My Current Tank Setup.

[ChadThyJuggla]

Well, I started about 4-5 months ago with my first ever aquarium. 10g with heater, Tetra Whisper Power filter, and Air pump.

Fish have been stable for pretty much the entire time. Started with my 2 danios which were present during the cycle and are doing great. Then later added a GloFish as well as a Tiger Platty. Then added couple of Neon Tetras but sadly lost one along the way (I know they are schooling fish, but i didnt want to get rid of him. Now he likes to swim around with the Danios, He seems happy). Not long ago, bought my Otocinclus and hes doing fine so far, adjusting to his new home.

Was thinking about doing some mods to my tank. Was thinking some more plants or something to liven it up a bit. Any suggestions on what I should add or whatever? Thanks.

Pic of my tank currently:

 

[Corleone]

Java ferns, anubias, and valisneria are nice easy plants to care for, and they do add to the tank. IMO, the tank's a bit tacky, but to each their own, the fish generally don't care.

As for the lone neon, it's generally not recommended, but in some cases, it can work if you have a healthy shoal, which can make the loner more comfortable. I have two praecox rainbowfish, and they shoal with my danios and show full color. Even though they are generally happy, they're also prone to getting unhappy quicker, so watch the lone neon, there's a chance he'd be the first fish to show symptoms if there's a problem or illness in the tank.

Also, I like tiger platys. Only see them rarely in my area, and the store owner who breeds them charges way too much.

 

[fifefish]

how bought getting some more neons just to make your fish a bit happier?

 

[ChadThyJuggla]

I understand it is far from natural looking. I wasnt going that direction with just starting out. This was just my first tank and it was meant to be fun for my family. Its bright and my wife loves it and she helps care for the tank also. We also have a young child that will love to look at it when she gets old enough. Its only a 10g so its not much.

Later on when we get our own home and have more room and much more experience with this hobby, we can go with a more natural look when we get another, much larger tank. As or now, It may be tacky, but its fun to her and I...

But yeah, I think I should fix that tetra issue. would getting maybe 2 more be cutting it too close or would i be alright?
I think I should add some type of plant to the right side with maybe a black backround... I dont know really. lol.

 

[Jim Curtis]

I actually think that tank is really cool. It has a real pixar finding nemo vibe. The glofish danios really fit that style tank. The blue gravel is great. I dont think you need anymore plants but agree that a black background would really make that pop.

 

[ChadThyJuggla]

I actually think that tank is really cool. It has a real pixar finding nemo vibe. The glofish danios really fit that style tank. The blue gravel is great. I dont think you need anymore plants but agree that a black background would really make that pop.

Why thank you!

 

[fifefish]

i think that tanks is so cheezy its good haha

 

[ChadThyJuggla]

I think maybe a more abundance of plants towards the back that will rise as high as the water level? they will add to the look as well as give more spaces for the fish to hide behind...

What about taking the top rounded marbles out of the tank? Would this be safe to my bacteria? Or should I slowly remove a few each week?

I have a few things to do to the tank setup in the next few weeks.

 

[spazzinout]

Haha, well I think your tank looks great. Maybe make another littlegroup of fake plants like you have on the back left corner on the back left corner. I would also put the non-plant decorations in front of the plants to add some depth to the scene. Dont go out and buy a black background right away. Just try putting a few pieces of black construction paper in on the back and see if you like the look.

Sorry, I dont know that much about neons...

 

[kevinthecow]

Im jealous of your tank. .___. I don't want to add in any more things to my tank cause my Loaches like the free space give them. I have, three fake plants, a rock ornament, and two plastic cups of ice coffee from McD's

Your tank is gorgeous, so colourful, ;3
Add a background poster. That'd make everything perfect. xD

 

[ChadThyJuggla]

Im jealous of your tank. .___. I don't want to add in any more things to my tank cause my Loaches like the free space give them. I have, three fake plants, a rock ornament, and two plastic cups of ice coffee from McD's

Your tank is gorgeous, so colourful, ;3
Add a background poster. That'd make everything perfect. xD

Thank You Kevin =)

 

[OldMan47]

I'm going to go along with Corleone and suggest maybe a couple of small java ferns behind the diver to bring up that corner of the tank and give you the experience of working with an easy plant. If you get java ferns or anubias, be sure not to bury the rhizome in the gravel as it will kill the plant. They are easy plants but not impossible to kill.

 

[pippoodle]

Java ferns brilliant idea and also what about some marimo moss balls my kids love them
I can see why your child loves the tank its so colourful nice job

Sarah xxx

 

[Miss Wiggle]

don't worry about it being tacky, each to their own, the fish don't care one IOTA weather there's real plants or fake ornaments. Just do what you like.

All my tanks over the last few years have been pretty natural looking, but I can't wait until we have kids and really hoping we have girls so I can have a little barbie themed all pink tank!!

i would however work a little on your stocking, all of the fish you have with the exception of the platy are schooling fish and should be kept in groups of 6+

as a general guide to work out the number of fish you can have in a tank, while the tank is new (up to 6 months old) we say stock to 1" of fish per US Gallon, this is a nice easy manageable stocking level for a new tank and an inexperienced fish keeper, after that you can increase to 1.5" per gallon or sometimes up to 2" if you have good filtration and maintenance.

So at the moment you have

2 danios - 2"
1 glow fish - 1"
1 tetra - 1"
1 platy - 2"
1 otto - 2"

so a total of 8", this means that in your initial stocking it's safe to add another 2" of fish, and then when the tanks been running a while you can bump up some of the other shoals a little bit.

A 10 gallon tank is a bit small for the danio's though (the glo fish is a type of danio as well), while they're small fish they really do need a lot of swimming space and would be much happier in a tank of aorund 20 gallons. So if things stay as they are at present I would advise you to return these fish to the LFS and then bump up the other shoal numbers to make the fish happier. However you mention getting another larger tank at some point in the future, if you're willing to speed that up then you could transfer them into whatever other tank you get and then get a few more of each species to make them happier. Give it some thought either way anyway, it's not a decision to be rushed and a week or so either way won't make any difference to the fish.

So for me what I would do is rehome the danios and then bump up the numbers like this

4 x tetra - 4"
1 x platy - 2"
2 x otto's - 4"

then after a few months more get 1 more otto (a group of 3 is enough for these guys) and you could maybe get another platy or something like that.