pet fish dying within 2-3 hours of buying

Question
Hi Jaymie. My question is everytime my son buys a fish it seems to die after 2-3 hours. How can I prevent this from happening and why does this happen? First it was a goldfish, and now it was a froot loop tetra I think. It is very frustrating for me and for my son. Thanks.  Denise

Answer
Denise,

 Sorry to hear you are having problems. Let's see if I can explain. Tanks need to be set up before you add any fish. That means filter runs, heater runs, if needed and water changes with conditioner added to the water. This takes a minimum of 2 weeks. If this is not done, the fish will die. There is something wrong with the water. Do you test it for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and Ph? If not, that also is a must when keeping fish. The goldfish is a cold water fish but the tetra is tropical. One needs a heater the other doesn't. What I would do is pick if you want a cold water tank, or a tropical tank meaning a need for a heater. Once to figure that out, let the tank run for 3 weeks with no fish. Test the water everyday to make sure everything is going ok. First, though, I would clean that tank out very well. Do not use anything like bleach, just use very hot water. Clean the gravel, heater, filter, and the glass. Then refill it and run the set up. Goldfish are not very easy to keep. They do not have a stomach so everything that goes in comes right back out as ammonia. Too much ammonia will kill every fish in the tank. Unless you have a 20 gallon tank, I would not try to raise goldfish. Tropical tanks are easier, and require a heater. Guppies are very strong fish and good for the beginner. Tetra's are also good. I would start with a couple guppies and if they survive a month then you can add more fish one at a time. Before adding any fish to your tank, quarantine them for 2 weeks. If they are sick, you don't want them contaminating the rest of the fish. Also, never add the water your fish came home to the water in the tank for the same reason. If a fish is sick, chances are its because of the water and you don't want that water in the tank.

Once you have done all this I am sure you will enjoy a healthy happy aquarium.