Lots Of Questions & New Fish Owner

[Lola&Spike]

I've recently purchased fish. I am a new hobbyist, and I have a 10 gallon tank. I believe my tank has been properly cycled. I have glo fish. I have four glofish tetras, all of them the different colors. I also have two glofish Danios.
 
Here are questions that I have:
 
When will my nitrates show up? I have still no nitrites or nitrates, although I thought I cycled my tank correctly... I cycled it with no fish.
 
How often should I feed my fish? My container of fish food says 2-3 times daily, online I've heard 2-3 times, and the fish pet store worker said once. The problem with feeding once is that some of my fish don't see it. I don't know why, but they just don't see it. I can tell that they don't see it because by the end, when all of the other fish are gulping up the scraps, those ones who didn't see it will come swimming in. It's different fish every time, that don't see it. What do I do to make all the fish see it? Or should I just continue feeding them twice a day? Another problem I have is that I don't know how much to feed. Only a pinch, and they won't see it. If I grab a pinch and try to spread it around the tank, most of the time more fish will see it and eat, but is that too much?
 
Another issue I have is different people have told me a different population can live in my tank. The fish pet store person told me I could have 12 of the Glofish in my tank, but online everyone says only 5-6. Is twelve too much, or can I have that many?
 
 

 

[Ninjouzata]

How did you cycle it? Did you just let it run with no fish in or did you add ammonia? Have a read of THIS to get a better idea of cycling. Your nitrates should have appeared already if your tank is actually cycled.
 
I imagine you don't want to hear this but there are no glo fish suitable for a 10g tank. The zebra danios while small are very active so are recommended for a 3-4ft long tank.
The skirt tetras get quite chunky so about a 20g is better. Tiger barbs again get quite chunky and a 20-30g would be best for those.
 
Feeding once daily is fine and you can fast (not feed) once or twice a week.
Fish can go about two weeks without food so I wouldn't worry too much over some of them not seeing it. Later on they may go to the bottom and find it and eat it.
 
I would get a pinch of food and try to spread it out like you say, usually this allows all the fish a chance to get some.
 
The amount of fish in your tank will depend on a few things like their eventual adult size, if they need schools or not, their activity levels, etc.
That is why it's always good to come here or use reputable sources like Seriouslyfish to look up the fish you're interested in.
 
Please feel free to post any more questions you have and welcome to the forum!

 

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

Hey hope I can help!
 
You will have Nitrates and Nitrites show up once you have built up enough bacteria.. which may take a few weeks
 
As for population, for every  inch long a fish is, you should have 1 gallon. If I have a 5in Danio I should have a 5g tank for only him.
 
Also, You should only feed once a day. The fish food bottle says 2-3 times a day because they want you to run out quicker and buy more..
 
Welcome to the forums and feel free to post more in the future!

 

[Ninjouzata]

Hey hope I can help!
 
You will have Nitrates and Nitrites show up once you have built up enough bacteria.. which may take a few weeks
 
As for population, for every  inch long a fish is, you should have 1 gallon. If I have a 5in Danio I should have a 5g tank for only him.
 
Also, You should only feed once a day. The fish food bottle says 2-3 times a day because they want you to run out quicker and buy more..
 
Welcome to the forums and feel free to post more in the future!

Agreed on the fish food thing.
 
It applies to filter cartridges as well, usually it says to change out every so and so but you really wouldn't want to do that as that is where majority of your bacteria are (as well as on hard surfaces like the substrate, decor, and walls of the tank).
 
Something I do not agree with, sorry Ryan, is the inch per gallon rule. If you were to go by this then you could have a 10" oscar (a fish that really needs a 75g) in a 10g tank.
Plus like I mentioned above you have to take their behavior into account. I hope I'm not coming off rudely!

 

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

 

Hey hope I can help!
 
You will have Nitrates and Nitrites show up once you have built up enough bacteria.. which may take a few weeks
 
As for population, for every  inch long a fish is, you should have 1 gallon. If I have a 5in Danio I should have a 5g tank for only him.
 
Also, You should only feed once a day. The fish food bottle says 2-3 times a day because they want you to run out quicker and buy more..
 
Welcome to the forums and feel free to post more in the future!

Agreed on the fish food thing.
 
It applies to filter cartridges as well, usually it says to change out every so and so but you really wouldn't want to do that as that is where majority of your bacteria are (as well as on hard surfaces like the substrate, decor, and walls of the tank).
 
Something I do not agree with, sorry Ryan, is the inch per gallon rule. If you were to go by this then you could have a 10" oscar (a fish that really needs a 75g) in a 10g tank.
Plus like I mentioned above you have to take their behavior into account. I hope I'm not coming off rudely!
 

Oh no I completely understand! I didnt take that into consideration as I am mainly into livebearers where in which that rule helps extremely but in this case you would be correct!

 

[fluttermoth]

The 'inch per gallon' so-called 'rule' is only supposed to be used for stocking slim bodied, tropical fish, of less than three inches adult size.
 
