New Fish Tank

[a4ron922k81]

I have a 30 litre fish tank I had it cycling empty for two weeks then I added six neon tetras all ok water readings all staying good so two days later I added a male Siamese fighter fish, two more neon tetras and one Otocinclus , then I left it three days and added anouther three otocinclus tonight because I read these should live in groups of 4 or more , my water readings are all staying where they should be and the fish seem fine is this a good amount of fish for the tank or to many as I'm new to this also how much do I feed ?

 

[fluttermoth]

It is too many, tbh. You might get away with it if you do very regular, large water changes. You'll need to monitor the nitrate level very closely and aim to keep it at about 20ppm above what comes from your tap.

If you can, I would return the otos; they're notorious for doing very poorly in newly set up tanks.

What are your water's stats at the moment?

Edit; I forgot to say; to the forum.

 

[mike455555]

id say return the neon's as well 30L cant be enough space for them to shoal

 

[a4ron922k81]

Well the nitrate level is about 5ppm which I thought was ok for a newly cycling tank ? And I plan to do 10litre water changes once a week as for returning the neon tetras there very small at the minute and seem to be doing okay but I should be getting a 120 litre tank in a month or two so they should be fine until then was my thinking ?

 

[fluttermoth]

I think you'll be ok if you're sure you're going to be getting the bigger tank.

Do watch those levels like a hawk though; are you testing for ammonia and nitrite as well? You may well find that 30% weekly just isn't enough for such a heavily stocked tank.

 

[a4ron922k81]

Yeah ammonia was 0.25 and nitrite was 0 and really what you recon like 50% ?

 

[fluttermoth]

Ok; that ammonia is on the very edge of being safe, so you need to do an immediate water change to get it down (as it will be rising all the time).

How did you cycle the tank originally? Did you use anything or was the tank just running empty? In a properly cycled tank you would never get any reading for ammonia, or nitrite.

I can't really tell you how big your water changes need to be; you have to be guided by your test kits. As it doesn't sound like your filter is cycled, you'll need to be testing every day for both ammonia and nitrite and doing enough water changes to keep them from ever getting above 0.25ppm. You might find that you'll have to do 75 or 80% changes daily (or even twice daily) until you are cycled.

If you click on the link in my sig ('Beginner's Resource Centre') you'll find some articles on 'the nitrogen cycle' and 'fish-in cycling' which might be useful to you

 

[a4ron922k81]

Tank is still staying clear and I have just tested it my ph was 7 and my ammonia nitrite and nitrate where all 0 ppm so is this okay because from what I read in the testing kit this is fine ?

 

[fluttermoth]

I'd be worried that something's up. Normal, cycled tanks should always have some level of nitrate.

Are you sure you doing the tests right? Sorry if that sounds patronising, but I do have to check! Have you tested your tap water for nitrate?

 

[a4ron922k81]

Yeah doing it exactly as it says but the colours on the chart are quite similar so I may be reading it wrong and no I will try that now

 

[a4ron922k81]

Just read the water straight out of my tap and that read 10ppm nitrate (NO3-) I have a Api freshwater master kit which wasn't cheap so I should be getting accurate readings but isn't 0ppm good ?

 

[panda_cory]

id say return the neon's as well 30L cant be enough space for them to shoal

Plus keep an eye on the Neons as they can be nippy and nip at the siamese fighters fins.

 

[a4ron922k81]

id say return the neon's as well 30L cant be enough space for them to shoal

Plus keep an eye on the Neons as they can be nippy and nip at the siamese fighters fins.

Well I had heard they might do that but so far they been together a week and seem to be living in harmony luckily

 

[panda_cory]

Well ever fish is different and some fish act differently to others.

 

[wirralbull]

if youre tap water nitrate is 10 youre tank cant b 0. if you had amonia and now you dont you must have nitrite. youre tank will certainly not be cycled for the amount of fish you have if atall in 2-3wks. 30% a wk. i wud b doing 50% daily if it was my tank