Help on my 10 gallon Serpae Tetra tank?

[swankyspoon]

I am starting a 10 gallon tank. I have 3 Serpae Tetras and am planning to buy 3 more in a few weeks. Will this work?

AqAdvisor says I will be at 75% capacity, which sounds healthy. I bought only three tetra initially because I read that you should keep a tank fairly sparse during cycling (I am doing 30-40% daily cycles - and plan to buy a Ph tester with the test tubes etc). However, I am also aware that tetras are happier in schools of 6 or more. So, what should I do? Should I buy three more as quickly as possible so my fish will form a small school and be happier, or should I wait until cycling has happened?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mommytron]

don't add any fish until the cycle is finished. pick up a liquid test kit ASAP and keep ammonia and nitrite levels below .25ppm to reduce risk of poisoning. when your cycle is finished, you could probably get away with adding 5 or 6 more tetras to your tank, especially if you don't plan on adding any other stock. read up on the nitrogen cycle if you haven't already, there is a couple of good threads right in this section of the forum. good luck with the cycle, hope your lil serpaes do ok

 

[Lowryder]

After your cycle is complete then pick up 3-4 more. I have serpaes's and have noticed they are slightly aggressive, so the more the better.

 

[swankyspoon]

Thanks! I was stupid and should have cycled before I began. Ah well, now I know. So far the three Serpaes are looking alright. They are showing a lot of energy, chasing each other across the tank.

 

[BigJim]

Live and learn. I hate to think of what I've put my fish through in the past due to ignorance.

 

[swankyspoon]

Alright. I bit the bullet and bought a liquid test. Here are my results so far (with very frequent 40% water ptw:

Ammonia: 0.50 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrates: >5 PM

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Lowryder]

You are getthing there, do another 50% pwc to bring your ammonia down to 0.25

 

[BigJim]

+1 The key to cycling with fish is constant water changes. If you can, get some filter media out of a mature tank to seed your tank. It will speed up the cycle. Ask your LFS for something out of their tanks if you have to.

 

[Lowryder]

+1 The key to cycling with fish is constant water changes. If you can, get some filter media out of a mature tank to seed your tank. It will speed up the cycle. Ask your LFS for something out of their tanks if you have to.

Make sure its a trusted lfs, you dont want to deal with some sort of outbreak later on down the road.

 

[swankyspoon]

Thanks. Only stores nearby are Petco and Petsmart, so I think I have to cycle on my own. Got 0.5 PPM Ammonia and 0 Nitrites again last night. Did a 50% PWC this morning.

 

[swankyspoon]

We are cycled no ammonia or nitrites and nitrates 7-8 ppm! I will start adding a serpae a week! And all three that I started with survived!

 

[Jason7894561230]

Just keep going youll get there
I ahve a question i had serpeas and they nipped each other are your doing that?

 

[swankyspoon]

Yeah, mine nip. I hope that as I increase the school to 6, they will chill a bit.

 

[Lowryder]

I have a school of 6, they still nip just not as much/

 

[Jason7894561230]

Oh okay cool