emanluke

Hi. I'm currently getting ready to move into college. I am really hoping that once I get there, I'll have enough room for a ten gallon. I currently have just a 3 gallon with a guppy. I really like the ottos, and I was wondering what a good combo of guppies and ottos would be if I can get the ten gallon. I would want to move the one I already have, and hopefully set the 3 gallon up as a betta tank. Thanks for any advice!

Craig-D

You can have two guppies and 4-5 ottos in a 10 gallon with no problem. But keep in mind a few things about ottos: they aren't exactly the hardiest fish in the world, so expect some losses sometimes within days of getting them even if you acclimate them properly. Also, they feed exclusively on soft algae, so a new tank is not a good idea for them as there is no food source. I wouldn't put them in a tank unless it's been cycled and running for at least 6 months. Though they can be acclimated to a varied range of water conditions, they do best in soft, slightly acid water - which is not really what your guppies prefer.

If you really want ottos, I say go for it keeping in mind the above. But if you're scared off in light of what I said, consider a few cory catfish as an alternative. They are much hardier (except pandas which are pretty delicate too) and more fun to watch.

emanluke

Thanks. I really would like to keep the ottos. If I created an algae farm using some water from my already established tank, do you think they would go for that?

Lucy

They'd love an algea farm, it's a great idea to better your chance with them.
Along with Craig's recommendation, if you decide against otos, dwarf corys are really cute and stay small.

emanluke

Thanks Lucy. Like I said, I'm not sure if I'll have the room, but if I do, I'll definately be setting this up. What is the best thing to use to grow the algae on that can be moved to the tank? Would the mini clay pots work okay?

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!! great advice from our other members and I agree with the other posters and its not only their food source to worry about, its the newness of the tank...they are the best algae eaters though and they can combat diatoms (new tank algae) in a matter of days...but ive never had luck with them in any tank thats less than 4-5 months old ...im sure other members might have and can advise better ..good luck with your new tank tho!

Lucy

Mini clay pots will work fine. When I made an algea farm I put glass candle holders (didn't have mini clay pots at the time) and some large stones in a large fish bowl with tank water. I sealed it with celophane and set it out in the sun. The algea started growing in just a few days.

Fish bowls are good for something

emanluke

Thanks everyone. I move in in two weeks, so hopefully it won't be too long before I can get it set-up.

Beth1965

Welcome to Fishlore! Best of luck in college.
When you get your tank set up, don't forget pictures, if you can.
Beth

emanluke

Good news: I will definately have enough space

Bad news: I have band camp 9:30 am to 8:30 pm for the first week (only bad in the sense I can't set up a new tank )

Not exactly the best for setting up a new tank. I have a couple of days between band camp and classes though. There is a Walmart and Petsmart (*shudder*) close by, so I know I can get supplies. I'll be using the gravel in pantyhose trick along with my plants to help seed the new tank, so hopefully it will go pretty fast. I finally got an API test kit, so that will help me make sure everything is in order!

Don't worry about the pics, I can't seem to stop taking them of my fish

Thanks again for all the help everybody.

emanluke

Turns out I didn't have as much space as I thought... so I will not be able to get the 10 gallon. I will be moving my small tank this weekend so I can once again see my fish. I am in the smallest dorm on campus though, so maybe sometime in the future I will have enough space.

Lucy

That stinks! You have room for your 3g? Not many stocking options there, sorry.
Good luck at college.

emanluke

I know! I do have room for my 3g, but I really wanted to get that bigger tank. Thanks for the well-wishes!

aquarist48

Enjoy your college days Eman. Best of luck to you. I'm glad you get to have your guppy with you. Keep us posted.
Ken

emanluke

Sorry for bringing this thread back up, but I figured it would be better than just making a new one. With a room rearrangement, it looks as if I WILL have enough room. I am getting a bookshelf that will be perfect to hold my 3 gallon, which opens up a perfect 10 gallon "hole" on my desk! (the books sitting there are going on the bookshelf too)

Also, I know I originally started out saying I wanted otos, but with the difficulty in giving the care they need, I am starting to rethink them. Is there another small schooling fish I could have with two guppies in a 10 gallon?

