Question re: Cycling & Stocking 10 Gallon Tank

[*Brooke*]

Hi everyone---

I'm starting up a fish tank for the pre-school where I work. I would love to have a larger tank, but it seems that we really only have room for a ten gallon tank. I purchased the ten gallon kit at Wal-Mart today.

I've been reading a lot about cycling the tank & it's got me VEEERY confused.

Here are my questions:

1. What is Biospira? Can I just use that to cycle my tank...or do I still need to go about testing the water for weeks? In one of the posts that I read, it seemed like someone was saying that Biospira will instantly cycle the tank.

2. I would like to have Neon Tetras in the tank. I'm thinking of purchasing 6-7 of them. Should I just add a few to start off or if the tank is cycled, add all of them at once?

3. Would it be possible to have a bottom feeding fish. I was looking into Oto Catfish...but I'm not sure if that would be good. I just read about Ghost Shrimp as well. How many of those could I possibly add?

I don't want to overstock the tank & so that's why I'm asking. Thank you for all of your help in advance. I'm sure I'll be on here asking more questions soon!


Brooke

[Gunnie]

Hi Brooke and Welcome! Yes, bio spira is an instant cycle. Some folks do show traces of ammonia and nitrites for a few days after adding it to the tank, but it should be minimal. I have used it 3 times and have had complete success. The neon tetras are very beautiful but unfortunately very sensitive, and until recently are probably mostly wild caught. Everybody I know (including me) have not had good luck in keeping them alive for very long, so keep that in mind if you decide on getting them. Otos are good, but they are like the neons and are very sensitive and die for no apparent reason. You would also not add them to your tank until you had a good food source for them. They prefer the brown algae you usually see in newly established tanks called diatoms, but they will eat green algae. The diatoms will disappear as your water ages. Something a little more hardy for your tank would be about 3 cory cats to keep the bottom of your tank clean. Or you may want to consider getting a pretty betta as your show fish and upping the cory cats to 5 or 6. I think a few ghost shrimp added in the tank would also be awesome with this combo. Your kids will love them!

You can learn more about cory catfish at Planet Catfish

[fishfreaks]

1. yes it works instantly
2. I wouldnt add them all at once, this may cause a mini cycle
3.i think you could have 1 or two ghost shrimp, but i dont know if they'll mix with the tetras

And welcome to fish forums! we hope that you'll stick around

[*Brooke*]

Thank you both for responding.

I would like a fish that is hardy & easy to maintain...but also something that is pretty/fun to look at for the children.

What would you suggest? I really would rather not have a Betta. I would like to have more than one fish in the tank. I would prefer to have at least 5-6 smaller fish OR 2-3 fish who will get bigger but will still be okay in a ten gallon. Can you give me some suggestions?!? What are some of my options?

Thanks!

Brooke

[fishfreaks]

well there is various tetras, honey gouramis. maybe even danios? guppies are also an option, though they multiple fast! Best advie is to check out fish stores in your area, see what fish they have, and get back to us before your purchase anything
if you click here and search for minimum tank size and see some fish that will fit.

[*Brooke*]

I was actually looking into Cherry Barbs as well or even Zebra Danios. I would like to just choose one type of fish as the main fishes in the aquarium & then possibly get a bottom dwelling fish as well.

If I were to get the Cherry Barbs (which they have at my local pet store) how many should I go with for a 10 gallon? And the same goes for the Zebra Danios...how many?

Also, what type of Algae Eater/bottom dweller would you suggest...or would you just go with a snail or ghost shrimp?

This is my first time starting an aquarium & I want to do it correctly. I haven't even set up the aquarium yet...& will either be cycling my tank or purchasing some Biospira before I start...but I'm just getting prepared now. I'm more of a dog gal myself...but I love looking at aquariums & I think it will be great for the kiddos.

Thanks for all of your help!

Brooke

[Gunnie]

If you decide to use the bio spira, you will only need the 1 oz. size which is the smallest size. It treats 30 gallons. Make sure the dealer you get it from is reputable and has handled the product properly. The dealers receive it from Marineland refrigerated, and it should be kept that way until it is used. When they receive their supply, it should be immediately refrigerated by the dealer, and when you buy it, you should immediately take it home and put it in the fridge. If you won't be going home right away, or it's a lengthy ride home, put it in a cooler with a little bit of ice. If it's not handled properly, you will pay for a package of dead bacteria that won't cycle your tank. Also, the product is meant to be added to your tank with a full bio load of fish, so when you decide on what all your fish are gonna be for that tank, add all of these fish and the bio spira at the same time. If you want to take an extra precaution to make sure the bio spira is alive, you can add pure clear ammonia to the tank until your ammonia reading is 5 ppm, after adding the bio spira (don't add the fish if you are doing this), and if the ammonia reading is at zero in 24 hours, you know it's alive and working, and you can add your fish.

