Fish for my 10 gallon

[DarkElf_Mairead]

So, I went to my parents for the holidays. I was worried the power would go out in my apartment while I was gone due to ice and that my fish would die. So I brought them home with me and kept them temporarily in a 5 gallon. It has a heater and I add water sometimes to give air. Well my 3 red eyed tetras died. No idea why. So when I take the fish back to my apartment in the 10 gallon, what should I add? Maybe just a few more serpae? a few guppy? The betta I have is pretty laid back, doesn't attack.

 

[DarkLies]

Hm...blood fin tetra are always interesting to look at
Maybe some neons? What are you looking for in general?

 

[OrangeCones]

So, I went to my parents for the holidays. I was worried the power would go out in my apartment while I was gone due to ice and that my fish would die. So I brought them home with me and kept them temporarily in a 5 gallon. It has a heater and I add water sometimes to give air. Well my 3 red eyed tetras died. No idea why. So when I take the fish back to my apartment in the 10 gallon, what should I add? Maybe just a few more serpae? a few guppy? The betta I have is pretty laid back, doesn't attack.

As long as the 10gallon is CYCLED, I would add a few more serpae since they should be in groups of 5 or more.

What is a 'striped pleco'? Peckoltia vittata?

 

[DarkElf_Mairead]

I have no idea what he is, it's just a big pleco I got from Wal-mart. Not a Peckoltia vittata though. I forget what cycled means, But I've had the aquarium going for several years. I'm not looking for anything specific.

 

[Newman]

I ran my 40 gal for 12 years but that means nothing. i have had over 90 fish die from improper cycling during that period.

Go research cycling a new fishtank. do it...Do It NAOUGHW! (as arnold swartz would say lol)

 

[paperdog9]

cycling is when you basicly stablize the bacteria, and chemicals in the water so that they cause no harm to the fish, but like Newman said, you should still research it!

 

[OrangeCones]

I have no idea what he is, it's just a big pleco I got from Wal-mart. Not a Peckoltia vittata though. I forget what cycled means, But I've had the aquarium going for several years. I'm not looking for anything specific.

Unless its one of the dwarf plecos, it shouldn't be in a 10gallon tank. Common plecos can get 2ft in lengh and are very big waste producers. Is it over 4inches? If so, you should re-home it and stick with a dwarf species if you want a pleco.

To keep you tank healthy, I'd invest in a test kit or be a frequent visitor (weekly) to a decent LFS for free testing, if they offer it. Although the test kits can be a big expense, they last a long time and are well worth the price when you can keep the fish happy/healthy.

 

[misterking]

To keep you tank healthy, I'd invest in a test kit or be a frequent visitor (weekly) to a decent LFS for free testing, if they offer it. Although the test kits can be a big expense, they last a long time and are well worth the price when you can keep the fish happy/healthy.

It's true, buying a test kit years ago showed me that the majority of issues I was having in my pond and tanks was down to poor water parameters. I suspect your red-eye tetras died from the stress of a move from probably a fairly mature tank (providing it's filtered?) to a "too clean" uncycled tank, or a build-up of their waste for the same reason.

 

[bmoraski]

To keep your fish happy and healthy , you need to have a good test kit.
its worth the money. I recommend reading up on cycling and get a good test kit. Good luck

 

[DarkElf_Mairead]

Yeah I feel kinda stupid letting them die >< I just didn't want them to freeze. Power probably never went out pfft. I have a test kit. My pleco isn't too big yet. Thinking about upgrading my tank but I'm really broke and I need to decide where to put it. I have cats so I have to consider that but they've been really good about it. You know what's weird about my pleco? I give him algae wafers and he often doesn't eat them. I can go a month or more without giving him wafers, and he still lives. I don't know what he's eating but he seems healthy.

 

[DarkElf_Mairead]

I got 4 more red serpae. Thanks for all the advice!