A Few Random Beginner-Ish Questions

[cool4345]

Hi, so i'm new, been lurking for a bit and decided to join... i've been keeping fish since '07 ish (and i'm still a complete beginner >_<)

So i've had this new tank up and running for about nearly 3 months. Planning on getting some cherry shrimps as i've only ever kept goldfish, a weather loach (died pretty fast since i didn't have a big enough tank along with various other beginner problems), a plec of some sort, and quite a few white cloud mountain minnows, and one golden apple snail (which gave my tank an endless supply of pest snails, yay!)
Of course i'm going to wait for around 3-6 months before i get any shrimps because i've done a little research (looked at the thread on here and some other places)


Anyway, along with the actual questions.

-I've recently found a large packet of assorted shells that i must have bought from the seaside years ago made by hobby craft. I wanted to use them because they're very nice looking shells, but i couldn't think of any uses for them, so i was thinking about adding a few to my aquarium.
However, i think i read somewhere that these kind of packaged shells can be dangerous to the aquarium.. is this true?
I think some of them might be unsafe to use because they appear to be painted but i'm not sure if they would.

-I currently have 5 white cloud mountain minnows in my tank which i think is either 22 or 24 litres, i measured it a while ago so i don't remember what it was exactly but i think more 24 litres.. Anyway, i was thinking about adding in 2 red cherry shrimps- should i do this?
I've been told that i do have room for it by at least one staff member at the local aquarium shop.. so i'm guessing that i may just have room although it might be a bit of a squeeze.

-If i do end up getting the red cherry shrimps, should i get some plants? I've read somewhere (again, i don't remember where) that plants might not be a good idea because they could harm the cherry shrimp or something like that. Although i have seen java moss being used commonly, but what plants could i have?

Thanks for reading.

 

[onidrase]

Hi, so i'm new, been lurking for a bit and decided to join... i've been keeping fish since '07 ish (and i'm still a complete beginner >_<)

So i've had this new tank up and running for about nearly 3 months. Planning on getting some cherry shrimps as i've only ever kept goldfish, a weather loach (died pretty fast since i didn't have a big enough tank along with various other beginner problems), a plec of some sort, and quite a few white cloud mountain minnows, and one golden apple snail (which gave my tank an endless supply of pest snails, yay!)
Of course i'm going to wait for around 3-6 months before i get any shrimps because i've done a little research (looked at the thread on here and some other places)


Anyway, along with the actual questions.

-I've recently found a large packet of assorted shells that i must have bought from the seaside years ago made by hobby craft. I wanted to use them because they're very nice looking shells, but i couldn't think of any uses for them, so i was thinking about adding a few to my aquarium.
However, i think i read somewhere that these kind of packaged shells can be dangerous to the aquarium.. is this true?
I think some of them might be unsafe to use because they appear to be painted but i'm not sure if they would.

-I currently have 5 white cloud mountain minnows in my tank which i think is either 22 or 24 litres, i measured it a while ago so i don't remember what it was exactly but i think more 24 litres.. Anyway, i was thinking about adding in 2 red cherry shrimps- should i do this?
I've been told that i do have room for it by at least one staff member at the local aquarium shop.. so i'm guessing that i may just have room although it might be a bit of a squeeze.

-If i do end up getting the red cherry shrimps, should i get some plants? I've read somewhere (again, i don't remember where) that plants might not be a good idea because they could harm the cherry shrimp or something like that. Although i have seen java moss being used commonly, but what plants could i have?

Thanks for reading.

what's the length width and height of your tank, might I ask? I've never heard of plants harming fish, and on websites I've researched, live plants were recommended to for shrimp, so I'd personally ignore that idea. Cherry shrimp are small, so I don't think your tank size should be too big of a deal. Take note that in most cases, if the shrimp is small enough to fit in a fishes mouth, the fish will eat it.

 

[creeker]

I wouldn't add seashells to a freshwater tank. I did that when I was a kid. The shells very slowly disolve which hardens your water and leaves a milky film on the waterline.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

How does a apple snail give the tank an endless supply of pest snails?

plants and java moss are good for shrimp they will hide on it and graze off them. As long as the plant is aquatic fine

 

[CezzaXV]

I wouldn't add seashells to a freshwater tank. I did that when I was a kid. The shells very slowly disolve which hardens your water and leaves a milky film on the waterline.

