Starting a 10 gal--questions

[crystallynn]

I want to set up a 10 gal fish tank for my daughter's birthday. I have read on here all about cycling and feel like I've got the idea behind all that, but I have no clue what kinds of fish to put in it. We have a single betta in a 2.5 gal hex, he's betta #2. I learned on the first one and he lived almost 2 years so this isn't our first fish, but it is our first real tank.

The daughter that's getting the tank is turning 4. She really likes the active fish when we go to the pet store so I was hoping to find some of those but I have no clue when it comes to stocking. I am okay with either tropical or cold water. I was trying to do some research and am getting very confused. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to put in the tank and how many fish? Can I use some water from the betta tank to start to get it cycled? Also, if my tank is cycled, do I still need to put in a couple fish and then add more later or can I fully stock it at one time?

Thanks!

 

[jrawebb83]

I'm no expert but I actually was just reading about fishless cycling. This may be an option for you if you have the time. I found quite a bit of useful info after a quick google search.

If your daughter likes bright active swimmers I might suggest some neon tetras or glo light tetras. I have some. They're pretty cool and fun to watch. I would suggest getting at least 4 or 5 because they are schooling fish. Hope this helps. I'm sure others have ideas too.

 

[Dr. Awkward]

You can use filter media from your betta tank to seed the new 10 gallon. The water doesn't hold the bacteria but the media sure does. Just take out the filter media and swish it around in the new tank right before you add the first few fish. You'll want to get as much gunk in the new tank as possible.

You won't have a lot of bacteria because the colony in your betta's tank is only big enough to support one betta - so you'll still want to add the new fish slowly instead of all at once while you keep an eye on the ammonia/nitrite levels.

I recommend 5-6 male guppies because you can get a lot of active, different looking fish that all get along with each other. I also recommend a snail - because my friend has a 10 gallon tank set up for her young son and he loves watching the snails even more than the fish. You could also get an African dwarf frog for variety. They are just as easy to take care of as a betta.

 

[CrimsonBlush]

I recommend 5-6 male guppies because you can get a lot of active, different looking fish that all get along with each other.

:iagree:Exactly what I was going to suggest. Young kids love their bright colors! There are many varieties and colors to choose from too!

 

[crystallynn]

Awesome and Thank you! We were at the LFS today and my daughter was glued to the guppy and tetra tanks although she gravitated toward the guppies more. What is the optimal temp for guppies? Should I start with one or two guppies? After they get acclimated should I add them a couple at a time or can I add the other 3-4 in a group?

I've also heard a lot about salting the tank with freshwater aquarium salt, is this necessary? Finally, one last question for now but I'm sure there will be more. How do I go about transitioning the fish to the tank? I know I need to float the bag for a while but is there anything else I should do? I know I'm full of NOOB questions, I just want to do it right this time instead of being shocked after coming home with fish from the store.

 

[Ianne]

most optimum temps for tropical fish are around 75-80 degrees
since your cycling ur tank in a sense its better to add only a few fish at a time
salt is not necessary it just helps the fish stay healthier and in a way prevents disease
there is a drip method where you buy cheap airline tubing
but acclimating through the bag will work too since guppys are somewhat hardy
just leave the bag in the water (opened ofc) after 15-20 minutes scoop them out of the bag with a net and put them in the tank leaving any water in the bag alone
*I would suggest buying only male guppys unless you want some babys in ur tank

 

[md2531]

the male guppies are more colorful too. females are kinda dull lookin. nd i agree about aquarium salt, you def dont have to have it, but it does help prevent ich from occurring.

 

[Bravofleet4]

Honestly I would recommend just keeping it simple. It seems like you don't want to make this extremely complicated b/c you're just making an aquarium for your daughter. I know you want to avoid fish deaths but its sort of like raising a child in that common sense and you can probably take care of most of it.

Just put in a few fish at a time. If you want to add 5-6 guppies in there immediately it's probably fine if you just do some partial water changes for a week or two. However, I wouldn't add anymore stock after that for a few weeks until bacteria build up. After that I would consider adding a few snails or ghost shrimp. I don't know if bettas or dwarf gouramis are safe to add with guppies b/c of their colorful tails. Someone else on the forum with experience should be able to tell you. Keep in mind that many so-called "schooling fish" won't actually school most of the time until they are in much larger tanks. In fact, you'll see them spend most of their time fighting each other over territory and heiarchy. They only school in the presence of a threat or water change. This is true for tetras and danios. Exceptions to this are cory cats which you should always get in 3-4 of.

Try to think about costs. You could easily spend way too much for things you probably don't need or want to use.

$10 - aquarium
$2.50-5.00 - fish food
$2.50-7.50 - fish conditioner + some way of measuring out mLs
$10-15 - power filter
$10-15 - decorations and gravel (assorted plastic plants but you can also use pots you find)
$10-15 - filter replacements

only if you want light
$10-15 for glass canopy
$10-30 for hood + light

don't buy
test strips or test kits
aquarium heater (this depends on fish)

as you can see it all can eventually add up to be a lot for just a gift to a 4-year old. Be wise and plan out how much you plan to spend and what you really need.

 

[mmm_unit]

i'd recommend some danios, they move around a lot and are very active in a different way than guppies (which swim like betas).

but you should take your daughter to your Local fish store and see what she likes, that's what's more important anyways.