First fish tank: 10 Gallon

Okay, so I haven't gotten the water softener issue figured out yet. I watched a YouTube video and did a quick, easy test with a water bottle and some dish soap. According to it, the water is hard. I have kinda been playing everything around my paychecks and have a pretty good list of things en route for next week I'm basically just starting a Seachem collection haha



The tank has been looking great



My most recent readings were:
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
pH - 8.2

I have been testing it every 24 hours or less. I haven't ever seen a nitrite reading yet. Did I miss it and it is converting ammonia that quick or could something else be going on?

 

I think you can hold off on stress guard unless you have a fish with a wound right now. Prime also aids in slime coat production so you don't need the other product.
Hard to say on the readings but if your nitrates continue to climb then yeah you can safely assume you missed the nitrite phase. Are your tap nitrates 0? If your tap nitrates are 5 then I'd say you haven't gotten to the nitrite phase yet.

 

It would have been a good idea to leave your hang on back filter running alongside your canister until the canister has developed BB all over it's media, keep on asking these guys here on the forums there is a lot of knowledgeable people ready to inform!!!

 

I'm kinda sorta jacking my own thread here but I guess this falls under the category of my first freshwater tank... Haha

Is my fish pregnant??




One of the sunburst platys are also getting pretty round. I thought she was bloated at first but it's been 3-4 days now.

 

Yes, I'd say so. The way she is squared off leads me to believe she is close to having her fry.

 

I’m in a funny situation right now... I’m new to freshwater tanks, but I’ve kept several saltwater tanks with success. Hopefully this will be really quick and easy. I just have some quick questions about stocking, I have yet to decide between setting up my empty 30 gallon or 10 gallon so here’s my options

30 Gallon Freshwater Tank


1 Keyhole Cichlid 6”

2 Golden Wonder Killifish 3”-4” (7”)

1 Honey Gourami 2”

1 Striped Raphael Catfish 7”

4 Swordtail 2”-3” (9”)


10 Gallon Freshwater Tank


1 Honey Gourami 2”

2 Clown Killifish 1” (2”)

1 Platy 2”

3 Celestial Pearl Danios 1” (3”)

I listed inches for 1 inch per gallon although it isn’t advised. I can see why... the ten gallon seems like too much. Also tell me if these fish are good at a neutral pH or not.
Thanks!!

 

The 10 gallon is too much, if you let me know which fish in particular you'd like to hang on to, I can try and help you pair that down.

I'd also pay attention to what are shoaling species. As they are far more common in freshwater fish than saltwater. For example, the danino's need to be kept in groups of 6 or more.

 

For the ten gallon, the only fish that I would really want is the Honey Gourami, is the thirty gallon too much as well?

 

Welcome! And I would agree with the schooling fish. I'm new the the fish hobby as a whole, so I don't have too much advice to give sorry.

Those killifish could be aggressive tho.

 

For the ten gallon, the only fish that I would really want is the Honey Gourami, is the thirty gallon too much as well?

Ok so for the 10G, I would do:
1-2 honey gouramis
6 ChilI rasboras or 6 ember tetras or 6 neon green tetras
some red cherry shrimp or a snail

I'm not sure about the 30G, I'm not too familiar with those fish. I'd say the Raphael Catfish is too big for that tank. Maybe look into a shoal of 6-8 Corydas catfish. I'd probably say the same for the cichlid. But I may be wrong. Hopefully someone else can help out too!

 

Ok so for the 10G, I would do:
1-2 honey gouramis
6 ChilI rasboras or 6 ember tetras or 6 neon green tetras
some red cherry shrimp or a snail

I'm not sure about the 30G, I'm not too familiar with those fish. I'd say the Raphael Catfish is too big for that tank. Maybe look into a shoal of 6-8 Corydas catfish. I'd probably say the same for the cichlid. But I may be wrong. Hopefully someone else can help out too!

You could probably do 10-12 kuhlI loaches as well, Maybe java loaches.

 

You could probably do 10-12 kuhlI loaches as well, Maybe java loaches.

You mean for the 30G correct?

 

I like the idea for the ten gallon, now I’m just wondering on what to do for the 30

 

You mean for the 30G correct?

Yeah the 30 lol. That would be bad in the 10.

 

I like the idea for the ten gallon, now I’m just wondering on what to do for the 30

I'm always inclined to do bigger community tanks of smaller fish. But you could also do a species tank of a bunch of a smaller fish, or one or two bigger fish. What appeals to you?

 

I really like Congo tetras if I were to do small, and some smaller cichlids are very nice