Need Help

[LeapFrog_85]

ok first I want to make it clear that I am a newbie to the whole fishy world and I am not quite sure on anything... lol

I would appreciate if anyone could help me with the terminology...

I think I have a 50 watt heater that I try to maintain in the 70's... I have one of those thermometers that you stick to the inside of the glass...

I believe I have what is called an undergravel filter... There is a big plastic flooring that goes under my gravel... and I have a tube that connects to a powerhead... and the powerhead blows out bubbles.

I do not have any live plants or rocks.
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I was wondering how and how often to clean my tank... and if there is anything that I need to know...
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In my 10 gallon tank...

1 African Albino Clawed Frog
1 African Dwarf Frog
1 Firebelly Newt
1 Plecostomus
1 small unknown sucker fish
1 Blue Gouramis
2 Pink Kissing Gouramis
2 Tiger Barbs
1 Bala Shark
1 Hi-fin Black Tetra
1 Red-Eyed Tetra
1 Clown Loach

I also have a Male Betta in a 1 Gallon Tank with a undergravel filter that has a blue rock on an air tube that goes down into the bottom of a tube.

I am trying to save up for a new tank (not sure what size yet) but I plan to put my Newt in it because he needs an island and a lower temperature. Can I put my African Albino Clawed Frog in with him? How about any other fish? I bought one of those plastic islands that you fill the water about half way... what kind of filter and heater should I use??
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I feed my 10 gallon... TetraColor Tropical Flakes, Natural Color Enhancer Food For Tropical Fish... 1 pinch in the morning, 1 pinch in the afternoon (around 3:00) and 1 pinch and a packet of Tetra Nature's Delica Whole Bloodworms in a nutrient-rich gel that is sealed in small packages... is this too much? They pretty much eat everything I put out and come up to the surface as if they are looking for more but my tank is getting clowdy.

I feed my 1 gallon a small pinch of either Betta Pellets or Tropical Medley Flakes for Bettas once a day
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When I add new water I pretreat it with Ammo Lock 2... it says that it

Detoxifies Ammonia Produced by Fish Waste
Removes Chlorine & Chloramine from Tap Water
Eliminates Ammonia Stress & Protects Healthy Gill Function
And Treats 60 Gallons of Fresh or Salt Water...

It says to use 1 teaspoon for each 10 gallons of aquarium water and for mini aquariums add 5 drops for each quart of water

Contains no less than 17% Aliphatic Amine Salts
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Can anyone help me?

 

[crazie.eddie]

Did you buy the tank, set it up, and then put the fish in it within a few days?

If so, then the tank has not cycled and with a large bioload, your ammonia will really jump.

The other thing is the tank is improplerly stocked and OVERSTOCKED...

The general stocking guide is 1" of fish for every 1 gallon of water. This is a general guide, NOT an exact science. It still does not take account…
- How much swimming room the fish will require (6 neon tetras will probably not be happy in a 10 gallon tank)
- Swimming level (top, mid, or bottom dwellers)
- The amount of bioload a fish will produce
- Group amount (ex. Clown loaches would prefer to be in group of at least 3)
- Aggression levels
- Compatibility (ex. Clown loaches would not be happy with fast, darting fish)
- Tank Length/Height requirements (Angelfish require taller tanks, which neon tetras prefer longer tanks)

Though the 1" guide can be modified to apply to fish under 3" and larger fish can still be generally stocked at about 1" of fish for every (at the most) 5 gallons of water to accommodate some of the above, it still does not take account for the rest. This guideline is meant as a guide and is very much debatable, but enough of that...

ok, enough of the technical stuff...
- Bala shark will get to be about 14"
- Clown loach will get to be about 12", although it grows rather slowly. It prefers to be in a group of at least 3.
- Plecostomus, assuming it's a common, will get to be about 14" (I believe).
- Gouramis will get to be about 4" (each).

Not taking account for the other fish, the above fish will require at least a 55 gallon tank.

Would it be possible to return some of the fish? If the tank has not been cycled, I would suggest returning all, exept for one tetra, to start the cycle with. Make sure you perform a 15% water change daily and check your water parameters.

 

[Sang72]

Hi and welcome to TFF

Firstly, you do indeed have an undergravel filter.

