please help 10 gallon tank

[sunshine]

: ??? :Can someone please help me? I am new and made the mistake of going to the mall and doing no research on keeping fish. I set up my tank and made lots of mistakes(didn't even clean the gravel just added). I still have all my fish alive though. I have been reading about overcrowding the tank and I need to know if I have. I have a ten gallon tank with 2 fancy guppies, 2 cory catfish, 4 dwarf african frogs, and one pleco algea eater. My concern is the algea eater. I have read that they get really large. Is he too big to keep in my tank? Will having him in there kill my other fish? I have had the tank for 3 1/2 weeks and it is still cycling (I did add the stuff for new tank sydrome), but my nitrite levels are high. The thing that I thing has kept my fish alive is the fact that I bought (unknowingly) a bio wheel filter that is designed for a 25-40 gallon tank. Can someone please help? I have had no fish or frog dealth so far and I really hope I don't have to. Thanks!

 

[Matt Nace]

The bio-wheel is helping you yet. Once cycled it will help you.

I would get rid of the pleco asap. One less thing pooping in your tank.It will get big in time.

I honestly don't know anything about frogs.

Your guppys and cories are not overloading your tank, but the nitrIte is a concern.

Depending on what your nitrIte levels are, do an immediate water change so it puts the nitrItes below the toxic levels(50 %. 75 % water change) Do not clean your filter yet unless your bio wheel stops spinning. Never clean or touch the bio-wheel. If the bio-wheel has stopped completly, you must change the filter floss or sponge and rinse it out.

I would also vaccuum the gravel in areas where you feed(the front) and right by the filter intake tube. This will slow down the cycle , but will cut ammonia production down leading to less nitrItes.

Also feed very sparingly.

Does the stroe have a store credit or refund for returned fish?

HTH

 

[sunshine]

Thank you so much for replying. I was afraid that the pleco was too big. I don't know why they don't tell you these things when you buy the fish. I will do my water change also. Thanks for the advice.

 

[aznpanther98]

i'd kep an eye on the frogs also i never had one but i've seen ones as big as a small fist, and they might eat ur guppies but if frogs are pretty small they might leave them alone just keep them well fed just don't over feed... the plecos do get pretty big u might be able to keep it for a while tho i got one about two inches four months ago in a planted tank and it's about 3-4" now it loves the pellets i feed them and it keeps the glass pretty clean of algae and u could always trade ur fishes into your local petshop as long as they're healthy and the petshop will trade...
some bad petshops and the big corporate pet shops don't normally tell u about cycleing your tank and compatable tankmates and other stuff they want u to make money off of ya except the guys at this petsmart in my area the manager that runs the fish section knows alot about fishes and my friend there also knows alot. they've even stopped alot of customers from dropping chichlids into their community tank
just do alot of research and stuff before u buy a fish.
it's fun once u get into fishkeeping i know i enjoy it alot  *thumbsupsmiley*  

 

[huck]

Those frogs you saw that get as big as a small fist were african clawed frogs, not african dwarf frogs, they stay small.  But they can get mixed up as babys, one way to check is if the frog has webed feet then its a dwarf frog.

 

[Pooky125]

Another good way for checking is to count the toes on there front feet. Dwarfs have 3 toes, clawed have 4... Makes its really easy to identify.

 

[aznpanther98]

maybe ur right it was a while ago when i saw it next time i see the frogs i'll check i usually see them size of quarters and they sometimes put feeder guppys in with them never see them eat the guppys and i've been told by the ppl there that they eat small fishes is that true? well how big do the dwarf frogs really get? and the clawed ones are they webless onall feet or just the front?

 

[honeybee105]

dwarf frogs have more webbing between their front toes than clawed ones do. thats another way to check, just as long as your frogs are dwarf, they'll be fine in your tank. The pleaco might be too big for your aquarium.

 

[honeybee105]

depending on how long you've had your frogs, they'll probably be full size by now. You shouldn't have to worry about them.