New plan for my 10 gallon?

[Silverleaf209]

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I have been active on here but I just had a quick question for everyone about trying to reorganize and possibly restock my 10 gallon. I had to move some things around so my 10 gallon is oddly stocked at the moment, right now I have a mix of guppy endlers in there along with 1 pygmy cory. I am having a bit of a fungus outbreak in the 10 gallon and after that gets fixed I am hoping to give/trade my guppy endlers to my local pet store in exchange for some Longfin leopard danios and more pygmy cories. As a somewhat important side note I was going to be disbanding my algae infested 25 gallon tank and move my two rabbit snails from there to my 10 gallon as well as my Betta. And for those reading this who aren't familiar with Klyde (My betta), being in a community tank shouldn't be a problem for him, he is extremely slow and friendly (I might even go as far to call him lazy), he was originally in that tank until I noticed the guppies picking on him so he was moved. The 10 gallon currently has a Top fin 10 filter which is at least 4 years old so I wouldn't mind replacing it if it would help the tank better support the fish in it. The tank is currently heavily stocked with plants and once I take some of the plants from the 25 gallon it should be even more full. Sorry for the long ramble . . .

In the end I hope to have . . .
- 1 Male Tangerine Koi Betta
- 6 Longfin Leopard Danios
- 10 Pygmy cories
- 2 Rabbit snails

If anything needs to be clarified or I forgot to include any details please don't be afraid to ask

 

[Mudminnow]

I'm not entirely sure what your question is. Overall, your plan seems pretty good to me. One thing I might change, is the inclusion of the leopard danios. I find their high energy to be a bit much for smaller aquariums, and your betta might not appreciate it either. Some small, calmer tetras or rasboras might work a bit better.

What do you plan to do with the 25 gallon?

 

[Silverleaf209]

I'm not entirely sure what your question is. Overall, your plan seems pretty good to me. One thing I might change, is the inclusion of the leopard danios. I find their high energy to be a bit much for smaller aquariums, and your betta might not appreciate it either. Some small, calmer tetras or rasboras might work a bit better.

What do you plan to do with the 25 gallon?

Sorry about not being clear! I was just in need of a second opinion if the tank was suitable/good enough for what I planned to stock it with and if the fish were compatible. Do you think green neon tetras would be a better choice, or was there something else you think might be better? I think I will just trade in the current fish I have in there into my local pet store and in exchange they are usually willing to order me whatever fish or plants I want from the breeder, as for the tank itself it will probably just end up going into storage since I wouldn't have a current use for it.

 

[Mudminnow]

Gotcha. Yes, I personally think the green neons would be a better choice.

Also, up to you how much filtration and water changes you want to utilize to keep the tank healthy, but I'd probably go with the betta and neons or the betta and cories rather than all three. It'd just be a little more forgiving with fewer fishes. That being said, I think your plan could work.

 

[Silverleaf209]

Gotcha. Yes, I personally think the green neons would be a better choice.

Also, up to you how much filtration and water changes you want to utilize to keep the tank healthy, but I'd probably go with the betta and neons or the betta and cories rather than all three. It'd just be a little more forgiving with fewer fishes. That being said, I think your plan could work.

That's good to hear . Hopefully I can decide which ones I want to do. If I did choose to do the neons over the cories do you think the two rabbit snails would be enough or do you think I should consider getting more snails?

 

[Mudminnow]

That's good to hear . Hopefully I can decide which ones I want to do. If I did choose to do the neons over the cories do you think the two rabbit snails would be enough or do you think I should consider getting more snails?

I haven't personally kept rabbit snails. So, I really don't know much about them other than they get pretty big. Given their potential size, I'd be wary of adding all that many to a 10 gallon.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Taking the 25 down or?
I'd put the Betta in a planted ten and everything else in the 25 where they can really explore and maybe even breed or at least try to
Betta might be a bit grumpy about the downsize though lol

 

[Noroomforshoe]

I think you should choose the betta and one of the schools, green neons or cories. Rabbit snails may be too much for a ten gallon tank. Why not keep the 25 gallon and get the 3 species and keep the snails, and put the ten gallon in storage?

 

[Mermegan]

Just make sure you have a backup plan/back up tank for the betta or be prepared to keep returning bettas until you find a peaceful one. Personally Ive never had luck keeping betta with anything else other than a Nerite snail.

 

[Silverleaf209]

I haven't personally kept rabbit snails. So, I really don't know much about them other than they get pretty big. Given their potential size, I'd be wary of adding all that many to a 10 gallon. I know I'd keep a close eye on them though. If a snail that large died in a 10 gallon, it'd be important to get it out fast before it fouled the water.

