Zak's Cycle Log

[newbie_zak]

So, I've been trying to cycle my 10 gal tank. I'm brand new to fish keeping so please keep that in mind when offereing advice (please don't assume I know things because I know very little about fish keeping). I have 3 fish in my tank (ack-I know fish-in cycle and it's giving me a major headache) I am reasonable sure one is a penguin tetra (I only have one it was the only one the store had and I didn't know before that they were um...schoaling? fish....fish that need to be in a group). One was labeled as a swordtail but when looking at pictures of a swordtail mine has the coloring but not the proper tail shape so I don't really know what it is, and the third is a dalamation molly I think. The lfs guy told me these fish would be compatable and friendly and not grow over 2 in. a piece.

When my tank is cycled I would like to add 3 or 4 little 1 inch fish of the same species, something pretty.

Ok - so cycling...I think I understand the basics of the nitrogen cycle...I know I'm supposed to keep my ammonia as close to 0 as I can (nitrites too if I ever get them) and what I want it a stable tank with 0 of both and some nitrates for a whole week and that should make my tank cycled and I can do weekly WC (20%?) to keep the nitrates within reasonable levels.

I have had my tank since the 6th of Oct. I think...I put fish in it the next day (again on my lfs advice...I hate them) and I've been doing daily WC ever since. For the first few days (about a week) I didn't have a water test kit, also the penguin fish was sick so I dosed with pimafix and melafix for a week and they are all good now. Once I got a test kit and saw how high my ammonia was getting I starting doing daily WC of about 50%

now it doesn't get higher than .25, I try to change it a lot sometimes twice a day. I use aqueon water conditioner to dechloranate my water. the bottle says 5ml will do 10 gal so I use 1.25ml for 2.5 gal (my tank says it's 10 gal but only about 8 fits in there or the water level goes above the thermometers high water line). It says it works instantly but I try to wait a minute or so for it to work.

so here's the big question: I have no nitrites yet! It's been 4 weeks...shouldn't I be seeing a decrease in ammonia and a increase in nitrites?
Am I doing something wrong? the first couple of days I put that cycle stuff that came with my tank in there but then I heard that stuff sucks so I stopped on day 3 or 4. I am going out of town in Jan for a week and I really need my tank to be cycled by then or I'm afraid my fish will die without someone there to keep changing thier water.

 

[newbie_zak]

so I checked the levels of everything the other day just to see and I got a ph of 7.8, ammonia .25, nitrites 0 and nitrates of 5 pmm. I did a water change to get the ammonia down. the temp in my tank is about 82...this is week 4 of my "cycle" - you think everything is going like it should?

 

[Aqua Tom]

Welcome.

While any ammonia is a problem at 0.25 ppm is manegable. You realy need to be doing a large water change EVERY day, rather than waiting for the test results.

Apart from that

Edit, sorry just reread you op & you are already doing dailey WC's.



Patience


Tom

 

[newbie_zak]

ack! This is getting so old... I do enjoy the fish but geez, it's too much work right now. And I'm still trying to figure out how I have 5ppm nitrates when I test all the time and have never seen any nitrites yet. I also heard from someone that medicating my tank ('cause of a sick fish, it's better now) the first week I had it would've delayed the start of my cycle so I shouldn't start counting weeks until after the medicine was out.

Yeah, I do a daily WC - and try to test twice a day to see what my levels are at. I guess patience is a virtue I've not been given. Thanks for letting me know I'm on the right track.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You are doing it right, a fish-in cycle is a LOT of work, but can be manageable (stressful though, which you are now finding). You might have 5ppm nitrates because your tap water has that level of nitrates. Did you test your tap water?

If you don't have patience now, this process will help you learn patience.



As far as the fish goes, only the male swordtail will have the classic swordtail look. Females don't have that. Females anal fin will be an actual fin, while the anal fin of livebearers is a gonopodium, and looks like.... kind of like a male organ. If it has a fan style fin, then it is probably a female swordtail. Regardless, swordtails can grow to 3-4 inches in length and some even bigger. (Not to be Debbie Downer, but none of the fish you mentioned that are suited for a 10 gallon tank for various reasons. Have a read through this thread - it will help you choose more suitable fish.)

 

[newbie_zak]

You are doing it right, a fish-in cycle is a LOT of work, but can be manageable (stressful though, which you are now finding). You might have 5ppm nitrates because your tap water has that level of nitrates. Did you test your tap water?

If you don't have patience now, this process will help you learn patience.



As far as the fish goes, only the male swordtail will have the classic swordtail look. Females don't have that. Females anal fin will be an actual fin, while the anal fin of livebearers is a gonopodium, and looks like.... kind of like a male organ. If it has a fan style fin, then it is probably a female swordtail. Regardless, swordtails can grow to 3-4 inches in length and some even bigger. (Not to be Debbie Downer, but none of the fish you mentioned that are suited for a 10 gallon tank for various reasons. Have a read through this thread - it will help you choose more suitable fish.)

dang...tap water. Good call - I should have thought of that, of course that is where the nitrates are coming from.
Now about my fish... where's the anal fin? The only fins I know are the one one the very end (tail fin maybe or is that the one your talking about?) and the big one on top. I know fish have more fins than that but I don't know what any of them are called.

