What Should I Do?

[K.J.]

So here's the deal. I have a ten gallon tank, which is planted. But I don't have co2 or nutritional substrate, and I want more plants, so I'm redoing it. I have two platies, four peppered cories and an ADF in there, which I know is pretty overstocked. So my question in: should I get rid of some? I don't have enough money to set up my ten gallon, honestly. And I love cories, so I'd get rid of the platies if I had to. But by get rid of them, I mean give them back to the pet shop. Wouldn't it seem suspicious to the pet shop if you were giving platies back? They take decent care of their fish, but they aren't reasonable. They probably wouldn't understand that I was overstocked, and think I was just giving them back because they were sick. So what should I do, leave 'em in there and hope nothing happens, or move some?

On another subject, the water is always really warm, probably about eighty degrees. It has thirty watts... is this too much? How do I keep the temperature down?

 

[vinylman]

Before you return the Platys, 'phone the shop to explain why you need to return them. Just explain that you're overstocked and they should look on you kindly. Say you'll swap them for a few plants, you never know.

 

[K.J.]

Before you return the Platys, 'phone the shop to explain why you need to return them. Just explain that you're overstocked and they should look on you kindly. Say you'll swap them for a few plants, you never know.

Okay. We're going to town on tuesday to order some substrate, so I might as well ask them then... I never got the platies to breed, which was my goal, but hey - in a Cory specific tank, maybe I'll get them to breed. On second thought... I probably couldn't house them so, heh. EDIT: But another problem.. I'm still two inches overstocked, minus the frog, who's going to 1: go into a betta tank, or two, get a tank of his own. Is this the "okay" overstocked... or do I have to remove the cories, too?

 

[rdd1952]

I don't think you have a serious problem with stocking depending on the type corys you have. Most corys & platies only grow to about 2" so even at that, you're at 12". If you have good filtration and do weekly water changes, you should be ok. I doubt you will be able to return the fish unless they are a true fish store that would have quarantine tanks they could put the fish in to be sure they are safe. The chains can't do that. They would most likely take them back for a refund but then destroy them rather than risk putting a diseased fish into their system.

As for the temperature, all thermometers should have an adjustment knob on them. It really needs to be around 77-78 degrees. 80 is a little high. And 30 watts is actually the minimum for a 30 gallon tank. You really need between 3 to 5 watts per gallon.

 

[K.J.]

I don't think you have a serious problem with stocking depending on the type corys you have. Most corys & platies only grow to about 2" so even at that, you're at 12". If you have good filtration and do weekly water changes, you should be ok. I doubt you will be able to return the fish unless they are a true fish store that would have quarantine tanks they could put the fish in to be sure they are safe. The chains can't do that. They would most likely take them back for a refund but then destroy them rather than risk putting a diseased fish into their system.

As for the temperature, all thermometers should have an adjustment knob on them. It really needs to be around 77-78 degrees. 80 is a little high. And 30 watts is actually the minimum for a 30 gallon tank. You really need between 3 to 5 watts per gallon.

First of all... It's a ten gallon tank. I do weekly %40 percent water changes, and usuing a digital thermometer, I always come up with 80...They are Paleatus, so they grow 3-ish inches. The platies, I heard, grow 2.5.

 

[rdd1952]

Paleatus (peppered) corys will grow to about 2.5" but they grow slowly. With 40% water changes (25% would probably be fine) you shouldn't have any water issues as corys aren't big waste producers.

What type filter do you have and what is it rated (gallons per hour)? Over filtration will also allow you to push the 1" per gallon rule a little. For a 10 gallon tank, you need a filter rated at least 50 gph as the filter needs to process the water at least 5 times per hour.

The temp is still a little high. The thermometer should have some type adjustment knob on it. If not, it will be ok but they would like 76 to 78 a little better.

 

[K.J.]

Paleatus (peppered) corys will grow to about 2.5" but they grow slowly. With 40% water changes (25% would probably be fine) you shouldn't have any water issues as corys aren't big waste producers.

What type filter do you have and what is it rated (gallons per hour)? Over filtration will also allow you to push the 1" per gallon rule a little. For a 10 gallon tank, you need a filter rated at least 50 gph as the filter needs to process the water at least 5 times per hour.

The temp is still a little high. The thermometer should have some type adjustment knob on it. If not, it will be ok but they would like 76 to 78 a little better.

Hmm.. I don't know. It was a penguin 20 gallon filter, I'll look it up.

I think 100.

 

[rdd1952]

If it's a Penguin 20, it is rated 100 gph so you should be in good shape filter wise as you can turn the water 10 times per hour.

 

[K.J.]

Well, at least I got a good filter. But what if the fish shop doesn't take the platies? TBH, I don't really want to ship, and I don't know anybody who could take them.. aside from my brother who has a 2.5 gallon, uncycled tank and there is no way I'm giving it to him. Should I just cull them? It seems so unnecessary.

 

[rdd1952]

For now, I would keep them. As I said, I think you will be fine with both the corys and the platies. Your filter should easily be able to process the water enough and as long as you do weekly water changes you won't hae a problem. The 1" per gallon rule isn't set in stone but just a guideline. One thing you will have to decide though is what to do with the fry from the platies unless you have 2 males.

 

[K.J.]

For now, I would keep them. As I said, I think you will be fine with both the corys and the platies. Your filter should easily be able to process the water enough and as long as you do weekly water changes you won't hae a problem. The 1" per gallon rule isn't set in stone but just a guideline. One thing you will have to decide though is what to do with the fry from the platies unless you have 2 males.

The fry are, well, an added problem. I was hoping the platies would eat most of them, and then I could raise them, and the lfs would take them. But if the LFS won't, I'll probably have to give the platies up.. I honestly don't want to be overrun with them. Otherwise, I'm taking the frog out.. so yay... hopefully the platy issue won't be horrible. >.>

 

[rdd1952]

If you leave fry in the tank after they are born, the other fish will definitely eat them. Maybe not all but most anyway.

 

[K.J.]

If you leave fry in the tank after they are born, the other fish will definitely eat them. Maybe not all but most anyway.

That's what I'm hoping for... anyway, I'll just ask the fish shop if they'd take the fry, if they won't... well... then I'll ask them if they can take back the fish. Like I said, I just want the best for them.