Things I Can Put In My Tank?

[FishIsReadyForTakeOff]

I have tropical fish.

I was wondering if there were anything i could put in my tank that could entertain them.

I already put a star shaped feeding block in there.

If i got a bubbler, where would i plug it into? All i saw on it was a short hose on the back of it.

 

[NickAu]

Oh wow.
 
What sort of fish are they?
How big is the tank?
What sort of filter do you have?
How many fish?
Any plants?
Is the tank cycled? ( I doubt it )
 

 
If i got a bubbler, where would i plug it into? All i saw on it was a short hose on the back of it.

It would plug into an air pump.
 

 
I already put a star shaped feeding block in there.

I dont like those.

 

[FishIsReadyForTakeOff]

That reply didnt have to be so rude.

Thats your opinion if you don't like the block feeders. Its my choice. I still feed them regular food.

I dont know what you mean by cycled, but i do put new water in my tank every now and then.

Tank is five gallons. 2 Mollies, a shrimp, a snail, a catfish, and three tiny yellow and orange fish, didnt look at what species they were since i was in a hurry at that moment.

I dont think that information mattered.

I was thinking about getting a moss ball but im not sure.

 

[NickAu]

 
That reply didnt have to be so rude.

Sorry if it appears rude.
 

 
I dont know what you mean by cycled,

First you need to read this. Cycle your Tank
 

 
Tank is five gallons. 2 Mollies, a shrimp, a snail, a catfish, and three tiny yellow and orange fish

 
That tank is over stocked, and way too small for mollies. It would however make a great tank for your betta.
 

 
Thats your opinion if you don't like the block feeders.

They can foul the water up.
 

 
I dont think that information mattered.

What are you water parameters? things like Ammonia nitrite nitrate GH/KH.
 
Is the tank heated?
 

 
but i do put new water in my tank every now and then.

I think you should be changing 50% every few days.

 

[FishIsReadyForTakeOff]

I dont have enough money to buy more tanks, and the only spot that i can put a fish tank on only fits a five gallon tank.

I have roommates so i have to keep it in my room.

All the fish are very small except for the mollies. They seem to be doing fine.

How many fish do you think should be in the tank then?

I dont have a heater, and it sounds like it might cost a bit.

I have no idea about ammonia and all that stuff

 

[fluttermoth]

I don't think anyone is being rude to you, OP.
 
We all have the best interests and welfare of the fish at heart.
 
I'm afraid your tanks are very badly stocked. For instance, you've mentioned on another thread that your catfish is a corydoras. These fish are very, very social, and it's very bad practice to keep just one on it's own.
 
Mollies do get rather large, and need a tank that is at least 10, preferably 20, gallons.
 
Feeding blocks are a very bad idea, especially in small tanks like yours, as they can foul the water very quickly, and that can kill fish.
 
If you only have room for a small tank, then that's fine, but you do need to chose your stock very carefully, as many fish need more room, if they're to grow properly and live long lives.
 
I would suggest you have a read of some of the threads in the 'Cycle your Tank' forum, as that will give you some really useful information.

 

[AmtotheBurr]

Hi and welcome! I will mirror a few of the others on the feeding block. Many a people have ended up with dead fishes because the block threw the water parameters off and the fish die. Especially if you don't have a test kit to monitor what's going on. Some local fish stores will do free water tests for you. Is there any way you can get a test done and give us the water parameters? Petmart or any other chain usually doesn't mind testing your water.
The tank is very overstocked. I would recommend rehoming the mollies and catfish. They will not thrive in a small tank and their life spans will be much shorter.
To answer your question, I would not add a Moss ball at this point. By the time you take out your gravel and decor space, the fish might have 4 gallons they can swim in. I wouldn't add anything else that would take up swim space in my honest opinion. Good luck and let us know if we can help.

 

[Gruntle]

The reasons I don't like the block feeders are:
 
If they're the white ones, I end up with a chalky residue all over everything in the tank and it takes forever to get rid of.
Fish can be pigs and eat the whole block too quickly, which I don't think is very good for them.
If the fish don't eat the block quickly, it can turn toxic as the food decomposes.
 
If you want to entertain your fish, give them a habitat that mirrors their natural environment as much as possible. This would include live plants (fish can eat the micro-organisms which is good for them, and some fish will nibble on the plants themselves). It also benefits the water quality as the plants will use some of the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in the water. You could also give them some hiding places (caves, wood etc), however with a small tank, as mentioned above, this would decrease the actual amount of water and swimming space.
 
You can also give them variety in their food, such as live or freeze-dried bloodworms or brine shrimp.

 

[the_lock_man]

I dont have a heater, and it sounds like it might cost a bit.

 
But without it, tropical fish will die. The reason they are called tropical fish is because they are from the tropical areas of the world, and the natural water temperature there is warm. Their bodies have evolved to live in that kind of temperature.
 
If someone had kept a cat in a refrigerator, the animal welfare authorities would charge them with the crime of animal cruelty, because they had deliberately kept an animal in an unreasonably cold envrionment, and I don't think you, as a reasonable human being, would argue with that. The environment you are keeping your fish in is unreasonably cold.

 

[Ltygress]

A very GENERAL rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon of water. Your mollies alone could reach up to 4 inches, so two of those is already overstocking the tank.

