10 Gallon Tank needing suggestions for stocking!

[ToastyHippie]

What's wrong with a goldfish ?


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[emilygupps]

Please research the requirements of a gold fish.


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[treemanone2003]

Please research the requirements of a gold fish.


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+1 and a whole lot more !!!


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[ToastyHippie]

Should I just go with my original idea?


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[Patty1980]

If you can't get a bigger tank and you want happy healthy fish, a goldfish is one of the LAST choices you should make. They get huge (if raised humanly) and have huge bioloads. I love my male betta. He's got color, personality, they are great beginner fish, low maintenance (all fish require weekly water changes and so forth). Impulsivity in fish keeping usually ends in a dead fish. Firsthand experience right here. We've been there, made that mistake. Just trying to start you off right. Is your tank cycled? Do you have knowledge of the nitrogen cycle? Do you have an API master kit? This hobby is way more "science-y" than adopting a dog or cat.

 

[ToastyHippie]

The goldfish I had in the past stayed extremely tiny though thank you for the info.

I want a colorful tropical tank honestly but I'm not big on guppys or platys because of the way they look.


Could a Betta honestly work ? If it doesn't I understand but I am hoping it does I think I'll go with my first plan and have a little bowl set on the side incase it fails


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[sinibotia]

The goldfish I had in the past stayed extremely tiny though thank you for the info.

I want a colorful tropical tank honestly but I'm not big on guppys or platys because of the way they look.


Could a Betta honestly work ? If it doesn't I understand but I am hoping it does I think I'll go with my first plan and have a little bowl set on the side incase it fails


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Goldfish that stay tiny are goldfish that die young, stunted and unhappy.

A betta should work fine; I would go with your original plan.

But like Patty said, you need to get some test kits and cycle your tank before it's safe for fish. Do you have some API test kits for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

 

[Patty1980]

Your goldfish was probably stunted by the size tank you had it in. If it didn't live more than 10 years I guarantee it. A betta would be perfect. Is your tank cycled?? How long has it been set up? What are your current tank parameters?

 

[emerald76]

Okay look. We are all trying to help and we all have successful tanks and know what works for us so we are combining our knowledge to help you. It seems you really want a betta and some colorful schoolers. Why not try a betta with some smaller fish like Celestial Pearl Danios, or maybe even harlequin rasboras could work. However as stated above fish tanks need to be cycled before use. Also, here is one of our pro goldfish keepers' adult fish kept in a correctly sized aquarium versus the size most people say the goldfish will stay at in the pet store. The small Goldie is a fancy about golfball size.
The full article can be found in the freshwater cold water section in a sticky.


Emerald76

 

[emerald76]

Emerald76

 

[ToastyHippie]

I'm picking up the kits tomorrow when I stop over by petsmart as well as a heater. I was going to do the fish in cycle which I've read up on and double check me here only add a few fish at a time correct?


Should I get anything for the Betta as , from what I read, they like to lay on leaves and such , that they can actually lay on near the surface?



Sorry if it seems like I'm being rude I'm honestly not trying to.






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[Patty1980]

Here is my male alone in his 5 gallon. No background yet :/ But yes, a school of small fish might work in a 10. Might not. My guy is a bully and even picked on my mystery snail. Each personality is different. I find if you get everyone in before the betta they are less likely to be upset. If I were to put anyone in with mine he'd kill it quick. That's his territory now.

 

[ToastyHippie]

Got it so add the betta last to the tank


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[sinibotia]

Fish in cycle is ok but a fishless cycle is much better for the fish. You'll save money and time, because even the cheapest fish that you might lose in a fishless cycle is going to cost you more than a $1 bottle of ammonia from a dollar store. You can go either way but that's just my recommendation.

 

[ToastyHippie]

Got it how long does the fishless cycle take? Do I just pour ammonia in and let it go?


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[sinibotia]

Got it how long does the fishless cycle take? Do I just pour ammonia in and let it go?


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Usually it's a little faster than a fish-in cycle; especially if you seed your tank, it probably won't take more than 3 weeks.

There's a fantastic guide to it somewhere on this site, but that's the gist of it. Add a bit of ammonia and some fish food, watch the water parameters, and keep adding ammonia and fish food when the ammonia drops to 0 until 2ppm of it is being converted to nitrate in 24 hours. Someone else who know the link will most likely give you the link.

 

[Patty1980]

Its under getting started for freshwater beginners. That's all I read for 3 months before I started.

 

[treemanone2003]

Got it how long does the fishless cycle take? Do I just pour ammonia in and let it go?


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Here's some info that will help for a fish less cycle. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/tips-and-tricks-for-your-fastest-fishless-cycle/

Here's some regarding the fish in cycle. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/fishin-cycling-step-dark-side/

For the most part, fish in cycling has existed for eons. Despite what some say, it's not as harmful as it's made out to be. I've done it in many tanks with no losses. Also, when implementing seeded material from an existing tank, it's "basically" ready to go.


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[ToastyHippie]

Thank you so much for the links I read through the fish in cycle one since I already read the fishless cycle. I think I'm going to use my original plan to go with the fish in cycle though one question how can you tell if a current is too strong in a tank? And do I have enough water in my tank currently? The way I have it set up is that I have the filter running a and the water that it's cleaning is hitting the top of the water lightly though the plants around it sway a little is that too strong for a tetra?

Also , this may sound stupid, is it possible to over oxygenate your tank water? I have like a thousand bubbles all over my fake plants that won't hurt anything right?
Sorry for the stupid question but yea...


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[treemanone2003]

Thank you so much for the links I read through the fish in cycle one since I already read the fishless cycle. I think I'm going to use my original plan to go with the fish in cycle though one question how can you tell if a current is too strong in a tank? And do I have enough water in my tank currently? The way I have it set up is that I have the filter running a and the water that it's cleaning is hitting the top of the water lightly though the plants around it sway a little is that too strong for a tetra?

Also , this may sound stupid, is it possible to over oxygenate your tank water? I have like a thousand bubbles all over my fake plants that won't hurt anything right?
Sorry for the stupid question but yea...


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You'll notice if the current is too strong because the fish will actually struggle to swim or stay in place. I can't confirm or deny that it is too much flow or not without physically seeing it, but from what you describe, it sounds just fine.

As for "over-oxygenation", with just a standard air pump, never !!! You'd need an air tank used for welding to accomplish that. All of the gas exchange happens at the surface when the bubbles pop. The one thing that may make you reconsider the number of bubbles is if you notice that your fish seem "scared" and tend to huddle and not be active.

The only stupid question is the one you don't ask.


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