New beginner with a lot of questions! Any advice would be appreciated! :)

Hello. If you're reading this, thank you so much. However, I have a lot to say and if you don't have the patience to read it, you might as well do yourself a favor and leave. <3

Okay so anyways a little background about my tank and myself -

I'm a new fishkeeper as of 4/9/21. I've always loved fish and aquariums. I love the way the move, act, swim and everything. My sister says I was a fish in my past life but who cares. If you wanted to define the lowest of the lowest of fishkeeping as far as experience, that's me! So yeah. I have a lot of questions, so please keep reading!

Basic Information -
Gallon Size - 10 gal.
Heater - Yes, 50W.
# of Fish - 2
Species - 1 Platy (FEMALE) 1 Molly (MALE)
Substrate - White gravel about 2 inches as far as level.
Filter - Of course. I'm not as dumb as I used to be.
Aerator - New installment as of yesterday. (I'll get to that later.)
Plants - 2 and artificial (plastic.)
Decorations - One FAT log with holes large enough for fish to hide in. (Also artificial and plastic.) & A tiny cute blue cave that I'm using to hold my air stone down.
Cycled - I'll get to that later.

Alright, SO! My aunt helped me set up my new aquarium. She has had fish since 2019. A Platy actually that she has managed to keep alive and healthy since 2019. Furthermore, she also has a 20 gallon decently kept tank. Like I was saying, she helped me set up my tank with all of the necessary fixings. We used my tap water to fill up my 10 gal. and we added stress coat once full. She told me to let the tank sit for 48 hours before we get the fish and I did. (Keep in mind that the things she told me to do are the same things she did with her fish. However it took her 3 days for her 20 gal. water samples to be good for her to get fish.) Furthermore, she came back to my house on 4/11/21 (2 days later.) So her and I ran to pet smart with my topfin water sample and it was tested good for fish. Keep in mind that I literally got a nod and smile when we asked the worker if my water was good. So like any fishkeeper I was super excited and I picked my fish. I ended up getting 1 Molly, 2 Platies, and 1 Guppie. I got home and let the fish acclimate in the water bag for 15 mins. After that I scooped them into my tank and watched my new fish. Over the course of the next 6 hours, I noticed that my fish would hide behind my plant A LOT. I researched and believed that it was normal. In addition, my Guppie was spending A LOT of time around the surface; gulping air. Long story short, I went to bed and by the next day, My 1 Guppie and 1 Platy had died. Literally. I was shocked and scooped them out immediately. My Molly and other orange platy were still acting normal. About 3 hours later, I noticed that my Platy and Molly would constantly swim up to the surface and gulp air. They would then sink like they had no control of their bodies. As a result BOTH of them ended up dying 1 hour later. After all of that I researched like crazy for the entire day and learnt quite a lot that I would have never known without that experience. The next day, I took a water sample and brought it back to my fish store. I told her my story and she said that it was a problem with oxygen and convinced my mother and I to purchase an air stone. I thought it was swim bladder but hey, what do I know? So my mom and I got 1 Platy and 1 Black Molly plus an airstone. I went home and installed the air stone while the fish were acclimating. So I ended up adding them and they've been fine since 4/12/21. I also fed them dried bloodworms(pinch) on 4/13/21 and they BOTH ate.

QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

#1 - Ever since I fed my Platy, she would go under the log and shimmer. Like she's nodding "no." Her fins would also be clamped as well. Keep in mind that my Platy would also swim around the tank with NORMAL swimming patterns. However, she went to different layers of the tank and would also do the shimmering. Is this normal? If yes, why. If not, what can I do and what is wrong? Also the temperature for my tank for these last days has been 74-78 degrees F.
#2 - Now, this morning, I woke up and both of my fish were in the comfy log so I assumed that they were sleeping and did not want to be disturbed. So I left them alone for about 4 hours before taking action. (Keep in mind that I woke up THIS MORNING.) Furthermore, I started to get worried and lifted up the log with clean hands. (no soap.) The Molly immediately swam out. (My Platy was already out.) However 10 mins later, she swims right back into the abyss of the log.
#3 So I leave her alone. My Molly is female; same with the platy. While my Molly was hiding my Platy was mostly normal and would swim around and shimmer. Swim around and shimmer. The temp was 74 degrees last time I checked which is normal for tropical fish. Now, is this normal? I also noticed that my Platy would go into the log and shimmer as well. Keep in mind that I did NOT feed them today.

Lastly before you say disease, I checked the appearance of the fish 24/7 ever since I got them. I haven't noticed any sign of Ich, Velvet, parasites, or any disease. Their behavior is mostly normal and they are NOT gulping for air. However, my Platy & Molly would RARELY. Key word = RARELY go to the surface and gulp 1 bubble before normally coming down.

#4 How do I know if my tank is cycled? I mean I tested this water twice and got a "good" result at the fish store. I don't trust it but I also don't have a kit which I plan on getting soon. IN addition, I also noticed my water to kind of misty/milky at the top. Is that a good sign? I heard that it was bacteria.

#5 Are my fish lonely? Do I need to add 1 more female molly and 1 more female platy?
#6 ALSO, do I need to feed my fish a variety of foods? My aunt only feeds them bloodworms and her fish have been very healthy. Can I do the same?

Thanks and any advice would be MUCHHH appreciated!

