Newbie Here!

shaunakadub

shaunakadub

AC Members
Feb 2, 2006
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Hey guys/gals,

I've been reading around your forums for a little while and I find the information you guys give is absolutely amazing! Honestly, this is like a fish dictionary for dummies (FOR FREE!!!).

Anywhoo, I'm new into the aquarium world and I just wanted to make sure I'm doing everything correctly so I don't loose any of my fishies. Right now, I have a 10-gallon tank set up (Whisper filter, Whisper pump, Heater) and I absolutely love it. I filled it with New Hampshire’s finest spring water for 48 hours, and as of right this second I am adding two little neon like fish (They were given to me from a friend at the pet store, not neon’s, but similar, with a bright orange stripe down their sides.)

These two fish are awesome! At first it seemed like they didn't like it at all, but they seem to be settling down, and seem much happier then their first introduction to the aquarium.

Basically I come here for 2 questions: What type of testing kit I should buy? And I REALLLLY want a pleco, but I know they can grow to huge sizes, so I wanted to see if anyone knew of a small pleco (or algae eater) that stays relatively small.

And, any other tips/hints of course!!!

Thanks everyone!
 
Ammonia, nitrite mainly. Ph and Nitrate tests are also very good to have. The smallest Pleco I am aware of is the Bristlenose Pleco. But even those get too big for a 10 gallon. I'm not sure if there is a smaller variant.

Too much to add. Just read all the stickies. They are a wealth of information for a new aquarist.

Welcome!
 
Also be careful using spring water, or other stuff like that. Sometimes it has minerals, etc. removed that the fish need. Plus it will get expensive to do water changes if you're buying water!! plain tap water is just fine, as long as you treat it with something to remove chlorine
 
Watcher74 said:
Ammonia, nitrite mainly. Ph and Nitrate tests are also very good to have. The smallest Pleco I am aware of is the Bristlenose Pleco. But even those get too big for a 10 gallon. I'm not sure if there is a smaller variant.

Too much to add. Just read all the stickies. They are a wealth of information for a new aquarist.

Welcome!
Click to expand...

the guy at the LPS recommended a clown pleco i belive it was called? The reason I feel that I can own a pleco is due to the fact that I have a larger tank stored away that I know I will always have.

which brings up another question: When I test this larger tank for leaks, does any1 have any specific tips on how to do so? I know filling it with water and leaving it on paper so I can see that what dripped, meaning there is a big malfuction in thr aquariums seal, But what about the smaller leaks that most of the time only look like condensation to the naked eye? Does anyone have a tip to check for that?
 
Holly9937 said:
Also be careful using spring water, or other stuff like that. Sometimes it has minerals, etc. removed that the fish need. Plus it will get expensive to do water changes if you're buying water!! plain tap water is just fine, as long as you treat it with something to remove chlorine
Click to expand...


I used spring water from a local New Hampshire area that is known for almost 99.9% letting the water from the spring go directly to you, no additives, which I would assume mean that there was no minerals taken out. I am going to keep any eye one this though.

Anyone have a good amonia/n/ph test kit the would recommed?
 
Puffernewbee said:
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master Test Kit is great and I believe alot of members here use it.
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals
Click to expand...

That's the one I use. It's easy to use and cheep.
 
Well it seems that Clown Plecos get to be around the same length as a Bristlenose Pleco. Around 5 inches. But I personally would not keep a 5" fish in a 10 gallon tank. Especially a Pleco. They have a very high waste output.

Another consideration is that you have to include a lot of sunken vegetable matter for food for a pleco. That will create a lot more pollution in the tank water. Plus Clown Plecos need wood.

10 gallon tanks suck for maintenance issues. Waaaaay more work on my 10 gallon than my 29 gallon. And I only have 1 betta and 1 cory cat in my 10 gallon. A Clown Pleco is about 10 times the bio load that I have in my little tank.

But do whatever you want.
 
Look for otto cats. They have a similar apperance to plecos but only get to be 1.5 inches in length. I would wait to add more fish though. You have chosen a fishy cycle process so you must take care to keep those fish healthy. Start doing daily water tests for ammonia and nitrite. When you see those 2 start to register do water changes. Every day that you see some ammonia or nitrite show up do a water change. With 2 small fish liek you have and sparingly feeding them you should probably be fine for a couple of days bewteen changes, but that may change.

When ammonia and nitrites stop showing up and nitrates start to climb then you can start to add a few more fish. Try to limit new fish to 1-2 small ones per week. Also realizing that a 10 gallon is limited in the amount of fish you should stick in to it. I would personally add at least 3 more of the tetras to form a school and then look at maybe a coupel of ottocinclus catfish after those are added. That would be a stable bioload for such a tank.

There is a rare pleco called the bulldog pleco as well that stays under 2 inches in size and is very cool, but very hard to find right now.
 
You might wait on the oto until its completely cycled. I hear they are a little more sensitive. Also shrimp make good cleaners too.
 
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