Freaking lfs! they told me these would be good fish...I think I'd believe a drunken monkey over these people at this point though. I know that the tetra is supposed to have friends but he doesn't - but what's wrong with the other 2? Is it just that they'll get too big? My fish are really gonna get that big? aw, man...I heard when counting "inches" of fish you don't include the tail fin, will these 3 be all the fish I can ever have?

And what should I do with this tetra fish? I can't return him (I'm not I'd want to with the ammonia that was in his tank at the fs, and he was alone there too) but I'd like to be happy. I now sometimes I see it chase the other fish around in the tank. I assumed this is because he was hungry - once I feed them he seems to stop this behavior (for a while at least - I can't watch them ALL day).

You know - I was feeling stressed, from moving across the country and other things so I thought - I'll buy an aquarium and I can watch the fish, I've heard they are so peaceful and nice to watch. This is not turning out to be stress-relieving yet...

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The reason that I say the fish you mentioned aren't compatible for a 10 gallon tank are as follows:

penguin tetra - As pointed out these need to be in groups. The minimum is 5, but I think 8-10 is better. These also grow to abou 3". So, even if you get 5 of them, that's 15 inches of fish, which is a bit high and they don't have the numbers that would be preferred.

Dalmation molly - Is this a ballon dalmatian molly, or a regular dalmatian molly? Regular mollies can grow up to almost 5 inches! They can be solitary, but they are also fairly active swimmers and require more space to swim.

Swordtail - Are you sure it is a swordtail? It might be a platy. Platies don't get as large, but they look very similar. Platies are a bit shorter and stockier. Swordtails have a bit longer bodies.



As far as the gonopodium...

Compare that to the female platy pictured here:

 

[newbie_zak]

well, I only have the one tetra and the guy said he was fully grown (although I'm starting to take everything I'm told with a grain of salt) and it's only about 2". I know I should have more but I don't and I agree that I don't have room for more so I won't be buying more tetras. If I had a friend to give it to where it'd be happy I would but I don't so... I guess we'll just see how this goes.

The "dalmation molly" Is what the fish guy called it. I have no idea if it's a balloon one or not. the dang guy said it'd stay little, like 2" and under...this is really ticking me off cause originally I wanted to start with these 3 and add a couple smaller ones once cycled. grrr

now my "swordtail" has a fin like the first one ..gonopodium or whatever it was...it's an orange fish and it's fins have a hint of black but aren't opaque...it's not a fan shaped fin. Does this mean I'm not gonna have room for anymore fish?!? That stinks!

How do I know my fish are fully grown? Is it possible I have a dalmation molly that won't grow so big? You said CAN grow UP TO 5" right, so potentially it could be smaller fully grown? Do they grow fast? and what's the average life span of a fish? Can I wait a couple years and these guys will die and I can get more appropriate fish for my tank? Once my tank is cycled, say these guys live a while and die of natural causes or whatever, can I just put new fish in the tank or do I have to empty it and start over with the cycling and stuff?

oh and...hoorah! I finally have some nitrites...I tested and got...er...the lowest readable level...either .25 or .5, whatever the first one was. light purple or something. I did a water change to get everything back down (hopefully close to 0) but I see this as very promising improvment. Yay!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Does the molly look like this:

or this:

Unfortunately, a 10 gallon tank is considered small in the trade. They make them by the gross, because they are very cheap to make. But, ultimately, they are rather small for most fish.

 

[newbie_zak]

The molly is mostly black with some white spots but yes, he looks like the bottom guy not the one with the big belly which I'm assuming is the balloon molly. I really hope that they stay small enough that I can get another 2 or 3 small (non-schooling) fish. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks so much for all the pictures, they were really helpful. Do you think my penguin tetra could be acting badly because he's lonely? It doesn't happen all the time but I do somethimes see him chase the other 2 fish in the tank around? I really don't know what to do about this fish.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yes. Tetras can be very temperamental (even nippy) if not kept in proper schools.


I hate to say it, but both the molly and the penguin tetra are going to need to be rehomed. Neither is suitable for a 10 gallon tank. The penguin needs 5 friends and more swimming space than that. The molly too needs more space.

Have a look at this link for ideas on fish that are suitable for 10 gallons.



I know it is hard to hear that, but unfortunately, it is true. 10 gallons is just not big enough for those guys. I understand your attachment to your fish as well, I love mollies myself, but it isn't good for them to be kept in that small a space.


A group of 8 endlers would look great in that tank though, or a shoal of microrasboras. There are fish that would work, but the ones you have unfortunately just don't fit.