# What type of fishes can I use?



## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

im thinking 3 or 4 male fancy guppy would look tight...


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

A oscar....No but seriously a betta, shrimp, badis badis pair or trio is really the only thing that comes to mind. I would say ember tetra but I think that is really pushing it.


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## icantquit (May 20, 2010)

Was hoping for some fishes that will school around swim in groups. Im not sure which fishes usually does that. I think neons, tetras and rainbows, but not sure which one usually stay below 2 inch for their entire life spand. Any idea?


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## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

I would not suggest neons or rainbows at all in a tank that is 5.5 gls, when EMPTY. 
The over all swimming space isn't 5.5gl's anymore, right, cause you've added harscape, sand, plants, etc.
I would go with shrimp, or if you really want, I can maybe suggest some microrasboras, like 5 or 6 of them. Even that I'm leery of cause I still think they should be in a tenner.


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## icantquit (May 20, 2010)

So what type of shrimp would you recommend? Also I was thinking, endlers? Let me know. Im a newbie at this,. Thanks!


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## rrrrramos (Jan 24, 2008)

I think CRS go great with greenery in any tank, but if those are a bit on the steep side, I also love the look of snowball shrimp in heavily planted tanks. Once everything grows in thick they'll really pop. 
You can also never go wrong with Red Cherry Shrimp. Get like 5 of them and you'll have 50 or so in no time! You can go with a microrasbora such as Boraras brigittae, but in nano tanks, shrimp are really your best bet.


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## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

I hope this goes without saying, but if you really only started this tank two days ago, make sure it's cycled before you add any fishes or other creatures!
You don't want fish deaths and sadness.

I think about the smallest schooling type fish would be rasboras, although with a tank that size it doesn't seem like you could get any more than 3-4. Also, the smaller the tank is, the less they seem to school, so you might want to just go with some interesting fish or shrimp that will be happy in this size. It seems like a better plan than getting less than an optimal number of schooling fish that probably won't school very much anyway.

I like your moss; was it already established before you put it in there?


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## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

+1 on the above, regarding a cycled tank.

Also remember, smaller tanks in general (this is not a solid rule) usually have more fluctuating water parameters than a larger tank.
If this is your first tank, or your first in a few years or so, maybe just stick with some cherry shrimp AFTER the tank is cycled. That way you won't be at a huge loss should anything go wrong. Cherries are pretty easy to take care of, and don't produce much of a bio-load so your water won't pollute as fast (granted you don't over-feed, etc).


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## nerzaa (May 22, 2010)

don't listen to those who tell you to follow the 1 inch per gallon rule; one, the original rule should read full as 1 inch that grows to not more than 3 inches per gallon; two, that rule is general guide line for 1st timers as a safety precaution.

i have a 6 gallon planted fluval edge; within it, i have 18 neon tetras, 4 guppies, 3 baby cory cats and a bunch of cherry shrimps. they are there for 2 weeks now, everyone including the plants are happy.

so there is no real limit on how many fish you can put in; my theory is you can put in as much as your tank can handle, which depends on the amount of bio filtration (live plants) you have.

and lastly, feed them once every 2 days; fishes don't die of hunger, they die of bad water condition from over feeding.


almost forgot, if you started your tank from scratch, you better let it run for a week; and then slowly add fish in small quantities to build your bacterial colony (cycle). however, you can accelerate cycle by using bedding from existing established tank; but it looks like you have already done scaping.


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## hybridtheoryd16 (Mar 20, 2009)

If you can do alot of water changes and or you have a large fast growing plant mass. You can have lots of fish in a 5.5g.

In my 5.5g I currently have 
5 brass tetra's
2 pea puffers
8 pygmy cory cats
1 wrestling half beak

I do a weekly 50% water change just because I do the same in all my tanks. But in this higher tech planted nano I have to add around 20ppm of nitrate weekly just to keep the levels up. If you keep your plants thriving it will make a big difference in the amount of fish you can safley keep in a 5.5g. IMO

But also with a large amount of fish in a tank and daily feedings your phosphate levels can get out of hand quickly. Also the higher the bioload the quicker things can go bad. Just beware.

