stocking questions

[LadyApril83]

Hi,
I have a vague idea of the fish I like but I don't know what would be good in my tank right now. I am just starting out so here is what I have
A 37 gallon tank
A top fin 40 filter
200w heater
And the led lights that came with the top fin they are all white and very bright
A floating thermometer and a strip one.
Gravel substrate black and neon
3 moss balls one about 3 inches and 2 one inch. I have a bubbled put into my coral and a few fake plants
As for fish I have 5 tetra 2 short fin black stripe and 3 long fin black stripe.
I also have 6 ghost shrimp (although I can only find 4 I'm thinking maybe the tetra ate the very small ones)
I really want some live plants and some colorful fish. I like dwarf gourami a lot and long fins
I was told to get a liquid test kit which I will do when I get the chance. Right now I'm taking water to get tested at the store
Thanks
April

 

[LadyApril83]

Oh and I do want some cleaning fish like a cory and otos..plecos scare me as I don't want to hurt them by having a smaller tank.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Oh and I do want some cleaning fish like a cory and otos..plecos scare me as I don't want to hurt them by having a smaller tank.

Smaller plecs will max put at around 4-5". Like bristlenose plecos and clown plecos. Cories are great little scavengers. However otos are a lot harder to care for than the other two species. And tend to die easier.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Dg are definitely great fish. So are some of the smaller rainbowfish. Though you could fit a larger one in that tank of you want. Threadfins are small and colorful rainbows. Boesmani and turquoise and large and colorful. And what plants do you want to have? It looks like you have low light so I'd go with low light plants for now.

 

[monaro_gto]

I would not do corries with that substrate. For color i love my dwarf gourami, you could do the same or the powder blue dwarf's have good color as well.

 

[LadyApril83]

Smaller plecs will max put at around 4-5". Like bristlenose plecos and clown plecos. Cories are great little scavengers. However otos are a lot harder to care for than the other two species. And tend to die easier.

The clown pleco looks really nice. Do they eat off the gravel or just the sides I will need some wood for him right?

 

[LadyApril83]

Dg are definitely great fish. So are some of the smaller rainbowfish. Though you could fit a larger one in that tank of you want. Threadfins are small and colorful rainbows. Boesmani and turquoise and large and colorful. And what plants do you want to have? It looks like you have low light so I'd go with low light plants for now.

I tried a red Ludwiga and it died so I am thinking low light defiantly anubias but I'm not sure how they would do with gravel. And is it worth it to buy the "snail free" plants?

 

[LadyApril83]

Oh and where does everyone buy their fish. I live in the Tampa Florida area

 

[LadyApril83]

How many fish could I get safely. I was thinking of adding a species school a week. Or 1-2 for fish that don't school

 

[LadyApril83]

I would not do corries with that substrate. For color i love my dwarf gourami, you could do the same or the powder blue dwarf's have good color as well.

What bottom feeder cleaner would be okay and what do cories like for future reference because I really do like them and how they scurry around the bottom

 

[monaro_gto]

You said you were going to get the test kit, does this mean your not sure if your tank is cycled? How long has everything been up and running? I wouldnt buy any more fish until you have an established tank.

 

[LadyApril83]

You said you were going to get the test kit, does this mean your not sure if your tank is cycled? How long has everything been up and running? I wouldnt buy any more fish until you have an established tank.

2 weeks I have had it running I've seen 3 bacterial blooms where it got milky for a day and then cleared up to what u can see in the photos and I take a sample every 2 days to the store.

 

[monaro_gto]

I would hold off on any new fish. Have you done any water changes? What is the store saying your levels are at?

 

[LadyApril83]

I would hold off on any new fish. Have you done any water changes? What is the store saying your levels are at?

I was told to wait on the water change by the last lady I talked to at the store who has 3 tanks because the levels were "good" I saw that the ammonia was zero as was the nitrite and the nitrAte was below ~20 and the ph was ~7. Mind u they do this with the strips

 

[monaro_gto]

I had those kind of readings with my tank, so thinking that I was cycled with 0 ammo 0 nitrite and around 10ppm nitrates I got more fish. Problem was my tank had never spiked with nitrites yet so I was not finished cycling. Have you seen any evidence of nitrites? its not imposable to cycle that fast but with fish in I would think you would have experienced dangerously high ammo first.

 

[LadyApril83]

I had those kind of readings with my tank, so thinking that I was cycled with 0 ammo 0 nitrite and around 10ppm nitrates I got more fish. Problem was my tank had never spiked with nitrites yet so I was not finished cycling. Have you seen any evidence of nitrites? its not imposable to cycle that fast but with fish in I would think you would have experienced dangerously high ammo first.

What would be a sign of nitrites besides testing? When I say I'm new I have never in my life had fish.

 

[monaro_gto]

well thats where the API test kit will come in. I was testing every day, sometimes twice a day. If your not cycled ammo and nitrites will spike eventually and that is when you are going to want to do your water changes. The liquid test kit will give a much clearer reading as well!

 

[LadyApril83]

Smaller plecs will max put at around 4-5". Like bristlenose plecos and clown plecos. Cories are great little scavengers. However otos are a lot harder to care for than the other two species. And tend to die easier.

I just found a fish place that has nice looking bristlenose albino plecos who are about 2inches right now for 3.99 I want to put some wood in the tank in prep for them (when I eventually get them) this guy was really nice and not pushy with fish or equipment...and did well with my likely obnoxious newbie questions. is any type of drift wood ok or should I wait on that?

April

 

[LadyApril83]

I had those kind of readings with my tank, so thinking that I was cycled with 0 ammo 0 nitrite and around 10ppm nitrates I got more fish. Problem was my tank had never spiked with nitrites yet so I was not finished cycling. Have you seen any evidence of nitrites? its not imposable to cycle that fast but with fish in I would think you would have experienced dangerously high ammo first.

Petsmart has the kit for 27.99 or amazon has it for 17.96 but I need to add some stuff to get to 25$ got the free shipping I don't know what else to buy...

Is it ok to get another plant?

 

[FishCr8zy]

I just found a fish place that has nice looking bristlenose albino plecos who are about 2inches right now for 3.99 I want to put some wood in the tank in prep for them (when I eventually get them) this guy was really nice and not pushy with fish or equipment...and did well with my likely obnoxious newbie questions. is any type of drift wood ok or should I wait on that?

April

I usually just use dw from a local stream or river. It's free and you can find some really cool shaped ones. If you want to buy dw, I would go with manzanita, malaysian, or some other type of bogwood. However, those dw have to be soaked in water for around a week or so to get rid of all the tannins in it. When you boil it, the process goes faster. But if you do not want to go through the hassle of soaking and all that, you can get some polylutherane, coat the dw with it and screw it into a slate with stainless steel screws. The polylutherane should stop or cause very little tannins leaking. You can coat it a few times for safety if you want. What type of bn is it? 3.99 is just around the normal price for bn's.