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Arciszewska

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Oct 22, 2016
Messages
3
Hi all! I am a new member. :)

Currently the only fish I’ve got is a betta named Gregory and his best friend Anthony the ghost shrimp. However, I am setting up a low tech planted 10 gallon tank and I was wondering what thoughts are regarding my plans for stocking it/filtering it. (It seems I’ve caught the aquarium bug.)

I’d like to put in:
3 otos
3 platys
6 ember tetras
2 rabbit snails
a handful of ghost shrimp
(eventually the betta)

I intend to make it preeeetty heavily planted, as planted as possible to still allow swimming room but so that everyone can hide. But my schedule in life in general is not regular enough to worry about upkeep of CO2, especially since I am gone for 3 months every summer and I do not trust whoever will be taking these fish for that period to be on top of it. Even though I would love to have huge plants in there, I will have to be patient and wait.

I would like to eventually move my betta in there last, but if he doesn’t get along with everyone then he’s staying in his 1.5gallon although he’s currently chilling with a shrimp in there and has ignored him entirely even with so little space (so I got a starter kit… sue me) so I don’t think that should be an issue. I am looking at a sponge filter (ideally the one designated for 10 gallon aquariums). However, I know I am probably a bit overstocked so regarding filtration (I weighed power filters vs sponge, but if I do ever want to move my betta in there he is an absolute lazy bum and hates hates hates water movement, the tiny tetra whisper internal filter in his tank right now is too much and he always hides!) I am deciding between getting a standard 10gal air pump, or if considering I am overstocked maybe I should get the 40gal pump.

So my questions (to sum up):
1. Is the size of the actual sponge filter itself important (eg getting the size designated for a 20gal tank as opposed to 10gal tank, where the sponge has a larger diameter), or in order to maximise filtration should I focus on getting a larger air pump (40gal instead of 10gal designated). Or, are the suggestions of 10gal for each both pretty accurate and sizing up is pointless? Also, will the added oxygen from the sponge filter impact the amount of oxygen the fish actually have to use or is it negligible? Ideally I would love to avoid getting the bigger sponges just because they take up so much **** room and I’m pretty limited with space, but if its a good idea ofc I’ll run with it.

2. Will the heavily/semiheavily planted aspect of this tank increase my ability to stock these fish as well as their potential ability to get along? How much should that impact it?

3. Is the quantity of each of these fish fine, or should certain of them be less/more considering their group dynamics? So eg is it fine if I get 3 male platys or should I use the 2:1 ratio for females to males?

4. Can anyone suggest a system for what I should do with this tank over the summer? As a student I’m gone from May until I come back in September and I can’t take them home because I live in Poland. I currently study on the Upper West Side in Manhattan: can I pay a petshop to keep them, or is there some kind of forum regarding people who do other people a favour and look after their fish? Any New Yorkers got suggestions? Let me know!

Before anyone suggests: I absolutely can’t get anything bigger. I am a student, and my room is 110sqft and this tank is going to have to fit on top of my mini fridge. If being a bit crowded will absolutely kill these fish, which ones should I not get? Although if at all possible I am keen to get them all.

Looking forward to any suggestions :)
 
Holy Moly

Sounds like you are wanting more fish than I have in my 75 gal tank..LOL

The general rule for fish/per tank size is 1 inch of fish per gallon. You could have (10) 1 inch fish or (3) 3 inch fish.

I would not bother with all the filtration and stuff; not for a 10 gallon tank.

I would suggest starting out with a bigger tank say around 29 gal or so; remember the bigger the tank the easier.

Hope this helps,

Mike.:fish2:
 
Hey are you on campus? You might consider working with the RA and other housing people to set up a tank for the community. They probably wouldn't provide any resources other than space and possibly labor, but everyone would benefit from it.

Edit: 10 gallon tanks *do* need filters.
 
Hi! Yes, I am on campus but there is no such thing as having a 'community tank', benefit of being in Manhattan is that in my dorm we have very few communal spaces and they aren't about to be taken up by fish haha (in fact, we just have very little space in general).

Thanks Mike! I am a little confused bc that's the first advice I've read about NOT having a filter - is there something you would suggest otherwise? I feel a little more secure having a filter to be honest and aqadvisor actually says that the AC20 I'm considering is underfiltering (how!! its 10 gallons!!). Also, if I am currently thinking of too many fish, which ones do you think would be ill suited for a 10gal? I read that tetras have a negligible bioload as do shrimp. In that case would having a 2 inch betta, 3 one inch otos, and 3 2 inch platys and lets say the equivalent of 2in of tetras (altogether 13in of fish), give or take, not be fine?
 
Hi! Yes, I am on campus but there is no such thing as having a 'community tank', benefit of being in Manhattan is that in my dorm we have very few communal spaces and they aren't about to be taken up by fish haha (in fact, we just have very little space in general).