+1 on the cycling the tank before adding fish.
Research fishless cycling proceedures
Its simple, humane and is a big help when setting up new tanks.


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## ldk59 (Jan 30, 2009)

nerzaa said:


> don't listen to those who tell you to follow the 1 inch per gallon rule; one, the original rule should read full as 1 inch that grows to not more than 3 inches per gallon; two, that rule is general guide line for 1st timers as a safety precaution.
> 
> i have a 6 gallon planted fluval edge; within it, i have 18 neon tetras, 4 guppies, 3 baby cory cats and a bunch of cherry shrimps. they are there for 2 weeks now, everyone including the plants are happy.
> 
> ...


There is not ONE SINGLE bit of accurate information in this post... in fact when I read it, my first thought was "this MUST be a troll"... I sincerely hope that I was correct !!!

icantquit, PLEASE do yourself a huge favour and listen to the established members of this forum... NOT this inaccurate/harmful information propagated in the quoted post above.

nerzaa, your tank is SEVERELY OVERSTOCKED.. I highly recommend that you remove (at the VERY LEAST) the neons immediately !!! Your tank has only been set up for TWO WEEKS, your blindly foolish statement that "everyone including the plants are happy" is at best misleading and uninformed... 

I'll quit typing now before I get really upset and get myself into trouble :angryfire with the mods....

Larry


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## nerzaa (May 22, 2010)

ldk59 said:


> There is not ONE SINGLE bit of accurate information in this post... in fact when I read it, my first thought was "this MUST be a troll"... I sincerely hope that I was correct !!!
> 
> icantquit, PLEASE do yourself a huge favour and listen to the established members of this forum... NOT this inaccurate/harmful information propagated in the quoted post above.
> 
> ...


most of you probably read about the 1 inch per gallon rule from somewhere or told by some "expert"; and i'd guess you have never experienced with overstocking beyond what others have told you.

i have an "overstocked" 50G goldfish tank for 2 yrs already; it's got 11 small ones, 2 mid-sized ones, and 1 large one; and these are all goldfish i'm talking about; that's at least 4 times the recommended bio-load according to the 1 inch per gallon rule; yet my fishes have been healthy and alive for the past 2 years. moreover, it's not even planted; the bio filtration of this tank is done by a large algae-covered wood. let me guess, you never thought of algae as bio filters, have you?

for now, i am not going to argue with you about my 6G's stocking capacity; but i will post an update in a month about my 6 gallon and let the fact speak for itself; that will shut you and the rest of the book smart people, and perhaps will make you think before blindly accepting what you are being told.


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## ldk59 (Jan 30, 2009)

"Book smart" ??? where did you imagine you heard that?

I've been keeping freshwater aquariums since 1967 or 68, my advice is based on practical experience, not the advice of any "expert" (although my collection of Aquarium related books does contain editions written by those "experts" that you seem to harbour so much disdain towards)

I would not ever argue your tank keeping practises with you (it's your tank to do with as you please), my only concern was that the OP "icantquit" would seriously consider taking some of your "advice"
thus starting his foray into the planted aquarium hobby at a serious disadvantage. 

There are literally hundreds of experienced aquarists on this forum for one to glean valuable information regarding this hobby... I only suggest that newer members to this forum (and hobby)
take advantage of that resource. Failure to do so leaves one with no excuses for potential failure.

'Nuff said 

Kindest regards to all

Larry K


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## icantquit (May 20, 2010)

WOW all, thanks for your polite input. The tank itself was set up a few days ago.. 1/2 of my water came from an established fish tank that i was pumping co2 in, the other 1/2 of it was r/o water. I would assume its establish?? Im really not experience with planted tanks. I was hoping to find some small colorful fishes to fill in the tank without harming them. With the c02 and cat litter substrate...who knows what can really live in it without dying....err....ill try a few low grade crs for now..and maybe 2 pairs endlers from a LFS..,...again all thanks for your input...highly appreciated...Ill take more pics of the tank as the tank develops...


