Question About Catfish!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Sorry guys, can't get any larger tanks yet. I would die for a larger tank, but I just don't have the space.

After reading, I came up with another question;

If I get around 6 otos or 2-3 small corys, that effectivly takes up more than half my stocking space =(. Would it be possible to put a few tetra (smmalllll and around five) and maybe a beta (as slightly flashier tank centerpiece)? Providing I keep the Ph and temperature levels moderate for all inhabitants, and provide places for them all to hide- Technically that is "overstocking", but they stay in different regions of the tank...

I just fell in love with this website... so much easier get reliable info!
Seriously though, I love you guys.


Oh! (If you guys hadn't realized I have a constant question-asking syndrome, and I remembered another)

I understand that tank cycling is fish waste (ammnoia) to nitrites to nitrates to plant food and nitrites to more plant food (or something of the sort), but how will I know when my tank has cycled?

Does this affect when I can add fish? Today I was planning on getting my tank set up for the most part, returning the goldies, and adding a few tetra, is this bad? I won't be able to get the live plants today, but I hope to get sand, rock structures, and a siphon (which I don't think I have), new hood light and tropical filters.



Right now I have;

- Marina S10 power filter w/goldfish insertsy filter things

- gravel (I heard plants cling to that better, but I don't want it to cut my catfish's mouths, so im unsure about that, I was thinking about just rubberbanding them to rocks until they grow on that, or finding tank-suitable de-tannis-fied wood)

- Heater (must clean and see if it works)

- bubble wand (in use), and fake plant bubble attachment thing (not in use)

- I have a few rocks... but don't know if they are tank-suitable. They are just mostly smoothed river rocks, ranging from the size of a grape to the size of a cupcake. They are uncleaned, and have sat outside for a while. (from when we built the shed, they went on the bottom I think, but now they are just scattered around the yard and in a giant bucket thing outside.)

- I DO have a real-looking plastic rock structure that is in use. And an extremely ugly small plastic plant from my old betta bowl. (Betta died after 3-4ish years ='( ) But i am getting rid of the plant. It pains me to look at it.



Last question (for now);

Do I need to replace all the water in my tank when switching from the goldfish to the tropicals? Or can I just take the golds out, fix up the tank while letting the filter run (except when I add the sand, it will get turned off until the sand settles) and add the new fish?
 
um i have a thread on a 5gallon..and its pretty much the same thing sense there both small tanks so why not small fish cant stress it enough or some shrimp..but if you get tropical fish the goldfish are a no go with tropical..they need coldwater (goldfish) tropicals need 70's to 80's..not good for goldies..but this is a good site to learn
 
PhantomHawk700;4841920; said:
Sorry guys, can't get any larger tanks yet. I would die for a larger tank, but I just don't have the space.
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fishkeeper4244;4841952; said:
get a least a 20 gallon. there is not much you can put in a 10
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Fishkeeper, if the OP cannot get a larger tank due to space, I am sure telling them to won't change much.

@PhantomHawk

When a tank is cycling, test ammonia and nitrite. Ammonia should be high, and then one day ammonia will go down and nitrite will rise. Once nitrite goes down, nitrate goes up (don't really need to test nitrate as it won't be harmful). Once the nitrite has gone down the tank is cycled. This process takes about 4-6 weeks normally.

Ask your LFS if they test for nitrite and ammonia, or even better buy a test kit. Don't go with strips as they are terribly inaccurate. The liquid testers are more expensive, but you can test the water many more times and they work much better. I think you can find these at petsmart if your LFS doesn't have them.

I would recommend keeping the goldfish while you cycle the tank as they are hardy enough to survive through it. Some tropicals such as corys and ottos are not. Then when the tank is cycled you can add these tropical fish and rehome the goldfish.

As for the total limit, honestly you could probably get away with 10-12 tetras a betta and 2-3 bottom dwellers. If you look for pygmy cories, they stay small and you could get around 5 of them. If you get this many fish though, you should definitely do weekly water changes.

