10 gallon disaster, dying fish

[ars4986]

I seen your picture above and I dont have alot of plants or decorations. It looks so empty with the amount of fish I have. Am I supposed to have a bunch of plants with that amount of fish

 

[@ombomb]

Don't worry about decorations for now, they are the least of your worries. People here are very helpful and they ask the questions for a good reason, which is that they cannot help you without know all the facts.

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Seriously, listen to the advise given on this site. The people here generaly know what they are talking about. Your mum may have kept fish before but I bet she has no idea what a cycle (in terms of keeping fish) is!
Check out this thread

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=88643
It should answer a few of your questions.
Did you know that plecos grow to over 12" long? In a 10 gallon it would hardly have enough room to turn around! They are also poop machines when healthy! You could live in a box the size of a linen closet but you wouldn't be too happy if you had to stay in there at all times, breath stale air and walk around in your own mess. How about living in a slightly bigger box with so many other people that you have no private space for yourself? Again not very good. You might survive but how would your quality of life be?
Your mum may have kept a zillion fish in a small tank and it may well have been crystal clear. Vodka is clear but not very good at keeping fish alive! Some of the healthiest living conditions in the wild are water that's so dark it's almost black! Angelfish come from this kind of 'blackwater' environment. The thing I'm trying to say is that water clarity has no bearing what so ever on water quality. Did your mother's angelfish grow to be 8" high? Doubt it! That's what they will do if treated well.
Do a bit of research. It's as easy to read some of the guides on this site as it is reading another reply to this thread. You're doing things better by trying to find out why things are going wrong. Just act on the info you get from your research or your effort is wasted.

WK

 

[Bloo]

ars4986, you have come here for advice. You have been given some really good advice and many questions have been asked that you have not answered yet.
You can't expect us to convert to your mom's beliefs I'm afraid.
If you want help and advice, then take it (or leave it for that matter).

Best of luck!

 

[blackfinshark_3]

in my opinion i would think that your biggest concern is over population. your tank isnt that big. I have a 10 gallon tank and i have problems 2!

 

[ars4986]

I think I have that tank figured out. I have only lost 2 neons. Which is good. In another tank, I used to have 3 powder blue gouramis. One come to find out had a bad eye (I think he was blind in one eye). Apparently, the other two gouramis picked on that one and would come up on its blind side and would bite his eye. We never noticed because the one would be in the corner where you could not see his eye. We believe that those to pain in the butts ate he eye out. He now has just a socket. I put him in another tank so he would be by himself. But, now he has a flesh color bubblewhere his eye was and it keeps getting bigger. Do any of you know something I should give him to help him heal? Or should I leave it alone (that bubble being part of his healing process). I dont know if that would be considered popeye or not. I have Melafix and Maroxy on hand and would like to know if I should try and pick up something else also.