Hi, I just need some advice.
- Thread starter Mariah_S
- Start date
Okay, things can get a bit overwhelming.
Lets just try to get the fish you have under control.
For now you may want to use both your 10 gallon and 5 gallon until you figure out what you are going to do.
The pleco will definitely become too large for a 10, the average pleco that you buy at the fish store, is probably a common pleco- they can be different shades of brown and such- may grow VERY large- like at least 1-2.5 FEET or probably more. The problem with the fish guy who says it is going to be 5 inches is that lots of fish stores put plecos in different tanks around the store. The pleco may may not be correctly labeled and the employee may become confused and just tell you something because they don't want to say they don't know, then be embarrassed.
After all, they are trying to sell you stuff. So, don't always trust them. Not that they're all totally unknowing, but some are.
So, the pleco definitely needs to go.
Bleeding hearts are a type of tetra. They are happiest in schools- they are just plain miserable alone, they tend to sulk, etc.
The male betta could live in the 5 gallon.
Guppies and platties are livebearers. Guppies will reproduce quickly. You said both platties are males?
If it is a true panda cory, it can grow to abot 1.2-1.5 inches. These make a nice catfish for smaller aquariums.
The inch per gallon rule depends on other factors as well. EX: A really fat 2 inch goldfish will generate much more waste than your bleeding heart tetra of similar length.
Really, you need to make a decision to keep, in the 10 gallon either livebearers OR bleeding heart tetra. I would reccomend the tetra because the guppies will breed, then eat their fry, and it will be just plain frustrating.
Then regarding catfish, the pleco must go, then either keep the panda and get him maybe 1 or 2 more pandas so that he has some of his own kind and isn't lonely. Ottos should also be in groups, and you probably don't have enough room for a group of ottos, and you definitely do not have room for a group of ottos and a group of pandas! (I have never had ottos, but as mentioned above, they need a group)
I think you will enjoy a tank with a small school of tetra (like bleeding hearts)
happily swimming around and then a few panda cories on the bottom of the tank- I have 3 in my 29 gallon and they chase each other up and down the glass and into my caves and constantly searching the floor for crumbs, etc.
Remember, if it is a true panda cory, it will probably grow to about 1.5 inches.
You're tetra would be happiest in a school.
It sounds like you probably have mass chaos in your tank right now, and thats no fun to watch and no fun for the fish.
You will definitely need to take some fish back.
A nice organized community tank is a lot more fun than a huge variety of fish creating mass chaos.
Good luck. Remember, you will be a lot happier with fewer fish that all get along and are happy and your tank stays cleaner. Better to have fewer than to overpopulate.
Just try to get things under control for your fish and don't get discouraged. Your fish need you right now.
:dance:
Lets just try to get the fish you have under control.
For now you may want to use both your 10 gallon and 5 gallon until you figure out what you are going to do.
The pleco will definitely become too large for a 10, the average pleco that you buy at the fish store, is probably a common pleco- they can be different shades of brown and such- may grow VERY large- like at least 1-2.5 FEET or probably more. The problem with the fish guy who says it is going to be 5 inches is that lots of fish stores put plecos in different tanks around the store. The pleco may may not be correctly labeled and the employee may become confused and just tell you something because they don't want to say they don't know, then be embarrassed.
After all, they are trying to sell you stuff. So, don't always trust them. Not that they're all totally unknowing, but some are.
So, the pleco definitely needs to go.
Bleeding hearts are a type of tetra. They are happiest in schools- they are just plain miserable alone, they tend to sulk, etc.
The male betta could live in the 5 gallon.
Guppies and platties are livebearers. Guppies will reproduce quickly. You said both platties are males?
If it is a true panda cory, it can grow to abot 1.2-1.5 inches. These make a nice catfish for smaller aquariums.
The inch per gallon rule depends on other factors as well. EX: A really fat 2 inch goldfish will generate much more waste than your bleeding heart tetra of similar length.
Really, you need to make a decision to keep, in the 10 gallon either livebearers OR bleeding heart tetra. I would reccomend the tetra because the guppies will breed, then eat their fry, and it will be just plain frustrating.
Then regarding catfish, the pleco must go, then either keep the panda and get him maybe 1 or 2 more pandas so that he has some of his own kind and isn't lonely. Ottos should also be in groups, and you probably don't have enough room for a group of ottos, and you definitely do not have room for a group of ottos and a group of pandas! (I have never had ottos, but as mentioned above, they need a group)
I think you will enjoy a tank with a small school of tetra (like bleeding hearts)
happily swimming around and then a few panda cories on the bottom of the tank- I have 3 in my 29 gallon and they chase each other up and down the glass and into my caves and constantly searching the floor for crumbs, etc.
Remember, if it is a true panda cory, it will probably grow to about 1.5 inches.
You're tetra would be happiest in a school.
It sounds like you probably have mass chaos in your tank right now, and thats no fun to watch and no fun for the fish.
You will definitely need to take some fish back.
A nice organized community tank is a lot more fun than a huge variety of fish creating mass chaos.
Good luck. Remember, you will be a lot happier with fewer fish that all get along and are happy and your tank stays cleaner. Better to have fewer than to overpopulate.
Just try to get things under control for your fish and don't get discouraged. Your fish need you right now.
:dance:
I did miss that. :dive: I was ANGRY when I thought it was 5 gallons, those fish would be like sardines...
If you're only running the 10 gallon your tank is STILL overstocked. If you still have the 5 gallon and ten gallon and split those fish up then you're not in terrible shape, but be careful with stocking, too many fish in a tank means LOTS of problems. :sick:
If you have not been doing water changes and your water is yellow you most likely have high nitrates, high ammonia, and a case of OTS (old tank syndrome). Partial water changes should be started immediately... maybe 50% per day until the levels are acceptable.