I would also not add a tetra while there is a goldfish in the tank. Goldfish can get a little pushy during feeding time, and tetras may not eat then.

When switching over, I would say you can either do a small water change (50% or less) or just leave it. Make sure you get it up to proper temperature first though. I would let it sit for a couple of hours to make sure it holds the desired temperature. You can probably put the goldfish in a small bowl for that time, then bring them to them to the store and get some tropicals!
 
@ Industrial - thanks =)

Does cycling happen all the time? Or only once? I was planning on going to my LFS today to get the new tank stuff (substrate, decor, test kits, hood lamp) and maybe the tetras, but I guess I should wait? I have had this tank for around 4 months now with the goldfish in it, does that mean it's cycled already?
 
PhantomHawk700;4842256; said:
@ Industrial - thanks =)

Does cycling happen all the time? Or only once? I was planning on going to my LFS today to get the new tank stuff (substrate, decor, test kits, hood lamp) and maybe the tetras, but I guess I should wait? I have had this tank for around 4 months now with the goldfish in it, does that mean it's cycled already?
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It should only happen once, although if something happens that causes the bacteria to die off (ie washing filter media with chlorinated water, leaving a filter turned off for too long, etc.) then it could have to cycle again. The only way to know for sure if your tank is cycled is to test your water. If the tank is cycled, you should have 0ppm of both ammonia and nitrites and 40ppm or less of nitrates.
 
Yes, your tank is cycled... if you use your current filter on the new set up, I think you won't have any problems.

The nitrogen cycle happens all the time in your tank, but what we call "cycling," which simply means building up the bacteria in the first place, takes about 6 weeks, if you start from scratch. But you already have an established filter. I don't think the temperature change will harm the bacteria either (as long as you don't take them out of cold water and plunge them into warm water). You can put the heater on the tank right now, so that when you get back, the water will be at or almost at the tropical temperature needed for tetras, cories, etc.

As for plants... it's a hit and miss. I'm terrible with them. There are some hardier species, but unless you know what you're doing, they're probably gonna die. If you want to, though, you can go ahead and try. The best substrate for plants is potting soil, with a layer of gravel on top.

In your tank, you could have six tetras of one species, six of another, the beta, and maybe 4 cories or so, the kind that stay under 2". If you do 30-40% weekly water changes, you could have a really nice, well-maintained set up.
 
I have a personal bias for corys, and they really are a lot more interesting with at least four of the same species. I think five corries of any kind likely to be found at PetCo would be fine in a 10, with some tetras and maybe a beta (depends on the beta).
Get corries that all look the same though.
Corries do not eat algae (well mine love algae wafers but ignore the stuff that grows in my tank...infact it's cute as all heck to have five of them working the same wafer while a angel tries to steal it from them...). Sinking shrimp pellets and blood worms are good, whatever flake food hits the gravel is theirs.
 
Great! Well then I think I will look into getting some corries then, since personally I am slightly biased to them over otos... well all I love all catfish, but the more they look prehistoric-ish, the more cool they are to me. I would DIE for a huge 200+++ gallon with tons of different catfish...

Wait, can I mix corries and otos? They should be fine since they are both social catfish right?


Excellent News:
Found some nitrite tablet testers leftover from my dads tank, and only one has been used =))

My first screw up:
Not checking to make sure that my heater WORKED before buying fish. Went to the LFS, bout four neon tetras and four freshwater gost shrimp, got home, went to turn on the heater... and it didn't work. Just ran out to get a new one, waiting for it to acclimate to the water temp, hoping my new additions will live. Right now they are in their fish store bags with the top cut off for O2, can't put them in tank since it's about 65*F right now >.<



Lots of air bubles are comming out of my sand in my tank, good or bad?


I was going to get plants, but my LFS is EXPENSIVE and their plants looked dead, slimy and zombie-like *shudders*

My goldies have been safely returned to the LFS (did it in the same trip)

Thanks again guys =)
 
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