I am hunting for information about my new little tank buddies. I have 0 knowledge about fish, and figured a 5 gallon tank with 4 neon tetras would be a good place to start. A week ago I glanced into the tank (that I thought had 4 male neon tetras in it) and there are A MILLION swimming little clear dots zig zagging around. I googled it thinking I managed to breed some weird aquarium bugs, but am thinking now my 4 adults are coupled up and having way too much fun. HELP? I turned off my filter because they are getting sucked up, left the air bubbles blowing, and now my tank isn't so pretty clear anymore. Getting a bit green.... What do I do?
My first fish tank, 5 gallons with 4 neon tetras. What in the world did I do?
- Thread starter Sue-z Carver
- Start date
Grab a sponge filter (they are super cheap) - it just works by air bubbles so it won't suck up any fry (even tiny fry like that). If it is one you can add carbon to, so much the better - that'll help clear the water back up. An added bonus is that the fry will actually pick tiny bits of food particles off the sponge filters.
Sounds like you had been using a hang on power filter? You'll need to clean it out now if it has been turned off for several days, as the water in it will have gotten stagnant. If you get a semi-coarse sponge (an aquaclear sponge works great) and cut an x in it, you can pop that on the intake of the filter and turn the filter back on after it's cleaned, once the fry have gotten a bit bigger. Or until you get the next batch if these guys don't make it.
Google "breeding neon tetras" for some good ideas about what to feed such small critters.
Sounds like you had been using a hang on power filter? You'll need to clean it out now if it has been turned off for several days, as the water in it will have gotten stagnant. If you get a semi-coarse sponge (an aquaclear sponge works great) and cut an x in it, you can pop that on the intake of the filter and turn the filter back on after it's cleaned, once the fry have gotten a bit bigger. Or until you get the next batch if these guys don't make it.
Google "breeding neon tetras" for some good ideas about what to feed such small critters.
Sue, Welcome.
Was this tank cycled prior to adding fish? What are your readings in PPM for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Are you doing (atleast) weekly water changes? Not sure what your water bug situation is, but it's not uncommon to get certain critters brewing in tank water.
Neons are particularly sensitive to water params and 4 isn't really enough for a comfortable group of them, although you are very limited with only 5gal. They prefer cooler water too. ~68-72F
Was this tank cycled prior to adding fish? What are your readings in PPM for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Are you doing (atleast) weekly water changes? Not sure what your water bug situation is, but it's not uncommon to get certain critters brewing in tank water.
Neons are particularly sensitive to water params and 4 isn't really enough for a comfortable group of them, although you are very limited with only 5gal. They prefer cooler water too. ~68-72F
This tank was purchased 2nd hand. I sterilized it and started it running 2 weeks before adding the 4 neon tetras. They lived happily for 2 months before these little specks started swimming around. I have wrapped the end of the filter with soft sterile cotton and a rubber band, then turned it back on. The water is returning to clear slowly, but that was expected. The adults have been eating them, but I doubt they'll be able to eat them all, there are too many to count, would guess over 1000! They like to stay on the sides of the glass, and on the plastic decor. ?? I don't know anything about testing the water, I am planning on taking a sample, zigzaggers included to Petco for some answers.
On another note. Next week I will be receiving a 155 gal. aquarium. A neighbor has moved and its too big for her home. I will be learning a lot once I begin playing with this one. She is going to teach me how to test the water and it is staying a fresh water tank, I was told going salt water would be a mistake if I have no idea what I am doing, researching the price of getting it started, I'd say that was good advice.
I really prefer my Saltwater tanks. I guess they are a little more work but the reward of growing coral is substantial!!!! Learning the SW do's and dont's can be a learning curve but I feel its really worth it. Once my Oscars and Jack Dempsey pass away from Old Age I dont feel I will ever have a freshwater tank again beside the outdoor pond. Once you learn what you need to SW is really nothing more then water changes like FW but with a little more testing and adding some extra chemicals if you have coral but if its fish only its hardly any difficult difference.
I have not heard from anyone since I posted the pics. An update on my lil' 5 gallon tetra tank: I wrapped the end of the filter with cotton and removed the 4 adult neon tetras. The little swimming babies are doing very well. I am feeding them First Bites fry food, you can see them swim to it when I put it in the tank. I am wondering how long does it take for them to mature? I've been googling this question, but can't find much online. I see the life span is 5-10 years, I'm hoping they mature quickly so I can move them into my new 155 gallon tank.
I purchased a magnifying glass, you can see their tails are almost see thru, and some of the larger ones have some red on the tails. Their eyes are very distinct as well. I am feeding them First Bites fry food, and still can't run the filter due to them being small enough to get sucked into it. I baffled it for awhile with a sponge but they were getting sucked onto that as well. I now have a huge 155 gallon tank set up and running but do not know when the best time to switch them over would be. They definitely would get sucked into the filter system of this one, its huge...
Update: New tank is doing wonderful. I managed to find a 30 gal. barrel that I've hooked an air bubbler to, and wrapped the filter i had with cheese cloth. So far the fry have done well in their new tank. Hopefully they will be able to grow with the extra space they now have. Still feeding them First Bites. My attempt to put some into the big tank with my gourami and guppies was not good. The larger fish ate them up like candy. I guess I'll be running the barrel tank until they get a lot larger.
