Butters

Hi, im sort of new to the fish keeping hobby. i had a five gal tank with 2 goldfish in it for about half a year or so and they just died about 2 weeks ago. i got a new tank (10 gallons) freshwater only. i let it sit for a couple days and then i went out and bought 4 black skirt tetras. now, here comes to questins:

1. I bought a tetra heater for 2 - 15 gallon tanks and it dosent seem to be working at all. the red light goes on and off, but it dosent warm up my water. my fish seem to be fine, but its still kind of cold. Whats wrong with it?

2. I want to get tiger barbs because they look really cool, but i dont know how well they would do with my black tetras. so any advice would be helpful.

3. If the tiger barbs dont work (which i dont think they will) then i want to get 1 or 2 more black skirt tetras and a couple of those little catfish, i think they are called corys but i might be wrong. would that work out?

any help would be very helpful.

TFA101

1. Whats the wattage on the heater? That information is key to this question.

2.Tiger barbs and Black Tetras are of the same temperment, and can both be nippy. Your tank stock, however, is in no place to be housing anything else aside from maybe a shoal of Pygmy Cories (about 4)

3.No on the black skirts, yes on the cories. Judging from the stock in your tank, you could either add a trio of panda or albino cories, or a quintet (5) of pygmy cories

Butters

Thanks for your help. The heater is a 50 watt, and iill take your advice and get a couple corys. thanks for your help again

Lucy

Hi Butters Welcome to Fish Lore

Sorry to hear about your goldfish.

Do you have a thermometer? That's the best way to tell what he actual temperature is. My tank is 76F and it always feels cool to the touch. I use a 50W Visi-Therm-Stealth in both my 10g's.

Black skirts are really pretty, but I don't think tiger barbs would be a good match with them, especially in a small tank.

Good luck with your tank, and we sure to post some pictures.

With 4 black skirts, your 10g is pretty well stocked. You could fit a cory, but from what I've read they like to be in groups.

Butters

yes, i have a thermomiter on the outside of the tank and it always reads 72 during the day and around 68 at night ( i live in WI so it gets a little cold at night) but like you said, it always feels kind of cold. thanks for your help

Amnagrla

First of all, hello and welcome!

Your tank doesn't sound like it is cycled. You should read these articles:

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
http://www.fishlore.com/FirstTankSetup.htm

Also.. you should get an aquarium test kit.http://www.fishlore.com/aquarium-water-test-kit.htm

Since you already have fish you are going to have to cycle with them. You should get conditioner like Prime http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=4057
it is a dechlorinator as well as binding up the ammonia so it isn't harmful to the fish.

You should get a thermometer to tell us the actual temp. of the tank. What temp. is your heater set at??

Tiger barbs won't go well with the black skirt tetras. Tiger barbs are known fin nippers.

[quote=Butters;369246]3. If the tiger barbs dont work (which i dont think they will) then i want to get 1 or 2 more black skirt tetras and a couple of those little catfish, i think they are called corys but i might be wrong. would that work out?QUOTE]

Black skirt tetras adult size is 2". If you have a 10 gallon tank you can have approximately 10 inches of (adult size) fish. Since you already have 4 tetras, you have 8" of fish in the tank.

Here are your choices: You have 2" of fish left.
1) The BS tetras are more comfortable with 5 of them in a group. You could get 1 more of them to make them feel comfortable.
2) You could not get the 5th one and then here is where it gets tricky. Both cory's and oto's like to be in bigger groups, however, it's not unheard of that people have just two of them. You could get 2 otos and max out your tank at 11" of fish. OR you could get two cory's (at 2.5" each) and be 13" of fish. Either way you are overstocked, however, I would lean towards the two otos.
3) Getting a shrimp instead!!


I hope this helps! Let us know what you do! And good luck going through the cycle!!

~Amanda

Butters

Thanks for all your help Amnagrla. The heater is at 78, the water gets warm around the heater, and thats really it. I think im going to get another black tetra, so im not overstocked and they will be happy, and i can name them after one of favorite bands so thats cool.

just one my questin (I hope) should i buy an airstone or something like that that gets more oxygen in the water? im only 16 so i dont exactly have a whole lot of money to spend on my aquarium, but im trying. Thanks again

Amnagrla

.... and the favorite band would be?!!?

If the themometer shows that the temp isn't around 78 then maybe you should try and return it and get a new heater. I think mine is for a 10g - 20g.

Yeah, they would love an airstone. You'd have to buy a small airpump first but if you're pinchin' the pennies you could try and save up, get it next month? Something like that? lol
(My parents were wicked cool, if I needed money I could ask what they needed done. I used to iron pants for $1 a pair or clean the windows $1 a window... lol maybe mow the lawn? haha)

ShaynaB

My experience with some heaters is that they don't necessarily warm the water to 78 even if they're set at 78. Try turning it up just a little bit (not crazy high!) to see if it warms the water up a bit. Also, i prefer a thermometer on the inside of the tank. (They're like two bucks for some of them...)

Airstones are nice, and they do add a bit of oxygen but they're not necessary. I have them in all of my tanks, though. Any little bit helps.

I agree with Amnagrla, your tank probably isn't cycled and you should get a freshwater test kit before you get any more fish! That way you can check the levels of stuff in your tank! I like the API Master Test Kit, personally and it's recommended by a bunch of people around here.

Good luck with your fish and welcome to fishlore!

Amnagrla

I'm SO happy you said this. This is an obvious idea that I obviously didn't think of. I don't think mine is set on 78 either! Give this a try!!


I have the API one, too. Recommended!

Butters

They arnt really a real band(well, the band members are from a TV show on adult swim called "Metalocalypse") and the band is called Dethklok. But people do play their music, its not just computerized stuff.

How much would one of those test kits be? i mow lawns(like 5 or 6) and I dont get paid every week, so one week i'll have a pile of cash and the next im digging through my room to find some gas money. Thanks for all your help

ShaynaB

Depends... Sometimes you can find them on sale for like 15 dollars, but they can be like 35 at Deathco (aka petco). I think an average is like 25. I'd hunt through Walmart or something like it. I hear they have them for cheap sometimes! I'm all about saving money, as I'm not going to have a job after 3 weeks from now. Gotta love education budget cuts in california!

COBettaCouple

Welcome to Fishlore.

I'd recommend a Visitherm heater. I've had those Tetra heaters cook a whole tank of fish.

Amnagrla

oh sheesh...

Butters

I bought another black skirt tetra last night. when i put him in he started schooling with the rest right away, i thought they would bully him because he is smaller. They seem to be doing fine, but im going to do a water change when i get home from school, so i hope they are still alive.

--I need some ideas with this one: I have an empty 5 gallon tank in my room and i dont know what to do with it, any help?

Shawnie

give it to me jk!! how bout a betta?

Butters

I thought about that, getting a betta fish, but dont they require warm water? or would it do fine in cool water? thanks for your help

Shawnie

yes they need a heater...78-80 ish but heaters are cheap...heres a link to an example...

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...m?pcatid=12060 a betta would love to be rescued