More Tank Questions

[BettaGal]

This afternoon, I will be getting a new filter that is the size for my aquarium and at least one, at the most two, new cory cats. I currently have a 1-3 gal filter in a 10-gal tank, which was my way of trying to save money and have at least some filtration. I've been told on another thread that my tank will crash if I don't get a bigger filter and since my test kit is still at home (I will get it next week when I'm home for Thanksgiving Break), I won't see it coming. I have more questions about my tank. How can I fix a possible calcium deficiency in my tank? My mystery snail has a very prominent gold spot on his shell and all around it is dull and almost translucent. If he ever goes to a position where I can get a decent picture of what I'm talking about, I'll post one, but he seems to prefer avoiding a picture shot at the moment. A while ago, I saw my dwarf flame gourami vibrating his dorsal fin. He hasn't done it since that I've seen. What does this behavior mean? Why does he not use my leafy plant to nest, but spends hours a day cleaning it and tending to it and arranging it to his liking? What causes the water to turn sort of green? Last water change I did (I need to do another one before I head to the pet store), the water had turned sort of green, and I understand I had neglected it over my break while I was at home, but I wasn't expecting it to turn green. I had one cory cat die on me two days ago, but the rest are fine, and they're about three to four weeks into being mine, so I believe it was just something wrong with that fish. They all came from the same store. I had to cut off a stick of bamboo to fit it into my tank. It has grown sort of a whitish clear filmy stuff over where I cut. What is it, and is it normal for that to happen? Thank you in advance for your input. I'll continue to ask questions as they come to mind.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Your water turning green is or was probably due to the fact of lack of filtration or water changes. Id start woth some water changes and see if the water clears up and the snails or snail starts to improve. The fish dieing was more tjan likily water quality aswell.

 

[phishfriend]

I wouldn't replace or add any new stock until a couple thing happen.

The first being your new filter having enough time on the tank to build enough BB to manage the system. Run the old and new on the tank for a few weeks

Second, as you stated you have been a bit lacks with your maintenance. So you need to be more proactive!

As previous mentioned your system has a lack of filtration. Which we know is about to change. (Applause to you for taking the action). That coupled with your...lets say relaxed approach to you WC and cleaning routine. Have put major stress on the fragile system you had established with your tank cycle.
As a direct effect the signs are starting to show. Bad Water quality and color. Lose of stock most like do to stress from previously mentioned water quality. Etc.

See the pattern?

Your tank being a 10g is a small system. It's not going to take long to show if something is off. If you see or notice something like water color be off or new for lack of a better word " funk" on you bamboo. The first thing you should do is a water change.

 

[BettaGal]

I got a new filter the day after everyone so kindly informed me that the whole tank would crash if I didn't get it ASAP. I did a 50% after removing Spazzo's body, and he was always not right. I got everything for the tank that day: a new fish and a snail along with the new filter. Before adding the fish and snail, I did two 50% back-to-back and ran the new filter for a while. I've kept up with it since. The lax was due to a 3-day weekend at home and being too concerned with that at the time. My hypersensitive nose is usually a good indicator of needing a water change, but I guess I didn't listen that time. I guarantee I will ask a million questions since I never had guidance when I started fish. Is it absolutely essential to have more than three Cory cats, or will that be fine for a while? Is there any reason why two snails are fine and one's body is turning from olive to white? I attached a picture of my two nerites, one of which is the one changing. Is there a good safe way to cycle faster with fish in the tank in case I get caught up in studying or too much homework for one human? I'm getting a third live plant to exchange with the silk one that's driving me insane. Will this help with the need to vacuum the sand every two days for fish poop, or will that still be necessary? What's the story with overfeeding? I feed them twice a day and there's never any leftover. I only recently discovered the concept, and an unintentional massive incident killed my guppies. I seem to get cranky fish also. Somewhere said only what they eat in five minutes but my first fish would not touch it for at least 10-15 minutes. He wanted it good and wet I guess.