Newbie In Need Of Advice

[Fintastic!]

Hi guys, I'll try to keep this brief but it's a little long-winded! A friend of mine gave us a tropical tank with a Kissing Gourami that he didn't want anymore. It's a 10 gallon (43.5 litre) tank, hexagonal shape. Over the past 6 weeks we've added 3 platys, 2 mollies, 4 zebra danios and 2 corys (1 albino, 1 very cute pepper).Also we had several baby platys appear but only 1 survives by hiding in the gravel. O.K. sorry for all the questions in advance!!
Everyone seems to get on ok but in your expert opinion do we have a good mix? We have no live plants, only fake, would they be happier if we added some? We feed them a pinch of flakes each day adding some bloodworm paste twice a week, is this suitable? We clean the bottom of the tank every week with a partial water change but we have a little algae on the glass, should this be cleaned away or do they eat it? Our temp is set at 22 but our thermometer that we hung inside the tank is reading 30, is this too warm? Lastly, our pepper cory looks like he sleeps a lot. He's often very still at the bottom for long periods and then darts around seemingly happily. Does this sound normal?
I have checked things out on the web but I find lots of conflicting advice. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this!

 

[micko]

Your tank is over-stocked. Danios need to be in groups of 6 minimum and need a 3.5ft tank at least.
Corys (of the one breed, not two) need to be in groups of 6 minimum
What sex are the platty and molly? The guidelines are 1male to three females.
As for the temp you need to get that sorted out ASAP. 30 degree would be far to high, and danios also need lower temps that most tropical fish.
Welcome to the forum by the way.

 

[Louiseness]

You have to be careful stocking a tall hexagonal tank as it has much less swimming room than a 'normal' rectangular tank of similar volume. I'd imagine it's quite narrow width-wise? Could you tell us the diameter of it?

Yes, you do seriously need to sort that temperature, it's too hot for most if not all of the fish you have in there.

I would suggest you need to build mroe appropriate schools as has been mentioned (at least 6 cories of the same species) but I don't think you'll have room really.

 

[fluttermoth]

Hi fintastic, welcome to the forum.

It's not a great mixof fish, tbh; let me point out why; the danios are a very active swimming fish that really need a three foot long to be able to stretch themsleves out and they do better in larger shoals (people always say '6+'; I recommend no less than a dozen for shoaling fish, myself).

The corydoras also need to be in larger groups (6+ is probably ok for them, although the more the merrier) and should really have a sand substrate, as part of their natural behaviour is digging in sand.

Unfortunatley you don't really have room in your tank to increase your numbers.

The kissing gourami really ought to grow to about a foot long, although he might already be stunted from being kept in such a small tank; it would be better if you could re-home him if you can.

Real plants are better for fish and there are lots that are easy to grow.

Your feeding is fine. A fish's stomach is only about the size of it's eye, and all the food should be gone within a couple of minutes; if it's not, then you might need to cut back on feeding. Some fish will pick at algae; the best thing is to clean it off the front bits of the tank and leave the back walls.

It's quite common for the temperature settings on heaters to be 'out'; I'd get another thermometer (they're cheap) just to check for accuracy; 30°C is too hot; if your second thermometer says the same, you want to turn the heater down.

That does sound fairly normal behviour for cories (bearing in mind what I mentioned earlier about shoal size/substrate).

 

[Fintastic!]

Your tank is over-stocked. Danios need to be in groups of 6 minimum and need a 3.5ft tank at least.
Corys (of the one breed, not two) need to be in groups of 6 minimum
What sex are the platty and molly? The guidelines are 1male to three females.
As for the temp you need to get that sorted out ASAP. 30 degree would be far to high, and danios also need lower temps that most tropical fish.
Welcome to the forum by the way.

 

[colleen0309]

First of all, welcome to the forum! Now for your questions. A 10 gallon tank is really too small for a Kisser, especially a hex. Since this fish was in there when you got the tank, he is probably already stunted. The danios need more swimming room. they are very fast fish and like to have a long tank to dart around in. The cories are a shoaling fish and prefer to be in a group of 6 or more. Are you using a sand substrate or gravel? Gravel can be hard on cories. My fish like real over plastic plants. With the plastic, my fish swim around the plants. With real, they swim through the plants. The fish might nibble on the algae, but they won't clear it away. Wash it off, your tank will look better. I'd say 30 is too warm. I'd try to get it around 22 - 24. Hope I helped.

 

[Fintastic!]

Oh crikey I feel bad for my poor fish! Thanks a million for your replys guys! I think I should give my danios back to the shop, do you?
Micko, I know for sure two of my platys are female and I'm guessing the third is too as it's the same shape and size If I lower my heater to 20 that should help shouldn't it? Louiseness, I have nothing to measure my tank so I'll take a guess. It has six panels and each panel is about a foot long. Thanks for that Fluttermoth, my poor gourami. His previous owner used to feed him goldfish flakes every four days. Imagine! Even I know better! Poor little fella probably thinks he's living in luxury now....

 

[fluttermoth]

Try not too feel too bad; at least your here now getting some proper advice.

I would agree about the heater; but we don't know whether it's the heater or the thermometer that's innaccurate

If you can take the danios back, and maybe ask them if they'll take the gourami as well, your tank will be better off; especially as you're going to have lots of fry very soon...

 

[Fintastic!]

First of all, welcome to the forum! Now for your questions. A 10 gallon tank is really too small for a Kisser, especially a hex. Since this fish was in there when you got the tank, he is probably already stunted. The danios need more swimming room. they are very fast fish and like to have a long tank to dart around in. The cories are a shoaling fish and prefer to be in a group of 6 or more. Are you using a sand substrate or gravel? Gravel can be hard on cories. My fish like real over plastic plants. With the plastic, my fish swim around the plants. With real, they swim through the plants. The fish might nibble on the algae, but they won't clear it away. Wash it off, your tank will look better. I'd say 30 is too warm. I'd try to get it around 22 - 24. Hope I helped.

Try not too feel too bad; at least your here now getting some proper advice.

I would agree about the heater; but we don't know whether it's the heater or the thermometer that's innaccurate

If you can take the danios back, and maybe ask them if they'll take the gourami as well, your tank will be better off; especially as you're going to have lots of fry very soon...

 

[colleen0309]

If you could post some pics of the platties and mollies, we might be able to tell you the sexes.

 

[Fintastic!]

Oh dear, I either need to change the tank or the fish it seems. Fluttermoth, I hate to admit it but I love the gourami. I didn't want it at first but it's hard not to fall for the poor thing. Now I feel guilty. I'm so glad I posted here as I thought they were all fairly happy! I really appreciate your replys guys, thanks again!

 

[Louiseness]

You could always rehome him and go for a dwarf gourami, not quite the same but much more suitable for that tank!

 

[Fishy friend2]

Overstocked

 

[colleen0309]

Don't feel too bad. We've all made mistakes. The important thing is you are willing to learn from your mistakes and correct the problems.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Yeah Colleen is right