httplaboul said:
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=39 gourami/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=40 tetra/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=37 platy/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=43 barbsThanks so much for the infor , I am going to get a test kit if i ever get off this pclaboul said:Hi there - just to let you know, the Petsmart in my area (Canada) does free water testing, just bring in a little baggie of water. Hopefully they do this in Illinois too.
It would be smart to ask them what the actual values for nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, and pH are. Sometimes they will tell you your water is fine without showing you the values... because they just want you to buy more fish.
Your values should be:
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: below 40
pH: between 6 and 8
Values higher than 0 in ammonia and nitrite indicate that your tank is not cycled yet. Sorry if I'm repeating things that have already been said.
Test kits are good if you can afford one eventually because changes in a small tank can be more drastic. Also, the liquid based test kits are more accurate than the strip tests, or so I've heard.
I'd say 2 platies and 1 algae eater are enough for that tank, even overstocked.You'll need to find another home for the angelfish and gourami. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. The general rule is one inch in length of fish per gallon. That means with 2 platies at an adult length of at least 2 inches you'll be overstocked in a 3 gallon.
Don't feel too bad about not knowing this stuff beforehand. It's not like Petsmart tells you how to properly take care of fish. I started there too and my tank was a disaster: I killed 2 fish and a snail from ammonia poisoning and disease.I've learned so much on this forum in just a month and you will too!
Good luck!
i have a chinese alge eater. i think i have two male gourami and my angel fish is a small a one it said (not the fish ha ha) that it will get about 6 inchesRaechal said:The angelfish will have to get either a larger tank or get sent back to the local fish store. It will get way too tall for the 10 gallon and it's fins will probably stick out of the water.dolphinonj said:
What kind of gourami do you have? What do they look like? You may be able to keep two in there if they aren't two males. They may get a little territorial and attack each other. You can tell a male from a female by their dorsal fins. The fin on their back. The female will have a shorter more rounded dorsal fin and the male will have a more longer pointed one.
4 platies is fine as well but beware they will breed very easily and give you lots of baby fish!
What kind of algae eater is it? A common sucker fish? Is it brown with brown kind of spots on it? These can get longer than a foot when they are their adult size! I would take him back as well with the angel. Then you could probably add the tetras and the barbs you have in the 10 gallon and get a betta for the 3 gallon. Normally tetras should be in schools of atleast 5, but since you don't have room I guess it would be better to keep the only 2 you have.
Did you find out what type of gouramis you have? What do they look like?dolphinonj said:i have a chinese alge eater. i think i have two male gourami and my angel fish is a small a one it said (not the fish ha ha) that it will get about 6 inchesRaechal said:The angelfish will have to get either a larger tank or get sent back to the local fish store. It will get way too tall for the 10 gallon and it's fins will probably stick out of the water.dolphinonj said:
What kind of gourami do you have? What do they look like? You may be able to keep two in there if they aren't two males. They may get a little territorial and attack each other. You can tell a male from a female by their dorsal fins. The fin on their back. The female will have a shorter more rounded dorsal fin and the male will have a more longer pointed one.
4 platies is fine as well but beware they will breed very easily and give you lots of baby fish!
What kind of algae eater is it? A common sucker fish? Is it brown with brown kind of spots on it? These can get longer than a foot when they are their adult size! I would take him back as well with the angel. Then you could probably add the tetras and the barbs you have in the 10 gallon and get a betta for the 3 gallon. Normally tetras should be in schools of atleast 5, but since you don't have room I guess it would be better to keep the only 2 you have.
I have a common placo that i just found out yesterday will get about 18 inches and he's in the smaller tank right now. the girl at petco (where i now go) said that i will have to get a bigger tank or find a home for him .
i had gotten the tertas to go with my one betta, they said at petsmart that tetras and betta get along, but i found out that just because they say they get along doesnt mean they always will. Boris (thats my bettas name ) was not having it , so i put him back in the 1 gallon tank.
I think he might be fine in there. This is what i would keep in the 10 gallon: 
