Interested In Opinions For 10 Gallon Tank

[BryceHockey]

Hello all, I'm looking for different opinions on this, it may seem minor but I'm having a tough time deciding on some stocking.

I have a lightly planted 10 gallon tank (has been running since January, so nearly a year old). After becoming hooked on it I wish I had a bigger tank, but funds are very very low right now so I need to make-do with what I have. You can see the occupants in my signature. Originally, I had 6 neons, but over time neon tetra disease and other sicknesses took each one out but two, which are still there but a few days ago have begun to look like they will not make it. Every so often they free float as if dead, but then are fine later. It definitely doesn't look like swim bladder disease, simply as if they are dying. Based on what I've gone through with all neons over time, as well as some cardinals, I am having second thoughts about restocking these and am considering adding more phantoms and pristellas instead, since I've had great luck with them and have the originals from when I started the tank (after cycling of course).

So to get onto the point... neon tetras were what caused me to want to keep fish, but I hate seeing them die so easily, and although for the most part I have kept them well they always seem to have something go wrong. My debate is whether I should stock more of these (or cardinals) as to not leave the other two cardinals without a group, or would it be good to go ahead and add 2 phantoms, for instance. The Pristellas seem fine in a pair and will even swim with the Phantoms quite a bit, but the Phantoms are both males and seem territorial, each staying in "his" corner of the tank. They do nip at each others' fins when near and I believe that if I had 2 females, this might not happen.

The tricky part is, I don't want to just leave the Cardinals stranded without a group, they're very colorful and I do like them. But if I was to try and quit having a small group of neons/cards to add the Phantoms, it gets to be overstocked.

What would you do in my situation? Maybe I shouldn't give up and restock on two or three neons or cards? Or would it be best overall to try and get to Phantoms?

Thanks for any input, I'm just looking for some opinions other than my own.

Bryce

 

[mattbond]

i would reccommend trying some of the larger tetras e.g rosy/bentos tetra, black phantoms, bleeding hearts, black widows, etc. they seem to be slightly more hardy than the smaller varieties. also, have you got any kind of centre peice fish in there?

 

[BryceHockey]

I don't have any center-piece fish, mostly because its a 10 gallon and I don't know of much that is small enough to not overstock and still get along with the tetras. Any suggestions?

My main concern with adding some more phantoms or such is that I don't want to neglect the two cardinals (if these two neons do not make it). Obviously they need big groups to be happy and although I doubt them being fearful is an issue, don't want to ignore the fact that they are in huge groups in the wild.

I love the look of Black Widows but unfortunately I'm positive that they will get their long fins nipped at. I seem to have some nippy guys in the tank lol. Since all the fish I have in the tank do best in larger groups I figure that I should add to my count of Pristellas or Phantoms anyways, instead of getting a new species.

 

[BryceHockey]

Well the two neons are hanging in there, they are eating normally but still have that behavior that they are dying (and nothing seems wrong other than them drifting as dead fish do, they do this maybe once or twice an hour, but my guess is either it's a light case of Neon Tetra Disease or just older age).

Anyways, does anyone have any thoughts? Would having 4 Phantoms be good with the other fish (assuming that the two neons in my sig don't make it) be too much? Should I just restock with two more neons or cardinals?

I wish I had the money for a bigger tank and resources... lol.

 

[foley69]

i would add another 2 black phantoms i just set up my grans tank and she has 4 black phantoms in and they are loving it maybe add a couple of corys for the bottom not only are they cute little guys but they also do a very good job of cleaning the floor of missed food

her tank is also 10 gal

 

[pippoodle]

If you was able to maybe a good idea would be to get rid of some of the species and cut it down to just a couple so you could have them in their larger groups

here's a note on phantoms that might help you decide on what to keep you really need to do some more reading (if possible) on the right sort of enviroment and group numbers for your fishies to make them happy ( sorry if that sounded wrong it's not meant to )


Phantoms prefer a well-planted tank (particularly with floating plants), subdued lighting and a dark substrate. Water parameters are not critical and may be soft to hard, and acidic to slightly alkaline. They should be kept in schools, preferably of a half dozen or more. It is not unsuual for males to claim small territories and quarrel with othe males over their turf, however the battles are minor without injury.

