10 Gallon Tank Still New At Water Changes!

Hey guys,

I was wondering if I could get some help with water changes?
I have a 10 gallon tank and am currently doing a Fish-In cycle. I just did a water change this past Wednesday and am wondering how often do I need to do water changes? Also what is the best way to do water changes without scaring my fish?

(My ammonia level is currently resting at 0.25 ppm and I want to bring it down to 0 ppm. My nitrate and nitrite are also at 0.)

 

Hey guys,

I was wondering if I could get some help with water changes?
I have a 10 gallon tank and am currently doing a Fish-In cycle. I just did a water change this past Wednesday and am wondering how often do I need to do water changes? Also what is the best way to do water changes without scaring my fish?

(My ammonia level is currently resting at 0.25 ppm and I want to bring it down to 0 ppm. My nitrate and nitrite are also at 0.)

The frequency depends on the amount of fish, and a siphon like the Python or Aqueon water changers works great.

 

The frequency depends on the amount of fish, and a siphon like the Python or Aqueon water changers works great.

Ooooh, right now I have 7 fish.

 

Ooooh, right now I have 7 fish.

What kind?

 

Ooooh, right now I have 7 fish.

what are the fish? Have 7 tetras is different than 7 of a bigger species

 

1 betta, 2 dwarf gourami and 4 mollies.

 

1 betta, 2 dwarf gourami and 4 mollies.

First off, the betta and dwarf gourami will kill each other

I'm surprised they've lived this long. I'm assuming both gouramis are male? They'll kill each other and they'll kill the betta or the betta will kill them

 

First off, the betta and dwarf gourami will kill each other

I read that after I bought the fish. However things have been unusually peaceful between them. :/

 

I read that after I bought the fish. However things have been unusually peaceful between them. :/

That's very weird. Do you have any extra tanks/bowls/containers to put them in? You'll have to return either:
Both gouramis
or
One gourami and bettaOr
preferably return all but just keep betta and get some snails to put with him or a smaller tetra

 

That's very weird. Do you have any extra tanks/bowls/containers to put them in? You'll have to return either:
Both gouramis
or
One gourami and bettaOr
preferably return all but just keep betta and get some snails to put with him or a smaller tetra

I’ll probably be returning the gouramis

 

I’ll probably be returning the gouramis

would you please consider returning the mollies too? They do best in a 20 gallon tank or more.
You could return mollies and get:
1-2 nerite or mystery snail
6 ember tetras
OR
1-2 snails
6-8 pygmy corys

I'd like to know where you got these fish that willingly/knowingly sold you TWO male dwarf gourami AND a male Betta to go in a 10g tank

 

1 betta, 2 dwarf gourami and 4 mollies.

Yeah that's a recipe for disaster. The betta and gouramis will turn your tank into a thunder dome. And the mollies get too big for a 10 gallon iirc. Maybe try platies next time. Either way, you're looking at a water change every day or every other day just to be safe. Typically I do fish in cycles starting with very few fish and gradually increasing and that worked out for me, doing water changes twice per week.

 

I've seen fish turn on each other after living peacefully together for quite some time. It will most likely be too late if you wait it out.
As far as water changes go.....weekly. Don't fall into the trap of thinking why mess with it if all parameters are on point. Weekly water changes will keep your nitrates down. Your fish pee and poo in that water. They'll appreciate it.
For a 10 I'd get a 5 gallon pail from lowes or home depot and a much smaller paint pail like a 2 liter. Use the 2 liter to scoop out into the 5 and fill it back up. Keep an eye on the temperature and ph of the water you're adding so you don't shock the fish. You're looking at 4 or 5 gallons a week which isn't much of a chore. You can clean everything when the water level is down. Glass, substrate, filter, etc. I'd also make this the one time of the week you do water tests. I do it every Sunday. If the weekend is too busy I'll skip a week on occasion. Nothing bad will happen but after 2 weeks the nitrates can be extremely high. Not a habit I'd want to get into.

 

because you're doing a fish in cycle, with whatever fish you keep, you'll need to do 50% water changes daily

 

would you please consider returning the mollies too? They do best in a 20 gallon tank or more.
You could return mollies and get:
1-2 nerite or mystery snail
6 ember tetras
OR
1-2 snails
6-8 pygmy corys

Pretty good suggestion. You could keep more than 6 embers. They stay really small and school pretty well. Very small bio load. Pygmy corys too.

because you're doing a fish in cycle, with whatever fish you keep, you'll need to do 50% water changes daily

Yes, my suggestion was routine maintenance. Not while cycling.

 

Yes, my suggestion was routine maintenance. Not while cycling.

Soooooo basically twice per week? 25%-50% water changes?

 

Pretty good suggestion. You could keep more than 6 embers. They stay really small and school pretty well. Very small bio load. Pygmy corys too.

Probably. He's keeping the Betta too

Soooooo basically twice per week? 25%-50% water changes?

No. Daily 30-50%

 

No. Daily 30-50%

Wow, and that won’t stress/scare the fish if I do that?

 

While cycling? Probably more than that. When you cycle with fish you should be using something like white clouds or zebra danios. The fish you chose may not be able to survive the stress. How long has it been since you started the tank?

I skipped over the cycling part in your first post. I was just referring to the weekly water changes you need to get used to after the tank has cycled.

 

Wow, and that won’t stress/scare the fish if I do that?

No. You could do it every other day if u want