New Biorb - water change before adding more fish?

[haddock]

Hi everyone, I have a heated biorb 10 gallon (I couldn't resist - I'm going to keep it low stocked with small fish like tetras and danios). I cycled with fish (4 zebra danios) and my water readings and fish are all fine. I haven't done any water changes yet and in the next few days I'm planning to add my second lot of fish (tetras). Can someone tell me if I should change some water before adding more fish or should I wait for a while until the biological filter has caught up with my new additions.
Also, any ideas on the best teras for a beginner.

Thanks.

 

[daza]

Hi haddock, welcome to TFF

you should do a good read around this forum, including the pinned topics at the top of the beginners section.

I have to say that you shouldn't add any more fish to the biorb. In general, people recommend 1 inch of fish per gallon. which means that adding anything more would overstock your biorb. However, I have zebra danios and they are very active fish. They need much more space than a biorb. The surface area is also a consideration, and is very small in a biorb.

I think you will find that to be the general opinion of members here. There are a few previous posts along similar lines.

If your biorb has been successfuly cycled by the zera danios then I would suggest that you swapped them for maybe five neon tetras, and stocked only them. Or change your plans and stock one betta.

Generally speaking, when it comes to stocking, I do not do a water change other than my usual weekly partial change. Also, time must be left for the filter to catch up with new additions. Add small numbers every couple of weeks or so. I recently made the mistake of adding 4 Otos in one go - not realising that they are the messiest little creatures in the world!

 

[kev_kb]

IMHO danios are not suitable for this tank as they need a lot of room to swim in. Maybe some Tetras would be ok, but bear in the mind the surface area of the tank when thinking about stocking, you won't be able to fit as much in a biorb than a standard 10 gallon tank.

Please make sure you have read all you can find on here about cycling. If you cycled with fish you should have changed some of the water to keep the levels of Ammonia & Nitrite to safe levels. Unless you used an established filter/gravel they cycle would have taken around a month, have you had the tank setup that long?

Once the cycle is complete, you will have 0ppm of both Ammonia & Nitrite and readable Nitrate you should change 10% of the water every week. Only add new fish when you have 0ppm Ammonia & Nitrite, then do it slowly.

Also I believe Danios like to be in groups of at least 6, same goes for most Tetras I think.

Sorry Daza, we must have replied at the same time!

 

[The-Wolf]

In my expert opinion danios are in no way suitable for any sized bi-orb.
The only thing suitable has already been suggested, a betta.

 

[haddock]

Thanks for all your replies. I has a suspision that you guys wouldn't approve . I will have to leave the danios as they are for a few weeks and then I will get a bigger tank. Out of interest my LFS said that I could stock my biorb with 6 danios and 10 tetras - I realise now that this is far too much!

The danios seem to have cycled the tank OK. My levels are all zero after 5 weeks. I haven't done any waters changed yet as my levels just came down fully a week ago - is this wrong, should I have been doing water changes all along?

I am now a fishaholic and just want do do things properly.

Thanks.

 

[The-Wolf]

Out of interest my LFS said that I could stock my biorb with 6 danios and 10 tetras - I realise now that this is far too much!

The danios seem to have cycled the tank OK.

I haven't done any waters changed yet - is this wrong, should I have been doing water changes all along?

I am now a fishaholic and just want do do things properly.

Thanks.

Lesson 1] the lfs's just want to sell you stuff, don't trust
them untill you know you are getting good advice.

It is ok to cycle a bi-orb with danios.
I'm glad that you are going to re-house them

If you are confident that the bi-orb is fully cycled then
a 20% water change now and every week is in order.
Some people do, indeed, do water changes during the cycle;
personally I've never done it that way.

A fishaholic you just wait untill MTS strikes then
you'll be well and truly hooked (pun intended).

Good luck.

 

[kev_kb]

The only reason to water change during cycling is to keep Ammonia & Nitrite low, as to not poison your fish. I guess Danios are very hardy and can survive high levels of both of these?

 

[The-Wolf]

I guess Danios are very hardy and can survive high levels of both of these?

To a certain extent yes, but like all fish very high levels would be fatal.

 

[ajhainey]

Just to add that of the tanks I have had the bi-orb actually coped the best with being overloaded. I ran it with tropicals (5 danios, 5 neons) and with 2 small goldfish (at different times!) quite happily with stable readings and much slower climbing nitrate than my main (180l) tank. I only ran into trouble when I tried to keep danios in an unheated one (22c) with goldfish (I know I know, dont ask).

Just a thought that despite what 'the rules' say I found the bi-orb to be capable of holiding more than you might think - although nothing was in there for more than 4 months before I got fed up with the lens effect and gave it to a friend...

That said I wouldn't keep danios in one again as those guys really appreciate some room!

aj xx

 

[Slyspy]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but isn't a bio-orb 30 litres (approx 8 us or 6.6 imp gallons)? Just asking because you might be working under the misapprehension that you have 10 gallons to stock. Or maybe they make different sizes.

If a bio-orb has a lot of aeration would take counter balance the low surface area I wonder? Might increase algae growth though.

As a guide I have 5 neon tetras, 3 panda cories and 2 otos in my 30 litre tank although it is of a conventional shape.

PS
Despite their repuatation for fragility my otos and neons seem to have settled in fine. Also my otos do not seem especially messy. I got my fish because they were recommended as low bio-load types.

 

[haddock]

Thanks folks, I did my first water change last night and all seems good. One thing though - the boirb "service kit" recomends using stress zyme in the new water to build up the filter again. What do you think? Shouldn't the fitler bugs build up again on their own?

Hi Slyspy, yes sorry you are right- I made a mistake trying to convert 30L into gallons in my head! With regards to algae - I know its early days (nearly 6 weeks) but so far no sign of algae. I have several plants which are growing *really* fast so that might be why?

Hi ajhainey - thats good news. I'll be buying a bigger tank soon but Its good to know anyway. I actully found a specific biorb forum (can't find link now) and people on there seemed to mainly keep danios and tetras with few problems, although its hard to tell how long they have had these set ups for.

I have another Q for the danio experts here - can you mix types eg 3 zebra and 3 lepeord and count that as 1 school of 6 or would I need 6 of each (for the next tank not the biorb!)

Thanks again !

 

[The-Wolf]

I have another Q for the danio experts here - can you mix types eg 3 zebra and 3 lepeord and count that as 1 school of 6 or would I need 6 of each (for the next tank not the biorb!)

Thanks again !

Yes all danios will school with other danios
try to keep the same sizes together I.E. don't
try to mix Giant danios with dwarf danios.

FYI Leopard danios are a man made colour morph
of the Zebra and therefore they are the same fish.
hense; Danio Rerio(ZD) danio "frankei" Rerio(LD)
the Frankei refers to the first breeder that created the strain.

A nice mix of danios would be ZD,LD,Pearls, and Glowlight.
Also consider longfinned variations and the golden zebra danios.