What should I add?

[librarygirl]

I'm not sure but if they are already 2-3" inches each they're too large for a 10, I"d rehome them. With the platy and guppy (which are high bioload fish), tetras and the pleco I wouldn't have added anything else. Plus most standard filtration on a 10 gal with those fish won'tt be suitable. Most plecos need at least a 30 gal, and those that are the ones that stay small. The pleco, with the other fish, is going to raise toxin levels and the frogs are just going to make it worse. Too many fish in a small tank also makes the fish stressed and more prone to illness. Also most tetras, danios and rasboras, though small, are active and should be in a 20 gal minimum. At the very least I'd return the frogs and rehome the pleco or get a larger tank for the fish (at least a 30) and keep the frogs in the 10 until you know what they are.

These links might help:
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

 

[Zimmanski]

"I've always been told a Pleco will not get too big in a 10 gallon tank. I've heard it may lose a few years off its life, but it wouldn't make enough of an impact on lifespan to worry about that kind of thing."

This is wrong, please don't think like that. Some plecos can get up to 2 feet long and almost all are unsuitable for a ten gallon tank. Thats like putting a great dane in a closet to live. And don't forget "a couple years" of a fish's life is a long time for them, you wouldn't want someone to take 20 years off of your life right? Thats about the percentage of life that you were told "it wouldn't make enough impact"

Edit: my LFS sells those tadpoles or something similar too. Probably bullfrog tadpoles, thats what my lfs has them labeled as and wouldn't be suitable for a fully aquatic and small tank

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

@librarygirl: I was shocked they were this big as tadpoles. They were free and were going to die if I didn't take them. I may try to rehome them or I may flush them as well. Idk yet. I know the Pleco will get too big for my tank. My friend has a 200+ gallon tank I'm gonna put mine in when he out grows my tank (usually keep them for 6 months if the even live that long). But mine gets algae quick and they are very good at what they do.

@Zimmanski: I think they Bull Frogs so I will likely get rid of them. I'm gonna try and get rid of them. I got them for free, so I'll just give them away. I'm not gonna keep this pleco in here til it gets to 2 ft though. I'm gonna rehome him to my room mates tank in june. I've only done this once sicne the rest usually die within a few months. It will only see a few months of its 12-15 years in my tank. I wouldn't imagine that being a huge issue. For some reason my tank is bad with algae.

 

[Zimmanski]

Okay well that's good, I just wanted to throw that little bit out there. Glad you have friends with tanks. Do you know why you had the other fish deaths?

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

Okay well that's good, I just wanted to throw that little bit out there. Glad you have friends with tanks. Do you know why you had the other fish deaths?

The first pleco I had when I got the tank was fairly large when I got home. After he cleaned up my tank I put him in my friends. But recently I got a new tank and trashed my old one and when it started getting algae I got another algae eater. He ate all the algae and I didn't realize he wasn't eating enough cause of it. So I went through a series of algae eaters. I put algae wafers (pieces of one) in there every few days and so far I've had this one for a little bit longer than the others so this may be the issue solved there.

I'd assume the other fish I had were from being moved improperly (since most died around that time), and most of my original fish probably died from being put into cold tap water that was only filtered for 6-8 hours orignally, and the filter came days later.

 

[NinjaTetra]

Well like I said before, an otocinclus would be highly suitable. They are known as otos mostly, you maybe could get Chinese algae eater if u watch aggression. The pleco isn't worth having in the 10 gallon. Look at your lfs and see if they have any small algae eaters, too.

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

Well like I said before, an otocinclus would be highly suitable. They are known as otos mostly, you maybe could get Chinese algae eater if u watch aggression. The pleco isn't worth having in the 10 gallon. Look at your lfs and see if they have any small algae eaters, too.

I despise Chinease Algae Eaters. I worked in Pets Department at the Meijer I work at for 6 months and for some reason I gained a disliking for them. I saw in a book they were recommended to not have.

As far as I can tell, we only had Plecostomus, Chinese and Gold Alagae Eaters.

 

[Wiggles24]

Chinese algae eaters aren't that bad! Lol poor things if you put them in with larger "semi aggressive" fish they behave quite well actually. Mine just hide mostly until its feeding time then the angels and gouramis chase them away from the food

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

Chinese algae eaters aren't that bad! Lol poor things if you put them in with larger "semi aggressive" fish they behave quite well actually. Mine just hide mostly until its feeding time then the angels and gouramis chase them away from the food

I don't think I have a semi-aggressive or any kind of aggressive aquarium at all. Haha. But I may try a Chinese or Gold Algae Eater if my Pleco dies. But he's been a live for a while so there is hope!