Here are some rumors about fish that are NOT true:

- Fish will only grow to fit the tank they are kept in.
* Actually fish will continue to grow to their full potntial size regardless of the tank size. That's why common plecos are horrible at most local fish stores because their adult size can be 15 to 18 inches, and most people don't know this!

- Some fish don't need filtration
* ALL fish need filtration, some can just rely on pure biological filtration in the right water parameters.

- Bettas don't need much room
* Not true at all. In the wild a betta will ONLY inhabit puddles during the dry season when lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams dry up, leaving only puddles. But this is SURVIVING, not living. And even in the wild it is only temporary.

- Most fish are fine living alone
* Fish in general are social creatures. That's why they have the phrase "school of fish". Certain territorial species may be fine alone (like a betta), but others need their own kind with them. An there is not much cooler stuff out there than watching a bunch of tetras in a very large tank schooling around together.

And the opposite...
- Putting lots of fish in an aquarium makes them happy and stops problems.
* It causes more problems. I'm sure you've noticed your tank gets cloudy VERY quickly. But a 100% water change is bad because it kills off beneficial bacteria. They kinda work the same as the "probiotics" in your own gut and in yogurt - but with totally different types of bacteria (so please don't go putting yogurt in your tank). The bacteria break things down into much less harmful materials. And while your fish may not appear to be fighting for space, I guarantee they are NOT happy with so little space!

Then of course it sounds like you have heard other rumors, such as fish not needing a heater. They only cost about $10 to $15 for one that can handle your tank size. Goldfish are about the only fish that can handle cooler waters, but even they can appreciate heat.

And I have to mention, once you actually get a heater, YOU may not feel like it's warm. It only keeps the water around 75 degrees which feels a bit cool to our touch (since we are 98 degrees). But in a room where the AIR is 70 degrees, the water is much cooler, and the fish WILL feel the difference!

 

[Ch4rlie]

And the opposite...
- Putting lots of fish in an aquarium makes them happy and stops problems.
* It causes more problems. I'm sure you've noticed your tank gets cloudy VERY quickly. But a 100% water change is bad because it kills off beneficial bacteria. They kinda work the same as the "probiotics" in your own gut and in yogurt - but with totally different types of bacteria (so please don't go putting yogurt in your tank). The bacteria break things down into much less harmful materials. And while your fish may not appear to be fighting for space, I guarantee they are NOT happy with so little space!

 
Not strictly correct, cloudy water is usually down to bacterial blooms, usually at onset of a cycling tank. Though its possible overstocking may cause a bacterial bloom if the tank is uncycled.
 
 

And the opposite...
- Putting lots of fish in an aquarium makes them happy and stops problems.
* It causes more problems. I'm sure you've noticed your tank gets cloudy VERY quickly. But a 100% water change is bad because it kills off beneficial bacteria. They kinda work the same as the "probiotics" in your own gut and in yogurt - but with totally different types of bacteria (so please don't go putting yogurt in your tank). The bacteria break things down into much less harmful materials. And while your fish may not appear to be fighting for space, I guarantee they are NOT happy with so little space!

 
Again, not quite 100% correct, beneficial bacteria lives inside filter, on substrate, tank glass, plants and decor, theese bacteria are protected by a biofilm, which means bacteria will cling onto the surfaces pretty well and can easily tolerate 100% water changes as will be moist inside this biofilm, though they will not survive for long if left to dry out.
 
 

Then of course it sounds like you have heard other rumors, such as fish not needing a heater. They only cost about $10 to $15 for one that can handle your tank size. Goldfish are about the only fish that can handle cooler waters, but even they can appreciate heat.

And I have to mention, once you actually get a heater, YOU may not feel like it's warm. It only keeps the water around 75 degrees which feels a bit cool to our touch (since we are 98 degrees). But in a room where the AIR is 70 degrees, the water is much cooler, and the fish WILL feel the difference!

 
Goldfish ARE one of the few fish species that can tolerate colder waters, but this is also true of most temperate fish, such as White Cloud Mountain Minnows and some danios they will happily live in cooler waters.
 
Various species of shrimps and snails are also good in colder waters.

 

[Ltygress]

 
Not strictly correct, cloudy water is usually down to bacterial blooms, usually at onset of a cycling tank. Though its possible overstocking may cause a bacterial bloom if the tank is uncycled.

 
Again, not quite 100% correct, beneficial bacteria lives inside filter, on substrate, tank glass, plants and decor, theese bacteria are protected by a biofilm, which means bacteria will cling onto the surfaces pretty well and can easily tolerate 100% water changes as will be moist inside this biofilm, though they will not survive for long if left to dry out.

In the OP's case, it really sounded as though he broke the tank down and cleaned the whole thing out, meaning the bacteria aren't even getting a strong hold. And in that case, yes it would be recycling itself every single time, and the number of fish would make it very bad.

Goldfish ARE one of the few fish species that can tolerate colder waters, but this is also true of most temperate fish, such as White Cloud Mountain Minnows and some danios they will happily live in cooler waters.

I said ABOUT the only fish. I know there are others but for beginners' sake, I kept it to goldfish.
 

 Various species of shrimps and snails are also good in colder waters.

Those aren't "fish" though. Aquatic, yes, but not fish.

 

[RobRocksFishTank]

That's the problem with generalities. Generally, they are usually wrong.

 

[Ltygress]

*Brain Explodes*