10 gal overstocked? Suggestions?

[SnailorJ]

I have a 10 gallon 5 week old tank. It's cycled and my levels are always pretty good (ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrates 10). However, I know that it is overstocked by most standards. I didn't do this on purpose, I just took advice from a woman at my lfs and realized later it was too much. BUT, my levels are good and my fish seem alright. I'm looking for feedback as to if I should be concerned/if it is okay, and if not, what solutions you may suggest. Do I need to figure out something to do with some of my fish, should I add another filter, etc.

I have a 10 gallon, planted, with a Whisper 10i filter. I have one male betta, 9 neon tetras, and 3 Kuhli loaches. I vacuum and change 25% water at least once a week. I also add a liquid plant food 2x weekly and liquid carbon daily. I have noticed some clear/whitish slime build up on the suction cups around my filter. Could this be a side effect?

Any feedback is appreciated

 

[bmckee727]

It's definitely maxed out, if your doing enough changes to keep levels safe you could probably keep it going as is. I personally would lose a loach and a couple tetra. Your prams could get out really quick if your not on it.

 

[SnailorJ]

Yeah that's what I'm afraid of. I love my Kuhlis so I definitely don't want to get rid of them, plus they are happiest when they are 5+, so I would feel bad making their group any smaller. I would be willing to part with some neons if I needed to, but I have no idea what I'd do with them. I have another 10 gal with a betta only in it, but he is currently sick and at my parents' house, so I don't have the option to move them to that tank right now.
Could adding another filter be a possible solution? Or just close monitoring on water changes?

 

[bmckee727]

Are you speaking of the (neon colored tetras) or the cardinals with the blue and red markings?

 

[SnailorJ]

Cardinals, sorry!

 

[bmckee727]

Cardinals are a light load. Gotta watch prams tho. I'd buy a lil 5g for the betta and call it good

 

[rmiller]

Neons and cardinals look similar. Cardinals red stripe runs the entire length of their body. Whereas the neons red only goes about halfway up. Can you post a pic?

 

[SnailorJ]

Okay I was confused. I thought bmckee meant that they were either the pink, yellow, etc neon tetras or the red and blue striped. I did research and looked at them closely, and they are indeed neon tetras. The red stripe only goes from the back of the body to the mid section. I can post a pic too, but it was hard to get a pic that wasn't blurry!

 

[SnailorJ]

Here is a pic that isn't tooooo bad:

 

[Sillyfishies]

Here is a pic that isn't tooooo bad:

Yup they are neons. You definitely need to upgrade the filter. Kuhlis get too big for a 10g IMO. I'd take them back to your LFS.

 

[SnailorJ]

Hmmm okay. I was worried about that, which is why I only have 3, but when they're full grown I could see them not having enough space. I've gotten pretty attached to them though, so I might just wait until they get bigger and then upgrade.

Any filter suggestions? I have a 12 pack of filter cartridge replacement for the one I have now, so I'd rather just double up than replace it, if possible.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Hmmm okay. I was worried about that, which is why I only have 3, but when they're full grown I could see them not having enough space. I've gotten pretty attached to them though, so I might just wait until they get bigger and then upgrade.

Any filter suggestions? I have a 12 pack of filter cartridge replacement for the one I have now, so I'd rather just double up than replace it, if possible.

Filter cartridges are useless. Your throwing away bacteria everytime you replace it. You only replace them when they are literally falling apart.

I suggest getting an aquaclear 20. Maybe a nano canister filter off of eBay.

 

[Hobgob]

Adding another filter won't help. Your bioload will stay the same so your nitrates will still be the same. Loaxhes need more space. I would upgrade sooner then later if you do love your loaches so they domt get stunted. Also put your betta in his own tank. You might wake up one day with some dead fishies imo. I would get a better filter. And like mentioned above you can't through away your filter media. That's where all your bb lives. If you throw it away you will need to cycle again. I'd get a better filter and put the current media in the new one to seed it. How long have you had your fish in? Did you fish in cycle?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Adding another filter won't help. Your bioload will stay the same so your nitrates will still be the same. Loaxhes need more space. I would upgrade sooner then later if you do love your loaches so they domt get stunted. Also put your betta in his own tank. You might wake up one day with some dead fishies imo. I would get a better filter. And like mentioned above you can't through away your filter media. That's where all your bb lives. If you throw it away you will need to cycle again. I'd get a better filter and put the current media in the new one to seed it. How long have you had your fish in? Did you fish in cycle?

I don't think kuhlis will got stunted. As stunting is caused by too small of a tank, but bad water quality.

 

[SnailorJ]

They've all been in for 2 weeks or so, but the tank has been set up for 5-6 weeks. I fish-in cycled, yes. I'd read that about rarely changing filter pads, but I had already bought the big pack I don't want to waste them, but I guess that's a silly reason for not upgrading.

I also don't really want to move my betta out because he was depressed before I added more fish. He had the 10 gallon all to himself and all he did all day was sleep in his cave. Now he is highly active and flaring at the glass all day. He completely ignores the loaches and mostly ignores the tetras.

 

[bmckee727]

Filter cartridges are useless. Your throwing away bacteria everytime you replace it. You only replace them when they are literally falling apart.

I suggest getting an aquaclear 20. Maybe a nano canister filter off of eBay.

Agree 100%

 

[Khuligirl93]

I know it's not ideal, but I almost have the exact stock as you in my 10g (substituting some neons for WCMMs). Although my tank is heavily planted and I have double filtration. I think if you do water changes regularly you should be perfectly fine, but extra filtration can never hurt

 

[Sillyfishies]

I know it's not ideal, but I almost have the exact stock as you in my 10g (substituting some neons for WCMMs). Although my tank is heavily planted and I have double filtration. I think if you do water changes regularly you should be perfectly fine, but extra filtration can never hurt

The filter needs to be upgraded. The 10i is what comes with tetras 3G kit.

 

[flitabout]

You'll be ok for a bit if you just upgrade the filter or you could just bite the bullet and get a bigger tank. Just keep your eyes open for when petco runs it's special for a dollar a gallon again. In the mean time start piecing together all of the stuff you will need for a bigger set up.

 

[SnailorJ]

Okay, thanks a lot everyone! I will continue doing regular water changes and consider upgrading if I have the funds/space. I'm also considering the possibility of reducing the number of tetras. We'll see how it works out. I appreciate all of the advice!