Ok, so the other day my family purchased a Dwarf Gourami, a Platy Wag Sunset, a Marble Molly, and an African Dwarf Frog. What is the minimum size tank you recommend for all those guys? They only bought a 5 gallon tank which I knew was way too small for all of them but they insisted; and my dad wants to go back and get an algae eater as well. I'm going to take it upon myself to buy a bigger tank and I just want to know what size would be best. Is 10 gallons good, or should I go larger? Thoughts please, and tell me anything else I should know to properly care for these guys.
Got several new fish! Need tank advice!
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librarygirl
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More than 10. At least a 30 gal I'd say, especially if you want to add more fish. The frogs are social and need a group of 3+; they are nearly blind and need to be target fed plus they need to come up for air so a tank that's too high isn't good for them as they are poor swimmers to. They would do much better in their own tank (plus complications can arise if the frogs or fish get sick as frogs can't often tolerate fish meds and vice veresa). A 10 gal for 2-3 frogs and a 30 for the other fish.
I'm assuming the tank isn't cycled? In a 5 gal tank with those fish you're going to have major ammonia issues. Id' suggest 50% water changes daily with a good dechlorinator like Prime. Get a larger tank ASAP and a good liquid test kit (API Master is best) and read the links below.
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice
I'm assuming the tank isn't cycled? In a 5 gal tank with those fish you're going to have major ammonia issues. Id' suggest 50% water changes daily with a good dechlorinator like Prime. Get a larger tank ASAP and a good liquid test kit (API Master is best) and read the links below.
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice
Hi there! Thanks for the reply! I don't have the money to buy two more tanks right now... so what do you think is the best recommended course of action? Buy maybe a 25-30 gallon tank and a couple of more frogs? Also how long should I let the water in the tank cycle before I put the fish and frogs in there?
Also how long can I keep them in that 5 gallon tank? I don't want them in there too much longer if it's really going to cause problems. I'll keep up with the daily water changes and get those supplies you recommended, thanks for all your help so far!
Also how long can I keep them in that 5 gallon tank? I don't want them in there too much longer if it's really going to cause problems. I'll keep up with the daily water changes and get those supplies you recommended, thanks for all your help so far!
librarygirl
Look It Up
I'd get a 25-30 gal and move the fish and frogs over. No sense keeping them in a 5 gal tank when a larger volume of water would help dissipate the toxins more. I wouldn't add any more stock until the tank fully cycles though (3-8 weeks). If there's a filter on the 5 gal now move it over to the new tank and run it with the new filter so you don't lose any bacteria that might be starting to form on the filters). Then read the link above on fish-in cycling. Just test daily and do water changes as needed until ammonia and nitrite levels stay at 0 (again the process takes a while and it'll take some commitment to keep everything alive and healthy during the process).
If you're going to keep the frogs with the fish I'd suggest adding some mid-level decor that the frogs can rest on if they get tired on the way up for air (caves and such are not recommended as they can get caught inside and drown). Read up on ADF Frog care as again you'll need to target feed them and their food needs are different than fish (H&H Frog and tadpole bites are good along with some other meaty foods).
Here's a link to get you started:
African Dwarf Frog Housing and Feeding
Welll the person was probably telling you how they feed them, which really isn't correct.
Library girl is right on about frogs getting stuck inside decorations/caves and drowning. A few fatter leaf plants will work great for resting places. The betta will be fine for now in the 5 gallon but do get the others moved as quickly as you can. The bio-load for those fish in that size tank can cause problems very quickly especially since the tank is also new. Keep up the WC's daily until you can get them moved. Hope it works out well for you.
Library girl is right on about frogs getting stuck inside decorations/caves and drowning. A few fatter leaf plants will work great for resting places. The betta will be fine for now in the 5 gallon but do get the others moved as quickly as you can. The bio-load for those fish in that size tank can cause problems very quickly especially since the tank is also new. Keep up the WC's daily until you can get them moved. Hope it works out well for you.
librarygirl
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Flakes tend to float, so the frogs wouldn't be able to get at them and the fish will proabably eat them before any can sink to the bottom. ADFs need meaty foods as well. They are also prone to bloat, so no freeze-dried foods. Pellets should work though, frozen food like brine shrimp and bloodworms would do as well (best to vary their diets).
Thanks a ton for the responses! I guess I'll just keep up the water changes until I can get the bigger tank set up! I bought some Prime earlier today, can I put it in the tank directly with the fish and frogs in it?
I do have bloodworms actually, thanks for telling me that.