 

You're tank isn't cycled at all. I suggest you read up on the nitrogen cycle yourself, but letting a tank sit won't cycle it. You need a source of ammonia like fish food for the beneficial bacteria to grow. The fish are suffering from ammonia poisoning. If you can, return them all immediately. If not, do a 50% PWC ASAP. You should do this every day until your tank is cycled if possible. Next, buy some ammonia neutraliser such as ammo lock or stability. This will convert the harmful and toxic ammonia into a harmless form. If possible, get live plants to filter the water. Also, ask your LFS for any old filter media. Squeeze that stuff into the tank. It helps wonders. Secondly, bloodworms alone are a TERRIBLE diet. They're pure fat with no protein or nutrients. Get yourself some flakes to start with. Frozen foods are messy so leave those until after your tank is cycled. I also recommend returning the Molly as it'll crossbreed with the guppy if they're opposite genders. You've gotten 3 different types of livebearers. If you've got females, they will breed. Get only males unless you have room, and yes, they should be in groups. They don't school, but they'd still enjoy the company. I recommend trios of males. But most importantly, you're tank is no cycled. Take the fish back if you can. Cycling takes weeks if not months. If you put your fish through this, they might survive but they'll have permanent damage. Also, feed very lightly or not at all for the next few days. Any more questions? Happy to help.

 

I agree with above post, take out half your water and put in new water with a water conditioner added to it according to the directions on the bottle. You definitely need a test kit or just test strips to start.

 

You're tank isn't cycled at all. I suggest you read up on the nitrogen cycle yourself, but letting a tank sit won't cycle it. You need a source of ammonia like fish food for the beneficial bacteria to grow. The fish are suffering from ammonia poisoning. If you can, return them all immediately. If not, do a 50% PWC ASAP. You should do this every day until your tank is cycled if possible. Next, buy some ammonia neutraliser such as ammo lock or stability. This will convert the harmful and toxic ammonia into a harmless form. If possible, get live plants to filter the water. Also, ask your LFS for any old filter media. Squeeze that stuff into the tank. It helps wonders. Secondly, bloodworms alone are a TERRIBLE diet. They're pure fat with no protein or nutrients. Get yourself some flakes to start with. Frozen foods are messy so leave those until after your tank is cycled. I also recommend returning the Molly as it'll crossbreed with the guppy if they're opposite genders. You've gotten 3 different types of livebearers. If you've got females, they will breed. Get only makes unless you have room, and yes, they should be in groups. They don't school, but they'd still enjoy the company. I recommend trios of males. But most importantly, you're tank is no cycled. Take the fish back if you can. Cycling takes weeks if not months. If you put your fish through this, they might survive but they'll have permanent damage. Also, feed very lightly or not at all for the next few days. Any more questions? Happy to help.

Thank you so much for the advice and for being brutally honest lol. Just to recap,

- My tank is NOT cycled and my fish suffered from ammonia poising.
- I should have a trio of Males and cannot keep a female platy with a female Molly as they will breed by themselves?
- I should do a mixture of pellets, flakes, and dried foods?
- And I should return the fish?
- Also what does the the mist in my tank mean?
To be honest, before I do any water changes or whatever, I'm definitely going to buy a master testing kit for tank then start from there. The numbers are literally the only relevant thing to me right now.

 

Thank you so much for the advice and for being brutally honest lol. Just to recap,

- My tank is NOT cycled and my fish suffered from ammonia poising.
- I should have a trio of Males and cannot keep a female platy with a female Molly as they will breed by themselves?
- I should do a mixture of pellets, flakes, and dried foods?
- And I should return the fish?

No worries. Yes, your tank is definitely not cycled. And any livebearer (guppies, platys, mollies, swordtails) female can store sperm for up to 6 months, so they are very likely pregnant. A mixture of those foods is a great idea. Live foods like daphnia and mosquito larvae are also good. If possible, I recommend returning the fish. Cycling a tank without fish is far easier. However, it is certainly possible to cycle with fish.
Cycling a tank involves growing enough beneficial bacteria (BB) to convert the ammonia produced by fish waste and food into nitrite (still harmful) which is then converted into nitrate (which is harmless in low amounts and will be removed in water changes). A cycled tank will have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 0-20 nitrates. The reason your tank looked cycled is because you had no ammonia in the tank. No source of waste, thus it looked like your non existent bacteria was converting it all.
If you use an ammonia neutraliser, your harmful ammonia will be converted into ammonium, which won't harm your fish but will still allow BB to grow. Thus, it is possible to keep your water safe while cycling. However, it's much more work and I don't recommend it for your first tank. It's much simpler to return the fish and do a fishless cycle. However, it's up to you. Let me know what you'd prefer and I'll happily offer more advice.

 

No worries. Yes, your tank is definitely not cycled. And any livebearer (guppies, platys, mollies, swordtails) female can store sperm for up to 6 months, so they are very likely pregnant. A mixture of those foods is a great idea. Live foods like daphnia and mosquito larvae are also good. If possible, I recommend returning the fish. Cycling a tank without fish is far easier. However, it is certainly possible to cycle with fish.
Cycling a tank involves growing enough beneficial bacteria (BB) to convert the ammonia produced by fish waste and food into nitrite (still harmful) which is then converted into nitrate (which is harmless in low amounts and will be removed in water changes). A cycled tank will have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 0-20 nitrates. The reason your tank looked cycled is because you had no ammonia in the tank. No source of waste, thus it looked like your non existent bacteria was converting it all.
If you use an ammonia neutraliser, your harmful ammonia will be converted into ammonium, which won't harm your fish but will still allow BB to grow. Thus, it is possible to keep your water safe while cycling. However, it's much more work and I don't recommend it for your first tank. It's much simpler to return the fish and do a fishless cycle. However, it's up to you. Let me know what you'd prefer and I'll happily offer more advice.

