New Guy Info!

[Southernboy]

Hi all! I just registered here. I have been looking around for a while and it seemed like a good place for info, so I joined! I have a 10G freshwater aquarium currently set up (for the second time). The first go round didn't end too well. Rookie mistakes and misleading info. Anywho, I have a 20G HOB filter, with the media from my old 10G filter stuffed in there also (plus what came with the filter). No live plants except for a moss ball but plenty of fake ones. My fish are 6 neon tetras and one albino cory cat. If these do good for a while I will be getting another cory so that one isn't lonely. Hope all goes well this go round. I have been keeping a constant eye on my water via a API master test kit. Everything seems to be going smoothly.

 

[rmiller]

I would rehome the albino cory and go for something better suited for a 10 gallon tank, maybe a pygmy cory. Albinos typically reach about 3 inches. They are a schooling fish so you will need more than 2.

Neons don't typically do well during cycling, they are much more sensitive than lots of other fish. Be sure to keep a very close eye on your ammonia while you cycle and don't be surprised if you loose some of them.

 

[Southernboy]

My tank is already cycled. It has been for about two weeks before I added fish this weekend. I had it set up before and it never went through a full cycle and crashed. I am checking my levels every night and so far so good. The cory won't be ok with two in the tank? That was the only other thing I was going to add was another one of those and call it done.

 

[Southernboy]

The reason I ask about the cory is I read on here in a few different places where people had one or two in smaller tanks like mine.

 

[rmiller]

How did you cycle your tank? By the sounds of it, your media sat for a while between set ups. Bacteria can start dying off within hours your media being deprived of water flow, oxygen, and an ammonia source. What are your current readings for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?

For them to be happy and show typical behaviors you'll want at least 4, but preferably 6+. You just don't have the necessary footprint in a 10 gallon tank for that many. A good alternative is the Pygmy cory, Corydoras Pygmaeus the Pygmy Cory Profile, with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish

or the asian stone cat Hara jerdoni the Anchor Catfish, Asian Moth Catfish, Asian Stone Cat, Dwarf anchor Catfish, Dwarf Moth Catfish, Mini Moth Catfish , with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish

 

[Southernboy]

The tank never sat not running. It was continually running from the crash until the new fish were added. Once I got the numbers to come down after the initial crash, which is why I bought the api master kit so I knew why the first fish died, I did a fishless cycle, steps taken from information found here. Water changes every other day, checking levels every day until it leveled out (about 2 months) and then added these fish. Since adding them I have checked my levels nightly and all seems to ne well. The tetras are schooling moving around the tank and the cory swims around in incriments of about 10-15 minutes then he will hide for about the same time length before he/she comes back out again. All the fish are eating well and don't seem to be unhappy.

 

[Rivercats]

or the asian stone cat Hara jerdoni the Anchor Catfish, Asian Moth Catfish, Asian Stone Cat, Dwarf anchor Catfish, Dwarf Moth Catfish, Mini Moth Catfish , with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish

Size wise Dwarf Anchor Cats are great in small tanks BUT they are not beginner fish. I have 12 in a nano fish only tank. They are not only very small but are difficult to feed and can not tolerate nitrates over 12pmm. They can actually die pretty quickly in poor water conditions and absolutely cannot live through a cycling tank.

Dwarf or Pygmy cories are a much better choice.

 

[Southernboy]

Doing a water test now. My ammonia is 1.0 ppm, PH is 6.8, Nitrate is 40 ppm, Nitrite is is dead on 0 ppm. Doing a 3 gallon water change. Will check it again nightly until it balances again.

 

[rmiller]

Sounds lime you're having a mini cycle. With fish in you need to keep your ammonia no higher than .25, I would do 75% water change.

 

[Southernboy]

It wound up being a little over a 50% change. I have a 10 qt bucket I use to fill with (only) and a 5 gal bucket to take water out. I got a little carried away. The fish have been in since Saturday afternoon readings yesterday were slightly higher on ammonia. Did the 75% then. I try to check it within 30 minutes of the same time every night.