New to this, am I doing it right?

[fish_are_friends]

I realize that I should have researched this before I got into this hobby. But I was at walmart and saw they were selling puffer fish. I love exotics so I thought since I can't have my turtles or other exotics in my dorm I would try aquatics.

I have a friend that has GSPs and she has helped me a lot but I feel bad always asking her to come over for such trivial things.


I am only allowed to have a 10g max in our dorm. So this is what I have:
10g tank
white and blue rocks
10-15g filter
heater
and a dino that spits bubbles out
A tree stump looking thingy
a rock formation
and a few plants
I have recently added live plants as well

Here are a few pictures of my boys as well. All feedback is welcome.

That is Poofer

This is Crush. He was sleeping.

This is Shark bait. He too was trying his best to sleep.


I will add more pictures if you want. Just ask

 

[mcsnapper1]

Do you have any salt in there for them? They need brackish water. They will survive in fresh water for a while, but they would be much happier and healthier with salt. Also, they are probably going to beat the hell out of each other. At the very least, they are probably going to nip each others fins.

 

[fish_are_friends]

I have been putting aquarium salt in with each water change. And so far they leave each other alone. And the sucker fish (though he hides all day). All fins are fine and in tact No missing parts

I have had them for a little over two months now.


I am having trouble with ammonia levels though. Any tips?

 

[KvltBird]

You have to ride it out. You dont know about the nitrogen cycle do you? These fish also make a large bioload for this tank. Dump the pleco and your ammonia will be gone lol. Or wait another couple of months and see what happens. Plecos are dirty.

 

[mcsnapper1]

Have you changed out the pads in your filter? When you do water changes, how much are you changing out? What are you using to test for ammonia? Were your nitrites and nitrates up before your ammonia went up?

 

[fish_are_friends]

Oh I only had the sucker fish to try to keep the tank a little cleaner. lol. I didn't realize it was making it worse...

 

[Pufferpunk]

There are no BW "sucker" fish. Those pics don't work. I'm afraid to ask what 3 fish you are keeping in an uncycled 10g.
You have lots of reading to do:
http://www.**************.com/forum/library/water-filtration/fishless-cycling/
http://www.**************.com/forum/library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/
http://www.**************.com/forum/library/water-filtration/aquariummicrobespart1/

http://www.**************.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19348

 

[fish_are_friends]

Have you changed out the pads in your filter? When you do water changes, how much are you changing out? What are you using to test for ammonia? Were your nitrites and nitrates up before your ammonia went up?

I change the filters once every other week.
I take out 1/3 of the water when I do a water change every other day. I was told to do it every other day until the ammonia went down.

Nitrites and nirates? I didn't know I needed to be checking these. But the friend that was helping me checked all the levels and said everything was great except the ammonia levels. And to check the ammonia level I use the test strips from walmart...

 

[KvltBird]

Yes plecos dont do anything to clean things. No fish "Cleans" your tank. I get this question erryday working in a fish store... No joke some kid had a ten gallon and wanted a pictus cat to clean it. I told him nothing you get will clean the bottom. But yeah check your nitrite, and ammonia every week untill both are zero. Then do a 50% siphon of the gravel/water change. Replace with buffered/salted water if appropriate. Dont add salt to evaporated water. Salt wont evaporate. If your having to much ammonia get rid of the pleco.

 

[KvltBird]

And also, gold spotted puffers get like 7 inches, and need at least a 30 gallon long.