Newbie From Fishkeeping

[singlecutguitar]

Hello everybody, I'm new here as well as fish keeping hobby. Used to be keeping reptiles for years but my family always nag about it

. You know, some people afraid about lizards and snakes. But I've been keeping betta for years in single small tank. So I decided to build some community fish tanks.
 
I quit keeping reptiles for about two years and there is unused tanks in my room, so I decide to search new hobby. I watch tons video on youtube about Cichlid and love their coloration at the first time. So I start to fill my used to be Blue Tonge Skink tank with an oscar fish, it is about 15 gallon. At first I am unaware about cycling and biological filtration, so my first oscar died in the first week...

. It's bad experience for me.. In my country, people keeping betta in a coffee bottle so I thought that it is the same for all fish.
 
A week later, I bought 5 Yellow Lab Cichlid for my 15 gallon to replace the oscar. A month later 2 of them died.. So sad, I search on the internet it is because of the tank is too small, so I plan to buy bigger tank sooner.
 
For all of my bad experience I hope to find a lot of information about fishkeeping and redeem my mistake. I hate to see die animals.
 
 
 

 

[fm1978]

Hi and welcome.
 
Perhaps it's not just the size of the tank that is the problem, although it is a big factor, but, more importantly you absolutely must read as much info as possible on cycling your tank before you introduce any type of fish.
 
This is a must read...
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/
 
On the size issue; I would think your yellow labs would need a tank much larger, perhaps 50 Gallons. Maybe you could start your fish keeping with something a little less difficult to house with fewer advanced requirements?
 
Did you have any other type of fish in mind?

 

[singlecutguitar]

Yes, I have one Betta which I keep for around 3 month in single a gallon tank, but yesterday I move him in 10 gallon community tank with 3 corydoras, a shark (black with red fins), 10 danios. I don't know which variation of danios. They are red, maybe an albino ? But I think albino have red eyes, mine is black.
 
 

 

[fm1978]

It sounds like you may be slightly over stocked on your 10 Gallon tank - someone with more experience than me might be able to confirm that.
 
Your Red-tailed Black shark could grow to be 6 inches long! Are your Danios bright red? Do they have stripes or small spots?
 
Are any of your tanks already cycled?

 

[singlecutguitar]

My shark is still 6 inches, I have bigger tanks, so I'll move him when he got bigger
 
My danios are less than 1 inches, red body not so bright, more like transparent red, with black eyes and transparent fin, or maybe they are still fry ? I think they're more lite tetras, but le store says they're red danios or something
 
I'm still in fish-in cycle, I know it is cruel but equipment is hard to find here

 

[ncguppy830]

are you sure there danios and not rasboras welcome btw

 

[singlecutguitar]

are you sure there danios and not rasboras welcome btw

 
I don't know exactly, but the fish store says they are danios. It can be wrong information. Sorry for my bad camera


Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 

Are any of your tanks already cycled?

 
I don't know but think it's still in cycle. I don't have bacteria bloom anyway. I use old filter from older tanks and run fishless for about 3-4 days. CMIIW The bacteria is 99% live in the filter ?

 

[ncguppy830]

maybe glofish which are genitically modified danios that come in different colors

 

[singlecutguitar]

maybe glofish which are genitically modified danios that come in different colors

 
I search through wikipedia. Think you're right, my fishes are look like this but in red color. It says Zebrafish
 

 

[the_lock_man]

Like this
 

 
or as per the fish on www.glofish.com ?

 

[singlecutguitar]

Like this
 

 
or as per the fish on www.glofish.com ?

No, they are actually zebrafish by the look of it, but red-pink color. I think they're not glofish because they're not glow in the dark. I'm aware that glofish is zebra fish with transgenic or something. And glofish has not been introduce in my LFS

 

[ncguppy830]

orange finned danio maybe

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

Welcome!
 
That shark does not fit in that tank.  You should move him to your bigger tank, if he is indeed 6 inches.

With 10 small danios (no matter the kind) and 3 corydoras, you are fully stocked.  (Well, some would argue you could fit maybe 2 or three other small fish.  Perhaps you could make the corydora school larger later).  If you are still cycling, jumping straight to a full stock is very aggressive.  It can work, especially since danios are some of the hardiest fish and in my opinion some of the best cyclers around.  I worry slightly about the corydoras, but that's only cause I killed several in my early days of fishkeeping.  That's just personal experience.  
 
