The Story of my 10gal, Chronological order

It all began on February 6th, 2022. I have had Copper in a cylindrical 2.5g for 4 months now.
My aunt had come over, and gave me a box. I opened the box, and low and behold; My first full aquarium! It was a standard 10 that came with a heater, airpump, air pipes, and lights, as well as 2 bags of gravel. She had also bought 5 Neon Tetra for the community.
We began to set it up in the kitchen. We poured in the gravel, then gathered a ton of water to continuously fill the tank. After the tank was filled, I got the filter from Coppers tank, and plugged it into the 10gal. After that, we put in the decorations. We waited a few minutes for the filter to spread BB.
Then, we scooped up Copper and plopped him in the 10gal. He quickly investigated and swam around his new home!
Then, we got the Tetra into the tank. They were darting around, happy with their new home. They started to chase Copper and wake him up. Poor Copper XD

The Next Day:
We went to PetCo to buy some live plants. We ended up spending over 150$ on Amazon Sword, Java Fern, Half-java-log-thing, 2 floating moss balls, 2 tall thing red leave things, a large Leaf hammock for Copper, a suction wall plant thing, and a piece of driftwood. We also bought a cool Alligator skull deco, a round sky-blue coral deco, and a tall tree thing. We immediately realized we bought to much, so we only put in the live plants. Had to throw out to suction plant cuz I cut the rubber band and we couldnt get it secure. Copper and the Tetra investigated

Later On:
While I was at school, my mom and sister went to Petsmart and bought a Common Pleco and 2 Nerite snails (without my permission. It was my tank, lol.) When I got home, we plopped them in. Darwin was terrified and froze all day. The 2 nerites were happy, though.

The Moss Ball Algae Pandemic:
So the Moss Balls produced a weird algae that grew so fast I couldn't even see the fish. Fast forward a few weeks and I had to throw out the 2 moss balls, and the purple leaf things.

The Tetra Epidemic:
I had done so well with the tank, I thought I'd reward myself. I bought an Albino Corydora and 4 Black Neon Tetra. Back then I didnt know you had to quarantine or acclimate the fish. One of the fish was fat and lazy. I thought nothing of it. The next day, he was dead. SIP lil buddy. We refunded him and bought 2 more Black Neons in his place. Big mistake. Later that day I noticed 1 of my Neons and 1 Black neon was dead. Now I started to freak out. Over the course of 2 days, all 5 of my Neon Tetra, and 2 of my Black Neon's died. SIP . Then, my aunt finally arrived with medication. We medicated that tank, and it was good to go.

The Tetra Epidemic: May 3rd-May 8th 2022. SIP to all of the victims

SIP Shelly the Nerite:
So the tank smelled like death for a week, and after I scanned the area, I found the cause. One of my Nerite Snails, Shelly, had sum out of the tank and didnt go back in. I still have his shell ;( . After that, I bought an Airstone and IAL for the tank.

Fast Forward to now:
My tank is doing A-OK now, and everyone is happy. I had some troubles (and still do), but I am learning and gaining more knowledge every day about this addicting (and cost-heavy) hobby. Thank you all for your help over the weeks Ive been here, you have helped a ton.

 

Cool, what is the plan for the common pleco?? are you going to rehome it, get a bigger setup or a pond, 10gal is way to small as I'm sure you know... please try your best to get something done for the pleco ASAP.

 

Cool, what is the plan for the common pleco?? are you going to rehome it, get a bigger setup or a pond, 10gal is way to small as I'm sure you know... please try your best to get something done for the pleco ASAP.

i know... i'm trying to convince my parents to let me rehome him.

 

There is convincing required with some parents. My dad, when I asked him for a second tank, said the 2.5 in the garage was big enough for a couple platies. I told him fact after fact on how bad that is, that 2.5 should barely even be for a betta, but he still wouldn’t budge. However, after showing him the price,size, and the work I would do to put up another tank (convincing) he finally caved. Setting up my 2nd twenty gallon tank in a couple weeks, for the baby platies I want to keep from my breeding project.

Or another situation, regarding the scape of my tank. My current 20 gallon is bright and colorful, like a typical beginner tank. However, when I asked if I could rescape it, he said no, it’s be too expensive (we can definitely afford it, and I work to pay for all the tank costs so it’s not even his money-). I kept telling him fact after fact on how the bright colors are bad for fish, how they can see them better, more effected by them, get stressed by them, etc. Still he said no. But when I tried the convincing route, he was a little more into it. “The fish will look better with dark, natural scape” “I’ll pay for the costs of the rescape” “It won’t be too difficult” “Please dad it’s my tank and it’s better for the health of the fish”

I think convincing sometimes has to be the last resort, some parents are stubborn and won’t listen to the facts.

 

I just wrote what was on my mind, but at least the OP recognizes that 10gal is to small for common pleco which is good

 

The op has been made well aware of the stocking issues, lets please not keep labouring the point on every thread. It is the op’s tank & if they choose not to act on advice given then that is their decision, further discussion on the over stock unless requested by the Op will be removed.

 

The op has been made well aware of the stocking issues, lets please not keep labouring the point on every thread. It is the op’s tank & if they choose not to act on advice given then that is their decision, further discussion on the over stock unless requested by the Op will be removed.

ok

 

There is convincing required with some parents. My dad, when I asked him for a second tank, said the 2.5 in the garage was big enough for a couple platies. I told him fact after fact on how bad that is, that 2.5 should barely even be for a betta, but he still wouldn’t budge. However, after showing him the price,size, and the work I would do to put up another tank (convincing) he finally caved. Setting up my 2nd twenty gallon tank in a couple weeks, for the baby platies I want to keep from my breeding project.

Or another situation, regarding the scape of my tank. My current 20 gallon is bright and colorful, like a typical beginner tank. However, when I asked if I could rescape it, he said no, it’s be too expensive (we can definitely afford it, and I work to pay for all the tank costs so it’s not even his money-). I kept telling him fact after fact on how the bright colors are bad for fish, how they can see them better, more effected by them, get stressed by them, etc. Still he said no. But when I tried the convincing route, he was a little more into it. “The fish will look better with dark, natural scape” “I’ll pay for the costs of the rescape” “It won’t be too difficult” “Please dad it’s my tank and it’s better for the health of the fish”

I think convincing sometimes has to be the last resort, some parents are stubborn and won’t listen to the facts.

Yeah. They claim they believe me about this stuff, but wont let me act on it. They say "we'll do it this weekend" 10 weekends later and nada. Hope itll work this time XD

 

Yeah. They claim they believe me about this stuff, but wont let me act on it. They say "we'll do it this weekend" 10 weekends later and nada. Hope itll work this time XD

Ya, I get it. It’s a long process lol