Thanks Mike! I am a little confused bc that's the first advice I've read about NOT having a filter - is there something you would suggest otherwise? I feel a little more secure having a filter to be honest and aqadvisor actually says that the AC20 I'm considering is underfiltering (how!! its 10 gallons!!). Also, if I am currently thinking of too many fish, which ones do you think would be ill suited for a 10gal? I read that tetras have a negligible bioload as do shrimp. In that case would having a 2 inch betta, 3 one inch otos, and 3 2 inch platys and lets say the equivalent of 2in of tetras (altogether 13in of fish), give or take, not be fine?

I didn;t mean to not have a filter; I just meant no need to have an oversized filter;
Sorry for the mix-up. Good luck! It is a great hobby for sure.

Mike.:popcorn:
 
Hi! Yes, I am on campus but there is no such thing as having a 'community tank', benefit of being in Manhattan is that in my dorm we have very few communal spaces and they aren't about to be taken up by fish haha (in fact, we just have very little space in general).

I'm familiar with Manhattan's size. A dear friend moved to Bangkok because she couldn't stand all those wide open spaces.

Just kidding. She actually left because she couldn't stand watching white people eat Thai food with chopsticks.

People enjoy aquaria, and making something for an institution is going to help you achieve your ambitious goals. Is there a study lounge or building lobby? How about places you volunteer?

Otherwise you're talking about getting a temporary pet, and fish aren't that.

A caveat with the one inch rule is that you should think square inches AND include invertebrates.

Given your constraints, maybe it would be best to focus on enjoying the betta. Get a five gallon (or 10) and watch him enjoy his space. You can travel with one fish, so you wouldn't have to worry about someone else selling or neglecting him over the three months you're gone.

Your life is also going to change a lot in the next couple of years. Staying small will help you be flexible, and you won't resent this wonderful hobby.

Once you have a year-round place to live, you will have the knowledge and experience to do something really amazing.
 
Columbia's administration is a rigid and unfeeling monster that will not react kindly to the concept of having animals in public spaces. For all I know, someone might say they're triggered by fish. We did try to petition in the previous year to have some kind of amphibian or reptile or really anything in our lounge but the idea was shot down immediately. Although it is a good idea in and of itself, I don't think it would get through even if I did have time to devote to fighting with the university's administration.

Unfortunately, I am definitely not able to travel with a fish. I live in Poland, so I will be looking for someone to take Gregory during the summer regardless and I figured since the hassle of finding a keeper is already there, I might as well get a tank which gives me (and him) more enjoyment.

Thank you for the advice regarding the inch ratio! No one specified before regarding whether it was fish or organisms in general, and I read a few advice posts implying that most invertebrates have too small bioloads to properly work within the confines of the inch rule. I'll adjust my fish dreams accordingly :)
 
If you are worried about your shrimp getting sucked up then you can easily just use a hang on back filter and cover the intake with a sponge....and BAM you have a sponge filter. I saw this cheat/tip on Cory's Aquarium Coop. I do it with all of my aquariums.

2. Plants more help with the stress reducing of the fish than any added chemical stuff. They do reduce the nitrates and that stuff but not anything a water change couldn't do. I keep a planted tank though because my fish (especially my bettas love them) and plus it looks better. Though that isn't to say they don't help with that other stuff....just not to a degree where it's existence would save/kill your fish on a chemical level.

3. Is the quantity of each of these fish fine, or should certain of them be less/more considering their group dynamics? So eg is it fine if I get 3 male platys or should I use the 2:1 ratio for females to males?

You have way too many fish for your ten gallon tank to include all of them. there is a one inch of fish per gallon guideline that helps with stocking. but your betta takes at least two inches....and that's not taking his temperament into account. Platys like room to swim and they are similar to mollies (though i think smaller) eat quite a bit and poop quite a bit. As for gender ratios i think it is better to increase the ratio to where there is at least 3 females for any one male. So maybe 4 platies, 1 betta, and then some more ghost shrimp....but that could be pushing it. (it is better to air on the side of caution)
I think you could add three ottos fine but you might maybe want to bump that up to five....but with your betta and some shrimp you are probably at your max. It's always better to understock your tank than overstock you tank....ESPECIALLY with smaller tanks. Tetras like to be in bigger numbers. to get real comfortable natural behavior from them you need probably ten (basing my opinion on neons and cardinals). So that rules out almost all tetras for your ten gallon. Even though they don't take up a large bioload...they're schooling behavior needs space that i think would bother your betta.

i think you with any of the above options you could add 1-2 rabbit snails along with a couple of shrimp. Just make sure your tank is well planted for your betta not to feel frazzled.

I think many people would disagree with me...I'm just trying to think of what is best for the individual needs of the fish.
just make sure you have: a heater and a thermometer, a filter, and water conditioner

4. I can't answer the fourth part sorry.
 
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