need some help

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pinnacle2009

Medium Fish
#1
May 7, 2009
57
0
0
#1
In about 3 weeks, I will be moving into a college dorm. The only pets allowed are fish, so I was thinking I'd get into this hobby! :)

Basically, I need something <10 gallons. At the moment, I have a 10 gallon tank with some Silver Mollies in it. I may or may not use it. Not quite sure. Probably will just use it. Lol

Anyway, less than 10 gallons, something easy to care for, and basically, something a beginner can handle. I am really not too picky about what kind of fish to get. Mainly just something that I can have a bit of fun with. I do NOT want anything like guppies that reproduce every week.

Also, how should I go about setting up the tank? I'll just use the 10 gallon so we have something to work with. I suppose a lot will depend on the type of fish I get? For just a 10 gallon, I am thinking live plants may be a bad idea.




Since I am new, I'll introduce myself! *BOUNCINGS
My name is Daniel. I have had one other tank besides this one and I just lost it (overpopulated). I am 18. Planning on majoring in Physics and possibly Chemical Engineering. And that basically describes my life. It's boring. But oh well. Haha
 

DesignsOnYou

DesignsOnYou

Large Fish
#2
Jun 21, 2008
493
0
0
#2
Hi Daniel. Welcome to the tank. I think your question is a little broad right now. What specifically are you asking in terms of setting up the tank? You should read up on cycling, there's a good link in MissFishy's profile. As far as type of fish, it really depends on what you want. Do you want a small school of fish, or one larger fish, maybe a betta or possibly a dwarf gourami? If you give us some more specific questions we can help you out more.
 

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robinanne

Medium Fish
#3
Apr 12, 2009
91
0
0
florida
#3
if i had a ten gallon i would choose serape tetras. they are pretty and fun to watch. and being a snail lover i would also get a mystery snail. who knew snails could be so much fun!
 

Kissyboots

Kissyboots

Superstar Fish
#4
Dec 17, 2007
1,889
1
36
Arizona
cid-461aece5d238e494.spaces.live.com
#4
If you get a 10g, you could get a dwarf puffer. I had one in a 5g at one point (unfortunately she recently died of internal parasites.) You could also go with a betta. Although they are really easy to care for, they get boring after a while, lol.

It's just my opinion, but I think livebearers would look cramped in a 10g. What you could try is a shrimp only tank. I've seen a couple and they look awesome. Not much maintenance required either, as far as I know, because they basically eat everything.

Depending on your lighting, you could go planted. If you have a around 2 watts per gallon, then I think you could get a couple cheap ones from a chain store.

Anyway, have fun in college. I'm starting in the fall as well, but I'll be living at home with my soon-to-be-planted 55g!!! :D
 

jo3olous

jo3olous

Large Fish
#5
Aug 6, 2008
909
1
0
Philadelphia, PA
#5
Kissyboots said:
If you get a 10g, you could get a dwarf puffer. I had one in a 5g at one point (unfortunately she recently died of internal parasites.) You could also go with a betta. Although they are really easy to care for, they get boring after a while, lol.

It's just my opinion, but I think livebearers would look cramped in a 10g. What you could try is a shrimp only tank. I've seen a couple and they look awesome. Not much maintenance required either, as far as I know, because they basically eat everything.

Depending on your lighting, you could go planted. If you have a around 2 watts per gallon, then I think you could get a couple cheap ones from a chain store.

Anyway, have fun in college. I'm starting in the fall as well, but I'll be living at home with my soon-to-be-planted 55g!!! :D
Click to expand...

I guess you'll be keeping all your tanks then!
 

beckyd

beckyd

Large Fish
#9
Mar 16, 2009
381
0
0
#9
Interesting question Daniel. The shrimp tank sounds fun. Not ghost shrimp, too recluse. When they come out, they are fun to watch though. Stay away from all livebearers, including mollies. My mollies birth about 50 every 6 weeks or so. I have a 10g that is being converted right now. I put a divider in the center and bought the most stunning betta I have ever seen. He is shipping from Thailand. I will put him in one side and his mate in the other. Keeping a male betta in sight of a female keeps him active and healthy showing off for her. Although I find healthy bettas soothing and interesting enough, a pair would be even better. I would have loved this when I was in college!
 

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pinnacle2009

Medium Fish
#10
May 7, 2009
57
0
0
#10
Thanks guys. The fish I have in the tank now aren't doing so well. I just bought the tank and threw some fish in. Gonna try to keep them alive, but not looking so good. I guess if they do go, I can do the fishless cycle.

Are there any fish that can be put in the tank with the shrimp? I would like a little something. Although, that isn't too big a deal.
 

misterking

misterking

Superstar Fish
#11
Aug 12, 2008
1,124
0
0
Manchester, UK
www.facebook.com
#11
As mentioned, a betta or dwarf gourami could be fun (but I'm not sure if they'd eat the shrimp? Never kept them!). Having said that...

My perfect 10g:
-6 to 8 tetras of some form, the smaller types such as x-ray or neons, or harlequin rasboras
-1 lone foreground fish, probably a male betta.

And I see no reason why you couldn't do planted as long as the lightings right! For example...
 

Kissyboots

Kissyboots

Superstar Fish
#13
Dec 17, 2007
1,889
1
36
Arizona
cid-461aece5d238e494.spaces.live.com
#13
pinnacle2009 said:
That looks nice! What kind of filter do you use in a planted tank like that? And how long does it take to get a planted tank established?
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I just learned yesterday that it's better to have a canister filter than a HOB one. Something about decreasing the oxygen exchange at the surface of the water so there is more CO2 for the plants. Not sure how that would work in a tank with just lighting and no extra CO2. Plus, canisters are kind of pricy...
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#14
Feb 22, 2008
1,370
0
0
#14
Kissyboots said:
I believe emmanualchavez has/had a shrimp only tank. You could pm him. :
Click to expand...
I have a cherry shrimp only tank, yes. I'm tearing it down today though and taking most in to my LFS for store credit. It's very difficult to say if you can have a fish and shrimp tank. I have a bunch of cherry shrimp in my 10g tank, and none of the fish bother them (male betta and some neon tetras). I also have some in my 100g, and they're always hiding because the rams will eat them up! I also tried adding some in my 29g female betta sorority tank... There are a ton of hiding places in there, but the female bettas hunted all of them down within an hour. Unless you have a bunch (they breed very quickly/easily), I wouldn't add them with fish, except maybe cories or otos.
 

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OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#15
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#15
Kissyboots said:
I just learned yesterday that it's better to have a canister filter than a HOB one. Something about decreasing the oxygen exchange at the surface of the water so there is more CO2 for the plants.
Click to expand...
The surface agitation will off the CO2, which is what is harmful to the health of the plants. Plants need oxygen 24/7 just as fish do, but during photosynthesis they consume CO2 too.

An inexpensive alternative to a canister filter for a smaller aquarium is a sponge filter run by a submersible powerhead. *SUNSMILE*
 

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pinnacle2009

Medium Fish
#18
May 7, 2009
57
0
0
#18
Yeah, I read it today. Just got home from work and I'm not sure if it was the recently added plastic plants or what, but my water has turned quite brown.

Should I just do a water change or something?
 

homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#19
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#19
If that's real driftwood, that's why the water's brown. You can do frequent water changes until most of the tannins have leached out, or you can run carbon until then, or you can take it out of the tank and boil it/soak it to remove most of the tannins.

The tannins also help soften the water. Your beta won't mind that a bit.
 

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