Aquarium Noob

[SweetKiwi]

Hi, I'm Kiwi, and I'm so happy to have found this forum!! This all started as a way for me to spend free time and its become much more.

Right now I have a 5 gallon tank with two fancy guppies, a tiny angelfish, two African dwarf frogs, and a cory catfish. I've also got a fern, another plant with broad leaves, and a lily bulb still waiting to germinate. The cory will be getting more buddies as soon as I get the tank 100% stabile.

I've had recent deaths, my beautiful white angel, and an orange fancy guppie who never showed problems, then ended up on the bottom of the tank. So I went searching for answers, got a test kit for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. The pH was 7.4, and the ammonia wasn't high, but it wasn't 0ppm.

I've adjusted everything, the pH more slowly, and everyone seems happy. He guppies are playing and the angel isn't hiding, the cory is being its silly self, and the frogs are both out and unafraid of the fish.

For my next tank I'll be trying a heavily planted environment with only one type of fish. It's hard to make everyone happy with so many different types, plus amphibians!!

Feel free to comment on my stats, and give me advice. I want these guys to flourish!!

 

[Ninjouzata]

to TFF, Kiwi! Hope you enjoy it here.
 
How long has the tank been set up? Are you using a liquid test?
 
There is no need to mess with your pH. It is better for your fish to leave it alone.
Most fish can adjust to it, and are likely already used to it if you bought them locally.
 
I know you probably won't like this but I recommend taking the fish back and doing a fish-less cycle following THIS article.
Then find a fish suitable for this size tank. By this I mean..the only things really suitable are the frogs, the guppies might be okay too but they are pretty active little guys so would be better off in a 10g+.
 
How are your frogs doing? They are usually very easily out competed for food.
 
The angelfish you'll want a tank that is at least 21" high IIRC, and preferably a 30g+.
 
The cories need groups of 6+, and am sure you know this since you plan on getting buddies. I would not do this in the 5g as it is already overstocked. What type of cory is it?
The more common ones usually should be kept in a 20g+, though pygmy, hastatus, and habrosus can go in a 10g.
 
I hope I havn't come off as harsh or rude, just want what is best for your fishies. Would love to see some pics if you have any!

 

[SweetKiwi]

Harsh or rude, no way!! I asked for advice .

Taking the fish back isn't really an option. Receipts have been thrown away, I'm attached, etc.. This tank was a random idea and was an improvement from the tiny basic one I had in the beginning, before I knew it was such a complicated science.

My cory is white but with a gorgeous green iridescent quality. I've looked for the name.but haven't found it. And yes, I know they do well in schools. I would love if he had buddies. And in my next tank I'll be getting plenty of buddies (and keeping other fish to a minimum).

And yes, I used a liquid test kit. I also only lowered the pH from 7.6 to 7.2, but if you say leave it, I will .

The frogs seem to be doing well. I have special food for them that sinks. The fish have tried eating it but they spit it out.

Thanks so much for your help!!

This is Topher. He's a bit larger than his camera shy counterpart, Anah. I have no idea the sexes of the frogs, I hope I'm not giving them gender issues!

 

[sawickib]

As ninj said already id suggest rehoming the fish, even if your threw away the receipt, id just give them back, your angelfish will have its growth stunted and most likely suffer a slow and painful death. The cory you have is most likely an albino, or a bronze cory cat and they should be in a 20 gallon breeder at the minimum and as you know in groups of 6+. The guppies can frogs can stay if you want but the guppies are very active and prefer 10 gal+ 
 
Is your tank cycled or not? If its not you may find problems later on with ammonia, nitrites and ich killing your fish, and with a overstocked 5 gallon, it is extremely hard to keep these levels down, constant water changes daily would be needed of about 75%. 
 
I second leaving the pH alone causes more problems than leaving it.

 

[SweetKiwi]

This is the angelfish, Clyde. He's very small, only the size of a nickle.
No, my tank is not cycled. It's only been operational for a week.

If it is unanimous that I should rehome the cory and angelfish, then I will. I want what is best for them.

 

[sawickib]

He will grow to about the size of your hand

 

[SweetKiwi]

He will grow to about the size of your hand

Yeah, I thought I'd have enough time between now and then to set up a 20 gallon tank .

 

[sawickib]

Well you might want to go for at least a 40 gallon, or else you will just upgrade again later. Sorry not trying to nag you but its what the angel needs 

 

[Rak9378]

Welcome to TFF! Sounds like you got some really bad advice from your LFS! Unfortunately that is common. You're getting good advice here. I pretty much agree with what you're being told about rehoming so I will leave it at that.

As for the ID of the Cory, based on your description I would guess it's either an Albino or an Emerald Green Cory.

 

[l_l_l]

Hi and welcome!
For such a tiny tank, there is not much you can put in!
Maybe a Betta or Shrimps..
Even then, your tank would have to be cycled!
 
I really hope you get it all together, and you should defenitely and especially rehome the angel.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm afraid I agree with the other posters; you really need to either rehome the angel and the cory, or get a very much larger tank, within the next couple of weeks, I'd say.
 
Here's a pic of my angel next to my hand;
 

 
and he's only five or six months old.
 
(he's got an odd deformity of the fins, btw; that's why his dorsal fin is like that; he's very healthy!)

 

[SweetKiwi]

Thanks everyone. I am going to return the cory and the angel. I just wasn't prepared for such an undertaking. When we had fish as kids it seemed much easier. Guess I didn't see the work my parents put into it.

So once my tank consists of two guppies, and two dwarf frogs I should leave it at that??

 

[xXLeafeonXx]

You don't need to return the Angel.
If you want you could keep it but you would need to upgrade.
If you don't want to upgrade then your tank seems fine.
 

 

[AquaPit]

Welcome!

All the best in your fishventure!

Hope everything's turn out well!

 

[sawickib]

yes sweet kiwi that will be fine, but since it isn't cycled id be making sure your fish don't have problems with ammonia, icy, and nitrites do you have attest kit? API is a good one for testing.