Help Please - Missing fish in Planted Tank

Morning!

I added 6 Head & Tail Light Tetra yesterday to Cycle the tank.

This morning one is missing. For the life of me I cannot find it - anywhere!

If it's dead somewhere in the tank, will it eventually float up to the surface or do I need to strip the tank to find it?

(Beginning to doubt if having a planted tank was such a great idea!)

 

Hahaha Dinky welcome to the wonderful world of fish. . .

I have had many fish disappear never to be seen again, how long has the tank been running?

 

could also have jumped from the tank

 

@Wyvren

Nasty little vermin they are turning out to be! Found it lodged between a rock and the back of the tank, after searching for hours! (but alas, love them to bits)

Today will be day 3. I've started adding Seachem Stability (couldn't find microbelift special blend) since yesterday and the fish to cycle the tank. (I am really a bit clueless on cycling a tank - there are so many versions of how to do it available on the web....) Amonia levels were a bit high this morning somewhere between 0.1 and 0.3. Did a wc and added stability again.

Another concern is the heat of the water. I've got a Dophin 150w (in 100 liter tank, 78 liters effectively) I've turned it up to 30 degrees already but can't get the water heated past 21 degrees. Don't know if that means the heater is not functioning correctly or if I should add an aditional heater or get a stronger one.

@Ryno

I searched high and low for the fish - had my suspicions that my 4 year old may have gone fishing again or the older ones thought it funny to test one of the tetras against one of the bettas, but I eveeeeeeeeeeeentually found it!

 

Why is everyone using fish to cycle their aquariums lately??

The reason it died, was probably because of ammonia. Ammonia is extremely toxic to fish.

People must just be patient and stop using fish to cycle their tanks.

 

Welcome - I had that issue as well. The missing fish is still missing after 4 months.
This happens unfortunatley

 

@SeanJ

It's definitely not because of impatience that I've opted to do a cycle with fish. I've tried to read up on it as much as possible and decided to go for a cycle with fish due to information on the web stating that a planted tank is unlikely to cycle since the plants will be utilizing the ammonia and the "spike" will therefore not occur.

As a newbie I can only make choices and take action based on the information I receive, read and are able to understand. When in doubt (because most everything on google ends up contradicting itself in various articles) I post threads asking advice from people with a lot more experience than I have and then take action accordingly.

Personally, from my limited experience, I think it's unlikely the fish died of the ammonia so soon, levels were around 0.2 this morning, perfect when I added it, and I think it's much more likely that it died simply because some fish die when introduced to a new aquarium, established or not.

I have a very deep appreciation of nature in all forms and it's in no way or form my intention to harm or torture my fish. I simply made a choice based on information at hand. :unsure:

 

I had the same problem. i find out that the fish were getting stuck behind the filter which was a corner filter that had a gap in the corner between the glass and filter. which i later covered to prevent losing more fish

 

Thank you @lyndon

I will go and have a look and make sure there's no nooks in which they can get stuck.

 

Sure thing. I hope it helps stop the magically disappearing fish.

 

just for future reference, ive cycled 6 tanks using tetra safestart

like you said, you can only go by what you research and some people dont belive this stuf works.

i swear by it through first hand experience many times so i know it works

 

@dinkey you can use seachem prime to deal with the ammonia

 

thank you @zaqwsx15 , I will definitely read up on the product and keep it in mind for my next tank. It's always good to know which products work and which I should rather avoid.

 

@dash

Phew! That's a relief to know!

My levels were a little high this afternoon (panic attack) and then I saw your post!

Heeded your advice regarding the prime. The fish seem lively and happy and the water also looks much better. All fish accounted for...next head count at 6:30 am!

 

You. Can add prime daily until the cycle is complete. What Temperature is the tank?

 

@dash

Thank you, will do. I'm on 24 degrees.

 

Then that's all good. Keep us posted on how it goes. Prime has never let me down.

 

I would not add prime but just stability to help cycle the tank. And when you add your fish later you add stability as well.

 

Hi @Wyvren
Prime is very safe to use when cycling a new tank.
Please read the extract bellow from the seachem website.

Prime® is the complete and concentrated conditioner for both fresh and salt water. Prime® removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. Prime® converts ammonia into a safe, non-toxic form that is readily removed by the tank’s biofilter. Prime® may be used during tank cycling to alleviate ammonia/nitrite toxicity. Prime® detoxifies nitrite and nitrate, allowing the biofilter to more efficiently remove them. It will also detoxify any heavy metals found in the tap water at typical concentration levels. Prime® also promotes the production and regeneration of the natural slime coat. Prime® is non-acidic and will not impact pH. Prime® will not overactivate skimmers

 

Yea I know that, I use Safe all the time, but for cycling a tank you do need ammonia in the tank to create the cycle. As your filter builds up the good bacteria, it will absorb the ammonia.

Prime removes it completely - hence your cycle is going to take longer and you will get an ammonia spike in the tank.

Stability adds the good bacteria you need to seed your filters and gravel.

Did you read thru this :
http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?245-Nitrogen-Cycle-for-Aquariums

Its one of the few cycling explanations that is easy to follow and understand.