Karen first of all, thank you so much. Also, do you own your own fish? I'm just wondering because you seem quite advanced. So to proceed, I think I'm gonna buy a testing kit first and go from there. If the numbers are bad, I will most likely return the fish and do fishless cycling and go from there.

 

Thank you so much for the advice and for being brutally honest lol. Just to recap,

- My tank is NOT cycled and my fish suffered from ammonia poising.
- I should have a trio of Males and cannot keep a female platy with a female Molly as they will breed by themselves?
- I should do a mixture of pellets, flakes, and dried foods?
- And I should return the fish?
- Also what does the the mist in my tank mean?
To be honest, before I do any water changes or whatever, I'm definitely going to buy a master testing kit for tank then start from there. The numbers are literally the only relevant thing to me right now.

What do you mean by mist in the tank? Do you mean it looks cloudy? Do a water change immediately. Cloudy water is either a sign of a bacteria bloom or too much decaying matter in the water. When doing a water change, heavily vacuum the substrate to remove any decaying food. We want to minimise the amount of ammonia in the water.

And yes, a master test kit is useful, however, please do a water change. I'm 99% sure your water has ammonia. Any amount of it is toxic and will harm your fish. You can never do too many water changes imo (obviously being reasonable and not doing more than 50% at a time).

 

I would like to add to this that it would be beneficial to get some of your aunts filter media (stuff from inside her filter like a sponge) and/or some of her gravel. It contains good bacteria you need in your tank to help process fish waste. Live plants and small snails like ramshorns, malaysian trumpet snails and pond snails also help your tank in the beginning.

 

What do you mean by mist in the tank? Do you mean it looks cloudy? Do a water change immediately. Cloudy water is either a sign of a bacteria bloom or too much decaying matter in the water. When doing a water change, heavily vacuum the substrate to remove any decaying food. We want to minimise the amount of ammonia in the water.

And yes, a master test kit is useful, however, please do a water change. I'm 99% sure your water has ammonia. Any amount of it is toxic and will harm your fish. You can never do too many water changes imo (obviously being reasonable and not doing more than 50% at a time).

By mist I mean that the top is kind of milky.

I would like to add to this that it would be beneficial to get some of your aunts filter media (stuff from inside her filter like a sponge) and/or some of her gravel. It contains good bacteria you need in your tank to help process fish waste. Live plants and small snails like ramshorns, malaysian trumpet snails and pond snails also help your tank in the beginning.

Yeah. She showed me how to clean the tank and everything. When she cleaned her filter, I saw the media and it was black-like rocks? She said it was carbon.

By mist I mean that the top is kind of milky.

Yeah. She showed me how to clean the tank and everything. When she cleaned her filter, I saw the media and it was black-like rocks? She said it was carbon.

However, my filter is designed differently and I don't think it has space for the media..

 

By mist I mean that the top is kind of milky.

Yeah. She showed me how to clean the tank and everything. When she cleaned her filter, I saw the media and it was black-like rocks? She said it was carbon.

Alright, very important: Water change immediately, vacuum as much as you can.

Do you want to return the fish of cycle the tank with an ammonia neutraliser? Sorry for being pushy, but I want to help your new fishies as much as possible. Both options are fine, but you need to act fast. Ammonia poisoning likely won't kill such hardy fish, but it is harmful. It burns their gills, weakens their immune systems, etc, basically a bunch of not good. If I were you, I'd return them all, do a fishless cycle, then get a few either guppies or platys. But it's up to you, just let me know so I can offer more specific advice.

 

Alright, very important: Water change immediately, vacuum as much as you can.

Do you want to return the fish of cycle the tank with an ammonia neutraliser? Sorry for being pushy, but I want to help your new fishies as much as possible. Both options are fine, but you need to act fast. Ammonia poisoning likely won't kill such hardy fish, but it is harmful. It burns their gills, weakens their immune systems, etc, basically a bunch of not good. If I were you, I'd return them all, do a fishless cycle, then get a few either guppies or platys. But it's up to you, just let me know so I can offer more specific advice.

To be very honest with you, I love my fish and genuinely care about them but I'm very stressed at the moment. I've been researching non-stop for the past 2 days on top of classes and school work. I love my fish but I kind of need to process all of this information. For example right now, I'm reading more on the nitrogen cycle.

To be very honest with you, I love my fish and genuinely care about them but I'm very stressed at the moment. I've been researching non-stop for the past 2 days on top of classes and school work. I love my fish but I kind of need to process all of this information. For example right now, I'm reading more on the nitrogen cycle.

My frustration is really with PetSmart. My mom and I were talking and we were saying that fish stores should tell their customers this information. I feel like they lied to me and it's just a very frustrating situation. I also forgot to say, my mom went to a different fish store and they told her that the previous store lied to us just to make a quick buck and I should have let the water stay for at least a week..

To be very honest with you, I love my fish and genuinely care about them but I'm very stressed at the moment. I've been researching non-stop for the past 2 days on top of classes and school work. I love my fish but I kind of need to process all of this information. For example right now, I'm reading more on the nitrogen cycle.

