First Aquarium Photos!

Salty&Onion said:

Shrimp or snails won't really thrive in soft water, you'd have to add calcium and other mineral supplements for both which would harden your water I believe so with neons this wouldn't really work IMO.

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Ahh ok, interesting point. Is there anything you can advise as a 'clean up' thing that would work in there?

NCaquatics said:

Shrimp would be fine in your water parameters, some cherry shrimp would be fine, though young ones may get eaten by the neons.

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Its just my opinion, but shrimp won't be really fine in soft, they will have problems with molting if not enough mineral and so they will need supplements which harden water. Just MO.

fishjamin said:

Ahh ok, interesting point. Is there anything you can advise as a 'clean up' thing that would work in there?

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I'm not sure, maybe otos?
Though they'll need bigger tank, maybe pygmy cories?

Regarding the shrimp:



Check back to their hardness chart from their water provider... theyre okay for neocaridina shrimp.

Pygmy cories would be a good option. Given its a cube, so smaller footprint, stick to 10 pygmy cories. Not less though, 10 is the minimum for pygmy cories due to their shyness

NCaquatics said:

Pygmy cories would be a good option. Given its a cube, so smaller footprint, stick to 10 pygmy cories. Not less though, 10 is the minimum for pygmy cories due to their shyness

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And they like buddies

Ok that's an interesting shout - I'll look into them. Is adding 10 of them into a small tank when I'm already pushing my luck with the tetras going to be ok?

fishjamin said:

Ok that's an interesting shout - I'll look into them. Is adding 10 of them into a small tank when I'm already pushing my luck with the tetras going to be ok?

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Pygmy cories can be kept in a 10 gallon. Yours is a 15 gallon essentially, but has a smaller footprint because it is a cube.

Thats why if you did go pygmy cories, I wouldn't do more than the minimum. Pygmy cories are smaller than neon tetras.

Theyre bottom dwellers.

But its your call

Salty&Onion said:

I'm not sure, maybe otos?
Though they'll need bigger tank, maybe pygmy cories?

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Otos could work in a ten gallon, but they need to be in a group also, even though they're often sold as algae eaters singly, this isn't good for them. They're a shy but social within their own group species. They're also very sensitive to changes in water parameters, so need an established, stable tank.

They also need an established tank so they don't starve to death, and lots of plants. If you want to go for otos, wait until the tank is six months old so it's fully established and you've got the hang of your routine. Make sure you have a good amount of plants and hiding spots. If they feel like they have places to hide, they're out in the open more and you can see them.
Then a little group of five or six would happily clean most soft algaes. It's important to also feed them sometimes, algae wafers and blanched veggies, so they get the right nutrition, and because if they clean your tank too well, then they run out of food.

But "cleaner fish" are a bit of a myth. There isn't a creature that will eat fish poop, and I have 7 otos in a 15-16 gallon, but they don't eat every type of algae. Shrimps are so tiny, they don't need a lot of food to sustain them, so there's usually still plenty of muck that needs cleaning out. Snails eat dead plant matter and things, but they also poop a lot, and that needs cleaning up. All of them are nice to have in their own right, but I don't really think they help reduce your maintenance. Best to just wipe down the glass with a clean sponge right before doing a gravel vac/water change, and balance your light/ferts/bioload to reduce algae.

Saying that, I do keep otos and shrimp, but because I like them. I still have plenty of plant leaves and poop to clean up, and the otos clean the glass, but still leave the odd patch that I need to wipe down.

Here's a point to clarify, if my tank is 40 litres, which gallons are you referring to? I have it as 8 gallons or 10 US gallons?

Yes I would agree with pygmy cories. It is what I had in mind when I said there were other options once you are certain the tank is fully cycles. The same applies to shrimp - they are really sensitive to ammonia and nitrites, they would work but if there is any doubt about the cycling don't add them yet.

fishjamin said:

Here's a point to clarify, if my tank is 40 litres, which gallons are you referring to? I have it as 8 gallons or 10 US gallons?

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40L is/= 10.56 US gallons.

Ahh ok, I've been assuming UK gallons. That's a whole 2 more gallons I've got myself!

fishjamin said:

Ahh ok, I've been assuming UK gallons. That's a whole 2 more gallons I've got myself!

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That confused me too when I first started Most of us in Europe and the UK use litres, but Americans are stuck in gallons (love you US guys, only teasing! ) so whenever anyone mentions gallons, we're working in US gallons, never UK gallons.

Ohhh for some reason I thought you said 60 liters hahaha

Okay then scratch the pygmy cories. Footprint is too small.

Id only add shrimp if anything else at all.