I read online briefly(keyword briefly) how to cycle tanks, and got excited and went out and bought some fish to cycle my tank with.
Problem after problem occurred of course. I had bought 4 danios, 2 oscars and a puffer fish. (I will take the insults). I now realize my mistakes after my visits to the fish store and asking them what is wrong. I really wish they were nice enough to stop me from doing such a foolish thing. Either way. Surprisingly, I still myself don't know how... they all managed to survive the cycle. I at the time was running a 55-70gallon aquaclear (HOB). Sadly shortly after what seemed to be the end of the cycle, my 1 oscar (brock) and Ochito (Figure-8 puffer) both got Ich. I treated them both puffer cleared up, but died a few weeks after, and Brock well he didn't make it. (What was scary was that Brock Lesnar in real life got real sick around this same time).
So after awhile things seemed ok, then I purchased more fish, sadly my Oscar left took a liking to a few of these fish, and would not allow me to buy many of the fish i wanted. Eventually I was up t about 10 fish a few tri-color sharks, the 4 danios, 1 oscar, 1 bala shark, and a blue acara. Then the worst thing happened, my girlfriend being the sweatheart that she is... cleaned my fish tank on the outside... but happen to also get the spray inside. All but Oscar died, I realized the problem pretty quickly when she told me what happened. I bought fungus medication, did lots of water changes, somehow..... after 2 weeks of suffering.... Oscar survived.
Well 2 months after, my fish tank was booming, I was back to the 2nd roster, 3 tri 1 bala, Oscar, 4 danios and 1 blue acara. Was doing my weekly, water changes, feeding them twice a day, making sure it didn't last in the tank for more than 3 minutes. Then out of no where, (I'm sure not really) a spike in ammonia came.... I did my water changes, nothing helped, so I went to the same fish store, they recommend Amquel. They told me it would be okay, to put it directly into the tank. I did and that same evening I lost all my fish.... including my Oscar. They seemed to be poisoned, I was confused too because it almost seemed like actual fish dieases, they formed a white film over their eyes and also white slime over their bodies.
For the last 2 weeks, I have been doing constant water changes, I bought an emporer 400, and have been testing the water everyday. Just yesterday I tested my levels all were zero. I felt it was time to take a chance, and grab 3 danios. Well... they didn't even make it through the night.
I am now tempted to empty the entire tank out, and start from ground zero.... with help from this community. Please help me, my goal is to have a nice family of fish (with an Oscar) I've read that is really possible if you raise them from birth together.
So please help me everyone. Thank you! and I understand I will receive critism for my mistakes, I understand.
Problem after problem occurred of course. I had bought 4 danios, 2 oscars and a puffer fish. (I will take the insults). I now realize my mistakes after my visits to the fish store and asking them what is wrong. I really wish they were nice enough to stop me from doing such a foolish thing. Either way. Surprisingly, I still myself don't know how... they all managed to survive the cycle. I at the time was running a 55-70gallon aquaclear (HOB). Sadly shortly after what seemed to be the end of the cycle, my 1 oscar (brock) and Ochito (Figure-8 puffer) both got Ich. I treated them both puffer cleared up, but died a few weeks after, and Brock well he didn't make it. (What was scary was that Brock Lesnar in real life got real sick around this same time).
So after awhile things seemed ok, then I purchased more fish, sadly my Oscar left took a liking to a few of these fish, and would not allow me to buy many of the fish i wanted. Eventually I was up t about 10 fish a few tri-color sharks, the 4 danios, 1 oscar, 1 bala shark, and a blue acara. Then the worst thing happened, my girlfriend being the sweatheart that she is... cleaned my fish tank on the outside... but happen to also get the spray inside. All but Oscar died, I realized the problem pretty quickly when she told me what happened. I bought fungus medication, did lots of water changes, somehow..... after 2 weeks of suffering.... Oscar survived.
Well 2 months after, my fish tank was booming, I was back to the 2nd roster, 3 tri 1 bala, Oscar, 4 danios and 1 blue acara. Was doing my weekly, water changes, feeding them twice a day, making sure it didn't last in the tank for more than 3 minutes. Then out of no where, (I'm sure not really) a spike in ammonia came.... I did my water changes, nothing helped, so I went to the same fish store, they recommend Amquel. They told me it would be okay, to put it directly into the tank. I did and that same evening I lost all my fish.... including my Oscar. They seemed to be poisoned, I was confused too because it almost seemed like actual fish dieases, they formed a white film over their eyes and also white slime over their bodies.
For the last 2 weeks, I have been doing constant water changes, I bought an emporer 400, and have been testing the water everyday. Just yesterday I tested my levels all were zero. I felt it was time to take a chance, and grab 3 danios. Well... they didn't even make it through the night.
I am now tempted to empty the entire tank out, and start from ground zero.... with help from this community. Please help me, my goal is to have a nice family of fish (with an Oscar) I've read that is really possible if you raise them from birth together.
So please help me everyone. Thank you! and I understand I will receive critism for my mistakes, I understand.