10 Gal. Tank With 1 Giant Danio

[2chains]

Hey,

I recently bought a 10 gallon tank and put 1 giant danio, 1 iridescent shark, and 2 tricolor sharks. Over the next week and a half all of the sharks died for reasons I am unaware of. Now I only have 1 gaint danio and he seems pretty lonely. Can I please have some suggestions as to what I might be able to put in the tank? I went to petland discount by my house and he was saying i could possibly put some kissing guoramis or blue ones, but I really like the different types of sharks, especially albino rainbow sharks. I know that the sharks will get very big and I will need a new tank at some point but I'll deal with that another time. For now I just want to figure out what else I could put in with this giant danio.

Thanks,
2chains

 

[sylvia]

Ignore absolutely everything that fish shop tells you - they don't have a clue if they are suggesting kissing or blue gouramies and sharks for a 10 gallon!

My first bit of advice is to never listen to LFS employees - look up fish on this forum, on the internet etc. Check as many sources as possible. Always research BEFORE you buy.

The problem with your tank (the reason the sharks died) is firstly that it won't have been cycled. I take it you are new to fish... so I'll explain briefly. Check the links in my signature for more info.

Fish produce waste. Fish food rots. Both these processes produce a chemical called ammonia. Ammonia is toxic. it quickly burns fish and can kill them. Thankfully, there are 'good' bacteria that grow in your filter media (the sponge) and in your gravel that convert this ammonia to nitrIte. NitrIte is still toxic but less so. Again, thankfully, there are other bacteria that convert the nitrIte to nitrAte. NitrAte is far less harmful. You can control nitrAte levels by doing a weekly 25% water change with DECHLORINATED water.

The reason I emphasize DECHLORINATED is that the chlorine added to tap water is there to kill bacteria to make the water safe to drink. This means it also kills the good bacteria you need to convert the deadly ammonia to nitrIte and then to nitrAte. So you must always make sure you use water that has been dechlorinated (use a water conditioner - you probably bought a bottle of this stuff when you got your fish). Equally, it is very important to make sure that, if you need to rinse out your filter (ie if it gets clogged), you must use old tank water so that you don't kill the good bacteria and just gently squeeze the sponge out in a bucket. Never replace your filter media regardless of the instructions that came with it.

The process of getting all those good bacteria to colonize your tank is called a 'cycle' and it happens to all new tanks once you start introducing food (as it rots) or fish (which produce waste). This can take even up to 6 weeks with fish because you have to change your water almost every other day to prevent the fish from dieing from ammonia poisoning. In effect, you also deprive the bacteria of 'food' (ammonia) by doing this but you have no choice. Youc an monitor the cycle by buying a test kit for ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte. In the beginning, you'll just see ammonia levels go up but they'll drop soon as nitrIte begins to increase. It then takes a while for nitrItes to start falling as they are converted to nitrAte. Only when ammonia and nitrIte are at ZERO ppm (parts per million) is it safe for fish to live in the tank. NitrAtes will be quite high at this point. They need, idealy, to be kept below 20ppm using a weekly water change.

A quicker cycle can be achieved by using only fish food or pure ammonia (sold for cleaning) to cycle without any live fish. There's a link in my signature all about this. I would strongly reccomend you take the opportunity now to do this. Return your giant danio as they grow too big for a 10 gallon anyway. They are schooling fish and far too active. Then start adding a few flakes to your tank every other day and watch your ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte levels. When ammonia and nitrIte are at zero, do a big water change (always with dechlorinated water) to reduce the nitrAte levels to below 10ppm and you are ready to add your first couple of fish.

From then on, add them a couple at a time a week at a time and always research the species very thoroughly beforehand.

Here are some suggestions for a 10 gallon: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...lon+suggestions

The fish you chose initialy were not suitable. Sharks don't work well together as they tend to be aggressive towards fish that look similar to themselves and irridescent sharks grow way too big anyway. Actually, all the fish you have tried to keep were far too large-growing to be suitable for such a small tank. It just happens that danios are particularly hardy fish so it survived.

Anyway, welcome to the forums. Questions are, of course, always welcome, but do try to read through those links in my signature and as many pinned topics as you can handle.
Have fun with your new tank and good luck!

 

[2chains]

thank you very much sylvia. i appreciate you're help on explaining what happened with my sharks. i will begin to cycle my tank right away. now what i was really hoping for is what fish would go good in a 10 gallon tank and also get along with this giant danio who has managed to survive. what suggestions does anybody have for fish that will not fight with the giant danio?

 

[powerdyne6]

thank you very much sylvia. i appreciate you're help on explaining what happened with my sharks. i will begin to cycle my tank right away. now what i was really hoping for is what fish would go good in a 10 gallon tank and also get along with this giant danio who has managed to survive. what suggestions does anybody have for fish that will not fight with the giant danio?

I would send the danio back to fish store where you got it from, it is far to big for that tank, or maybe find a friend who has a bigger tank for him/her to live

 

[2chains]

well i dont think im going to be bringing it back so what goes well with Giant Danios?

 

[TerraDreamer]

well i dont think im going to be bringing it back so what goes well with Giant Danios?

So, what you're saying is, you're going to fully ignore the excellent advice offered by Sylvia? It was explained to you that the giant danio is inapproriate for your tank size. Now, before you murder any more innocent fish, re-read her post s-l-o-w-l-y...move your lips while doing so if you must...and follow the kind advice given. Have your mom help you understand.

Regards.

 

[Amunet]

well i dont think im going to be bringing it back so what goes well with Giant Danios?

