Complete Newb in Need!

5 posts

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


crazyjragon
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:45 am

Complete Newb in Need!

by crazyjragon

I am completely new to having a fish tank. I know nothing. I've been doing some research & came up with the fish I would like to choose from.

Attached is what I have so far. It's my boyfriends 10 gallon tank that hasn't been used in a while. Last thing we had in there was a turtle. I have since boiled everything & filled it last night. Tomorrow we are setting up the filter & getting other artificial plants. There will be a background, just not sure what we will get (lighter or darker)

The only room in the house to have the tank is the kitchen counter. I have considered one of my desks, but the only place is being taken up by a printer. I know the kitchen is an odd place, but it's what works & can be enjoyed most. I'd prefer the living room, but all our video games & TV's take up ever inch possible. Because of this, I don't know if Cory or Gouramis will work in the kitchen since it can be a bit noisy.

Please suggest the max amount I can have in whatever mixtures you believe best. Here are the fish I am looking at that work with a 10 gallon tank and the information I have gathered:

1. Dwarf Corydoras: 6.5-7.5pH, 5 to 19dH, 75-82temp, 1 to 2in
Eats: Catfish & shrimp pellets, Frozen, Live & Flake (Algae wafers)
Needs: Well planted, no less than 24in long tank. Sticks to Mid to Top. Scared of noise

2. Spakling Gouramis: 6 to 7pH, 5 to 19dH, 77-82temp, 1.5in
Eats: Algae-based flake food, tropical fish flakes, freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex & bine shrimp
Needs: Peat filtration, heavily plant, leave minimum part of surface covered with floating plants. Sticks to Mid to Top. Need fresh air, air pump? Scared by loud noises, regular water changes

3. Neon Tetra: 5 to 7pH, 1 to 10dH, 68-74temp, 1.5-2in
Eats: Flakes, ganules, brine shrimp, tubifex or frozen foods - feed 2x day
Needs: Peat-stained water & dark bg. Fine-leave plants. 24in long tank Dim light, 5+ Tetra. Will group well with Cardinal Tetra. Sticks to Mid to Low

4. Glowlight Tetra: 5.5 to 7pH, 5 to 12dH, 72-77temp, .5 to 2in
Eat: Brine shrimp or daphnia, freeze-fried bloodworms & tubifex, micro pellet food, & high quality flake food.
Needs: Densely planted, rocks & driftwood amongst plants - Add after a cycled tank.

5. Cardinal Tetra: 5.5-7.5pH, up to 12dH, 73-81 (77)temp, 2in
Eats: Brine shrimp or daphnia, freeze-fried bloodworms & tubifex, micro pellet food, & high quality flake food
Needs: Densely planted & low or subdued lighting. 5+ tetra. Sticks to Mid to Top

6. Diamond Head Tetra: 5 to 7pH, Dont know dH, 68-74temp, 2.5in
Eats: Brine shrimp or daphnia, freeze-fried bloodworms & tubifex, micro pellet food, & high quality flake food
Needs: Plants, rocks & driftwood, taller plants

7. X-Ray Pristella Tetra: 5.8-8.5pH, 4 to 35dH, 64-82temp, 2in
Eats: Frozen or Freeze-dried brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms tubifex, micro pelet food & high quality flake foods
Needs: Plants (real?), rocks & driftwood

8. Red Minor Serpae Tetra: 6-7.5pH, 10 to 25dH, 72-82temp, 2in
Eats: Brine shrimp or daphnia, freeze-fried bloodworms & tubifex, micro pellet food, & high quality flake food
Needs: Plants, rocks & driftwood, taller plants

9. Turquoise Danio: 6.5-7pH, up to 20dH, 73-77temp, 2in
Eats: Flake foods with plenty of vegetable matter, freeze-dried bloodworms & tubifex
Needs: Planted & swimming room

10. Zebra Danio & Longfin Danio: 6.5-7pH, 5 to 20dH, 64-75temp, 2.5in
Eats: Flake & frozen foods
Needs: Well planted & swimming room. Fine gravel substrate. Plants on sides & back of tank. Good lighting. Best with tetras

11. Glowlight Danio: 6.5-7pH, 2 to 10dH, 73-79temp, 1.5in
Eats: Flake foods with plenty of vegetable matter, freeze-dried bloodworms & tubifex
Needs: Planted & swimming room

Thank you so much! I want to ensure my fish are happy & healthy. Oh & I am wanting to go for more of a tropical look for the tank.
Last edited by crazyjragon on Fri Jul 04, 2014 3:16 am, edited 1 time in total.


crazyjragon
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:45 am

Re: Complete Newb in Need!

by crazyjragon

Weird, I attached a picture, but I dont see it. Trying again.

Update: I dont get it... I attach it, yet it doesnt show :/


hondastunt
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2014 6:22 am

Re: Complete Newb in Need!

by hondastunt

If you wanted to you could get a couple tetras for start and add other species down the road. I would not put a lot of fish at once in the tank.


tmercier83
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:42 pm

Re: Complete Newb in Need!

by tmercier83

I'm probably arriving to this post a bit late, but I hope my advice is received nonetheless. :)

The general rule of thumb is 1" of fish per gal of water. Of the varieties listed most of these mature @ 1" so that's good...
However, in my experience the more species I tried to saturate my tank with the less happy I was with how my little social experiments turned out.
Fish as you probably know are generally schooling species. This is true for nearly every species listed below.

So when you put one tetra, and one danio together, the results are usually bad. Danios when kept in schools tend to socialize with their schools and keep to themselves. Although even if you had a school of danios (5-6) and one tetra, inevitably one or two danios would pick on the tetra until it dies. Or the tetra would just spend all its' time hiding.

For a tank like yours I would recommend two small schools of fish (4-5 cory of your choice and 4-5 tetra/danio/whatever. )

Corys are very hearty and if you're familiar with a tanks' biological cycle (http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm) I would cycle the tank with only a few corys, then fill out the tank with your second school, and add an otocinculus or a few nerite snails if you start to encouter algae.

I restarted my tank about 2 months ago after a long hiatus and when I started to develop some algae put 3 nerite snails in...I am floored by their effectiveness! As far as I'm concerned I'll never buy another finicky Otto.

Finally in my experience, zebra danios and serpae tetras are the most aggressive you've listed when not kept in schools.


crazyjragon
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:45 am

Re: Complete Newb in Need!

by crazyjragon

Thank you for the reply. I have narrowed it to either Turquoise or Glowlight Danio.
We have had the tank running & filtering for a little over 2 weeks now. Have to get PH testers tomorrow before going to shop for fish. I'm so torn on which one I want of those two.

There are no real plants in our tank. Thank you for the information though that will be very helpful for the future.

I am planning on getting at least 6 of whichever Danio I finally decide on & also wondering if they would work with a Betta.

Complete Newb in Need!

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