I have a golden rabbit snail and a regular orange, both are around 2 inches right now, hopefully it shouldn't be a problem. I am tempted to go with the tetras . . .

Taking the 25 down or?
I'd put the Betta in a planted ten and everything else in the 25 where they can really explore and maybe even breed or at least try to
Betta might be a bit grumpy about the downsize though lol

I was thinking of taking it down unfortunately the 25 has had a lot of algae issues and the 10 is crazy full of guppies, I made the mistake of thinking that endlers can't possibly pop out that many babies so quickly lol.Yeah, he will be, lol, or he might just be happy that he would have to deal with the curious catfish

I think you should choose the betta and one of the schools, green neons or cories. Rabbit snails may be too much for a ten gallon tank. Why not keep the 25 gallon and get the 3 species and keep the snails, and put the ten gallon in storage?

I guess that is something I should consider . . . it has just been a lot to try and take care of the 25 gallon and to not see it get any better. I am a bit scared to try and use chemicals to get rid of the algae in case something goes wrong and everything ends up dead. Getting all three does sound like a pretty cool idea though I would love to do that if I can somehow convince myself to use chemicals to treat the tank.

 

[Mudminnow]

What sort of algae do you have in your 25 gallon?

 

[Silverleaf209]

Just make sure you have a backup plan/back up tank for the betta or be prepared to keep returning bettas until you find a peaceful one. Personally Ive never had luck keeping betta with anything else other than a Nerite snail.

I seem to have gotten lucky, both the bettas I have owned have been relatively nice to their tank mates. My current one used to be in the 10 gallon and seemed pretty chill with everybody until he was picked on by the endlers, as soon as I noticed the fin nipping I switched him with my gourami, since they both seemed a lot happier I just left them where they were. Though he doesn't have any other top/middle level fish to compete with in the 25 so if I move things around I will keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't suddenly go on a killing spree.

What sort of algae do you have in your 25 gallon?

I am pretty sure it is black beard. It is everywhere, on the plants, the walls, the wood

 

[Mudminnow]

BBA can be a pain for sure, but it's not completely unbeatable. Forgive me if you've already tried these things, but here's some measures that have helped me with BBA in the past:

1. Plant tons of hardy, fast-growing plants.
2. Limit CO2 fluctuations. In a low-tech tank, this means fewer/smaller water changes (helps to have fewer fishes) and/or letting new water sit around/age for a while before using it to change your water.

 

[Silverleaf209]

BBA can be a pain for sure, but it's not completely unbeatable. Forgive me if you've already tried these things, but here's some measures that have helped me with BBA in the past:

1. Plant tons of hardy, fast-growing plants.
2. Limit CO2 fluctuations. In a low-tech tank, this means fewer/smaller water changes (helps to have fewer fishes) and/or letting new water sit around/age for a while before using it to change your water.

I tried the 1st one, I added a huge clump of floating pennywort to the tank and within a week the algae had covered it and was killing it. The 25 is currently stocked pretty low, there are only 8 peppered cories, 5 loaches and my betta, as well as the two snails, I have been monitoring the tank's parameters and since everything has been looking okay I have been doing water changes every once and awhile. Letting the water age sounds really interesting! How would you go about doing that?

 

[Mermegan]

I seem to have gotten lucky, both the bettas I have owned have been relatively nice to their tank mates. My current one used to be in the 10 gallon and seemed pretty chill with everybody until he was picked on by the endlers, as soon as I noticed the fin nipping I switched him with my gourami, since they both seemed a lot happier I just left them where they were. Though he doesn't have any other top/middle level fish to compete with in the 25 so if I move things around I will keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't suddenly go on a killing spree.

Awesome! I wish I had your luck, all my bettas have been murderous sociopaths

 

[Mudminnow]

I tried the 1st one, I added a huge clump of floating pennywort to the tank and within a week the algae had covered it and was killing it.

Wow. That's really fast for BBA. In addition to your comment about it going up the walls, I'm wondering if the algae you're dealing with might not be a cyanobacteria/blue-green algae (BGA). Do you have any pictures?

Letting the water age sounds really interesting! How would you go about doing that?

Essentially, one places the new water in a bucket or tub or anything that can store water. Let it sit for a day and then use it to change the water. The idea is that the water has time to off-gas and come to a similar equilibrium to your tank's water. BBA likes it when CO2 concentrations go up and down for some reason, and this helps prevent that.

I agree with Noroomforshoe, keeping your 25 gallon makes more sense considering what you want to keep. If you can beat the algae, you'd be set.

 

[Silverleaf209]

Wow. That's really fast for BBA. In addition to your comment about it going up the walls, I'm wondering if the algae you're dealing with might not be a cyanobacteria/blue-green algae (BGA). Do you have any pictures?