[Damon]

Since Gunnie handled the cycling part, I'll just post of some fish suggestions. Danios are very hardy fish and come in so many varities nowadays. Zebras, leopard, pearl ect... 6 of them would look nice in your tank. For bottom feeders, try 4 pygmy cories. They are active and cute. Add decorations and there you go!

[Fishfirst]

white clouds are also cool, as well as maybe a gourami of some sort for a centerpiece fish that kids can really see, and is pretty are hardy. I don't know why, but I've always had very good success with neons. Rasboras are cool too, especially harlequin raspboras. If you go with "a tetra" "raspbora" "danio" "white cloud" or "barb" make sure they are in a school of 4+ (the more the merrier your limit being 7-8)

[MyraVan]

Kids seem to like apple snails (also called mystery snails). The usual ones you find in shops are a nice bright yellow, but if you look online, like at the lin below
http://bridgesii.rainbowsnails.com/
you'll find them in quite a variety of colors/patterns.

My 2.5 year old daughter thinks they are way cool, and others have mentioned kids liking apple snails too. If you get the apple snails (one or two at most), then you have to choose the other occupants carefully, because the wrong kind of fish will nip at the antennae of the snails, making them hide in their shells and you won't see the snails in all their beauty, crawling around the tank with their long antennae flowing.

White cloud mountain minnows are perfect companions for the apple snails. They won't nip the snails antennae (although they do sometimes bump into them accidentally, causing the snail to jump a bit, but the snail soon learns that the fish won't do it any real harm and doesn't pull all the way into its shell). Theya re also very tough and easy to take care of. They don't even need a heater!

However, you can't have a snail in soft water -- it doesn't have enough calcium for their shells. Can you get a pH kit to test your water? I would say that you shouldn't have the snails if your pH is less than 7.

If you can't have the snails for pH reasons, then I would go with danios as Simpte recommends. For an interesting tank, get differnt kinds, like two each of zebra, pearl, and gold. Pygmy cories would be nice, but aren't so easy to find in shops. Ghost shrimp would be nice if you can find them. Since this is your first tank I wouldn't even consider otos unless the tank has been healthy and stable (no fish deaths) for several months, and then you could get two or three of them.

I think you're going to have a nice tank! You're certainly going about it in the right way, finding out about how to set up a tank properly before getting started. (I didn't and lost a few fish when first starting out as a result.)

[solar-ton]

of course there are convicts and other dwarf gouramis you and guppies but that will calead to some awkward qustions...convicts a cool but you can only keep one

[*Brooke*]

Wow! Thank you all so much for your responses!

I called around to pet stores today & found one that carries BioSpira. They're ordering in 1 oz. of it for me & it will be in next week. So I should add the BioSpira & the fish at the same time? Also, I purchased some of the water purifier stuff at Wal-Mart that is supposed to help with the fish's slime coat, get rid of chlorine, etc. Do I need to add that in addition to the BioSpira or JUST add the BioSpira?

I will be heading our local aquarium/fish store tomorrow to check out different types of danios. I've been reading up on them & they sound pretty good to me. It seems like most types grow to be right around 2" long. So then I could have about 4-5 in my tank...correct? Or would 6 be okay? Then I could get three different types of danios.....

You all have been so helpful! Thanks from me & my kiddos.


Brooke

[fishfreaks]

you must have something to remove chlorine and chloramines, that is if your water supply has it. you add this each and every time you do a water change or add new water.

[*Brooke*]

Okay, thank you. I've got that!

[solar-ton]

woopety doo we've just informed someone elese so the fish dont end up like feeder fish in a piranha tank lol.btw if you run out of dechlorinator and you cant buy more just let the water sit for 24 hrs

[*Brooke*]

The fish store has not gotten back to me yet regarding the BioSpira. They said that they would see how soon they could get it in.

How much do you think it would cost for 1 oz? Also, can I keep this in the refrigerator for awhile or does it have an expiration date? I'm thinking about setting up a five gallon tank sometime in the winter & put some African Dwarf Frogs in....

[Fishfirst]

There are other ways to cycle a tank or help it cycle, use all the biospira, it won't last til winter. Once you have one established tank, its a lot easier to establish another.

[Lexus]

I will just address the stocking issue. If they are young kids I would get 6 Male Guppies of all different colors and then 4-6 ghost shrimp for the bottom.

[*Brooke*]

Originally Posted by Fishfirst

There are other ways to cycle a tank or help it cycle, use all the biospira, it won't last til winter. Once you have one established tank, its a lot easier to establish another.

Are you saying that I should add all of the Biospira to my ten gallon..even though 1 oz. is to be used for 30 gallons?

Well I ordered 1 oz. of Biospira. I'll be working on the tank after next week & plan on having it ready for when we open in September.

I haven't made it out to our local fish store yet....so I haven't seen what kinds of fish they have. I'll have to look tomorrow.

BTW, do ghost shrimp require a different type of food...or do they eat the leftovers that the other fish don't eat???

Thanks!

Brooke

[Hamm35924]

i dont think they need any special food, you can probably buy some sinking food for them though. also is this going to be a planted tank?