That's not always a bad thing though. I have very soft water, which I've added shells to to harden the water and hopefully keep my pH a bit more stable.

 

[cool4345]

That's not always a bad thing though. I have very soft water, which I've added shells to to harden the water and hopefully keep my pH a bit more stable.

I think we have hard-ish water around my area, so probably not a good idea for me.

I wouldn't add seashells to a freshwater tank. I did that when I was a kid. The shells very slowly disolve which hardens your water and leaves a milky film on the waterline.

Noted, thanks.

what's the length width and height of your tank, might I ask? I've never heard of plants harming fish, and on websites I've researched, live plants were recommended to for shrimp, so I'd personally ignore that idea. Cherry shrimp are small, so I don't think your tank size should be too big of a deal. Take note that in most cases, if the shrimp is small enough to fit in a fishes mouth, the fish will eat it.

It's a hexagonal shape aquarium, i was actually thinking about upgrading my tank to a 40 or so litre one so i have a 10 gallon tank, but i can tell you that it's:
27 cm high and 23 cm from one side to another (back to front)

How does a apple snail give the tank an endless supply of pest snails?

plants and java moss are good for shrimp they will hide on it and graze off them. As long as the plant is aquatic fine

I'm not sure about the whole apple snail thing, but all i can say is that when i bought the apple snail is the first time i started seeing pest snails in my tank. I only bought one snail so it couldn't have been babies from two snails. Maybe the water from the store was contaminated with pest snails, that's my best guess.

Noted about the java moss, i'll look out for some, thanks.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Apples snail female can hold sperm for 3 months so you could have got one that glaid eggs however apple snails and pest snails are night and day in apperence so if they are true pest snail that wont be anything to with the apple

 

[cool4345]

I thought i'd bump this thread rather than make a new one to save space on the forum..

So i've just bought some java moss. I've never had any plant like it before, the only live plants i've kept are a plant which i think looks like Vallisneria americana, and a cheap fern.

Do i just put the moss right into the tank (on a rock if possible), or do i have to clean it a little first? i'm just wary that it might stain the water in my fish tank.

Also, i don't have anything you could really call a rock or a peice of driftwood in my tank- but i do have a castle ornament, and a peice of coral (not live coral). Should i place it on the coral and the castle?
(i'm also using gravel substrate if that helps)

I'm thinking about attaching the moss using some plant anchors i originally bought to anchor down food for the fish.

Apples snail female can hold sperm for 3 months so you could have got one that glaid eggs however apple snails and pest snails are night and day in apperence so if they are true pest snail that wont be anything to with the apple

I'm pretty sure that they were pest snails, as they never grow to apple snail size- the biggest one i saw was about 0.5 cm tall. Not too many snails in the tank at the moment, though.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The moss will do best if it is attached to something. Super glue actually works very well for this. Take out a piece of decor that you want to drape in moss. Dry it off completely. Then add a dab of glue and place the moss. The glue cures instantly in water, so there isn't much worry about putting it back into the tank too quickly. If you don't want to go that route, you could simply use some cotton thread and tie it to whatever.

 

[cool4345]

The moss will do best if it is attached to something. Super glue actually works very well for this. Take out a piece of decor that you want to drape in moss. Dry it off completely. Then add a dab of glue and place the moss. The glue cures instantly in water, so there isn't much worry about putting it back into the tank too quickly. If you don't want to go that route, you could simply use some cotton thread and tie it to whatever.

Okay, i found some cotton (by found i mean my mum gave it to me..) and tied it to the coral. Just added it to the tank after i gave it a quick rinse. Looks pretty good in there, thanks.

 

[Aqua Tom]

It is never a good idea to add anything from the sea into a freshwater aquarium. So a big no to the seashells & the coral. Both will alter your water chemistry significantly.


Tom

 

[alchemist]

The reason people say be careful with plants and shrimp is because it is quite common practice to dose plant tanks in shops with copper sulphate to prevent Algae build up and kill pest snails.
Copper is highly toxic to shrimps and snails - so if you do buy plants and have shrimp give them a very good wash and soak. I normally leave in a bucket a while.