5 gallon tank

[ashleynicole]

What were your nitrAtes? A rotting shrimp in a 5 gallon tank is going to produce a ton of ammonia, if fullt cycled your nitrate levels would be through the roof.

I wouldn't do ADF's with a betta. The betta will eat the food before they get a chance.

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[Goldfish loach boy]

My nitrates are at around 20 PPM

I won't do a frog then, that's off my list
So this is it
1 betta
1 apple snails
5 ghost shrimp( or can I add 8?)
And I have a question, should I add 1 nerite snail, or 1 oto later in

 

[Scottyhorse]

My nitrates are at around 20 PPM

I won't do a frog then, that's off my list
So this is it
1 betta
1 apple snails
5 ghost shrimp( or can I add 8?)
And I have a question, should I add 1 nerite snail, or 1 oto later in

No nerite or oto. Keep an eye on the ghost shrimp, they may fight.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Whiat what! Why no algae cleaners?

 

[azmodan]

Otos are social fish that do best in groups, which small tanks cannot sufficiently maintain. You could easily do a couple of nerite snails though.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Ok, then the Otos are off, I was wondering why later on when algae starts appearing I couldn't add even one nerite snails
So does this work?
1 betta
1 mystery snail
5-8 ghost shrimp
1 nerite snail, or 2?

 

[azmodan]

Two nerites would be fine. I'd look for the horned variety if you can find them -- they're smaller and a little quicker.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

I can't find the horned variety, I only have zebra, tire track, and those little spiral ones, I want to get a zebra and a tire track, is that ok?

 

[azmodan]

Sure should be fine.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Ok thanks for all the help everybody

Went to petsmart right now, well, was going to buy some anacharis, didn't have any
A Marimo moss ball, no
Some shrimp, no
So I ended up getting two mystery snails, one will stay, and one will go to my other tank, they are just here while I get my shrimp
I also got some Anubias nana, three little plants for 8 bucks, not too cheap, but look nice
How is it looking so far?

 

[Scottyhorse]

I'm glad you didn't add nerites. I added one in a 5.5 with quite a bit of algae and he cleared it up in a few days. If I left him in there he would likely starve, since they don't eat prepared foods generally.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Yea, I'm thinking that it might be too little algae, though my other nerites in my 55 eat algae wafers
One of the mystery snails hasn't come out, should I worry?
And look at this guy munching on the wafer!

 

[azmodan]

Snails also spend much of their time munching on biofilm too, which any well-established tank should have.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Yea I know, that's why in the meanwhile I'm adding algae wafers and veggies

 

[ashleynicole]

You shouldn't buy fish to clean algae. For one algae is a nutrient issue that needs to be battled at the source, such as reduced photo period, etc. Second nitrate levels of "around 20ppm" are way to high. They should be 10 or less. And if your using the API test the 20 and 40 colors look really close. Nitrate levels that high will make anything you put in susceptible to infection and increase algae growth.

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[Goldfish loach boy]

Really?, let me re test

I don't want them to solve the algae problem, I just really like nerite snails, but I want to have food for them

 

[Toad]

If you're worried about not having enough food, keep the light on for awhile longer. You can grow algae like you grow anything else in the tank, it's just most people manage to grow it by accident and don't want it lol.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Hah yea, I think that's what I'll do

The mystery snails are out, and try already ate about half the algae wafer, hope that it will be gone by morning, by the way happy New Years guys!

 

[RobbieHadley]

I didn't read through all the posts, and I'm new to planting but where as the ADF is concerned, you'd be safe to add, I'd keep an eye because of the Betta. I had an ADF with a male Crowntail and he picked on him hardcore but I've heard of them being kept peacefully. Also want to make sure there is some sort of cover on top or lower water level, as they can jump out of the tank. I keep my tanks filled to just a little past the trim and my ADFs hit my tops quite often. But I think it'll be a beautiful setup and can't wait to see an updated pic when you're done

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Thanks for all the help!

I don't think I'm risking the frog, don't want anything to happen, besides I've hot a nice stock
I did add a top, my betta could jump out, my shrp could too, and I already saw my snails come out of the water so it's better to have one, had to use a heated knife to make a hole for the bamboo, but everything went good