What to put in a 10 gallon tank

[Colin_T]

Most aquatic plants that are grown out of water can stand up by themselves when they are removed from water. Whereas plants grown underwater will have weaker stems and normally fall over when lifted out of water.

 

[Creepy the Crayfish]

Oh ok that that makes alot of sense thanks.

 

[Creepy the Crayfish]

Ok so I have a bit of an algae problem do you think that instead of 9 pygmy cories I could get 6 otocinclus or should i just figure out other ways to control it?

 

[Colin_T]

If you have algae growing rapidly, decrease lighting times, or increase the number of plants to use the extra light. Do more water changes.

Post pics of the algae so we can identify it.

 

[Creepy the Crayfish]

Well my camera is very bad so I'll just describe it: its mostly only in areas of strong flow and its brown some of it grows in short strands in a group, and some of it grows in one really long strand by itself on the drift wood.

 

[Byron]

Well my camera is very bad so I'll just describe it: its mostly only in areas of strong flow and its brown some of it grows in short strands in a group, and some of it grows in one really long strand by itself on the drift wood.

Otos would not eat this anyway, nor will most if not all of the so-called "algae eating" fish. As Colin hinted, the only way to deal with "problem" algae is to balance the light intensity/duration with available nutrients. This is necessary in planted tanks to avoid the algae taking over and killing plants, but in tanks with no plants this is not even necessary though it might indicate a bigger problem as the underlying issue.

 

[Creepy the Crayfish]

So acquiring more plants and decreasing the light would make the algae decrease

 

[Colin_T]

Algae normally grows from excess light or excess nutrients. If you have more plants, they will use the excess light and nutrients and help reduce algae growth. Water changes help dilute nutrients and can also help.

Make sure you get true aquatic plants tho. Avoid Anubias, Java Fern and some other plants that are slow growers under water.

Good plants to try include Ambulia, Hydrilla, Elodia (if it's warm but not in cold weather), Hygrophila polysperma, H. ruba/ rubra, narrow Vallis, common Amazon Swordplant, Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta).

The water sprite floats and can be grown in the substrate. The other plants should be planted in the gravel.

 

[Creepy the Crayfish]

Ok thanks I've heard of snails coming in on plants I know I should've thought of that before but i dont have a snail infestation yet I don't think but i hear its a common problem, how would I get rid of or control the snail population?

 

[Colin_T]

Check all new plants for snails and snail eggs. The eggs look like clumps of clear jelly with dots in and are usually on the underside of the plant leaf or on the stem.

You can give plants a rinse under the tap, or dip them in salt water, bleach or copper. Then rinse well before adding to the tank.

 

[Byron]

Ok thanks I've heard of snails coming in on plants I know I should've thought of that before but i dont have a snail infestation yet I don't think but i hear its a common problem, how would I get rid of or control the snail population?

The small snails that might arrive on plants are your best friend in the aquarium, so welcome them. They get places you never will, eating all organic matter which breaks it down faster for the bacteria to deal with while adding nothing to the bioload themselves.

Snails will reproduce according to the food supply. And this means the fish excrement they eat, along with any excess fish food of course. Their numbers might surprise you, but that is due to the organic level.

 

[Creepy the Crayfish]

That's very good to know thank you. As mentioned before I was going to get some cories (I haven't yet) but i was wondering because cories like to dig around in the gravel should i get carpet plants, some carpet plants in only certain places, or no carpet plants at all?

 

[Byron]

As mentioned before I was going to get some cories (I haven't yet) but i was wondering because cories like to dig around in the gravel should i get carpet plants, some carpet plants in only certain places, or no carpet plants at all?

This is a 10g tank, so the cories best suited are one of the "dwarf" species, namely Corydoras pygmaeus, C. habrosus, or C. hastatus. The larger species are going to find it cramped, though a group of Corydoras panda could work. Remember cories are shoaling and must have a group; the "dwarf" species are best with more, so 8-9 of one of these; the pandas no fewer than 7, to 8.

This has two issues. Substrate must be sand for the "dwarf" species, and preferably sand for the panda. Second issue is temperature...the dwarf species and the panda cannot tolerate very warm water, so around 75-76F (24-25 C) is as high as the temp should be. Upper fish will obviously have to have this requirement too.

Carpet plants are not that good with cories who like open substrate. They like to sift sand through their gills. Some substrate plants are OK, but these can often spread rapidly. A 10g again is a small areas.

 

[Creepy the Crayfish]

Yeah your right I didn't mean normal cories I meant dwarf cories but i dont have sand substrate but i dont have big gravel I have more fine gravel do you think this would be ok. Also if i left most of the front of the tank plant less and just had a couple carpet plants in little groups would that be ok?

 

[Byron]

Yeah your right I didn't mean normal cories I meant dwarf cories but i dont have sand substrate but i dont have big gravel I have more fine gravel do you think this would be ok. Also if i left most of the front of the tank plant less and just had a couple carpet plants in little groups would that be ok?

I would have sand for the dwarf cory species. These are sensitive and rather more delicate cories than many of the larger species. Common play sand works very well, and is very inexpensive. Avoid any other type of industrial sand as they will be rough and possibly sharp, but play sand is highly refined.

For the plants, it depends upon the plants. You want some chunks of wood for the cories, with moss on them is a good thing (you may have spawning with this), and the floating plants to shade the light which will result in "braver" cories. Dried leaves on the sand is also a good idea, especially if spawning does occur as these produce infusoria for the fry to begin feeding.