My frustration is really with PetSmart. My mom and I were talking and we were saying that fish stores should tell their customers this information. I feel like they lied to me and it's just a very frustrating situation. I also forgot to say, my mom went to a different fish store and they told her that the previous store lied to us just to make a quick buck and I should have let the water stay for at least a week..

 

Hello!! I'm a moderately new fishkeeper as well, around one year. I started out nearly EXACTLY like you- and boy has it been a year of progression. I have a bit of input for you ahah.

1. Mollies and platies cannot be kept in a 10 gallon tank. Mollies need AT LEAST a 20, but I'd say 30 as a minimum. They can get around 5" and are big waste producers. I would say 15 as the lowest size for a platy, but 20+ is preferred

2. The others are absolutely correct; livebearers can store sperm for around a half a year or more, so I'd say your ladies are certainly pregnant.

3. Another agreement- your tank isn't cycled at all. No worries! I made the same mistake my first time. You should get a testing kit and do a water change ASAP, I'd say 50% or more. Make sure to use water conditioner!

4. DO NOT, I repeat, DON'T EVER! Keep a group of only male livebearers together. Males are aggressive and territorial, and they will fight as well as kill each other. You should have 2 to 3 females PER MALE, and if you decide to keep such a group, you will forever have babies on a constant basis. I would recommend all females. HOWEVER! Even with all females, you will have to run the full cycle of pregnancy and birth, and will have to raise the fry and give them away.

5. The milky top is certainly not good. That's likely ammonia and "bad stuff" buildup. Like Karena said, water change!!!

6. Shimmying is really only displayed when a fish is sick. They don't shimmy for no reason. Shimmying is typically itching of sorts, and can be due to ick or parasites- or anything else, really. It could just be stress but thats rather unlikely.

--

Honestly, I began exactly the same way. Uncycled 10 gallon with a trio of mollies and a pair of loaches. I went through the cycle of babies, and just ended it (hopefully) a whole year later.

Long story short, I went from one 10g to 3 tanks; a 40 gallon, a 4 gallon, and the 10- but that recently changed to just the 40 and 10.

My 40 is an all-female livebearer tank with live plants and the like. It's been quite the journey, and to be honest- it's nowhere near over yet!

I have plenty more stories and information to share. Just let me know and I'll pump it out!

 

To be very honest with you, I love my fish and genuinely care about them but I'm very stressed at the moment. I've been researching non-stop for the past 2 days on top of classes and school work. I love my fish but I kind of need to process all of this information. For example right now, I'm reading more on the nitrogen cycle.

It's very good your researching. Trust me, everyone makes beginner mistakes. Don't be too hard on yourself. Relax. I'll leave you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions, but if you have any questions I'm here. Just do a waster change as soon as you're able. Get BB in a bottle or old filter media and that'll significantly speed up your cycle. An your fish can last days without food, so don't be afraid to skip a day of feeding. The less they poop the lest waste they produce. Squeezing old filter media or just putting an old piece of media in your filter will be VERY helpful. It will give you some mature BB and in an environment with ammonia, they will grow very fast. I've cycled a tank in a few days my putting all my mature decorations, plants and squeezing mature filter media into into (but it was a 42 gallon with just a betta). Anyways, I'll leave you to research. Good luck.

 

It's very good your researching. Trust me, everyone makes beginner mistakes. Don't be too hard on yourself. Relax. I'll leave you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions, but if you have any questions I'm here. Just do a waster change as soon as you're able. Get BB in a bottle or old filter media and that'll significantly speed up your cycle. An your fish can last days without food, so don't be afraid to skip a day of feeding. The less they poop the lest waste they produce. Squeezing old filter media or just putting an old piece of media in your filter will be VERY helpful. It will give you some mature BB and in an environment with ammonia, they will grow very fast. I've cycled a tank in a few days my putting all my mature decorations, plants and squeezing mature filter media into into (but it was a 42 gallon with just a betta). Anyways, I'll leave you to research. Good luck.

Thanks, but I have one question. When my tank is fully cycled, why can't I just add 2 female Mollies or 2 female Platies?

 

Hello!! I'm a moderately new fishkeeper as well, around one year. I started out nearly EXACTLY like you- and boy has it been a year of progression. I have a bit of input for you ahah.

1. Mollies and platies cannot be kept in a 10 gallon tank. Mollies need AT LEAST a 20, but I'd say 30 as a minimum. They can get around 5" and are big waste producers. I would say 15 as the lowest size for a platy, but 20+ is preferred

2. The others are absolutely correct; livebearers can store sperm for around a half a year or more, so I'd say your ladies are certainly pregnant.

3. Another agreement- your tank isn't cycled at all. No worries! I made the same mistake my first time. You should get a testing kit and do a water change ASAP, I'd say 50% or more. Make sure to use water conditioner!

4. DO NOT, I repeat, DON'T EVER! Keep a group of only male livebearers together. Males are aggressive and territorial, and they will fight as well as kill each other. You should have 2 to 3 females PER MALE, and if you decide to keep such a group, you will forever have babies on a constant basis. I would recommend all females. HOWEVER! Even with all females, you will have to run the full cycle of pregnancy and birth, and will have to raise the fry and give them away.

