Upgrading from 10 gallon aquarium to 2O gallon

[Mooky9669]

Well the male swordtail has been fine since it was in 10gal tank and is a sturdy bugger. Seems happy. So I won't get the gourami then. So like I asked before, I'd be ok with 6 panda cories with the danios and no more new fish after that or something besides cories?

 

[DutchMuch]

Seems happy

Everyone says things like this; and I always answer. you one special person if you can talk to a fish.

I'd be ok with 6 panda cories with the danios

no, IMO still to overstocked, plus as stated you would need six plus of each.

 

[Mooky9669]

Ok, so like I asked, what else should I get then if not cories? I do want another type of fish

 

[DutchMuch]

Ok, so like I asked

I don't have to help you... At least be nice

what else should I get then if not cories? I do want another type of fish

answered you own question.

 

[Mooky9669]

I am being nice. Sorry if it doesn't seem like I am. Just want to know so I don't overstock my tank. Just wanted to have another type of fish if I could add any.

 

[DutchMuch]

The fish you have you need to fix before you figure about getting another or any more.

 

[Byron]

It's standard 20 gal high. Thanks for the info. I would like the panda cories or maybe something else?? If I get the cories, how many should I get at once? Surprised you said 50% a week when AqAdvisor said 29%. Guess it's not that accurate?

Panda cories are OK here, they are one of the slightly smaller cory species, but they are very social and a group of 7 is my recommendation. And yes, get them at the same time and add them to the tank at the same time. Being such a social fish, they will settle in much faster with more of them than fewer, so your chances of them surviving are higher. This principle applies to all shoaling fish, shoaling meaning fish tat live in large groups and interact. Stress from many things will be lessened the more fish there are in the species group. You should not have issues with 7 in a 20g.

On water changes. These are the most important aspect of a healthy aquarium. The more water you change, the better, but there is no point in going to extremes, and none of us want to be changing water every day, so once a week is the minimum (except for specific issues of course). The volume should be significant. I change 60% in all of my 8 tanks, and have done this for many years. I would aim for around 50% once a week in your situation, but a little more won't hurt.

The primary reason for water changes is to remove "old" water and replace it with "fresh" water. The water in an aquarium is passing through the gills of fish, and it is also entering the fish through every cell by osmosis. This water gets into the fish's bloodstream and internal organs. It leaves the fish in urination and via the gills. It is in a very different state when it leaves than when it entered. Fish urine is not like that of terrestrial animals; it is more what we might term "dead water" than anything else. In addition to this, the fish are releasing pheromones and allomones in to the water, chemical "signals" read by other fish. These have to be removed or they can impact fish behaviours and health.

In nature, this all occurs naturally. The fish live in a volume of water than it astronomically greater than any aquarium ever could be, so the fish is literally living in fresh water every second. The water it was in a second ago is now different. And the water itself is being impacted by nature so it is always changing. There is no way to achieve this in any aquarium, unless you have some system of continual flow-through. So we do the best we can by regularly changing a good percentage of the water.

The water will be more stable in terms of its physical properties if it is partially changed regularly. Some will tell you to change water when there are signs of problems, like higher nitrate or lower pH, but this is doing too little too late. Emergency changes may sometimes be required, but if the stocking is not beyond the tank's capacity to support, and a significant percentage of the water is regularly changes, the fish will be healthier.

I would not get more than the one swordtail. A 20g tank is no sufficient space, really not for one, but certainly not for more than one. You already have the swordtail, in a 10g, so this is a step up in improving its health. But this fish will attain 4 to 5 inches (some do reach 6 inches) and this is not small. This swordtail plus the cories would fill this tank frankly, and you have the zebra danios already, so you need to make the best of it.

Byron.

 

[Mooky9669]

Thanks