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

I know the pleco eventually needs to go. He will as soon as he gets bigger. But anyways, I got rid of the tadpoles.

Is this an okay fish tank to leave as is?

10 gallon

1 Plecostomus
1 Zebra Danio
2 Guppy
2 Platy (one platy looks like its sad and depressed since the other one died. I tried getting another just like it, but he knows. lol)

And then I just acclimated a Red platy that has a black tail.

I know thats 7 fish, but they're all only about an inch long, and the rule of thumb is 1" fish per gallon.

The Pleco is about 2 inches though.

The only things that are in the tank are a Spongebob house, Squidward house, small rock, (did it cause of the tv show, the items are in that order lol) and a smaller plant.

 

[Zimmanski]

The problem with this 1"/gallon rule is it doesn't take into account bioload, and also you're using the 1" of fish rule as a RIGHT NOW rule, but you should be considering how many inches of fish you will have in 2 months and better yet the full size of the fish. Platys get around 2.5", danios and guppys about the same, and they're all dirty fish. And the pleco even when small will have a bioload much larger than its size would suggest

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

The problem with this 1"/gallon rule is it doesn't take into account bioload, and also you're using the 1" of fish rule as a RIGHT NOW rule, but you should be considering how many inches of fish you will have in 2 months and better yet the full size of the fish. Platys get around 2.5", danios and guppys about the same, and they're all dirty fish. And the pleco even when small will have a bioload much larger than its size would suggest

Fair enough. As long as I keep the tank clean, do you think the tank will be fine in the long run?

The fish seem happier now that theres 7 in there.

 

[emerald76]

The problem with this 1"/gallon rule is it doesn't take into account bioload, and also you're using the 1" of fish rule as a RIGHT NOW rule, but you should be considering how many inches of fish you will have in 2 months and better yet the full size of the fish. Platys get around 2.5", danios and guppys about the same, and they're all dirty fish. And the pleco even when small will have a bioload much larger than its size would suggest

+1

Also, why are you so obsessed with having algae eaters? Biological controls are never the best option. Elbow grease is. Your pleco will add more waste then he will remove.
An example of the bioload issue with the one inch per gallon rule-
A 10 inch Oscar or 10 1 inch guppies, following this rule, can be kept in a ten gallon tank. But ten one inch guppies have a minuscule bioload compared to the mentioned Oscar. It just doesn't work.

 

[Zimmanski]

Fair enough. As long as I keep the tank clean, do you think the tank will be fine in the long run?

The fish seem happier now that theres 7 in there.

Not in the long run honestly, but I'm sure they are happier with more fish. You have 6 fish that will eventually add up to 15" and a pleco that can max out at 18" so even by the 1"/g rule, without the pleco, you're well over stocked. Would it be at least possible to upgrade to a 20 gallon? It doesn't take up much more space and you can get them for super cheap on CL, you would still need to rehome the pleco but you'd at least be much better off

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

Not in the long run honestly, but I'm sure they are happier with more fish. You have 6 fish that will eventually add up to 15" and a pleco that can max out at 18" so even by the 1"/g rule, without the pleco, you're well over stocked. Would it be at least possible to upgrade to a 20 gallon? It doesn't take up much more space and you can get them for super cheap on CL, you would still need to rehome the pleco but you'd at least be much better off

What would be a recommended size to keep a Pleco in and keep the same amount if not more fish in? I just really like them and they do a great job with keeping my tank clean.

I do plan to upgrade to a bigger tank if my tax check allows for it cause I want a bigger one.

 

[emerald76]

What would be a recommended size to keep a Pleco in and keep the same amount if not more fish in? I just really like them and they do a great job with keeping my tank clean.

I do plan to upgrade to a bigger tank if my tax check allows for it cause I want a bigger one.

Which pleco species?

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

Which pleco species?

He's the common one sold that can grow up to 24".

 

[emerald76]

He's the common one sold that can grow up to 24".

125 gal minimum

 

[REDCHEVYBLAZER]

125 gal minimum

Is 125 okay for what I have currently, and possibly 5-6 more fish?

150 is what I was wanting to get.

 

[emerald76]

Is 125 okay for what I have currently, and possibly 5-6 more fish?

150 is what I was wanting to get.

Yes, all your fish in the 150 would be great. But you could add a couple more top swimmers. However if you rehomed the pleco you could have a lot more fish in the 150...