5. The milky top is certainly not good. That's likely ammonia and "bad stuff" buildup. Like Karena said, water change!!!

6. Shimmying is really only displayed when a fish is sick. They don't shimmy for no reason. Shimmying is typically itching of sorts, and can be due to ick or parasites- or anything else, really. It could just be stress but thats rather unlikely.

--

Honestly, I began exactly the same way. Uncycled 10 gallon with a trio of mollies and a pair of loaches. I went through the cycle of babies, and just ended it (hopefully) a whole year later.

Long story short, I went from one 10g to 3 tanks; a 40 gallon, a 4 gallon, and the 10- but that recently changed to just the 40 and 10.

My 40 is an all-female livebearer tank with live plants and the like. It's been quite the journey, and to be honest- it's nowhere near over yet!

I have plenty more stories and information to share. Just let me know and I'll pump it out!

Agreed. However, I disagree about male livebearers. I've never kept all males before (I've done female only and both genders) but keeping male only livebearer tanks are very common. Have you had bad experiences with them? I don't recommend OP keep both genders because of breeding, and finding virgin females is very difficult, and pretty much impossible from pet stores. Also, females are messier. I do definitely agree that the molly needs to go back. The platy can work imo, but guppies are far betta for a 10 gallon. Also, love meeting a fellow livebearer addict.

 

Thanks, but I have one question. When my tank is fully cycled, why can't I just add 2 female Mollies or 2 female Platies?

If you didn't see my above post, I mentioned stocking boundaries! I went into more detail, but neither Mollies nor Platies should be kept in a 10g.

 

Thanks, but I have one question. When my tank is fully cycled, why can't I just add 2 female Mollies or 2 female Platies?

Well, mollies are off the list. 10 gallons is too small. I'd also agree with Sav and say 10 is too small for platys. They prefer a minimum of 20. With guppies, if you got females, there's a 99% chance they'll be pregnant. It's a mixed bag as to whether guppies eat their fry IME. Mine won't touch it and unless you can find a LFS willing to take them, I'd recommend all males. Another solution is find a local breeder who keeps the females separate from males. That's what I did in my female guppy tank. Females are more chill and sensible and males and very energetic and egotistical. Males are also smaller (less waste which means you can keep more of them) and more colourful. I love em both.

 

Well, mollies are off the list. 10 gallons is too small. I'd also agree with Sav and say 10 is too small for platys. They prefer a minimum of 20. With guppies, if you got females, there's a 99% chance they'll be pregnant. It's a mixed bag as to whether guppies eat their fry IME. Mine won't touch it and unless you can find a LFS willing to take them, I'd recommend all males. Another solution is find a local breeder who keeps the females separate from males. That's what I did in my female guppy tank. Females are more chill and sensible and males and very energetic and egotistical. Males are also smaller (less waste which means you can keep more of them) and more colourful. I love em both.

Yeah but the pet store told me that it was okay to put platies in a 10 gal.

 

Agreed. However, I disagree about male livebearers. I've never kept all males before (I've done female only and both genders) but keeping male only livebearer tanks are very common. Have you had bad experiences with them? I don't recommend OP keep both genders because of breeding, and finding virgin females is very difficult, and pretty much impossible from pet stores. Also, females are messier. I do definitely agree that the molly needs to go back. The platy can work imo, but guppies are far betta for a 10 gallon. Also, love meeting a fellow livebearer addict.

Sadly, I have had bad experiences with all males! I have also had bad experiences with pairs, where I had only 1 female per boy.

They fight, nip at each other, and chase. They make each other upset and tear at fins, and it causes quite the disruption in the tank overall. They can also get very aggressive with non-livebearer fish if there aren't females around. I had a male death due to stress from the bullying and fighting as well

I actually wouldn't recommend livebearers for beginners, I think. I started with them and it was an extremely difficult feat. It's been very, very stressful for me up until this point!

And yes, always great to meet another livebearer enthusiast

Well, mollies are off the list. 10 gallons is too small. I'd also agree with Sav and say 10 is too small for platys. They prefer a minimum of 20. With guppies, if you got females, there's a 99% chance they'll be pregnant. It's a mixed bag as to whether guppies eat their fry IME. Mine won't touch it and unless you can find a LFS willing to take them, I'd recommend all males. Another solution is find a local breeder who keeps the females separate from males. That's what I did in my female guppy tank. Females are more chill and sensible and males and very energetic and egotistical. Males are also smaller (less waste which means you can keep more of them) and more colourful. I love em both.

Guppies may be a better alternative, but they are still large waste producers. I've heard better reports on keeping all-male guppies, but I would say it's still taking a chance.

I've never kept male guppies though, only females, so don't take my word on this entirely.

Yeah but the pet store told me that it was okay to put platies in a 10 gal.

Ah, friend! As I'm sure you've started to catch on... The pet stores, especially chains, are rather pathological liars. The more fish die in your hands, the more you'll come back to buy more. It's a sort of marketing ploy in some realms.

They will lie to you about just nearly anything. It's quite sickening, actually.

Platies cannot really be comfortable or live a thriving life in a 10g. I'm sorry.

 

Well, mollies are off the list. 10 gallons is too small. I'd also agree with Sav and say 10 is too small for platys. They prefer a minimum of 20. With guppies, if you got females, there's a 99% chance they'll be pregnant. It's a mixed bag as to whether guppies eat their fry IME. Mine won't touch it and unless you can find a LFS willing to take them, I'd recommend all males. Another solution is find a local breeder who keeps the females separate from males. That's what I did in my female guppy tank. Females are more chill and sensible and males and very energetic and egotistical. Males are also smaller (less waste which means you can keep more of them) and more colourful. I love em both.

