New fish died quickly in my tank. What caused it and how to prevent?

Question

We bought my son 5 cherry barbs earlier today along with a tank rocks and some items for the fish to hide in. About 9:30 tonight we checked on the fish and unfortunately they had all died. We followed YouTube videos and read articles about how to transfer the fish from bag to tank and thought we had the water temperature fairly close so I’m not sure where we could have gone wrong. Just looking for some advice for future reference.

Angel Alvarado, LVT · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry for the loss of your fish. If the tank was a "new" tank, it likely was not sufficiently cycled. The fish may have died after being exposed to high levels of ammonia or nitrites. A fish tank should be cycled for 4-6 weeks before fish are added. This allows time for beneficial bacteria to populate the filter and substrate. These bacteria are responsible for breaking down wastes (fish waste, decaying plants, uneaten food) to prevent a buildup of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. A tank can be cycled with fish, however this requires close monitoring of water chemistry and frequent partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Cycling with fish increases the risk of fish loss.

New fish died quickly in my tank. What caused it and how to prevent?

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