Need Some Help with my aquarium setup

[smartglass]

I have a five gallon aquarium with a carbon filter, a bio filter and an airstone. There are four Red Eyed tetras in the tank that seem to be thriving. The water is currently moderately hard, has no trace of chlorine, a low Ph. level but has a high nitrite level. I would like to add 2 Angels and a small plec to the tank. I know I need to reduce the nitrite levels before I add any fish. If I get the nitrite level down can I add the Angels and plec? I have been through 4 Angels (not all at once - no more than 2 at a time) and a Rubber Lip plec which all died within 5 days after adding them to the tank. The water was extremely hard at this time with no algae and no trace of nitrite. Now there are small yellow-brown spots on the large rock I have in the tank. Is this algae and if so, is it causing the high nitrite level? Any info. you can give me is greatly appreciated.

 

[Sky042]

Simple answer No.
You cannot add an angel or a pleco to the tank.
If you want to control algae you could probably fit 1 or 2 ottos in there but nothing else. Also you MUST be sure you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite before you do anything else.

Also how high is your current nitrite level and what are you doing about it .....i.e. water changes ect??

 

[DOLORES]

if you ask why not to put plecos and/or angels on the 5 gal, its becuz they grow up to be huge (plecos) and angels up to 6" and they need at least a 29 gal! they need a deepth about 18" or higher and the plecos some they grow little, but not too much! like the "candy stripe pleco" that grows up to 4" and they need a looooooooooot of room to swim (both plecos and angels)

HOPE THAT HELPED

edited: plecos need at least a 30 gal

 

[Teelie]

Some Plecos stay as small as 3" but those are often the most expensive ones as well, and they require a 20gallon minimum tank with a powerhead to generate a current. Angels grow massive for a 5 gallon.

Once you get the nitrites down and the tank settled, then start thinking about fish though with a 5 gallon you're extremely limited in your options.

 

[DOLORES]

Some Plecos stay as small as 3" but those are often the most expensive ones as well, and they require a 20gallon minimum tank with a powerhead to generate a current. Angels grow massive for a 5 gallon.

Once you get the nitrites down and the tank settled, then start thinking about fish though with a 5 gallon you're extremely limited in your options.

yup thats right! you can have some livebearers , but just a few , or you can have a betta with corys or 3 ottos

 

[Sky042]

Some Plecos stay as small as 3" but those are often the most expensive ones as well, and they require a 20gallon minimum tank with a powerhead to generate a current. Angels grow massive for a 5 gallon.

Once you get the nitrites down and the tank settled, then start thinking about fish though with a 5 gallon you're extremely limited in your options.

yup thats right! you can have some livebearers , but just a few , or you can have a betta with corys or 3 ottos

He already has 4 count em 4 tetras in a 5 gallon. they alone add up to at least 5 inches so he's already at the limit. providing good filtration and good maintenance he's got room for MAYBE 1-2 otto's.

 

[Teelie]

With schooling fish you can fudge that rule some but not much. Maybe another Tetra or two and 3 Cories max but that's it. I'd go with some of the smaller species of Cory at that.

 

[DOLORES]

oh he has fishies already? that makes it different .... well yeah they right!