Newbie Questions

[gentry]

Hello Everyone!

I have been looking over this forum for a couple days and finally decided to join! I have a couple questions as this is the first time I have ever had pet fish. Currently, I have a 20G with 4 Guppies and 10 White Cloud Minnows that I got as feeder fish to cycle my tank.

Here are my questions:

1. What can I put in my tank so that I have some fish at the bottom level?

2. How often should I vacuum the gravel/ do a PWC/change the filter? (I was told by the pet store not to change the water or vacuum for at least a month to give the bacteria time to grow)

3. Is there a way to keep the guppy population down? I didn't realise that they would have so many babies? What do others do? Should I get a fish that will eat the fry?

I think that is it for now... Thanks!!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hello and welcome!
Not changing the eater for the first month is VERY detrimental to the health of your fish.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html

Some good bottom feeders for a 20g include kuhli loaches, cories, shrimp bristlenose pleco. (not all can be kept and shrimp maybe eaten)

 

[gentry]

Hello and welcome!
Not changing the eater for the first month is VERY detrimental to the health of your fish.
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium

I was thinking that I did a PWC at about 2 weeks because I just felt bad for not changing it or anything. I checked that water yesterday and today and everything seems fine and the fish all survived and no one looks stressed or sick.

How often should I be doing PWC now? The pet store said that I would get rid of the good bacteria if I did a PWC too often.... however, as I said the readings were all good so should I wait a bit before I do another PWC?

Also, when I did the first PWC the day after my Guppy Leo seemed stressed out and was scratching on the rocks and cave... I added more water conditioner (which I had done a couple days earlier with the PWC) and he hasn't been scratching anything. Was he doing that because I stressed him out or because the new water bugged him? none of my other fish showed this behaviour.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Not changing enough water can lead to something called 'old tank syndrome' (google that). I would recommend weekly water changes of 50%. The nitrifying bacteria affix themselves to surfaces in the tank and filter. The amount in the water is minuscule. Water changes won't have an effect on them. IMO the more fresh, clean water you can flush through a tank the better. Please read the article linked above. It will explain a lot of things.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Also do you have a test kit? I recommend getting a liquid one. Test strip are rubbish.

 

[gentry]

Yes I have a test kit. I have a liquid one for the Amonia and then the test strips 5-in-1 for the others.