Black Phantoms will school with other similarly sized and shaped tetras, and look particularly attractive with their counterparts the Red Phantom Tetra (Megalamphodus sweglesi).
(taken from [URL="http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/characin...ackphantom.htm)"]http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/characin...ackphantom.htm)[/URL]

 

[BryceHockey]

Thanks for the responses. I am leaning towards adding two female Phantoms as the current two are males and do exchange blows, although other than a small rip in the fin they never wound each other. Most tetra species do best when in a group of 6 or more of their own kind, but in a 10 gallon this is not as easy. Heavy research was done in choosing the fish, they have a nice planted aquarium and the larger fish in the tank (basically all but the neons) have done very well and since buying them their colors have really stood out. They seem to be thriving.

The tricky part I will face is that these two Cardinals were bought just a few weeks ago, and were small so obviously they could have a long life ahead of them to go with just 2 of them. If I introduce two phantoms, that would mean the tank is stocked with: 4 Phantoms, 2 Pristellas, 2 Cardinals, and 2 Otos. I clean and maintain it very well so really the Otos don't take up "swim space", even though they produce waste it is vacuumed up often. I feel as though this would be overstocked, but maybe it would be ok. Just would feel bad that I'm not giving the cards some more of their kind.

 

[Bufo Bill]

I have heard of small numbers of shoaling fish attaching themselves to a larger group of another species when a shoal of their own type is not available.

For the general wellbeing of your fish, a proper sized shoal (6 or more) would bring benefits to your existing fish. As you have only a ten gallon (like me), you could consider giving your young healthy Cardinals to a friend or a shop with a shoal of their own. This is a hard choice to make, but it could be the best for your fishes' happiness, while also being the solution with the least that could go wrong. I don't say that the situation I described at the beginning of this post will not happen, but it is not certain that it will happen at all.

I suppose that the question you need to ask yourself is which do you feel more strongly about, wanting the best possible outcome for your fish, or the commitment you made to care for the fish when you bought them. You must do what you think is right, not what I think is right.

One last thought: my ten Gallon held 5 very small fish which were rarely seen. When I removed the other species from the tank and added more of the small fish they were soon out and about and displaying much nicer colours, and were in a proper shoal. They still look suberb to this day.

All the best from Bill.

 

[BryceHockey]

Thanks for the advice Bill. What I have decided to do, at least for the time being, is to leave things as they have been, I did add two cardinals as the neons passed on and I definitely cannot see 2 cardinals doing too well in that small of a group, but...

I am trying to convince the family into setting up a larger tank downstairs as a Christmas project, preferably around the 30-40 gallon range. This would be in addition to my current 10 gallon. I would then move 1 or 2 of the species in the 10 gallon to the larger tank, and add to their numbers, and add to the numbers of the specie(s) in the 10 gallon. This is a valid option and I hope this will be possible (as far as funds to afford it). My feeling is that taking back any of these fish, most of which have been in my tank for the last 11 months, will live better lives in my planted tank than being stressed and taken to a LFS to most likely be sold to someone with a worse tank. Unfortunately I don't have any friends that keep fish, or else I'd strongly consider transfering some there.

Good thing is that the fish seem very healthy and happy, they've always been very active, and minus my troubles with neons in the past all others have done very well in the tank.

Thanks everyone, and hopefully soon I will be posting for opinions of what fish combinations to add in a bigger tank (I can hope!).

Bryce

 

[Bufo Bill]

Well thought out, get the family involved. My suggestions for fish are Gold Tetras and Diamond tetras - both very pretty when well cared for and quite unusual these days. They are both shoaling fish so you may find a bigger shoal of one variety bolder and more content.

All the best from Bill.