Linda N
Fish Fanatic
Earlier this week I posted a question in the cycling section about moving fish from a 3.5 gallon into a 10 gallon and whether I could avoid cycling by moving the filter too. I got the answer I was hoping for so proceeded to make the switch. Well instead of getting a 10 gallon, I got a 20 gallon. Today I moved the platys, otos, zebra danios and albino corys that were in the 10 gallon into the 20 gallon, along with the cycled filter that was in that tank. It was really overcrowded. They really seem to be enjoying having twice as much room. The 10 gallon was a tall half moon shape and the 20 is long so they can swim a greater distance without having to turn around.
I also had a 3.5 gallon with some pygmy corys and red cherry shrimp and another 3.5 gallon with a few male Endler's in it. They all got moved to the 10 gallon previously occupied by the above mentioned fish. I had the same filter on one of the 3.5 gallon tanks as on the 10 gallon so that filter got moved to the 10 gallon which also has an undergravel filter. They too are enjoying not being so crowded.
One thing I am glad of is that I filled a bucket with tank water and put everything that I removed from the 10 gallon into that bucket - décor and wood and such. I have some cholla wood in the tank for the otos. When I went and fetched the bucket of décor, there was an oto in there - he must have been hiding in one of the pieces of cholla. Had I just put them in a tray or pan or something with no water, he would have died.
So far it looks like everybody survived but now I have the 2 small tanks - empty except for a couple inches of water and a ton of pond snails - to clean up and stow for now.
Boy am I long winded, but I am glad to be done with all that moving. I am mobility impaired and have to haul the water 2 gallons at a time in jugs - that was a lot of water moving - LOL. I'll test the water every day or so to make sure I don't have any ammonia, nitrate or nitrite spikes.
I also had a 3.5 gallon with some pygmy corys and red cherry shrimp and another 3.5 gallon with a few male Endler's in it. They all got moved to the 10 gallon previously occupied by the above mentioned fish. I had the same filter on one of the 3.5 gallon tanks as on the 10 gallon so that filter got moved to the 10 gallon which also has an undergravel filter. They too are enjoying not being so crowded.
One thing I am glad of is that I filled a bucket with tank water and put everything that I removed from the 10 gallon into that bucket - décor and wood and such. I have some cholla wood in the tank for the otos. When I went and fetched the bucket of décor, there was an oto in there - he must have been hiding in one of the pieces of cholla. Had I just put them in a tray or pan or something with no water, he would have died.
So far it looks like everybody survived but now I have the 2 small tanks - empty except for a couple inches of water and a ton of pond snails - to clean up and stow for now.
Boy am I long winded, but I am glad to be done with all that moving. I am mobility impaired and have to haul the water 2 gallons at a time in jugs - that was a lot of water moving - LOL. I'll test the water every day or so to make sure I don't have any ammonia, nitrate or nitrite spikes.
