Kentster

Hello!

I’m totally new to this so please take pity on me. I have a bunch of questions about my new 10 gallon tank (I know - mistake # 1 for a newbie is buying too small of a tank – I’ll fix it soon):

1. The kids wanted one of each color platy (white, orange and red – all with Mickey Mouse markings). Is this OK? Do the fish mind that they don’t have fish of the same color with them?
2. When I bought the fish one fish looked fat and I asked if it was pregnant. “No, no” assured the PetSmart rep (I know - mistake #2). Four days later I have 5 new frys. One has passed on but the other four are now in a breeder box (after being rescued from the filter). My question is that do these fry have a chance in a tank this new? (They have lasted about a week). I have changed some of the water twice (once 10% and once 20%) to try to keep the ammonia down but it still reads between normal and stress (sometimes just stress) each day.
3. The fry don’t seem to eat much. I was feeding the adult platies twice a day but I read that’s too much for a new tank and went to once a day. Once we had fry I went back to two but I crushed the plant food as fine as I could with be fingers before adding it to the tank. I never see the fry eat anything. Is there something else I should do to help them eat?
4. If the fry live, when can I let them back in the main tank with the adult platies?

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!!!! we all have been where you are at one time or another

1. the fish dont care and dont see colors as long as species are alike

2. least you know not to trust your LFS anymore ...they just like to make money....id continue with daily 40% water changes and if you can get some prime water conditioner, it will neutralize the water for 24 hours sso it wont be harmful....do this until you finish the cycle...could be weeks, days...etc

3. crushing up the food is perfect and they dont eat much..id go back to 2 times a day with smaller portions...they also love baby brine shrimp and frozen bloodworms

4. eventually the fry can go back in but you might have more fry than you know what to do with as livebearers go on and on bredding....goodluck!

Kentster

Thanks for the reply! OK - here comes the firehose of newbie questions:

1. How will I know the nitrogen cycle has been established? Because the ammonia levels will stay low? Also, I have never seen nitrates or nitrites even register on the strips I am using. Should I add more of the bacteria helper (I have some stuff I got from PetSmart)?
2. Wow - 40% water change! That's a lot. How long should I let that much water (4 gallons) warm up? Overnight? My house temp is only 65 right now - will that shock the fish?
3. What's "prime" water conditioner? I'm guessing TopFin (PetSmart's cheapo brand) is not "prime" but that's what I have.

Shawnie

1. if you can, get the API liquid master test kit..it has EVERYTHING you will ever need in one box to test for...the strips are very unreliable and give many false readings..you will know when you are fully cycled with a 0 reading for ammonia and nitrites and under 20 nitrates...if you can find tetra safestart, thats the bacteria needed for your cycle...its self sustaining and will speed things up..do not use the product cycle even tho it tells you its for the purpose of cycleing a tank..the bacteria isnt self sustaiing and you have to use it for life
2. do you have a heater on your tank? and for your fishies, about 77-80 is a good temp..you can finger test your tap water with the prime conditioner of course, and use the same temp within a degree or two...letting water sit over night wont do much...
3. i can only answer for prime as it makes the harmful ammonia and nitrites safe for the 24 hours until your next change..im not sure about topfin as a neutralizer but it probably is a decholrinator etc....

Emory

Prime comes in a red bottle and looks like this. I don't know if the Top Fin brand of water conditioner will lock the ammonia up like Prime does. I personally don't use it but will pick some up after my water conditioner is used up.

40% seems like a lot but right now it will help your tank/water/bacteria through this time period.

Folks will hop on soon and tell you the strips are poo poo. I have learned so much on this site in a week and the most important lesson was about test strips. I used them and was lead to believe that my tank had cycled. I added fish. Problems arose. These nice folks recommended the API test kit. It told me exactly what my water chemistry was, and I was NOT done cycling.

Regarding warming your water up, you should probably think about picking up a heater. Since you have a small tank you would think, "oh, smaller heater = smaller price." Wrong! A good one will easily run you $30. Your platys will probably enjoy a temperature in the range of 65 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. I keep my tank with platys at about 78 degrees Fahrenheit. If your fin babies get sick it will help you to have a heater because you may need to adjust the water temperature to aide the fish. (Think of giving them a little fever.)

Monitoring your water chemistry often, daily if I am not mistaken, will help you see the trends. One of the Pros can help you out with the link.

This is just a start... I am born-again noob. When I was first into fish I had no clue about all of this stuff. I just did what my then-boyfriend did. (DUMB!) Anyway, this should get you started until one of the Pros posts.

Good luck!

Shawnie

no pro's needed..you did well!!,,plus we all are beginners at one point and some still are!!

Lucy

Welcome to Fish Lore

All good advice.

What bacteria helper are you using?

Emory

aww... shucks. Thanks Shawnie!


Say, one of my platy gals had babies a couple of days after we got her. Must be a new environment thing.

How many did your have? I have 3 surviving platy babies and 1 surviving swordtail baby.

Kentster

OK - I will be getting the API water test kit! Live and learn...

So I forgot to mention - I do have a water heater. The fishes are swimming in 78 degree water. That's why I was worried about adding 4 gallons of (at best) 65 degree water. I hear rapid tempature change can kill 'em and the kids certainly won't like that. Are you guys advocating a second heater for the heating the 4 gallons water change? I could just use warm water from the tap but I read never to use warm tap water - only cold.

I am using the TopFin bateria helper (see a trend?) from PetSmart. I know at one point I had bacteria growing because I had cloudy white water for a few days but then it went away.

Also, when can I change the charcoal filter? I read that it's a bad idea to do when cycling.

Shawnie

You can cut a slit in the charcoal part and remove it...unless you change it every 3 weeks, it seeps the old yukies back in the tank...of you can buy just the pouch part for charcoal, its good to use while ammonia is present..but again, has to be changed every 3 weeks..you can use semi warm water from the tap...finger test it and the more you do it, you can estimate it to be the same temp as your tank...trust me when cycleing with fish, you get to be a pro at finger testing temps LOL....much luck to you !

Kentster

Cool - I'll just use warm water from now on.