New Tank - Scared Fish Question?

[Leeore]

Hello all


I just recently set up a 10 gallon tank for a betta I have purchased. He is a male. I let him get used to his new home, and he is doing very well. I decided yesterday to add another small fish - this guy (Im not sure of the name...the girls working at the store looked about 15 and confused lol) A tetra maybe? It says tetra..but *shrug*

http/z.about.com/d/freshaquarium/1/0/a/V/tetra08G.jpg



My betta was a little curious at first, and chased him for a bit. Now he seems to be alright with his new tankmate, but once and awhile he will chase him..nothing serious, just in short bursts - but my little guy seems to be scared to death now! He seems all sketchy and keeps rubbing against the glass as if he wants out. Is this a danger sign? Should I transfer the little one out or let it be? Or is it because he was in a very small tank with many other small fish at the store, and is not used to all that space with, well, a semi-aggressive fish?




Another question - the filter that came with my setup is a Tetra Whisper PF10. The current is a tad strong on the right side now because of this filter, and my poor betta has troubles swimming in that one spot because of it. Is there a filter anyone can reccomend that has a lesser current for a 10 gallon tank?


Thanks!

 

[llamalord305]

I would strongly suggest getting him out. He is going to be stressed, the Betta is a very territorial fish. as for the filter, I do remember an article on the DIY forum with a plastic bottle current killer. Look it up, It looked promising.

 

[Tw3lv3]

I think that might be a black neon tetra do's it look like the fish in this link? Tetra if it is they arent very good on theyre own they are better suited in odd number shoals of 5+ of the same fish so im told

 

[waterdrop]

They don't call the Betta Splendens a Siamese Fighting Fish for nothing! He's probably just getting warmed up

Sorry.. Welcome to TFF! The members will get you worked out I'm sure. This is a great place.

So, new 10g, how new? How many days with water?

Do you use a test kit and if so what type?

Have you heard of cycling?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Tw3lv3]

aint that the truth waterdrop lol my betta used to go round after round with my angelfish un-damaged until i got 2 dwarf gourami's and the male ate him then died himself lol i was gutted

 

[Leeore]

I think that might be a black neon tetra do's it look like the fish in this link? Tetra if it is they arent very good on theyre own they are better suited in odd number shoals of 5+ of the same fish so im told

Thats the best picture I could find that looks like him. Only mine has the black stripe continuing down his lower back tailfin.

They don't call the Betta Splendens a Siamese Fighting Fish for nothing! He's probably just getting warmed up

Sorry.. Welcome to TFF! The members will get you worked out I'm sure. This is a great place.

So, new 10g, how new? How many days with water?

Do you use a test kit and if so what type?

Have you heard of cycling?

~~waterdrop~~

Thanks


It has been 4 days now. Im going to be buying a test kit tomorrow after work (Reccomend anything?)

I have heard of cycling. I have a basic understanding of it....although im unsure of when to do the 10-15% water change. Is it a couple times a week?


I dont want to put more fish in until it's done cycling..though if the lack of fish is the problem for the little one, I feel bad lol.

 

[Tw3lv3]

API freshwater masterkit's are very highly rated on here

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, the Fish-In cycling may go fairly slowly with that light a stocking in the 10g, but the process may be easier for you as a result. In a fish-in cycle the percentage of water changed and the frequency at which you do it are not fixed. Instead you have to be a bit of a detective with your new liquid test kit to figure these out and periodically adjust them. The goal is to keep both ammonia and nitrite(NO2) from ever going above 0.25ppm (a quarter of one part per million) before you can re-test and perform a water change again. Usually people choose 2 times per day to test that are 12 hours apart, such as 7am and 7pm based on what hour has them most likely to be home to test and perform a water change if necessary. This is of course the reason that fish-in cycling situations can be considered sometimes to be so difficult, because of a month or two of water changes like this. The way you know you are finished is when you can go two days without water changing and still not see any traces of either ammonia or nitrite(NO2) in the tests. At that point you just continue to test in the same manner to fill out a weeks worth of "double-zeros" and then you're back to being able to consider making small additions to your stock.

~~waterdrop~~