It has been great to have Gealach (my guppy) to come back to every night. College is stressful, but taking care of the tank is so therapeutic.

iloveengl

I'm glad you found some room for your 10g. I know what you mean - I get as much therapy out of cleaning and taking care of my fishies as I do out of just sitting at staring at them.

There are three types of dwarf corydoras that are small enough (oto size) that you could have a nice shoal of them. The dwarf varieties are C. habrosus, C. pygmaeus, and C. hastatus.

Lucy

Pygmy cories are really cute and stay small. They like to be in groups and imo, perfct for your 10g and guppies.

emanluke

Silly me, I went to a LFS today. Guess what was there...

OTOS!

I just can't see myself without them. Even if I have to wait after setting up the tank, I just don't think I can go with anything else. What would be a good combo of guppies/otos so that I can still enjoy the tank before I get the otos?

By the way, I will most likely be asking for the tank as a Christmas present, unless I can find a good deal on a kit. I'm so excited about this!

Everybody, I wanted to thank you all so much for helping me with this. I'm sure my indecision grates your nerves, but with college up and running, this new tank is going to be a big thing. Again, thanks for all of your help!

*EDIT*

Couldn't help myself, so I picked up the tank today and got it all set-up! It looks HUGE on my desk. I can't wait for it to cycle so I can move Gealach into it. Also, while I was at the lfs, I found some orange shrimp. I picked one up to keep Gealach company until his new tank is ready.

emanluke

I read on another thread that having four guppies and three otos would be a good mix. I know on their profile page, it says that otos prefer small groups (at least 3). Do y'all think that that would be a good combination, or would I need a couple more otos (therefore less guppies) to keep the otos happy?

Like I said, since I can't get the otos until later, I want some activity in the tank before I get them. I'm using some of the filter media from my little tank to jump-start the cycle in the ten gallon. Hopefully after I get back from Thanksgiving break it will be ready for Gealach and Dreamsicle (my new orange shrimp).

Lucy

Otos can be pretty sensitive. I love them, but didn't have any luck keeping them in my 10g.
Otherwise, I think 4 guppies and 3 otos would be fine.

harpua2002

How are you cycling the tank? Without a source of ammonia while you are on break, the beneficial bacteria on your old filter media will die.

emanluke

I've been "feeding" the tank fish food. My thoughts were to give it a pretty good amount of food before I left, and hope that the breakdown of the food would take long enough to last until I got back.

I know Lucy, but I have to try. I'll be doing everything I can for them. As soon as I saw them I knew I had to get some for the tank. They're one of the main reasons I am upgrading.

harpua2002

That's cool, should work fine. I'm sure you'll come back to a little bit of a mess, but you'll be able to take care of it with a large water change and gravel vac.

As for otos, they're very cool fish, but tend to starve in newer setups. I'd suggest letting the tank mature and getting some algae going before introducing them.

emanluke

Yeah, I'm planning to do a gravel vac before adding the fish once it is cycled.

About the otos, I don't plan on adding them for a while. Even when I do, Lucy helped me decide on an algae farm for them, to make sure they get enough food once I do get them.

emanluke

The ten gallon is almost there! I have a quick question. My ammonia is at 1 PPM, and nitrate at 2.5 ppm, but I don't have any nitrites. Does this mean my cycle is done and the ammonia just hasn't been completely changed? If I did a large water change could I reduce the ammonia enough to go ahead and add my guppy into the ten gallon?

Thanks again for all the help everybody. I'll post pictures once everybody gets moved. I decided to postpone really aquascaping the tank until I'm home and have more resources (mainly time) to pull from. Thankfully that is just two weeks away.

Tony G.

What are your tap readings? there could be nitrates in your tap, some people have that in theirs. Otherwise if you are showing ammonia you probably havent finished your cycle... how often do you add the flakes?

emanluke

I just got back from Thanksgiving break (been gone since Tuesday). Before I left I added a good dose of fish food, to give the tank a good source of ammonia while I was gone. Well, that worked.

I'll check my tap today when I get back to the dorm. Thanks for the heads-up, I hadn't thought about that.

I'll be checking the ammonia daily. Should I wait until it gets lower to add more flakes, or should I continue to "feed" the tank?