New owner

[Dmsantana]

Hi me and my mom decided to get my oldest son( 2 years old) a fish tank. We got tetra's barbs and a catfish plus a pleco. Wel the tetra's died we got the barb's then my son decided to pour his milk into the tank. Both Barb's and catfish died. Pleco was the only survivor. this was about twoish weeks ago. we did a 75 percent water change or something close to it and the Pleco seemed fine.

well my mother came to conclusion.. we think the fish where dieing because we had no heater. it had been years and years since she had a fish tank and when she said that I was floored I could not believe we forgot the heater. So we went to walmart and got a heater while we where there i went to look at their betta's they had one a week ago that I really wanted but when I looked last night they where all gone only thing left was the females.

So we mde our to the mall to see what kind of betta's they had. (I live in a very small town so no big fish stores here). I told the women I felt like fool I think i'd killed my other fish because of cold water. I think proceded to tell her about my water and she said they would test my water for me thank God because i got strips from walmart and I had no idea how to read them. As well as my son losing the bottle >.>

So we did a 50 percent water change last night after buying the betta being as it been a bit since the last change. I just hope he survives :C I was watching him this morning and I even fed him and he did not seem interested inthe food at all

I have a 5gallon tank( will be getting a bigger one in Jan) and I got bettafood to feed him

[Dmsantana]

[peugeot206]

The water is still a bit misty. Perhaps after the milk accident a 100% water change so be done to ensure the remaining fish is kept healthy.

[DoctorWhoLuver]

I agree, I would do a 100% water change and rinse everything thoroughly.

[Dmsantana]

will that work with th pleco i meam i feel safe doing it with the betta but the pleco not so much

[Dmsantana]

and with the fact I did a water change yesterday would thatbe bad

[asukabetta]

cup the fish in individual cups, rinse everything throughly, slowly adjust you fish to the new water by letting it float in the tank for a few hours while the heater works in the tank.

Then put the fish back in without any of it's old water. See if that helps. How big is your tank?

here's water changing recomendations

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=115758

[Dmsantana]

So take both fish out and clean everything and add new water waterbut how long can a pleco survive with out air?

[Dmsantana]

and its a 5 gallon I know small but it a first tank for him we will be getting a bigger one in jan

[Wendyjo]

A 5g is too small for a pleco - they are terribly dirty fish and produce alot of waste. What type of pleco? If you got it at a pet store it's probably a common pleco - they can get up to a foot long and are not really suitable for home aquariums of any size. You should return the pleco or rehome it.

Your fish died because the tank was overstocked.