Comet Fish

Question
QUESTION: My niece has a 10 gallon tank with 11 comets and 4 neon tetras.  She has then for about a month now, and this past weekend, one of the neon tetras ended up dead, and one of the comet fish is acting weird.  He is constantly swimming in a spiral pattern.  Like a ballerina.  He doesn't swim straight anymore.  What could be the cause of this?

ANSWER: Sounds like ammonia poisoning.

Your tank is WAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY to small. For the comets alone, you would need 120 gallons.


You need to get rid of them ALL and dont release them in to any lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, streams.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The person at the pet shop said the comet would not eat the tetras, but this morning my niece seen the comet spit out a dead tetra... and now he is swimming regular, no more spiral patterns.... and how would the comet get ammonia poisoning?  why would it only be one of them and not the rest?

Answer
The tetra probobly died from ammonia poisoning, and the comet thought he was food.


They get ammonia, because when they urinate and deficate, their waste produces ammonia. Also, when they process water with their gills, that also produces ammonia.



Do a google search on "how to cycle an aquarium" or "the nitrogen cycle"


Let me knwo if you have any more questions.


Thanks,
  ~Matt