So, what you're saying is, you're going to fully ignore the excellent advice offered by Sylvia? It was explained to you that the giant danio is inapproriate for your tank size. Now, before you murder any more innocent fish, re-read her post s-l-o-w-l-y...move your lips while doing so if you must...and follow the kind advice given. Have your mom help you understand.

Regards.

Although Sylvia's advice should be taken... there was no need to be downright rude Terra as you seem to enjoy doing when the oppurtunity permits.

2chains... please do consider taking the giant danio back. There are other types of danios that stay small enough to keep in a 10 gallon. Like some regular zebras or long-finned ones, or albino... etc.

 

[Birdie]

To be honest, I don't think that you will get many replies as to what goes well with a giant danio, because first and foremost the thing that goes best with giant danios is other giant danios - they are a shoalilng fish that really, really wants ( and needs) to be with its own kind. But your tank is too small for more giant danios, so nobody is going to suggest it.
I don't think even one has enough swimming room - they are active and fast, and need some space.
There is a profle of them here

I'm far too much of a novice myself to want to sound at all snarky in saying this. There are many, many of us here who have made mistakes with our first fish and had to return them - I certainly did, and I know I am very far from alone.

You may have seen this thread by Sylvia - recommendations for a 10g tank which is so good that I seem to refer to it every day - even though I don't have a 10g tank LOL. I think your tank could look fabulous. It could look like it was full of glittering, darting jewels -and it doesn't even have to be "peaceful" there are other interesting and feisty little fish that could go in there.

I do hope this helps.

 

[dwarfgourami]

You have had some very good advice here both by Birdie and by Sylvia. Basically, your tank is what is now known as a nano tank, so it needs to be stocked with nano fish. It can be really lovely if its done right, and you will enjoy the fish a lot more if they have good living conditions and are able to display natural behaviour. I found this out the hard way: I kept fish as a child, but had very little information about suitable stocking and kept too many fish in unsuitable numbers ( 2 of each of schooling species) in too small a tank. Many of my fish died prematurely, some did survive but tbh I didn't seem to get as much fun out of them as I'd expected. Now with hindsight I realised that I was missing out on the whole natural behaviour thing, which is really what makes fishkeeping interesting. When I started up again, I found this fish forum, and read lots of books, and was able to get fish that were right for those tanks- and it's been great fun!

Getting back to your giant danio, there is no way, sadly, that a 10 gallon can give him a good life. He needs a 4 foot tank, at least, and a big school of other giant danios- these fish have evolved so that finding safety in a school and establishing a hierarchy in a school is terribly important to them. They are highly active swimmers that come from fast-flowing streams in India, so they have need plenty of swimming space. He will lead a miserable life alone in a 10-gallon tank, and if you add other fish, he is likely to get aggressive with them: single danios often develop aggression problems. The only real option to taking him back to the shop, is getting a bigger tank- and lots of giant danios. They are beautiful fish, so I understand that you want to keep him, but it really needs to be about what is best for him.

tbh I am going to disagree with Amunet- I don't think this tank even offers enough swimming space for zebra danios. But there are lots of lovely fish to choose from.

 

[Amunet]

tbh I am going to disagree with Amunet- I don't think this tank even offers enough swimming space for zebra danios. But there are lots of lovely fish to choose from.

*nods* I just thought that if they wanted to stick with danios.. they could get the smaller versions *shrugs* I understand how the smaller ones still do need the bigger tanks though. Mine are in the 28 gal and they take advantage of every inch of the tank. VERY active fish that need room to swim.

 

[2chains]

thank you all for your help with this problem. i appreciate it greatly and i am not ignoring all of your suggestions to return the fish on purpose. if i could bring him back i would but the place where i bought him from will not take him. i do not know any other place to take him or have a friend that would want him. when he gets to a big enough size i am going to move him to a bigger tank. i would never kill this fish on purpose by leaving him in a tank that will be too small for him. i will not let him grow to full size and leave him in there because that is just cruel.

 

[Canis-Equus]

You need to get him a suitable tank soon - thing is he WONT grow to his full size in that tank, or if he does so he will do it slowly. This is NOT a good thing this means the cramped conditions are affecting his growth.

Soon as you can get a bigger tank, make sure its cycled and put him in and get him some danio friends.

Dont wait!

 

[Birdie]

You could always try putting him on the buy sell and swap part of this forum, and see if anyone will offer him a home. TFF people are everywhere Don't forget to put your location in the header

good luck

 

[Rhiannon]

So, what you're saying is, you're going to fully ignore the excellent advice offered by Sylvia? It was explained to you that the giant danio is inapproriate for your tank size. Now, before you murder any more innocent fish, re-read her post s-l-o-w-l-y...move your lips while doing so if you must...and follow the kind advice given. Have your mom help you understand.

Regards.

Sometimes, LFS will not take them back, and he may not have any friends who have tanks, so he is stuck with the fish.

Dont make him feel like crap by posting such bitchy responses. Treating someone like they are slow or disabled (by saying s-l-o-w-l-y) is just so childish. Grow up.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

i agree you should avdertise in the buy sell and swap forum, there's people all over the world who use this site, i'm sure someone can give him a good home.

the problem with saying you'll move him when he gets big is that the damage will very often be done before you can see. the size of the tank will start to stunt him and it'll mean he just won't grow to his full size, so he'll stop growing, becuase he's not too big for the tank you don't realise he's been stunted he'll then start to get ill and it'll be too late to reverse the damage.

the sooner you can move him the better. I understand it can be hard sometimes to find a home for fish, but please do try and explore some more avenues