How many more fish can I add?

[Tuckerman821]

Hello, I am somewhat new to the hobby (I’ve had a goldfish tank for about a year now and I’m expanding). I just got a new 10 gallon tank, 20in L x 10in W x 12 in H. It is planted with Dwarf Hair grass, myriophyllum, salvinia minima and another plant that I forget the name of. Also, The filter media came from a mature tank.

I currently have a betta, 10 neon tetras, three snails and 3 shrimp. I read that a mature tank can have two inches of fish per gallon so wanted to check with someone who has more experience than me. Can I add a few guppies or is the tank fully stocked and/or overstocked already?

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[PheonixKingZ]

You are way overstocked already. A 10g tank is the right size for a single Betta.

Neon Tetras need a 15g tank as a minimum.

The shrimp will be good in the 10g along with the Betta.

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

A fish's temperament, their water chemistry requirements (pH & GH), and swimming space all need to be taken into account when getting fish.

As mentioned by PhoenixKingZ, Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) do best in a tank on their own. They also come from water with a pH below 7.0 and a GH below 100ppm. Neon tetras also occur in this type of water.

Guppies on the other hand come from water with a pH above 7.0 and a GH around 200ppm. Ideally you want the guppies in a different tank to neons and Bettas. And male Betta splendens should be kept on their own because they have been known to attack brightly coloured fish like neons and guppies.

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What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.
Tetras, barbs, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm).

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies) occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

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If you can return the tank and buy a bigger tank, it would give you more options. Neons and guppies like a bit of swimming space and a tank that is at least 2 foot long is a better choice for them.

The smaller tank you have now (20x10x12in) is fine for a male Betta and some shrimp and snails. But if you want more fish, try to get a bigger tank.

 

[Sgooosh]

Hi and welcome to the forum

A fish's temperament, their water chemistry requirements (pH & GH), and swimming space all need to be taken into account when getting fish.

As mentioned by PhoenixKingZ, Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) do best in a tank on their own. They also come from water with a pH below 7.0 and a GH below 100ppm. Neon tetras also occur in this type of water.

Guppies on the other hand come from water with a pH above 7.0 and a GH around 200ppm. Ideally you want the guppies in a different tank to neons and Bettas. And male Betta splendens should be kept on their own because they have been known to attack brightly coloured fish like neons and guppies.

---------------------
What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.
Tetras, barbs, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm).

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies) occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

---------------------
If you can return the tank and buy a bigger tank, it would give you more options. Neons and guppies like a bit of swimming space and a tank that is at least 2 foot long is a better choice for them.

The smaller tank you have now (20x10x12in) is fine for a male Betta and some shrimp and snails. But if you want more fish, try to get a bigger tank.

do endlers, goodeids and mosquitofish need high hardness and ph too?

 

[Tuckerman821]

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Thank you!
I will look into getting a 20 gal tank for the tetras. I just tested the water that came out of the tap! the gh was 60 ppm, with the ph at around 6.5 . The tank water was a little higher at 70 ppm and the same ph.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

do endlers, goodeids and mosquitofish need high hardness and ph too?

Yes, usually.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Thank you!
I will look into getting a 20 gal tank for the tetras. I just tested the water that came out of the tap! the gh was 60 ppm, with the ph at around 6.5 . The tank water was a little higher at 70 ppm and the same ph.

That is some soft water.

 

[Tuckerman821]

That is some soft water.

Too soft?!?!

 

[Colin_T]

do endlers, goodeids and mosquitofish need high hardness and ph too?

endler's and goodeids do better in hard water. mosquito fish (Gambusia) can live in soft or hard water depending on where they come from, but they are not community fish.

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Thank you!
I will look into getting a 20 gal tank for the tetras. I just tested the water that came out of the tap! the gh was 60 ppm, with the ph at around 6.5 . The tank water was a little higher at 70 ppm and the same ph.

If you want to keep guppies you will need to add minerals to increase the GH to 200ppm and to raise the pH so it's at 7.0 or above.

You can use a Rift Lake water conditioner for African Rift Lake cichlids. Use it at half dose to get the GH and pH up for guppies. Otherwise avoid livebearers and keep soft water fishes.

 

[Sgooosh]

endler's and goodeids do better in hard water. mosquito fish (Gambusia) can live in soft or hard water depending on where they come from, but they are not community fish.

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If you want to keep guppies you will need to add minerals to increase the GH to 200ppm and to raise the pH so it's at 7.0 or above.

You can use a Rift Lake water conditioner for African Rift Lake cichlids. Use it at half dose to get the GH and pH up for guppies. Otherwise avoid livebearers and keep soft water fishes.

ohh i understand why the wild mosquitofish(eastern mosquitofish) can live in our softwater rivers now. if i find goodeids can they live with guppies and swordtails?
you can also use limestone or marble to slowly raise hardness if you are hesitant with other things like salt which i think when you add too much at once causes stress

 

[Colin_T]

Goodeids can live with other livebearers, however most people keep them in single species tanks to maximise the young they get when breeding them. If they are wild caught, do not mix them with captive bred fishes from shops because they don't have any immunity to common aquarium fish diseases.

Marble does not affect water chemistry but limestone and sandstone do. They will raise the pH and can slowly increase the GH. However, water changes usually negate any change in GH.

 

[Sgooosh]

Goodeids can live with other livebearers, however most people keep them in single species tanks to maximise the young they get when breeding them. If they are wild caught, do not mix them with captive bred fishes from shops because they don't have any immunity to common aquarium fish diseases.

Marble does not affect water chemistry but limestone and sandstone do. They will raise the pH and can slowly increase the GH. However, water changes usually negate any change in GH.

marble does not? it worked for me... not the polished type but the more crude type that looks like limestone got it at home depot