If anything shows signs of sickness or stuff starts dying, consider moving them to your larger tank.  If you haven't yet set up the larger tank, you could do it now and cycle both at the same time.  Personally that's what I would do. For example, I would leave 5 danios in the 15g and move the other 5 plus the shark and corys into the larger tank to cycle that one.  Then once both are cycled you can keep stocking.

You can use test kits to keep track of the progress of your cycle.  I'm sure the "Read this first for newbies" type posts will help with that.  If you don't have them, I would say just wait it out for at least a month before fully stocking both or all tanks.

All in all, good luck!  Hopefully you're thinking about plants, rocks, and driftwood soon! Making the tank look cool is sometimes more than half the fun.  Be sure to post pictures and share with the community! 
 
PS Hopefully I explained that well.  If anything didn't make sense, or I worded it funny, respond and I will reply.  Or someone else on here will answer your questions!  It's a generally helpful crowd.

 

[singlecutguitar]

orange finned danio maybe

 
I quite sure they are zebra danios from the look of it. maybe I'll post better picture with better camera soon enough
 

Welcome!
 
That shark does not fit in that tank.  You should move him to your bigger tank, if he is indeed 6 inches.

With 10 small danios (no matter the kind) and 3 corydoras, you are fully stocked.  (Well, some would argue you could fit maybe 2 or three other small fish.  Perhaps you could make the corydora school larger later).  If you are still cycling, jumping straight to a full stock is very aggressive.  It can work, especially since danios are some of the hardiest fish and in my opinion some of the best cyclers around.  I worry slightly about the corydoras, but that's only cause I killed several in my early days of fishkeeping.  That's just personal experience.  
 
If anything shows signs of sickness or stuff starts dying, consider moving them to your larger tank.  If you haven't yet set up the larger tank, you could do it now and cycle both at the same time.  Personally that's what I would do. For example, I would leave 5 danios in the 15g and move the other 5 plus the shark and corys into the larger tank to cycle that one.  Then once both are cycled you can keep stocking.

You can use test kits to keep track of the progress of your cycle.  I'm sure the "Read this first for newbies" type posts will help with that.  If you don't have them, I would say just wait it out for at least a month before fully stocking both or all tanks.

All in all, good luck!  Hopefully you're thinking about plants, rocks, and driftwood soon! Making the tank look cool is sometimes more than half the fun.  Be sure to post pictures and share with the community! 
 
PS Hopefully I explained that well.  If anything didn't make sense, or I worded it funny, respond and I will reply.  Or someone else on here will answer your questions!  It's a generally helpful crowd.

 
Hello Elrohirthehasty, people in this forum has given me a lot of information. Such a great community
 
My shark is 2 inches, I'll move it in bigger tank if they get larger. My danio is 0.5 inches, will the get bigger ?
 
Is it really 10 danios and 3 cory overstocked ? I even think to get 10 more danios.
 
My mistake, I am unaware about nitrogen cycle, Not only I know nothing about it, but also fishkeeper in my place never really care about it since there is no test kit available in my LFS. If it is available, it'll be super expensive and I can't afford it. The price is like more expensive than buying new tank. So we just guessing if it is cycled or not.
 
I already add live plant, a piralis and an sri rejeki ( I don't know what people call it in english)
 
 
 
 

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

Hello Elrohirthehasty, people in this forum has given me a lot of information. Such a great community

 
My shark is 2 inches, I'll move it in bigger tank if they get larger. My danio is 0.5 inches, will the get bigger ?
 
Is it really 10 danios and 3 cory overstocked ? I even think to get 10 more danios.
 
My mistake, I am unaware about nitrogen cycle, Not only I know nothing about it, but also fishkeeper in my place never really care about it since there is no test kit available in my LFS. If it is available, it'll be super expensive and I can't afford it. The price is like more expensive than buying new tank. So we just guessing if it is cycled or not.
 
I already add live plant, a piralis and an sri rejeki ( I don't know what people call it in english)
 

 
I would guess the danios would grow to be about an inch.  10 danios and 3 corys is fully stocked, but not over stocked.  So, it is good. Some people would say you could even have 13 danios and 3 corys, but wait to get more!  Cycling with a fully stocked tank could be a problem.  Just watch the fish carefully for signs of sickness.  

Since getting test kits isn't an option, I would say just wait it out.  To be on the safe side wait at least a month for cycling.
 
Glad to hear you have plants!  The more the better.  Plants eat up some extra nitrogen (nitrates), which is always good.  You will always still have to change the water.  I don't know what plants are available to you, but some do better with lots of light, and some are okay with less light.  I don't know which lights you have, but assuming less light is better.  Some plants that do well in less light are Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus) which is from your area I think and most kinds of Anubias