a&j's_tank

hey we have a 20gal tank
red gravel
bio wheel
tetra heater
a few things in there
i have a black and orange molly-mick
2 zerbra
2 big eye goldfish-neo and guppy
1 fish that i dont know-sophie
oh also a huge alge fish-known as star

i fieed my gold fish oranges
and tropical flakes
plus the gold fish flakes

i noticed that my tank gets dirty alot

can some one tell me the safe way to clean a tank
and do you really put salt in a tank? 1tsp per gal?!

i had my ph/nitrate checked at the store last week, and there was nothing
well everything was on track
he said as long as i clean my tank weekly we would be fine
so i did a cleaning sunday, and the water turn murky
so i checked the internet, and did it agin today and its clear

friday
i am getting another molly and a nother zebra
how many mollys do you half to have in your tank if you got a male

heres some pics i took today

COBettaCouple

Hey, welcome to Fishlore.

Well, part of the problem is the tank is overstocked. Goldies are big waste producers and livebearers aren't far behind them.

I'd recommend getting an API master freshwater kit so you can test accurately at home and get your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings.

For treating your tap water I would recommend Prime - it will help the fish out.

I'd change 25-40% of the water twice a week and clean the tank once a week to keep it clean.

When you can, either a larger tank or a 2nd tank would be good for them. Goldfish need 20g for the first and 10g for each additional one. The other fish need 1g per adult inch.

a&j's_tank

how do you know if your tank is overstocked?

COBettaCouple

The size and type of fish make up the tank's bioload (how much waste the tank can handle). For small fish, 1 gallon per adult inch is recommended. For larger fish, it depends more on the species. Angelfish need 30g at least, Goldfish 20g at least, Oscars 120g at least, etc.

Your common pleco needs 55-75g. They grow to 18-24" long and produce a LOT of waste.

a&j's_tank

so could i add one more molly to the tank...?
i mean if you look at it the tank looks bare lol

i have a really good filter
i geuss bio wheels are one of the best
i am looking at getting a 60 gal this summer

i clean my tank at least once a week
does anyone know about salt to your tank

capekate

Hi A&J,
welcome to fishlore, please read up on the nitrogen cycle and the information in the beginners section. It may help you to understand what CoBettaCouple posted above. Your tank is way over stocked with the gold fish and the pleco, who looks likes hes getting big already. Both are large waste producers and their needs are different. The goldfish are cold water fish, and the rest, the dainos, and the mollies and pleco need warmer water.
I noticed in the photos that your neons, that they look like they are suffering from some type of scoliosis, the bend in their backs are not normal. Im not sure why they are like that, but the other fish is also looking the same way. It can be diet, it can be that you bought them that way, or they are very sick.
Possible fish TB.
can you tell me why you are using a slice of orange in your tank? Maybe thats something that gold fish eat, but I have never heard of that before? Anyone care to comment on feeding your fish oranges?

~ kate

a&j's_tank

they swim all day and there very active, so i dunno, i read some where that the males tend to bow, where the females are more stright

the girl at petsmart said i could put the gold fish in the tank and they would do fine as long as i clean the tank at least once aweek

i havent had a fish die of anythign in a long while
i had a fish get stucked up in the filter yesterday due to me being stupid

my molly is hinding, and doesnt look very calm, i think i need a another molly in there asap

they feed goldfish oranges at petsmart
so i asked, my agle eater will somtimes eat it
i geuss its good for them

capekate

Your pleco needs some algae or veggies in his diet as well, you can try spinach, lettuce, peas and cucumbers too. If it is a common Pleco, he will grow to about 24 inches in length, that is why you are going to need a very large tank for him. He also needs a cave to hide in and more plants in the tank. I have had zebras and never saw them with that bend in the back spine. But who knows... personally I doubt that bend is normal...
Good luck with your tank.....

~ kate

a&j's_tank

only one fo the zebra is bowed?

a&j's_tank

bump, anyother insight would be great

i am gonna go on with this tank set up and just watch it
i am getting a bigger tank soon

≈ D ≈

Richard

Welcome to Fishlore.. first up, no one's rapping your knuckles here, we only want to help.. and believe me when I tell you, not a single member of this site was an instant expert in the fishkeeping hobby on buying that very first aquarium and stocking it.. we've all learned through sometimes heartbreaking trial and error, the do's and don'ts of creating the best possible conditions for our fish along with the optimum combinations of species for a healthy community tank.. and speaking for myself, through reading any available literature and getting advice/ constructive criticism from other Fishloreans who've been doing this a lot longer than I have, I've been able to do a pretty decent job of keeping my fish in great condition.

Based on your pictures, I can tell you a few things straight off: two of your Danios are showing signs of vitamin deficiency ( the hunch-back), and one of them has possible finrot, which can either be caused by another fish nipping at it's tail or poor water conditions.. and your Molly would be a lot happier if you were to add at least 2-3 more female Mollies with him..you'd only be able to add the other Mollies though, if you moved the Goldfish to another tank, or got a bigger one.. your tank as it is now is definitely overcrowded, and could lead to your fish dying prematurely, which would be a shame considering Goldfish live 10-30 years on average.

Bonochick

Not that Petsmart is usually the best example, but the one I go to often has oranges in the tank.

capekate

Hi bonochick
It does seem strange tho eh? Maybe its to help bring out the orange coloring in the fish? I find it hard to believe that it is actually a dietary supplement... since oranges are not part of their natural diet. So it may be for color enhancing?

~ kate

Bonochick

I don't know, but the fish sure seemed to go to town on it! I'd been tempted to try it in my tank but was a little leary, since I had never heard anybody here mention doing such a thing. I actually had been meaning to make a thread about it, but it kept slipping my mind.

capekate

You mean they are using the orange slices in ALL the tanks? And not just the goldfish tank as mentioned above in Aida and Jakes original post? well... in any event.. I sure would not want to use a citrus fruit in my fish tanks.. lol...
~ kate

COBettaCouple

The lemon/orange slices are for Vitamin C.

Bonochick

Do you use them in your tanks?