My First 10G Tank Needs Advice

[blktt]

Hi everybody.....

I just recently started the hobby (man have i been missin out).
I bought a 10G tank and got the water perfect ( i tested it at Petco)

Heres a list of my fish:

1 Ruby Red Dwarf Gourami
2 Unknown Guppys
1 Red Eye Tetra
1 Dalmation Molly
1 Marble Molly
1 Baloon Molly
1 Clown Loach

Are these fish ok together and sould i be feeding them anything other than tropical fish flakes?

Thanks Alot!
-Chris

 

[tabitha]

how long have you had the tank?

also i dont really know about compatability but i believe clown loaches are happiest in groups of 3 or more, but i would not suggest adding more b/c your tank is just about full.. i dont know the adult sizes of these fish tho.. and the tetra might not be happy b/c they are a schooling fish and they like groups of 6 or more... and arent molly's brackish fish (require a lot of salt in the water)? i thought they were but i might be wrong..

and you have been missing out, this is great!! i swear i cant read enought about it haha

oh yeah i feed my fish the flakes, but also freeze dried bloodworms and baby shrimp, and also i just bought some frozen fish food (you'll find it in the freezer at petco) and they like it..

 

[blktt]

i've had the tank 2 weeks

thanks a lot for your help, much appreciated!

 

[Allivymar]

Hiya blktt and welcome to Aquariumadvice

Oooo, I see a number of problems in your near future.

The tank is severely overloaded; a 10g is way too small for all those fish. Can you upgrade to at least a 20g tank? Or return some of the fish? Do know clown loaches and tetras are schooling fish and need buddies; the tetra should have at least 5 more and the clown at least 2 more. Also, clown loaches, if taken care of properly, reach 12 inches in length! The mollies will likely reach 4-6 inches. The mollies also prefer some salt in the water, but salt doesn't mix well with tetras.

All those fish combined with the fact your tank is not cycled (unless you used Bio-Spira) means major health issues very soon. If you don't understand the nitrogen cycle, and the effects of ammonia, nitrite and nitrates, I strongly suggest you read this article: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html . VERY important info for keeping your fish alive and healthy, I also suggest you pick up ammonia, nitrite and nitrate tests if you haven't already.

Foodwise, the more variety the better. You might want to look into some of the frozen foods, like frozen bloodworms, and some sinking algae wafers as well.

Good luck! Keep us posted

 

[PlatyLady]

Yup, you're overstocked. It is actually easier to keep a larger tank than a smaller one, so that's the best option for you. If you can't upgrade, you'll have to decide on which fish you like the best, and what can realistically live with it in your tank -- then return the rest of the fish.

As for feeding, I keep a few different kinds of fish food around, and switch things up every few days. I'd recommend buying the smaller containers if you do this though. They're not as economical, but if you're using a bunch of diff foods, it may take months to finish that one container of flakes and they may not hold their full nutritional value for that long.

Have fun!

 

[preciousmoments]

If you are unsure bout the nitrate, nitrite, and amonia levels petco will test your tank for free. Just take them a sample of your water. Also I don't know where you live but here in Montana they where having an aquatic sale so you could get another 10 gal tank for a really good price if you don't want to buy a 20 gal and it gives you a chance to seperate those who need to be.

 

[malkore]

I also wish to mention that clown loaches get close to a foot long as full grown adults. Within the first year they'll push 3-4 inches alone...which is too big for a 10 gallon.
Most adult loaches live in groups of 3-4 in 75 gallon and larger tanks.

 

[blktt]

Wow! thanks a lot everyone for all of your help. This is what im gonna do.....

Give all my fish to my friend except my red gourami and buy 6 red neon tetras and leave it a that for a while. Does that sound better...healthier

 

[PlatyLady]

I'd be partial to the red gourami too, I think. In fact, I'm thinking of doing something similar in my empty 10 gal -- one, possibly two dwarf gouramis (if I manage to find two that get along), but if just one, I'll likely add a small school of really small fish. Not sure about neons though. I saw one living with some white clouds... I need to read up more on that though.

Hope your friend has a big ol' tank for all those fish.