Dangora
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hello, I am new to the site and generally new to the hobby. I am going to try and give as much information as possible. I will start out with my story and then put some factual lists at the bottom. Bear with me.
I was walking through the pet store one day (I unfortunately have to go to the big chain stores - Petsmart or Petco - for there is nothing else close to me) and saw a ten gallon fish tank with a hood and filter for like $20. I was excited and couldn't resist but to buy the tank. I brought the tank home with some gravel and waited for my next pay check to pick up the next items I would need (I'm a high school student working at a grocery store, so I get little pay and few hours). I then bought some plants, a net, and a thermometer. That day, I set up my tank by first straining the gravel, then I put a plate in the tank, added tap water - about two thirds of the tank, put in the plants and thermometer, and filled the rest of the tank. Then I went to buy some lights, food, and a chemical kit that was on clearance (less than helpful). I added the kit, installed the lights, and let the tank "cycle" for a week. Unfortunately I did not research first, which I'm finding out now was a mistake. I brought in a sample of my water and the nitrate (I believe it was the nitrate) was high so the woman suggested stress coat. I left that in for 48 hours, brought the water back and the only problem was that the water was a little too soft, but she said that would not have a significant effect on the fish. I purchased two healthy looking Dwarf Gouramis and an Albino Cory Catfish, and let them sit in the bag in the tank for half an hour. I have a bucket specifically for my aquarium so i dumped the fish into the net over the bucket and immediately added the fish to the tank (I wanted to avoid mixing the pet store water with my water). The fish, in my opinion did very well). The two gouramis were shy to eat at first, but then they soon were more active. The albino cory is very active, swimming up to the top every now and then as, from my prior knowledge, they should be. I then went to get some algae wafers, which all three of my fish love. Fast forward another week and a half of feeding the fish 2-3 times a day, as suggested on the food labels, and I bought some more plants to provide more hiding places and a little volcano with an air line. I washed everything off with hot water and then added it to the tank. The fish enjoy the added plants and usually hang out around the volcano and not the other side of the tank. In a couple a days, the fish tank became somewhat cloudy, but towards the back of the tank (there is about 3-4 inches in front of the tank with no ornaments or plants; I will include a picture). I quickly browsed online and found that the likely cause is that one of the added ornaments or plants was not washed off well enough (Can anyone confirm/deny that's a strong possibility?) For the past two/three days the tank has remained in that condition, but the fish don't seem different. I need help, most definitely, and I will ask questions after giving out the information that needs to be said.
Equipment
-Ten Gallon Aquarium
-Full Incandescent Hood
-Aqueon Quiet Flow 10
-Ten pounds of Top Fin gravel
-Various top fin fake plants
-Top Fin Volcano Bubbler
-Top Fin thermometer (suction cup, inside the tank)
-TetraMin Tropical Crisps
-Hikari Algae Wafers
-API Stress Coat+
-Tetra AquaSafe
-Tetra EasyBalance
Fish
-Two Dwarf Gourami (Colisa Lalia)
-Albino Cory Catfish (Corydoras spp.)
Known Problems/Mistakes
-I did not do prior research
-I did not do a correct cycle
-I did not buy a heater
Next Steps
-I am going to get the API Master Kit (as suggested)
-I am going to buy two five gallon buckets (or smaller) just for the fish tank to do water changes.
-Read the wonderful articles provided through this website.
-Keep a log of water quality tests and observations
-Whatever else is suggested to me.
Questions
1. Can I sex the Dwarf Gouramis by their caudal fin?
2. Do I need a gravel cleaner?
3. Is my catfish fine by itself or should there be other catfishes?
4. Should I buy a wider range of foods? (Maybe frozen or dried foods)
5. How many more fish can I safely house in that tank?
6. Are there any fish that you would suggest to add, when all my problems with the tank have been cleared?
7. Is there any other information I left out that would be useful?
8. The dwarf gourami with the larger caudal fin appears to fin nip the one with the smaller caudal fin, is that a problem or natural?
