dalmation molly stays at top of tank

Question
QUESTION: I got my fish tank for Christmas.  The water has been in for 2 weeks. The tank is 12 gallons.  It has a carbon filter the temperature is 78.  We just added fish last night for the first time.  2 tetras, 1 mickey mouse fish, 1 red wag platy and 1 dalmation.  All of the fish have adjusted except the dalmation which has just stayed at the top of the tank.  We have not checked the amonia/nitrate/ph levels.  We have not done a water change yet.

ANSWER: Hi Kate;

Your dalmatian is probably just the first of the bunch to react to "New Tank Syndrome". It's the process that occurs as your tank tries to biologically balance. It can take anywhere from about 6 to 8 weeks and can be very stressful to the fish. Here is a link to my article about it to help you;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

Unfortunately, you have way too many fish to get the tank started safely without casualties. Test the levels of ammonia and nitrite and see where they are. If either are elevated, make a 25% water change right away. Make a 25% change every day that either of those toxins are above the dangerous level. The literature that comes with the kits will tell you where that limit is.

When you shop for test kits, get the type that uses tubes or vials and liquid drops, or tablets to perform the tests. The dip strips are not very accurate so it's best to avoid them. It's worth the extra effort to use the tablets or drops instead.

Good luck and I hope everything goes okay...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins



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

QUESTION: Hi Chris,  Kate again.  Actually my molly was pregnant and has had fry!!  We did purchase a hatchery to keep the 7 fry seperate and are trying to get the tank settled with a test kit.  We are doing a 25% water change once a week to try to stay ahead.  Any advice on keeping fry in a new tank?

Answer
Hi Kate;

Great! I'm glad it wasn't something more serious. Hopefully she will be okay and so will the rest of your fish. I'm glad to be wrong at times like this. ;-) Get some Java Moss, Anacharis (elodea), and/or Java Fern for the babies to hide in and eat off of. The live plants will also help boost the beneficial bacteria colonies your new tank needs. Stick with "true aquatic" varieties or they will die. There are several available that don't really live in water. They look nice for a few days and then begin to rot and pollute the tank. The ones I mentioned would be fine but do research on any others that you like before you buy them. Saves money, your fish, and your sanity. ;-)

However, there is still trouble looming in the near future. Once a week 25% changes are what you should do after the tank is fully balanced but it isn't enough to stay ahead during break-in. Weekly changes are what all tanks need just to maintain water chemistry and quality. The problem now is that the babies have added additional bio-load and all the fish will have an even more difficult time getting through the break-in if extra measures aren't taken to prevent them. Babies are especially sensitive to the waste toxins that build up during this period too. Water changes will need to be done at least twice a week if your fish are going to survive it. Please get some test kits to monitor ammonia and nitrite and read my page about new tanks so you will know more about what you're dealing with.

Good luck...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins