Newbie with lots of questions!

[Bellie816]

Hello everyone!

My name is Jackie.. I live in northern Michigan with my husband, dog, cat and now our new aquarium. Let me tell you a little bit about what we are doing with our aquarium and what we want out of it.

I recently purchased a new 10 gallon tank... I wanted to start out small and then hopefully buy bigger in the next few months. I filled the tank... have filter, gravel, a few artificial plants, a new bulb in it for a real plant, a little hollow plastic log and an aerator/bubbler. I conditioned the water and put a fizzy tab in it that says it makes the water instantly ready to add fish. I waited 24 hours and then went to the local pet store (which is very reputable) to check out types of fish.

I originally wanted two Fancy Tail Goldfish...but after doing some research online, learned that a 10 gallon would eventually be too small for 2 adult goldfish. I decided to look at some of the smaller fish like tetras, guppies, etc. The store clerk who manages the fish told me it would not be a great idea to start out with any fish other than the cheap little comet goldfish because the fish fatalities are high until the tank is completely cycled with bacteria. Has anyone heard of this and/or done this? She said most people start with cheaper, hardier fish just because of the fish loss and because they can withstand the changes going on in the tank. I purchased 5 comet goldfish... which I know are too many for a small tank but I was pretty much following what she told me to do.

So now... what is next? I have had them in there for 24 hours now.. and they seem to be doing okay. Feeding them 2-3 times a day with goldfish flakes (tetra brand). The water is cloudy now.. which I did read is normal. I don't have a PH test kit or anything.. do I need one yet? Should I be doing water changes yet?

After my tank is cycled I want to add some different fish to it. I don't want to keep goldfish in there. I was thinking some things that are small enough that I can have several different small groups of different species. I would also like shrimp, or some type of scavenger/bottom feeder to help out with algae and fish waste. I already bought a submersible heater that keeps it at about 78 degrees.. but am not using it right now with the goldfish..just keeping it room temperature (about 66 degrees). Are there any suggestions on specific combinations of fish that will do well in a 10 gallon? I'm very big on not just picking out the fish I like and throwing them in there...I want to make sure they have plenty of room and are healthy and happy. That's why I wasn't sure about this whole goldfish deal...I don't want them to get sick or overcrowded while the tank is cycling! I know that there is a "general" rule of thumb of one inch of fish to one gallon on water...however if you have a bubbler and filter, plus keep up well on water changes and tank cleanings can you squeeze by that a bit? I would like to know how many fish of different species can actually thrive in a 10 gallon. I do realize I am limited for now.. but keep in mind that I will be buying larger soon!

Any suggestions or advice would be grealty appreciated as I am a newbie! I had a fish tank when I was 10 years old but that's about it, lol. Sorry for the long post!thumbs2:


:imnewhere:

[Lab_Rat]

Hi Bellie, welcome.

Please head to the cycling section for information about the cycle. I'd return all 5 of those goldfish and recommend fishless cycling. That way, no fish are hurt, you're not doing a ton of water changes to try and keep them alive, and you won't have to worry about what to do with them once the cycle is over.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Also, please read the free ebook, it's a great way to orient yourself to fishkeeping:
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[mommy1]

Hello everyone!

My name is Jackie.. I live in northern Michigan with my husband, dog, cat and now our new aquarium. Let me tell you a little bit about what we are doing with our aquarium and what we want out of it.

I recently purchased a new 10 gallon tank... I wanted to start out small and then hopefully buy bigger in the next few months. I filled the tank... have filter, gravel, a few artificial plants, a new bulb in it for a real plant, a little hollow plastic log and an aerator/bubbler. I conditioned the water and put a fizzy tab in it that says it makes the water instantly ready to add fish. I waited 24 hours and then went to the local pet store (which is very reputable) to check out types of fish.

I originally wanted two Fancy Tail Goldfish...but after doing some research online, learned that a 10 gallon would eventually be too small for 2 adult goldfish. I decided to look at some of the smaller fish like tetras, guppies, etc. The store clerk who manages the fish told me it would not be a great idea to start out with any fish other than the cheap little comet goldfish because the fish fatalities are high until the tank is completely cycled with bacteria. Has anyone heard of this and/or done this? She said most people start with cheaper, hardier fish just because of the fish loss and because they can withstand the changes going on in the tank. I purchased 5 comet goldfish... which I know are too many for a small tank but I was pretty much following what she told me to do. your tank is too small for even 5 small goldfish. they have a huge bioload (how much they poop) and it would be next to impossible to keep ammonia and nitrite levels down to liveable levels even with many large water changes. i also would recommend a fishless cycle but that is your choice not mine. if you really want to do a cycle with fish i recommend taking the goldfish back and getting fish that are more appropriate for a 10 gallon.

So now... what is next? I have had them in there for 24 hours now.. and they seem to be doing okay. Feeding them 2-3 times a day with goldfish flakes (tetra brand). The water is cloudy now.. which I did read is normal. I don't have a PH test kit or anything.. do I need one yet? Should I be doing water changes yet? you really need a water test kit to test the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels in your tank. most here recommend the API freshwater liquid test kit. it is imperitive that you keep the ammonia level below 1ppm or your fish will be so stressed that they may die. your water is probably cloudy because of all the food you are feeding. it is recommened to feed only a small amount of food once a day, especially when cycling a tank. again most here will recommend just enough for the fish to eat in a couple of minutes once a day or every other day.

After my tank is cycled I want to add some different fish to it. I don't want to keep goldfish in there. I was thinking some things that are small enough that I can have several different small groups of different species. I would also like shrimp, or some type of scavenger/bottom feeder to help out with algae and fish waste no fish eats fish poop. at least not on purpose. the only way to get rid of fish waste is to vacuum the bottom at each waterchange. I already bought a submersible heater that keeps it at about 78 degrees.. but am not using it right now with the goldfish..just keeping it room temperature (about 66 degrees). Are there any suggestions on specific combinations of fish that will do well in a 10 gallon? I'm very big on not just picking out the fish I like and throwing them in there...I want to make sure they have plenty of room and are healthy and happy. That's why I wasn't sure about this whole goldfish deal...I don't want them to get sick or overcrowded while the tank is cycling! I know that there is a "general" rule of thumb of one inch of fish to one gallon on water...however if you have a bubbler and filter, plus keep up well on water changes and tank cleanings can you squeeze by that a bit? I would like to know how many fish of different species can actually thrive in a 10 gallon. I do realize I am limited for now.. but keep in mind that I will be buying larger soon!

Any suggestions or advice would be grealty appreciated as I am a newbie! I had a fish tank when I was 10 years old but that's about it, lol. Sorry for the long post!thumbs2:


:imnewhere:

my suggestion is to read the stickies by Lady Hobbs in the cycling section. there is one on fishless cycling and fish in cycling. and also read the free e-book, there is a link to it in the menu on the left. this will help you understand what is happening in your tank and also understand why we are giving you the advice that we are giving.

[dfrezell]

Also, feeding 2-3 times a day is way too much. You should be feeding only once a day or once every other day. Also, when you feed, all food should be consumed in less than 5 minutes (some say less than 1 minute).

I'm still new about how much to feed, but the guy at the LFS says their stomachs are about as big as 1 of their eyeballs, so they need very little to do well.

Drew

[Bellie816]

I changed 25% of the water yesterday... and am feeding less also. I also put in one of those continuous ammonia monitors that sticks to the inside of the glass... right now the ammonia level is 0 which it says is safe...that doesn't mean my tank has cycled already, does it?

[Rue]

It takes approximately 6 weeks for a tank to cycle on it's own.

You can speed this process up in various ways...however, you're starting from scratch, so it will take a while. I don't like sacrificing fish to get a tank going (and I hate this notion that the long-lived, intelligent goldfish is dispensible), so I agree that it's best if you return the goldfish, especially since you have no intention of keeping them.

I really wish the pet stores would stop giving out such bad advice...:scry:

If you insist on using live fish to cycle the tank with...at least get two of a species you're interested in having in the completed tank...and be prepared to get a water testing kit and test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates - you'll likely also need to do a fair amount of water changes in the interim...

With adequate water changes and testing, you should be able to manage with a couple of fish.

The preferred way is to do a fishless cycle.

Here's a link to the originator of the fishless cycle...he explains it well:

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Aeonflame]

Good on ya' for being responsible and doing the research. Its that little extra that makes a successful fishkeeper! As suggested above, the stickies all have a wonderful wealth of information.. all of which could never be exchanged in this thread.

[Padams]

Welcome to the School

Do you know anyone else that has tanks?

You can cycle your tank with fish but I don't recommend the ones you have. Danios are about as hardy as they get, BUT you will need to do 40%+ w/c and often to keep them from suffering.

The stickies in the Cycling section are an excellent read.

Good luck!

[digital3]

For testing ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, I would suggest using liquid tests over strip tests... They are far more accurate. There's some real good advice on this thread for you.

Your fish should be able to pull through, you just need to be vigilant. Keep your feeding down, test your water about twice a day (once in the morning, and once in the afternoon/evening), and do PARTIAL water changes when the ammonia/nitrites gets high. Once you start seeing zero readings you can cut back down to about once a week or so.

One idea for speeding up the cycling process would be to take a ziploc bag to your local pet store and ask for a scoop of some gravel and water from one of their display tanks. Take that gravel and put some of it in your tank and filter (if you can), DO NOT USE THE WATER FROM THE PET STORE THOUGH. That should give you a nice little bacteria foundation for your tank to start with.

[mommy1]

I changed 25% of the water yesterday... and am feeding less also. I also put in one of those continuous ammonia monitors that sticks to the inside of the glass... right now the ammonia level is 0 which it says is safe...that doesn't mean my tank has cycled already, does it?

these types of ammonia monitors are not very reliable. it really is best to get the liquid testers from API. i know they are more expensive up front, but if you consider that you can test up to 800 times in the long run they are actually cheaper. and you will get a much more accurate reading from them.
i agree with testing the water once in the morning and once in the evening until you are sure the filter is cycled.