Freshwater newbie w/ 20 gal L

VERY IMPORTANT!! GOOGLE "cycling a tank." Your fish are in danger! Your pet store might have screwed you. I have to go so I can't explain. When I come back I will explain, if not someone else.

Lt,

I agree with Zen. Please do not add anymore fish until you completely cycled your tank. In that long list of purchases I did notice that you did not purchase a water testing kit. You NEED to keep track of the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your tank. These will help you determine when and how much you need to change your water while cycling, and how much danger your fish are in. I'm not going to explain what cycling a tank is, and I think you can figure out how to google or use the search function on this site, but please read up. I would not be suprised (assuming you haven't cycled your tank or used bio-spira), if at least one of your fish do not survive.

On the note of water testing kits, I like the Aquarium Phramceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kits, and its not that pricey. I think petsmart will match their online price and it ends up running like 14 bucks. Get it, use it, and no dip stick tests! Good luck.

Sandy

read these:

http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/start_up/start_up4.html

http://www.pubnix.net/~spond/filter/nitrogen.html

http://fish.orbust.net/cycling.html

Lt,

Not suprised they didn't say anything. Guy probably didn't know any better (most of the people that work at places like petco and petsmart are morons who don't know the first thing about fish). I need to comment on your guppies and betta (i'm assuming its male) being together. You cannot keep both male guppies and a male betta in the same tank. Your betta will inevitabily kill your male guppies, thinking it is another betta due to its fin length and color. Either take the guppies back, or get another tank for your betta (at least a 1 gallon, but the bigger the better [the tank doesn't need a filter]). When your tank has cycled, think about getting more corys. As you read they do better when in a schoal. I really don't know much about swoard tails or compatibility, so I cant help there. Good luck!

Sandy

SubluxT7 said:

I need to comment on your guppies and betta (i'm assuming its male) being together. You cannot keep both male guppies and a male betta in the same tank. Your betta will inevitabily kill your male guppies, thinking it is another betta due to its fin length and color.

Click to expand...

Are you talking from expierience? Becuase you CAN keep a male betta and fancy guppies in the same tank, you just have to be carefull and keep a close eye on them; some will inevitebly kill them like you said, while others will ignore them after the first day/few hours. Curently I have two male bettas with fancy gups (in two different tanks), and the ONLY time I have seen any aggresion was when I first added the betta or guppies to the tank, and even then, they didn't do ANY damage.

dorkfish said:

Are you talking from expierience? Becuase you CAN keep a male betta and fancy guppies in the same tank, you just have to be carefull and keep a close eye on them; some will inevitebly kill them like you said, while others will ignore them after the first day/few hours. Curently I have two male bettas with fancy gups (in two different tanks), and the ONLY time I have seen any aggresion was when I first added the betta or guppies to the tank, and even then, they didn't do ANY damage.

Click to expand...

Dork,

Not speaking from experience. Everything I have read says to not keep them in the same tank (cant speak from experience, I have no guppies nor do I want any). Just was trying to avoid problems being this person is new to keeping fish, and of course the fish store didn't bother to tell him anything about the fish he picked out.

Sandy

Hey LT Glad you read up. The pet stores can be about their bottom line and not the fish. Not all are bad, but IME few and far between. I go to a store that specializes in fish only. They usually give good advice and if they don't know. They say "I don't know." These forums are great for information too.
Which fish are you using to cycle? Just use the time to research what you want in your tank. I have cories and love them. They are good little cleaners and have a lot of personality. I suggest 5 or more for their personalities to come out. The betta is a good fish to cycle with. They recieve their oxygen from the surface as well as the water. Be prepared for fry, if you have swordtails, platies or guppies.
I personally, feed my fish once a day. Fish will always overeat if allowed. Less in is less out. Giving a variety of food is more important than how much you feed. Most fish don't really need a lot of food.
Oh yeah, Enjoy your tank. Rule number one.

I have never kept a male betta but everything I have read has said that 1 male betta is just fine in a community tank. As for cycling a tank. Check out the info on new tank syndrome at the website in my signature.