Sadly, I have had bad experiences with all males! I have also had bad experiences with pairs, where I had only 1 female per boy.

They fight, nip at each other, and chase. They make each other upset and tear at fins, and it causes quite the disruption in the tank overall. They can also get very aggressive with non-livebearer fish if there aren't females around. I had a male death due to stress from the bullying and fighting as well

I actually wouldn't recommend livebearers for beginners, I think. I started with them and it was an extremely difficult feat. It's been very, very stressful for me up until this point!

And yes, always great to meet another livebearer enthusiast



Guppies may be a better alternative, but they are still large waste producers. I've heard better reports on keeping all-male guppies, but I would say it's still taking a chance.

I've never kept male guppies though, only females, so don't take my word on this entirely.

Ah, friend! As I'm sure you've started to catch on... The pet stores, especially chains, are rather pathological liars. The more fish die in your hands, the more you'll come back to buy more. It's a sort of marketing ploy in some realms.

They will lie to you about just nearly anything. It's quite sickening, actually.

Platies cannot really be comfortable or live a thriving life in a 10g. I'm sorry.

Karen also, how did you get so educated with fish? Like you know so much..

 

Yeah but the pet store told me that it was okay to put platies in a 10 gal.

The pet store will tell you a betta can live in a 2.5 gallon. Do you're own research. if the first result on google says they can't live in a 10 gallon, it's pretty safe to say more people agree they can't be kept in a 10 gallon.

Sadly, I have had bad experiences with all males! I have also had bad experiences with pairs, where I had only 1 female per boy.

They fight, nip at each other, and chase. They make each other upset and tear at fins, and it causes quite the disruption in the tank overall. They can also get very aggressive with non-livebearer fish if there aren't females around. I had a male death due to stress from the bullying and fighting as well

I actually wouldn't recommend livebearers for beginners, I think. I started with them and it was an extremely difficult feat. It's been very, very stressful for me up until this point!

And yes, always great to meet another livebearer enthusiast

I feel like you're in a minority. I've never had issues with male aggression, and from what I've heard, male guppies are more aggressive with females around than with only males. But it's always good to hear multiple opinions from different people. Personally, I think all males would be fine. They're stored like that in pet stores, and the only time I've ever seen one get bullied is when a store had one blue mosaic with a bunch of red fancies and they bullied him so much! Fish are racist. (Don't worry, I told someone and he was put in his own tank, he was so exhausted) But all brothers have a very high chance of success.

 

The pet store will tell you a betta can live in a 2.5 gallon. Do you're own research. if the first result on google says they can't live in a 10 gallon, it's pretty safe to say more people agree they can't be kept in a 10 gallon.

I feel like you're in a minority. I've never had issues with male aggression, and from what I've heard, male guppies are more aggressive with females around than with only males. But it's always good to hear multiple opinions from different people. Personally, I think all males would be fine. They're stored like that in pet stores, and the only time I've ever seen one get bullied is when a store had one blue mosaic with a bunch of red fancies and they bullied him so much! Fish are racist. (Don't worry, I told someone and he was put in his own tank, he was so exhausted) But all brothers have a very high chance of success.

Ah, yeah! I feel I should clarify that my issues were with male mollies and platies. OP would probably be alright with all male guppies, and as I said- I've never owned male guppies, ahah.

You have some very good input!

 

Karen also, how did you get so educated with fish? Like you know so much..

Aww, thx. I've been in the hobby for over 2 years and have way too much time for research.

This all comes with experience. I'm sure right now you're learning a lot about the nitrogen cycle. Every time something goes wrong or seems off, you'll do research and learn something new. Every time you want to add a new fish, you'll research about it and learn something new. The more you do and try, the more you'll learn. Welcome to the hobby. And yes, constant stress and research binging is normal.

Ah, yeah! I feel I should clarify that my issues were with male mollies and platies. OP would probably be alright with all male guppies, and as I said- I've never owned male guppies, ahah.

You have some very good input!

Ahh, never had platies. I had mollies in a pond after the pet store said they'd be fine with a betta in a 15 gallon. sigh. I've been considering getting a small group of platies with my guppies, but I don't want fry so I was considering all males. I guess that's off the list now, thx.

 

Aww, thx. I've been in the hobby for over 2 years and have way too much time for research.

This all comes with experience. I'm sure right now you're learning a lot about the nitrogen cycle. Every time something goes wrong or seems off, you'll do research and learn something new. Every time you want to add a new fish, you'll research about it and learn something new. The more you do and try, the more you'll learn. Welcome to the hobby. And yes, constant stress and research binging is normal.
[/QUOTE
I almost feel like I'm a parent.

Aww, thx. I've been in the hobby for over 2 years and have way too much time for research.

This all comes with experience. I'm sure right now you're learning a lot about the nitrogen cycle. Every time something goes wrong or seems off, you'll do research and learn something new. Every time you want to add a new fish, you'll research about it and learn something new. The more you do and try, the more you'll learn. Welcome to the hobby. And yes, constant stress and research binging is normal.

Ahh, never had platies. I had mollies in a pond after the pet store said they'd be fine with a betta in a 15 gallon. sigh. I've been considering getting a small group of platies with my guppies, but I don't want fry so I was considering all males. I guess that's off the list now, thx.

