fish tank smell and odd behavior from fish

Question
I recently set up a 55 gallon fresh water tank.  I left it running for 5 days before adding in 6 new goldfish.  When I went to set the plastic bag on the water, I noticed there was a VERY bad smell coming from the tank.  I left the fish in the bag, then put them in.  The next day, I took my 4, 6 year old goldfish from my old tank, placed them in a bag and let them sit on the water for 1 hour and put them into the new tank.  By now the smell had gotten MUCH worse.  At the end of day 7 of the new tank running it smelled so badly, my whole office stunk.  I have changed some water, added more Start Right, rinsed the filters... I am stumped.  Its now been just over 3 weeks, and the place smells unbearably.  

PLUS, some of the fish have started some odd behavior.  The older fish started going to the bottom, then racing up and jumping out.  They have even hit the glass at the top.  I have turned the aerators up to add more oxygen, and that helped slightly. But now more than half of them are 'jumping'.

I don't know what to do.  I think they are trying to commit suicide because their new tank is so stinky.  Please help!

Thanks!

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

I pulled your question out of the question pool.

Where did the tank, filter and gravel come from?  Was it all new?  If not, it may have been contaminated.

You have made one of the biggest mistakes in aquaria history unfortunately.  First, you need to cycle your tank before you add ANY fish.  Second, never ever add more than 1 or 2 max goldfish to a CYCLED tank at a time and lastly your 55 gallon is only sufficient, even when cycled, to safely home 4 goldfish.  It would be my advice to return all goldfish to the pet store asap because they will die from the nitrogen cycling process.  Their odd behavior is an indication of this.  They are burning and suffocating from the inside out from the ammonia build up in the tank.  Buy a liquid drop test kit and you'll see the horrible ammonia and nitrite spike.

The next suggestion would be to cycle your tank BEFORE you add any fish.  This process takes 8-12 weeks but if you do not do this your fish will die from the nitrogen cycling process that takes place in all new tanks and the fish that may survive can be permanently damaged.  Pet stores will actually suggest that you 'cycle' a tank with fish because they are hardy and some can survive.  They are hoping they die so they can sell you more.  To me, it's cruel and plain not necessary and if all of your fish die, which usually does happen, you have to start all over!  Plus, cycling with fish is a LOT MORE WORK!  

The best way to fishlessly cycle is to have access to a well established, healthy tank.  You can scoop out a handful or large netful of gravel, tie it in new, clean pantyhose (DO NOT RINSE IT OFF IN TAP WATER as this will kill the good bacteria you need) and keep it wet in the water from the healthy tank until you place it in yours.  You can bury it in your gravel.  Once the tank is cycled you can pluck out the packet and throw it away.  You can also use filter floss or ceramic media from another tank and place it in your filter.  You can feed the tank a pinch of food each day for an ammonia source.  This is the fatest way and you can cut your cycling time down to about 2 weeks, from the original 8-12.

The other method, if you don't have access to another established tank, is to wrap a piece of raw jumbo cocktail shrimp in clean, new pantyhose and place it in your running tank.  Make sure your tank has the gravel and plants in it, filled with water, with the filter and heater running as you would if you were adding fish.  The shrimp will rot and the bioload will build up and this will also cycle your tank, probably also in about 4-6 weeks.

During the fishless cycling time, DO NO WATER CHANGES.  Buy a liquid drop test kit and every other day or every few days test your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.  During the cycling process you will see your ammonia spike and lower, then your nitrite spike and lower and finally your nitrates will register.  A fully cycled tank has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5 - 20 ppm nitrate.  Once this is complete, you can do a 25% water change and then add a couple of your goldfish, only 1-2, let them adjust to the new surroundings, let the bioload adjust to the new fish.  If all is well in two weeks, add 1-2 more.  I wouldn't add anymore than 4 total to your 55 gallon tank.  Goldfish require 20 gallons for one fish and 10 gallons for each additional.  They also require oxygen rich water, so I advise tons of aeration like bubble wands, etc. and I always advise a double power filter.  So if you have a 55 gallon tank I would have a 110 gallon capable filter.

If you want to cycle with the fish you still need to remove some so that you only have 4 total.  You will probably still suffer losses.  You will need to do 25% water changes every single day and double dose the Seachem's Prime.  This will prolong the cycling process but you have a chance at saving the fish.  I would only feed them every 3 days and only 2 mouthfuls at most per fish.

Good luck : ) April M.