Essentially, one places the new water in a bucket or tub or anything that can store water. Let it sit for a day and then use it to change the water. The idea is that the water has time to off-gas and come to a similar equilibrium to your tank's water. BBA likes it when CO2 concentrations go up and down for some reason, and this helps prevent that.

I agree with Noroomforshoe, keeping your 25 gallon makes more sense considering what you want to keep. If you can beat the algae, you'd be set.

I guess my next step will be trying to take it out then! I will try that the next time I go to change the water! All things are possible, it was a self diagnosis. Here are some pictures I just took. If you need better ones please let me know, I was fighting with my camera when I took these.

 

[Mudminnow]

Hmm. It's tough to tell from the pictures. Better photos would help.

• BGA would be slimy, have a distinct odor, and is easily removed from surfaces.
• BBA would be more fibrous/brushy, lack any strong smell, and is difficult to remove.

 

[Silverleaf209]

Hmm. It's tough to tell from the pictures. Better photos would help.

• BGA would be slimy, have a distinct odor, and is easily removed from surfaces.
• BBA would be more fibrous/brushy, lack any strong smell, and is difficult to remove.

Hope these are better! The algae is somewhat easy to remove from the glass but crazy hard to remove from the plants unless I use a toothbrush. It is fairly long and grows in little clumps on the plants.

 

[Mudminnow]

Those pictures are better. It looks like a mixture of algae types to me. Probably BBA, BGA, and more. It looks to me like you don't have many fast-growers in there and not nearly enough plant mass. This might have a lot to do with the current state of your tank.

If it were me, I'd start over. Use the 10 gallon as a holding tank for your fishes and snails while you redo the 25 gallon.

If you choose to do this, here's the steps I'd take:

1. Wipe off the glass to remove the algae.
2. Pull out the plants, hardscape and gravel and throw them away.
3. Buy some pool filter sand.
4. Walk around outside and find (or buy) some rocks and/or sticks to use as hardscape. (Note that hardscape isn't necessary.)
5. Scape the tank.
6. Buy lots of hardy fast-growing plants (you'll want so many of these that most of the substrate is planted).
   • Vallisneria is probably my top recommendation for this.
   • Other good choices can be Hygrophila difformis, Rotala indica, Guppy Grass, Pearl Weed, and Tiger Lotus.
7. Get a few accent plants (these might get covered in algae if not for the fast-growers, so it's best that the fast-growers make up the vast majority of the plant mass).
   • Some good choices here are Cryptocoryne wendtii, Java Fern, Java Moss, Anubias, and Bucephalandras.
8. Make sure the tank's still cycled.
9. Add some algae eaters like a bunch of Amano shrimp.
10. Add your betta, green tetras, cories, and rabbit snails.
11. I'd get a Potassium fertilizer too (I use APT 1), as the plants will likely end up needing some of that.

 

[Silverleaf209]

Those pictures are better. It looks like a mixture of algae types to me. Probably BBA, BGA, and more. It looks to me like you don't have many fast-growers in there and not nearly enough plant mass. This might have a lot to do with the current state of your tank.

If it were me, I'd start over. Use the 10 gallon as a holding tank for your fishes and snails while you redo the 25 gallon.

If you choose to do this, here's the steps I'd take:

1. Wipe off the glass to remove the algae.
2. Pull out the plants, hardscape and gravel and throw them away.
3. Buy some pool filter sand.
4. Walk around outside and find (or buy) some rocks and/or sticks to use as hardscape. (Note that hardscape isn't necessary.)
5. Scape the tank.
6. Buy lots of hardy fast-growing plants (you'll want so many of these that most of the substrate is planted).
   • Vallisneria is probably my top recommendation for this.
   • Other good choices can be Hygrophila difformis, Rotala indica, Guppy Grass, Pearl Weed, and Tiger Lotus.
7. Get a few accent plants (these might get covered in algae if not for the fast-growers, so it's best that the fast-growers make up the vast majority of the plant mass).
   • Some good choices here are Cryptocoryne wendtii, Java Fern, Java Moss, Anubias, and Bucephalandras.
8. Make sure the tank's still cycled.
9. Add some algae eaters like a bunch of Amano shrimp.
10. Add your betta, green tetras, cories, and rabbit snails.
11. I'd get a Potassium fertilizer too (I use APT 1), as the plants will likely end up needing some of that.

Yikes! Thank you, I didn't realize there were multiple kinds in there! I used to have a bunch of fast growers and floating plants in there but they always seemed to die off eventually so I just stopped adding more, the anubias and Crypts were the only things that I couldn't seem to kill lol. I will have to consider my options, to be honest that tank has been nothing but a nightmare for me so it might be nice to just scale down, but I am not completely sure yet. Thank you for all of your help!