What is "OP"?

 

Aww, thx. I've been in the hobby for over 2 years and have way too much time for research.

This all comes with experience. I'm sure right now you're learning a lot about the nitrogen cycle. Every time something goes wrong or seems off, you'll do research and learn something new. Every time you want to add a new fish, you'll research about it and learn something new. The more you do and try, the more you'll learn. Welcome to the hobby. And yes, constant stress and research binging is normal.

Ahh, never had platies. I had mollies in a pond after the pet store said they'd be fine with a betta in a 15 gallon. sigh. I've been considering getting a small group of platies with my guppies, but I don't want fry so I was considering all males. I guess that's off the list now, thx.

Of course, happy to help in any way.

What is "OP"?

OP is an older forum slang term that stands for "original poster" or something like that!

 

You're tank isn't cycled at all. I suggest you read up on the nitrogen cycle yourself, but letting a tank sit won't cycle it. You need a source of ammonia like fish food for the beneficial bacteria to grow. The fish are suffering from ammonia poisoning. If you can, return them all immediately. If not, do a 50% PWC ASAP. You should do this every day until your tank is cycled if possible. Next, buy some ammonia neutraliser such as ammo lock or stability. This will convert the harmful and toxic ammonia into a harmless form. If possible, get live plants to filter the water. Also, ask your LFS for any old filter media. Squeeze that stuff into the tank. It helps wonders. Secondly, bloodworms alone are a TERRIBLE diet. They're pure fat with no protein or nutrients. Get yourself some flakes to start with. Frozen foods are messy so leave those until after your tank is cycled. I also recommend returning the Molly as it'll crossbreed with the guppy if they're opposite genders. You've gotten 3 different types of livebearers. If you've got females, they will breed. Get only males unless you have room, and yes, they should be in groups. They don't school, but they'd still enjoy the company. I recommend trios of males. But most importantly, you're tank is no cycled. Take the fish back if you can. Cycling takes weeks if not months. If you put your fish through this, they might survive but they'll have permanent damage. Also, feed very lightly or not at all for the next few days. Any more questions? Happy to help.

I agree with this but two things. Don’t use ammo lock during a fish in cycle because it locks it up and doesn’t let the tank cycle. Something like seachem prime is better. And bloodworms aren’t just fat they have a lot of protein and other nutrients and not much fat actually. You might have been think about wax worms. But besides that you added some really good info

 

I agree with this but two things. Don’t use ammo lock during a fish in cycle because it locks it up and doesn’t let the tank cycle. Something like seachem prime is better. And bloodworms aren’t just fat they have a lot of protein and other nutrients and not much fat actually. You might have been think about wax worms. But besides that you added some really good info

Bruh all of you guys are making me hella confused and making me want to quit but I'm not going to quit because I'm not a quitter. :/

 

Hello Nivlaa, welcome to fishlore! I know it's super confusing when you first start out, so I'll give a recap of helpful tips and tricks. And don't stress too much about making mistakes. I assure you at least 90% of us started out the exact same way.

1. Nitrogen cycle simplified: Alright... so, fish poop. They poop a lot. When the poop breaks down, it produces ammonia, which is toxic to fish and will burn them. So, we want bacteria in the tank to convert it to nitrite, which is less toxic. But nitrite still isn't good for fish, so we want a different bacteria to convert it to nitrate which fish can tolerate in large amounts. A new tank won't have any bacteria in it. It'll take 4-8 weeks for a brand new tank to grow enough bacteria to make it safe for fish (you can add bottled bacteria or stuff from an old tank to make the process much faster). We call this process "cycling".

2. Cycling: The ideal parameters for a tank is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and some nitrates (less than 40 is ok, keep it at 20 or less). Nitrates will continue to build up until you do a water change. Get yourself a liquid test kit, it will make your life so much easier. To cycle an empty tank, add a little fish food every day until your parameters hit those numbers.

3. Stocking: Most people don't realize how huge mollies and platies get. I believe mollies get up to five inches long. An experienced fishkeeper could keep them in a 20g, but 30 gallons or more is recommended. For a 10g, you'll want something smaller.

Good luck, friend. Everyone I've met on this site is super nice and helpful, don't hesitate to ask questions

 

Bruh all of you guys are making me hella confused and making me want to quit but I'm not going to quit because I'm not a quitter. :/

I know that it's a lot of information to take in, believe me! There will be contrasting information and different opinions... But trust me. This is an amazing hobby and community. Just try your best to understand! You'll get it!

 

I agree with this but two things. Don’t use ammo lock during a fish in cycle because it locks it up and doesn’t let the tank cycle. Something like seachem prime is better. And bloodworms aren’t just fat they have a lot of protein and other nutrients and not much fat actually. You might have been think about wax worms. But besides that you added some really good info

My mistake with ammo lock. I was thinking of stuff you put in water when mailing fish. From what I've heard, bloodworms are mostly fat though. Are you sure you're not thinking of blackworms? Bloodworms are meant as a treat, aren't they? I've heard it's recommended to just feed them once a week? Could be wrong, but they certainly should not be the main thing you feed your fish.

 

I agree with this but two things. Don’t use ammo lock during a fish in cycle because it locks it up and doesn’t let the tank cycle. Something like seachem prime is better. And bloodworms aren’t just fat they have a lot of protein and other nutrients and not much fat actually. You might have been think about wax worms. But besides that you added some really good info

To my knowledge, ammo lock and prime do the exact same thing. Either way, the converted form of ammonia could still be used by the biological filter no problem.