9. Any advice other advice?
Edit #1 (7/14):
Bought the test kit today; here's my results:
pH - 7.6
Ammonia - 8.0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
I was walking through the pet store one day (I unfortunately have to go to the big chain stores - Petsmart or Petco - for there is nothing else close to me) and saw a ten gallon fish tank with a hood and filter for like $20. I was excited and couldn't resist but to buy the tank. I brought the tank home with some gravel and waited for my next pay check to pick up the next items I would need (I'm a high school student working at a grocery store, so I get little pay and few hours). I then bought some plants, a net, and a thermometer. That day, I set up my tank by first straining the gravel, then I put a plate in the tank, added tap water - about two thirds of the tank, put in the plants and thermometer, and filled the rest of the tank. Then I went to buy some lights, food, and a chemical kit that was on clearance (less than helpful). I added the kit, installed the lights, and let the tank "cycle" for a week. Unfortunately I did not research first, which I'm finding out now was a mistake. I brought in a sample of my water and the nitrate (I believe it was the nitrate) was high so the woman suggested stress coat. I left that in for 48 hours, brought the water back and the only problem was that the water was a little too soft, but she said that would not have a significant effect on the fish. I purchased two healthy looking Dwarf Gouramis and an Albino Cory Catfish, and let them sit in the bag in the tank for half an hour. I have a bucket specifically for my aquarium so i dumped the fish into the net over the bucket and immediately added the fish to the tank (I wanted to avoid mixing the pet store water with my water). The fish, in my opinion did very well). The two gouramis were shy to eat at first, but then they soon were more active. The albino cory is very active, swimming up to the top every now and then as, from my prior knowledge, they should be. I then went to get some algae wafers, which all three of my fish love. Fast forward another week and a half of feeding the fish 2-3 times a day, as suggested on the food labels, and I bought some more plants to provide more hiding places and a little volcano with an air line. I washed everything off with hot water and then added it to the tank. The fish enjoy the added plants and usually hang out around the volcano and not the other side of the tank. In a couple a days, the fish tank became somewhat cloudy, but towards the back of the tank (there is about 3-4 inches in front of the tank with no ornaments or plants; I will include a picture). I quickly browsed online and found that the likely cause is that one of the added ornaments or plants was not washed off well enough (Can anyone confirm/deny that's a strong possibility?) For the past two/three days the tank has remained in that condition, but the fish don't seem different. I need help, most definitely, and I will ask questions after giving out the information that needs to be said.
Equipment
-Ten Gallon Aquarium
-Full Incandescent Hood
-Aqueon Quiet Flow 10
-Ten pounds of Top Fin gravel
-Various top fin fake plants
-Top Fin Volcano Bubbler
-Top Fin thermometer (suction cup, inside the tank)
-TetraMin Tropical Crisps
-Hikari Algae Wafers
-API Stress Coat+
-Tetra AquaSafe
-Tetra EasyBalance
Fish
-Two Dwarf Gourami (Colisa Lalia)
-Albino Cory Catfish (Corydoras spp.)
Known Problems/Mistakes
-I did not do prior research
-I did not do a correct cycle
-I did not buy a heater
Next Steps
-I am going to get the API Master Kit (as suggested)
-I am going to buy two five gallon buckets (or smaller) just for the fish tank to do water changes.
-Read the wonderful articles provided through this website.
-Keep a log of water quality tests and observations
-Whatever else is suggested to me.
Questions
1. Can I sex the Dwarf Gouramis by their caudal fin?
2. Do I need a gravel cleaner?
3. Is my catfish fine by itself or should there be other catfishes?
4. Should I buy a wider range of foods? (Maybe frozen or dried foods)
5. How many more fish can I safely house in that tank?
6. Are there any fish that you would suggest to add, when all my problems with the tank have been cleared?
7. Is there any other information I left out that would be useful?
8. The dwarf gourami with the larger caudal fin appears to fin nip the one with the smaller caudal fin, is that a problem or natural?
9. Any advice other advice?
Edit #1 (7/14):
Bought the test kit today; here's my results:
pH - 7.6
Ammonia - 8.0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0