The lack of water changes would also explain your fish' dull color you were describing in the other post. The healthier and happier fish are, the brighter their colors will be.
If you're only running the 10 gallon your tank is STILL overstocked. If you still have the 5 gallon and ten gallon and split those fish up then you're not in terrible shape, but be careful with stocking, too many fish in a tank means LOTS of problems. :sick:
If you have not been doing water changes and your water is yellow you most likely have high nitrates, high ammonia, and a case of OTS (old tank syndrome). Partial water changes should be started immediately... maybe 50% per day until the levels are acceptable.
The lack of water changes would also explain your fish' dull color you were describing in the other post. The healthier and happier fish are, the brighter their colors will be.
Thanks guys.
But to get the tank more in control, I'm going to get rid of most of the guppies. I'm thinking about keeping maybe 5 males. would that be ok?
And I'll try to set my other tank back up. I Might be able to find room.
And thank you for advising water changes- I'm going to start doing that this weekend because I'm going to get equipment for that.
Would just 2 otos and 2 cories and 3 tetras be ok? because i know i don't have enough room for a bunch of those.
If Pleco gets too big I'll try to take him back, but I specifically asked if they had a small suckerfish, and that's what he showed me. they only had one, and the pet store is called "Harp's Exotic Fish and Pets" so maybe they have less common fish. I don't know. But I think the guy that sold the fish to me was fairly well educated on the subject because he was really trying to be helpful in helping me to pick out the fish, although he didn't say anything about schools of tetras or Otto and Cory needing "friends".
Another question- if I got other kinds of tetras besides the bleeding hearts, would they be alright to school (I don't think so but it shouldn't hurt to ask).
Thankz,
Mariah
But to get the tank more in control, I'm going to get rid of most of the guppies. I'm thinking about keeping maybe 5 males. would that be ok?
And I'll try to set my other tank back up. I Might be able to find room.
And thank you for advising water changes- I'm going to start doing that this weekend because I'm going to get equipment for that.
Would just 2 otos and 2 cories and 3 tetras be ok? because i know i don't have enough room for a bunch of those.
If Pleco gets too big I'll try to take him back, but I specifically asked if they had a small suckerfish, and that's what he showed me. they only had one, and the pet store is called "Harp's Exotic Fish and Pets" so maybe they have less common fish. I don't know. But I think the guy that sold the fish to me was fairly well educated on the subject because he was really trying to be helpful in helping me to pick out the fish, although he didn't say anything about schools of tetras or Otto and Cory needing "friends".
Another question- if I got other kinds of tetras besides the bleeding hearts, would they be alright to school (I don't think so but it shouldn't hurt to ask).
Thankz,
Mariah
For best results visually and happiness for the fish, the school of tetra all need to be bleeding hearts.
I have never had ottos, so I'll let someone else handle that question
I have heard mixed stories about keeping male guppies without females, some say it works, others say it doesn't. I do know that if there are not female guppies, the male may attempt to breed with platties, swortails, or other livebearers
5 guppies AND tetra AND catfish in a 10 gallon is not suitable at all. In my experience, guppies produce far more waste than tetra.
Where did you end up putting the betta? Just curious space wise.
Well good luck! Definitely take some guppies back.
I have never had ottos, so I'll let someone else handle that question
I have heard mixed stories about keeping male guppies without females, some say it works, others say it doesn't. I do know that if there are not female guppies, the male may attempt to breed with platties, swortails, or other livebearers
5 guppies AND tetra AND catfish in a 10 gallon is not suitable at all. In my experience, guppies produce far more waste than tetra.
Where did you end up putting the betta? Just curious space wise.
Well good luck! Definitely take some guppies back.
I still have the betta in the same tank. I haven't taken any of the fish out yet.
People keep saying things like "take them back". Will all or most pet stores actually take the fish? And what if you didn't buy them from that pet store? Will they buy the fish?
People keep saying things like "take them back". Will all or most pet stores actually take the fish? And what if you didn't buy them from that pet store? Will they buy the fish?
something not mentioned, I don't think anyway, was cycling of the tank. A quick easy way to tell if the shop salesperson was any % educated was in cycling the tank. Did the person sell you fish the same day you bought the tank, or encourage you to take the 10 go home fill it and just throw the fish from the 5 into it? The tank needs to be properly cycled before fish are introduced or else the huge bio load dumped in will kill the fish, unless you just get lucky, but then you are causing stress to the fish and probably shortening their life.
I thought I'd weigh in here, since I just can't resist running my mouth...
If the pleco is a common pleco, it is going to get to be at least 18", though I just saw a pic of one yesterday that was well over 20". However, if it is a rubberlipped plec, I think those get more like 5.5". Still, that is large. Otos are pretty efficient. I think you could keep the otos and get rid of the pleco.
More than anything, I think you need to sit down and decide what you really want. You can't have a little of everything in a 10 gallon. It just is not big enough to humanely keep a bunch of fish. Five or six tetras, 3 cories, 3 otos, and you really are maxed out. Fish need room to swim.
If the pleco is a common pleco, it is going to get to be at least 18", though I just saw a pic of one yesterday that was well over 20". However, if it is a rubberlipped plec, I think those get more like 5.5". Still, that is large. Otos are pretty efficient. I think you could keep the otos and get rid of the pleco.
More than anything, I think you need to sit down and decide what you really want. You can't have a little of everything in a 10 gallon. It just is not big enough to humanely keep a bunch of fish. Five or six tetras, 3 cories, 3 otos, and you really are maxed out. Fish need room to swim.