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## nerzaa (May 22, 2010)

icantquit said:


> WOW all, thanks for your polite input. The tank itself was set up a few days ago.. 1/2 of my water came from an established fish tank that i was pumping co2 in, the other 1/2 of it was r/o water. I would assume its establish?? Im really not experience with planted tanks. I was hoping to find some small colorful fishes to fill in the tank without harming them. With the c02 and cat litter substrate...who knows what can really live in it without dying....err....ill try a few low grade crs for now..and maybe 2 pairs endlers from a LFS..,...again all thanks for your input...highly appreciated...Ill take more pics of the tank as the tank develops...


the bacterials mainly live in the filter material and in the substrates; water doesn't really have a lot of them. so it's probably safer to wait a bit longer.

co2 injection isn't a problem during lights on hours for planted tanks; but it can cause problems during lights off hours when the plants are also releasing co2 and absorbing o2. therefore it's safer to have some sort of surface agitation during lights off hours to increase o2 in water so your fish/shrimps don't suffocate to death.


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## nerzaa (May 22, 2010)

ldk59 said:


> "Book smart" ??? where did you imagine you heard that?
> 
> ...
> 
> ...


i got the idea when you told me my statement was blindly foolish and demanded me to abide your practice in CAPITAL LETTERS just because you didn't agree nor understood my fish keeping practice.

but it seems now we have better respect for other people's practice method after i have provided some hard evidence and explanation; and i will rest my case and won't tell you how much nicer your tank would have looked with more fish nor how much advantage the OP will have by starting his hobby with an open mind.

kind regards.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

1/2 full with old water does not introduce very much of the nitrifying bacteria that an aquarium needs to break down ammonia. Nitrifying bacteria stick to surfaces such as filter media and substrate. And the leaves of plants. If you have an established tank then share filter media with the new tank to share bacteria. You can safely remove about 25% of the filter media from an established tank without that tank having a mini-cycle. When you move the bacteria you need to feed them right away. 

Running the tank for a week does nothing to grow nitrifying bacteria. 

Do the fishless cycle. Do not add fish until the fishless cycle has built up enough bacteria to keep the ammonia levels under control. 

Cycling by slowly adding fish is not the way to start up an aquarium and populate it with beneficial bacteria. For anyone who says 'but that is the way it has always been done':
a) The fishless cycle is older than the 'add fish slowly and hope they are not poisoned' method.
b) Just because you never heard of it does not mean it is a useless thing.
c) Is safe for all the livestock. 
d) The 'add fish slowly and slowly poison them' method is good for stores that promulgate it. Your fish die, or are unthrifty, water conditions are bad and other problems crop up (disease, parasites), so you start making regular trips to the store to buy more and more things you would not need if you had done it right. 

Alternate: Add one of the products that has _Nitrospiros_ bacteria in it. There are only 3 that I know of. All the other 'bacteria in a bottle' are a waste of money. (More useless stuff for the store to sell) 
Dr. Tim's One and Only, Tetra Safe Start and Microbe Lift's Nite Out II. 
Then you can add the fish right away. 

1" per gallon guideline is a valid suggestion for beginners, and is based on the following:
Fish produce waste and need oxygen based on body mass. 
Water will dilute a certain amount of waste. 
Water will hold a certain amount of oxygen. 
Things can alter these last two factors, but there is no getting around the first one. 
A fish that is twice as long as another fish is also twice as tall and twice as wide. Therefore has 8 times the body mass, and therefore 8 times the metabolic needs as the smaller fish. 
Smaller tanks get out of balance a lot easier than larger tanks. 
There are some variations in metabolism between species, but not enough to affect what I am discussing here. 
Shape of the tank matters. A standard rectangular tank is best for 1" per gallon. A shallower tank with more surface might support a few more fish. A tall tank without so much surface area will not even handle 1" per gallon. 
1" per gallon says nothing about the social issues of keeping fish. Adding aggressive fish to a too-small tank will not work no matter how many inches or gallons you have. 
1" per gallon works well when the fish are about 1-2" long. Not so well when they are larger. 
You can start with baby fish, and use the 1" per gallon guide, as long as you understand that it is not a permanent set up. Also, most growing fish have greater needs (more food, more waste) than adult fish. 
In a 10 gallon tank a few relatively calm fish up to 2" will work. There is not much room to swim around, so no really active fish. 1" fish are better, but even here I would not choose fish that want to race around the tank. 
In a 5 gallon tank I would limit it to either really calm fish, or really small ones. Shrimp are better than most fish. 
When you are stocking a tank DO NOT stock it according to the best case scenario. If the tank is overstocked it is highly dependent on power for the lights for the plants to provide oxygen and remove waste, and power for the filters and powerheads to circulate the water, remove the waste and also add more oxygen to the water. 
Worst case scenario is when the power quits. The small, overstocked tank goes south really fast, and fish die. The understocked tank has a good cushion, and can handle the reduced circulation and other problems until the power comes on. 