Secondly, your 10 gallon is WAY WAY WAY overstocked Your plecostomus can get to 12" long alone. Your blue gouramis can get to 4" is a powerful swimmer and needs at least 30 gal. I have 2 in a 20 gal and am giving them away this weekend. . Your pink kissing Gouramis can get from 6 - 12" as well and need a LOT of swimming room. Your bala shark can get as large as 14" Your clown loach can get to 12" as well. To keep all those fish you need a 100 gal or more. Also, the tiger barbs are going to make mincemeat out of your gourami's beautiful flowing whiskers.

here's a website I use for evaluating potential fishie purchases. http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/fishindx.htm

Your betta is fine, might want to get him a heater if it's cold in your neck of the woods. Maybe trade the Pleco for a female betta.

Bloodworms and Brine Shrimp are the equivalent of Big Mac's and Burrito Supremes to us. They are yummy but junk food. Feed sparingly as a treat or when trying to breed. You also only need to feed twice a day unless you are breeding.

AmmoLoc2 is for emergency ammonia peaks. To pretreat, use BioSafe, Aquasafe or some other conditioner specifically designed to treat water for chlorine, and metals.

Best of luck to you in this new hobby. You've found the right place, I've only been keeping fish 3 mos and look at all I have learned

 

[LeapFrog_85]

well I received this tank back in September for my birthday... I let it set for about a week and then was instructed by Wal-mart to buy the 2 (I think they are Tiger Barbs) and the Blue Gouramis... and the Gouramis still has his cute lil wiskers... um as for the rest of the fish... I've collected them since then over time and they all seem to get along. I figured it was over populated but I wasn't sure... thanks for informing me... I thought about taking the shark and 2 kissers and the clown loach and putting them into another 10 gallon tank if I can get it fixed... it has a crack in the bottom and I thought I could fix it with 100% Silicone sealant... Can I? I also thought I would put my smaller sucker fish (which isn't a pleco but I'm not sure what it is) with the new aquarium. What about the newt and frog in a new tank? Would a 2.5 or 5 gallon work if I had just them?

 

[LeapFrog_85]

oh and I cannot return the fish... Wal-mart sucks.

 

[Sang72]

Yes, Wal-Mart sucks in many different ways and they are in my opinion as far from a qualified fish store as you can get. These guys are paid minimum wage, no benefits and bounced from department to department. Fish stores can have some incredibly stupid ppl working in them, but at least all they deal with are fish on a daily basis.

Ok, just because the tiger barbs aren't nipping the gouramis yet doesn't mean they won't once they get settled and comfy. They might also be stressed due to the overcrowding. Aside from that, blue gourami and kissing gourami are not going to be happy at all in a 10 gallon. If you must have a gourami, consider a dwarf gourami, but move the tiger barbs.

If the bottom pane of the tank is cracked, DO NOT repair with silicon. Water weighs about 8lbs per gallon, and with the substrate averages 10-12 lbs per gallon. This means that almost 100 lbs are pressing down on the cracked glass. You will end up with a huge mess and dead fish. I don't recommend using any cracked aquarium for fish tho if the crack is small and at the top, you can theoretically repair it with silicone AND a piece of plate glass.

You might want to repair the broken tank with silicon (and possibly a piece of plate glass) fill it with 1-2" of water, make a little island in the middle and make that the exclusive habitat for the frogs.

However, you have several fish that are just not suited for a 10 gallon, even if they are the only fish in the tank.

 

[LeapFrog_85]

oh I think I may have been wrong on the Tiger Barbs... mine are Barbs I think but I'm not sure what type... they are both orange... kinda Triangular shaped one has a spot on it's top fin and then close to it's um hiney in the middle... and the other is sorta transparent with white stripes... sorry I wish I had a picture...


oh and I took that website and I think my Hi-fin tetra may be a black widow tetra

 

[Sang72]

does it look like this?

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/barbpent.htm

 

[LeapFrog_85]

no that looks more like what I thought was my clown loach... ???

 

[Sang72]

what king of triangle, long or short?

Clown loach
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/clown.htm

 

[Sang72]

this?

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/rosybarb.htm

 

[LeapFrog_85]

um kinda like this <=> and that definantly does not look like what I thought my clown loach is... I think he or she is a Pentazona Barb

 

[LeapFrog_85]

hey this page http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/tinfoil.htm is the shape kinda only they are orange

 

[Sang72]

how bout this?

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/...s_denisonii.htm

Ain't wal mart great? selling barbs as loaches

 

[LeapFrog_85]

AH HA!!! Rosy Barb!!! http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/rosybarb.htm

I think I will get a job at Wal-mart and fix all their screw ups!!!