That's just one of the many reasons why that 'rule' should really not be followed. It was formulated, way back in the day, when nearly every fish tank was 12" wide, 15" tall and a multiple of feet long (so, a 'two foot tank' was 36" x 12" x 15"; a 'four foot tank' was 48" x 12" x 15") and was actually based on surface area, for oxygen exchange. Nowadays, with tanks that vary so much, it really isn't appropriate.
 
I would strongly advise people NOT to use it for deciding stocking levels.

 

[Lola&Spike]

I just let my tank run with no fish, but I didn't add ammonia. I looked up cycling, but I guess I never saw that part... I added chemicals and all that before, and let it run as a normal tank for two weeks, but no added ammonia? What should I do?
 
I don't have Tiger barbs. I'm assuming I'll move up to a 20 gallon tank, with black lights, but how long could they survive in a ten gallon tank? Or will they die? 
 
Oh, okay. That's a relief. Thank you! 
 
I know my Tetras on the Glofish website were suggested a group of five fish, but that they won't get aggressive if below that. I do have four so...
 
Thank you for helping me!
 
So will the bacteria in the end kill my fish? I saw that if I didn't cycle before according that guide, my fish can die...
 
So how much should I do water changes?

 

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

The 'inch per gallon' so-called 'rule' is only supposed to be used for stocking slim bodied, tropical fish, of less than three inches adult size.
 
That's just one of the many reasons why that 'rule' should really not be followed. It was formulated, way back in the day, when nearly every fish tank was 12" wide, 15" tall and a multiple of feet long (so, a 'two foot tank' was 36" x 12" x 15"; a 'four foot tank' was 48" x 12" x 15") and was actually based on surface area, for oxygen exchange. Nowadays, with tanks that vary so much, it really isn't appropriate.
 
I would strongly advise people NOT to use it for deciding stocking levels.

What would you advise for finding the amount of fish for a tank?

I just let my tank run with no fish, but I didn't add ammonia. I looked up cycling, but I guess I never saw that part... I added chemicals and all that before, and let it run as a normal tank for two weeks, but no added ammonia? What should I do?
 
I don't have Tiger barbs. I'm assuming I'll move up to a 20 gallon tank, with black lights, but how long could they survive in a ten gallon tank? Or will they die? 
 
Oh, okay. That's a relief. Thank you! 
 
I know my Tetras on the Glofish website were suggested a group of five fish, but that they won't get aggressive if below that. I do have four so...
 
Thank you for helping me!

 
So will the bacteria in the end kill my fish? I saw that if I didn't cycle before according that guide, my fish can die...
 
So how much should I do water changes?

Once you see your Nitrate levels go up, that means the process is close to ending... I do 25% water changes every 14 days...Full water changes are only necessary when disease outbreaks occur.

 

[Lola&Spike]

Do I need to add any ammonia? Or will my fish just survive? 
 
So when I'm cycling my tank I don't need to do anymore?
 
What should I know about cycling my tank then? 

 

[fluttermoth]

What would you advise for finding the amount of fish for a tank?

Experience; either yours, or other people's! Stocking is far to much of an imprecise art to be amenable to any sort of 'rule'.


Lola&Spike; you don't add ammonia if you have fish. Ammonia is toxic to fish. We use ammonia during a fishless cycle, to simulate the fish. You will need to test the water, for both ammonia and nitrite, every day, and do enough water changes (making sure the new water is warmed and dechlorinated) to keep them as near to zero as possible.

 

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

Do I need to add any ammonia? Or will my fish just survive? 
 
So when I'm cycling my tank I don't need to do anymore?
 
What should I know about cycling my tank then? 

Only Add ammonia when doing a Fishless cycle...
If you are now starting the Cycle, try feeding a little more than usual to get the nitrogen started. Then buy some bottled Bacteria from your LFS to get it running. If your tank is already cycled..you shouldn't need to do more than 25% water changes.
 
EDIT: didnt mean to repeat fluttermoth, he just typed faster than me

 

[Ninjouzata]

I'm sorry for being misleading, I did not mean to say you have tiger barbs. I was listing the 3 most commonly sold glofish, none of which are suitable for that size tank. I would return them and do a fishless cycle.
While doing this we can help you decide on a suitable stocking. If not though..you may want to have a read of THIS and THIS to help you in your fish-in cycle.

 

[fluttermoth]

... try feeding a little more than usual to get the nitrogen started...

Erm...no.

You should keep feeding to an absolute minimum during a fishless cycle, as you want as little ammonia as possible. Every other day is enough.

 

[Lola&Spike]

Well we can't return them for another two weeks, for my mother is gone on vacation and my grandmother doesn't know her way to the store. 
 
So I'll need to buy bacteria? What will it be called, such as what should I look for? (I'm reading the guide and it says to use Tetra Safe Start is a suggested bacteria. I already used that! Does that mean I'm good?)

 

[Gruntle]

If you can, get some Dr Tim's One and Only for your bacteria. Most of the others are too hit-and-miss to recommend.