Just added a New fish + Tank Still Smells?

[Knight~Ryder]

Alright, I have had my tank about 2 months now, as you can see below in my signature the fish I have, I added another rainbow fish tonight. So now I have 3. They were swimming around fine, I turned the light off, left for a few hours, came back, and I saw them right at the bottem of the tank. I usually never see them sitting at the bottem, so I am wondering if this is normal behavior.

I changed my carbon filter for my emporer 280 and I used a cut poly, whatever whatever filter in it. I just cut it to fit and slid it in.

My tank still smelt today, so I felt the filter isn't doing the best job, so I took it out and slid another carbon one in.

Does my tank need cleaning and a huge water change? And will my rainbow fish perk up?

[Blue Cray]

The rainbow may have been sleeping or just nervous from being in a new enviroment. What are the water parameters?

[Knight~Ryder]

Well I'll tell you this, the one rainbow I had before in the tank for a long time, is swimming around fine, while the other two are just stareing at the tank, not moving around much.

The one rainbow will swim around them to get them to move and it may help for a few seconds but then they will still stare seemingly into nowhere.

[Blue Cray]

Well we can't help you with out water parameters.

[FishHead]

rainbows stay around the bottom or even lay there when the light is off. they get active when you turn your light on, after they acclimate to it. i have rainbows in my 55 and they do this all the time. same for my barbs and tetras

[emc7]

If the fish stay on the bottom after the light has been on for awhile and the water smells bad, you prob. have water qualitly issues. Test or Change water. Did you replace all your filter media? If so, thats why (you have an an ammonia/nitrite spike), change water but don't clean the gravel.

[JustOneMore20]

I agree with emc7. Also, Rainbowfish are schooling and 3 doesn't make a school. They may be less timid with a larger group......but you have a lot of unfinished schools in your tank now. I'd choose 2 groups and bring the numbers up to 6-8 of each. Your fish would be happier that way. Definitely check you water parameters (preferably with a liquid test kit) and get that taken care of first before adding more fish.

[Gourami Swami]

most of your fish are schooling... you shouldnt mix n match schooling fish man, it stresses the fish.

[Knight~Ryder]

Okay, so maybe 3 more head and tail tetra, to start off with. I don't want to put in more blackskirts because I see what their behavior can be like.

I just can't believe how a rainbow fish can just look at itself for 1 whole hour.

Good thing I put that carbon filter back in, the water smells good again. I'll have to check the water when I come back from work today and see how things are.

[trashion]

i'd return the black skirts. i just did that with all of mine. they can be very aggressive towards each other and other fish, especially when they aren't properly schooled. i had to return a few rogue ones who were decimating each other's fins.

[Knight~Ryder]

Originally Posted by trashion

i'd return the black skirts. i just did that with all of mine. they can be very aggressive towards each other and other fish, especially when they aren't properly schooled. i had to return a few rogue ones who were decimating each other's fins.

I find them interesting!

I don't see the fins of the other fish being decimated. They are alright. I see their behavior, but up to this point it hasnt been a problem.

I really like having them in the tank.

I will get 3 more head and tail, and 3 more danio zebra...the pearl seems to be in a world of its own lol

[trashion]

they are fascinating fish, i had one that was five years old, but the time had come to get rid of them. they really should be in groups.