Things that alter the 1" per gallon guide:
Emergency power to keep filter and lights going. 
Plants, and lights, ferts and CO2 to keep them growing. 
Staying right on top of water changes, filter cleaning, plant maintenance and other chores so in case of emergency the tank is ready. 

icantquit, here is what I would do:
1) Make phone calls to see who carries one of the _Nitrospiros_ products. 
2) Use that product as per label, or use more than the label suggests. (No problem with overdosing these) Store the remainder in the fridge. 
3) Stock the tank with some Endlers. either 1M + 2 F(If you have a market for the babies) or 5 Males and no females. 
4) Monitor the tank for at least a week (Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) to see that the product worked. Do water changes as needed. 
5) When conditions stabilize, get the shrimp.
6) Add more of the _Nitrospiros_ and then add the shrimp.


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## ahud (Mar 6, 2010)

I think another aspect of fish keeping is what is "humane to keep" and not just what I "can keep".

Would hate to be those neons in that small of a tank. Nerzaa, before you claim to be successful, I know a guy who keeps goldfish in a 20gal drum that his cows drink out of. some fish will live in almost anything, does not mean they are happy. When you bash the "experts", a lot of what they say comes from science. Hate to hijack this post, but ignorance is a really annoying thing.


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## nerzaa (May 22, 2010)

ahud said:


> I think another aspect of fish keeping is what is "humane to keep" and not just what I "can keep".
> 
> Would hate to be those neons in that small of a tank. Nerzaa, before you claim to be successful, I know a guy who keeps goldfish in a 20gal drum that his cows drink out of. some fish will live in almost anything, does not mean they are happy. When you bash the "experts", a lot of what they say comes from science. Hate to hijack this post, but ignorance is a really annoying thing.


18 neons (1.5cm each) in a 6 gallon (36.5cm H x 43cm W x 26cm), it's like 18 people (175CM each) live in a 42m H x 50m W x 30m space; 

let's 1st consider just the area, 50m x30m = 1500 square meters; that's 1500/18 = 83 square meters for each person, bigger than most people's room for sure; then add the height to it, that's 42 m in height, you got a 83 squaure meters room with a ceiling that's 42 meters high. what more do you want?

u still think it's inhumane for the neons? they have much larger living space than most of humans.

please get off your high horse and think before you talk.


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## rengb6 (Nov 11, 2009)

Schooling fish are boring! Go for a pair or a trio of scarlet badis. They have character and will eat the bugs in your tank. You will never have a planaria problem that's for sure! Don't listen to the idiots telling you s\he can put 18+ fish in a 6 gallon. Even if the fish don't die they are not happy. Order 2 scarlet badis from invertz factory and they will ship you 3 in case one dies. I am only telling you this so that you don't order 3 and end up with 4 which I think is to much for a 5 gallon. They do like to chase each other and are a bit territorial. Also you'll want to give them some live food until the bugs in your tank get out of control then allow your badis to keep the population in check. After awhile mine wouldn't eat the frozen food I was providing so I left them to scavenge the tank. Good luck with your new tank!


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## Captivate05 (Feb 23, 2010)

Nerzaa, it's your tank. Do with it what you want, and if you don't like the tone people on these forums present, then don't respond. No one is going to agree with you on here, and all you'll succeed in doing is getting the thread closed. 

