Small Tank -what kind of fish?

[alireza]

Forgot to mention that Biospira bacteria (from Marineland) is the best for cycling the tank (with or without fish) IMO, although there are some controversy around it! With fish you should monitor the water quality daily and take emergency measures if things go wrong until the tank cycles. Without fish you have to provide some food for the bacteria to grow (e.g. in the form of ammonia).
The stress coat is a very good idea. It saved one of my fish during cycling and even helped him to regrow his damaged fin.

 

[mooman]

If you have nothing in the tank yet, put a few pinches of fishfood in there. This will start to decay, and create ammonia. Once you get some ammonia in the tank, then the cycle will start. Untill that happens, an empty tank isn't really cycling at all. It's just taking up space.

After that, you can read up on fishless cycling, and decide which method you prefer.

If you can get the lfs to give you a snipit of established filter media, then you will have enough bacteria to purchase a white cloud, or danio to cycle the tank. Wait a week, if you show no ammonia or nitrite, then assume your bacterial population has caught up to your starter fish. Now you can add another fish......slowly, one or two fish a week. Resist the urge to overstock.


I think a single dwarf gourami, and 3-4 small bodied schooling fish would be fine in a 10g.

 

[polocrosseplyer]

oh i have stores close by 45 minutes, but no friends i can get a piece with bacteria on it, and i guess i'd feel wierd walking in somewhere being a newbie and ask if i can have something from a tank... and i cant seem to find the posts on the fishless cycling, anyone have a link to that? and thanks so much for the link on the started i'm going to look into that too!!!! i added some food and i'm going to look and see if there is any Proaquatics at the petsmart and if not i'll buy off the net. how much ammonia should i add if i do the proaquatics? and i did think about how the tank cant just start the cycle without something to help it start, so i'm glad i found this site!!

 

[alireza]

Gouramis do better in pairs in small tanks though!

 

[new2tanks]

I'd think a 10g would be pretty much full with a 4" pleco.

ive been doing some research on this and have visited other forums like plecofanatic.com and was told that if u have a few tetras, u could have some of the smaller plecs in a 10g provided u kept up with the vacumming as they make a lot of poop.

some samll plecos are clown, zebra, butterfly, queen arabesque plecos, etc.

 

[polocrosseplyer]

those queen arabesques ones seem to be quite pricey but absolutely beautiful, as for the other ones i havent looked into them but i found a candy striped pleco, it said at drfosterandsmith.com they go with anything. but i dont remember how large they get. wow, i never seriously thought that fish tanks would require this much knowledge, my friend says it is hard work...! maybe i should have listened to her!

 

[new2tanks]

the L-260 is really awesome.i am pretty set on getting it.
if u think thats pricey you should try getting a zebra pleco, you will have to pay upwards of 200$!!!


Research is so worth it if you dont want anything to go bust!

 

[polocrosseplyer]

so i bought 2 green fire tetras i wanted something and i bought some plants.. it took about 10 minutes to get to work... i put the fish inthe tank ( still in the package so the water could get the same) went to the bathroom and when i came back they were dead.. i'm horribly mad at my lps... he chased them around and i think they just went into shock.. i didnt even get them out of the bag!!!! i hope this isnt the story for my next try!!!