My ammonia and nitrite level is obviously a little high, should I put a little bit more than the recommended doseage for my tank?
I do have bloodworms actually, thanks for telling me that.
My ammonia and nitrite level is obviously a little high, should I put a little bit more than the recommended doseage for my tank?
librarygirl
Look It Up
What's a "little high"? What's the number? Anything over .25 is iffy. Do larger or more water changes if it gets above that number. With all of those fish in a 5 gal ammonia is going to rise fast so you'll be doing multiple water changes possibly in one day to keep levels down until you can upgrade.
Yep Prime is great. you can either add it to the buckets when you do water changes and dose for each bucket (I believe the Prime dosing is 2 drops per gallon so if you have a 5 gal bucket you could use 10 drops, a bit extra won't hurt either). Or you can add enough directly to the tank prior to refilling and add enough for the whole tank (not just the water you're replacing) and then refill.
The ammonia level was definitely above 0.25 before I did the water changes. After two water changes today I knocked it down to a little less than 0.25. It's a lot of work to keep up with but I think I can manage it!
Great! Thanks so much! I have the tank almost set up, all I really need to do now is put water in it. I know I shouldn't really waste any time, but do you think I should let it sit over night so the water temperature is at least room temp?
After I put them in I guess I'll just have to do a fish-in cycle. Also I've decided to keep my two frogs in the 5 gallon tank on their own. Things should be a little easier to manage that way.
Great! Thanks so much! I have the tank almost set up, all I really need to do now is put water in it. I know I shouldn't really waste any time, but do you think I should let it sit over night so the water temperature is at least room temp?
After I put them in I guess I'll just have to do a fish-in cycle. Also I've decided to keep my two frogs in the 5 gallon tank on their own. Things should be a little easier to manage that way.
Ok, I just wanted to give you guys an update on my progress!
I have set up the 20 gallon tank I acquired and moved my Gourami, Platy, Marble Molly, and Upside Down Catfish to that tank while keeping my 2 African Dwarf Frogs in the 5 gallon tank. It's been a couple weeks since then and everything seems to be going fine but as of late a couple of the fish seem to be acting a bit unusual and it's weirding me out.
I've been doing 40-50% water changes everyday since both tanks aren't done cycling yet. I use Aqueon water conditioner and Seachem Prime and let the water sit before I replace the tanks. My Ammonia levels seem to sit between .25 and .50.
Now the two fish in question are my Gourami and my Platy. The Gourami seems to spend all of its time at the surface and just kinda seems.... lifeless. It floats arounds in place and doesn't really move unless I bother it to see if it's ok; this has been going on for about a day or so. It used to spend most of it's time swimming around at the bottom of the tank while occasionally coming to the surface. The Platy is the opposite, it used to be one of my most energetic fish, it swam around everywhere. Now it just sits around at the bottom of the tank and even seems to try and isolate itself from the other fish. I see it hiding behind the fake plants and inside the coral decorations. It never used to do that... she would spend most of her time swimming together with my Marble Molly. :<
So is there something wrong with them? I would like a solid response before I take any drastic measures. My Catfish and Marble Molly seem to be fine and act like they do when I first introduced them to the tank.
I have set up the 20 gallon tank I acquired and moved my Gourami, Platy, Marble Molly, and Upside Down Catfish to that tank while keeping my 2 African Dwarf Frogs in the 5 gallon tank. It's been a couple weeks since then and everything seems to be going fine but as of late a couple of the fish seem to be acting a bit unusual and it's weirding me out.
I've been doing 40-50% water changes everyday since both tanks aren't done cycling yet. I use Aqueon water conditioner and Seachem Prime and let the water sit before I replace the tanks. My Ammonia levels seem to sit between .25 and .50.
Now the two fish in question are my Gourami and my Platy. The Gourami seems to spend all of its time at the surface and just kinda seems.... lifeless. It floats arounds in place and doesn't really move unless I bother it to see if it's ok; this has been going on for about a day or so. It used to spend most of it's time swimming around at the bottom of the tank while occasionally coming to the surface. The Platy is the opposite, it used to be one of my most energetic fish, it swam around everywhere. Now it just sits around at the bottom of the tank and even seems to try and isolate itself from the other fish. I see it hiding behind the fake plants and inside the coral decorations. It never used to do that... she would spend most of her time swimming together with my Marble Molly. :<
So is there something wrong with them? I would like a solid response before I take any drastic measures. My Catfish and Marble Molly seem to be fine and act like they do when I first introduced them to the tank.
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