 

Hello Nivlaa, welcome to fishlore! I know it's super confusing when you first start out, so I'll give a recap of helpful tips and tricks. And don't stress too much about making mistakes. I assure you at least 90% of us started out the exact same way.

1. Nitrogen cycle simplified: Alright... so, fish poop. They poop a lot. When the poop breaks down, it produces ammonia, which is toxic to fish and will burn them. So, we want bacteria in the tank to convert it to nitrite, which is less toxic. But nitrite still isn't good for fish, so we want a different bacteria to convert it to nitrate which fish can tolerate in large amounts. A new tank won't have any bacteria in it. It'll take 4-8 weeks for a brand new tank to grow enough bacteria to make it safe for fish (you can add bottled bacteria or stuff from an old tank to make the process much faster). We call this process "cycling".

2. Cycling: The ideal parameters for a tank is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and some nitrates (less than 40 is ok, keep it at 20 or less). Nitrates will continue to build up until you do a water change. Get yourself a liquid test kit, it will make your life so much easier. To cycle an empty tank, add a little fish food every day until your parameters hit those numbers.

3. Stocking: Most people don't realize how huge mollies and platies get. I believe mollies get up to five inches long. An experienced fishkeeper could keep them in a 20g, but 30 gallons or more is recommended. For a 10g, you'll want something smaller.

Good luck, friend. Everyone I've met on this site is super nice and helpful, don't hesitate to ask questions

What fish do you recommend for a 10 gal? Should I keep multiple fish or since I'm a beginner, should I just have 1 betta and call it a day?

 

Bruh all of you guys are making me hella confused and making me want to quit but I'm not going to quit because I'm not a quitter. :/

If there's one more thing you should know, it's that you will get conflicting information. Everyone's experience is different and those advice will be different. You'll have to make your own conclusions. There's no one correct answer. Relax. I'm sure you're very stressed and not sure what to do, but you'll figure it all out eventually.

 

To my knowledge, ammo lock and prime do the exact same thing. Either way, the converted form of ammonia could still be used by the biological filter no problem.

Not tryna argue or anything but it doesnt
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/please-help-8-0-ppm-ammonia.491495/#post-4912174

 

What fish do you recommend for a 10 gal? Should I keep multiple fish or since I'm a beginner, should I just have 1 betta and call it a day?

Bettas are very good beginner fish! I have one in my 10 and he's absolutely amazing. So much personality and easy care!

There actually isn't a whole lot you can do as a beginner with a 10g. It can vary depending on you sources and availability but it's typically tricky.

 

Bettas are very good beginner fish! I have one in my 10 and he's absolutely amazing. So much personality and easy care!

There actually isn't a whole lot you can do as a beginner with a 10g. It can vary depending on you sources and availability but it's typically tricky.

I second this. I love bettas. But you shouldn't keep them with guppies, and I say this as someone who successfully keeps a Betta with fancy guppies, I wouldn't recommend it for beginners or a 10 gallon. A Betta with a few mystery snails would be great in a 10 gallon. If not, 5 or so male guppies would also be fine. Cherry shrimp are also great.

 

Not tryna argue or anything but it doesnt
Please help - 8.0 ppm Ammonia | Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Forum | 491495

Huh that's odd. API's website says "API AMMO LOCK product detoxifies ammonia, converting it into a non-toxic form. This non-toxic ammonia is then removed by the biological filter, or aquarium cycle, in the usual way." I was under the impression that products like ammo lock, amquell, and prime do the same thing since they're all used to detoxify ammonia and chlorine. Looks like I need to dig deeper lol

What fish do you recommend for a 10 gal? Should I keep multiple fish or since I'm a beginner, should I just have 1 betta and call it a day?

10g is a relatively small amount of space, so things like schooling fish are out. Bettas are a good recommendation. They're undemanding and colorful, but be aware they the longer finned ones may come with a variety of health issues. Or you can do a trio of male guppies. Getting siblings that were raised together can help with aggression. Pea puffers can fit in a 10g, but those are more advanced (probably don't go for those). Snails and shrimp are always fun. There are other things also, but you won't find them in your average chain store. (PS don't trust the people working at stores unless you're familiar with them and know them well. Always double check any info they give you)

 

What fish do you recommend for a 10 gal? Should I keep multiple fish or since I'm a beginner, should I just have 1 betta and call it a day?

One betta would probably be best. You can do a lot more with a 10 gallon than you would think, but most fish that could live comfortably in a 10g in groups tend to be small, delicate, or on the expensive side. I will tell you that aquarium keeping is a learning experience, things WILL go awry from time to time, and it stings a lot less losing one $10 fish than a shoal of critters that cost $50.

And, for all the problems I have with bettas, they DO have the most personality out of most common beginner fish. Guppies are pretty but man, they are kinda braindead.

 

You could do fancy guppies they are extremely colorful and come in a wide variety! IMO they need to be kept with only fancy guppies though as they are really fragile. You could also do neon tetras, platys, or possibly dwarf Gourami.

 

I think you should do a betta, they’re amazing! Very colorful, lots of personality, they’re one of my favorite fish. I’d recommend getting a shorter finned variety though, I’ve never had much luck with long fins and the short finned ones tend to swim around more in my experience.