OP- Listen to what Diana has to say about cycling. It's a safe and effective method to start a tank, without hurting any fish. Also, I would recommend RCS shrimp. They are more forgiving and easier to take care of than CRS.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

But you have to cook, eat, sleep, shower, and deficate in that space too. Expecting a human to live in the conditions you describe withouth ever leaving would infact be inhumane. Even prisoners get out olf their cells. 

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk


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## nerzaa (May 22, 2010)

Captivate05 said:


> Nerzaa, it's your tank. Do with it what you want, and if you don't like the tone people on these forums present, then don't respond. No one is going to agree with you on here, and all you'll succeed in doing is getting the thread closed.
> 
> OP- Listen to what Diana has to say about cycling. It's a safe and effective method to start a tank, without hurting any fish. Also, I would recommend RCS shrimp. They are more forgiving and easier to take care of than CRS.


the rest of you including yourself should just follow ur own advice too.

OP wanted to know if it's possible to keep more fishes then the rest of you recommended.

i responded to tell him that's totally doable by sharing my personal experience and reasons behind.

so it's up to him to decide what he wants to do with his tank based on what he's heard.

lastly, you disagree with my approach, i don't like your approach either; and i'm not here to convince anyone of you; merely to answer OP's questions and let him know all the options that's available.

think about what you are doing before posting.


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## nerzaa (May 22, 2010)

over_stocked said:


> But you have to cook, eat, sleep, shower, and deficate in that space too. Expecting a human to live in the conditions you describe withouth ever leaving would infact be inhumane. Even prisoners get out olf their cells.
> 
> Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk


well, think it in another way then; a mansion that has an area of 1500 square meters (50 meters x 30 meters), and about 42 meters high (3 meters per stories), that' at least 10 stories for this mansion.

you still think 18 people will have trouble living inside? you could fit indoor pool, in door soccer, indoor bastket ball field inside, and have the roof as garden; and still provide large condo for everyone.


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## Captivate05 (Feb 23, 2010)

I'm just reminding you of what you already know.


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## ahud (Mar 6, 2010)

Lol at nerzaa, ignore the troll.


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## Drink_soy_sauce (Sep 15, 2009)

ahud said:


> I think another aspect of fish keeping is what is "humane to keep" and not just what I "can keep".
> 
> Would hate to be those neons in that small of a tank. Nerzaa, before you claim to be successful, I know a guy who keeps goldfish in a 20gal drum that his cows drink out of. some fish will live in almost anything, does not mean they are happy. When you bash the "experts", a lot of what they say comes from science. Hate to hijack this post, but ignorance is a really annoying thing.



I second this. Quality of life should always be considered over pushing the bioload... 

By the way Nerzaa, you are only taking into account the neons size now, full grown they're around 1.5 inches (3.8cm).


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## LedxZep (Sep 25, 2009)

nerzaa said:


> don't listen to those who tell you to follow the 1 inch per gallon rule; one, the original rule should read full as 1 inch that grows to not more than 3 inches per gallon; two, that rule is general guide line for 1st timers as a safety precaution.
> 
> i have a 6 gallon planted fluval edge; within it, i have 18 neon tetras, 4 guppies, 3 baby cory cats and a bunch of cherry shrimps. they are there for 2 weeks now, everyone including the plants are happy.
> 
> ...


 LOL 18 neon tetras in a 6g??? Does this guy have down syndrome or some other type of retardation?


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

I have a quick question. Could I safely add any more fish to my tank?
I have a 5 gallon tank with 3 panda corys. It has no filtration, about 20 anacharis stems, 2 anubias nana and 3 kyoto grass plants.(which I am experimenting with) I empty and clean the tank every Friday.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

@Val: your tank could benefit from a sponge filter at least. 
What do you want to do with this tank? are you breeding the cories or any other fish in it(I mean for example you can add otos and try to breed them, but cories can interfere)? or is this just a normal display tank?
It would be best to post a pic of the tank too to figure out what fish can live in there.
Also for a plant recommendation, water sprite can cover up your tank real nice, it grows very large.


@nerzaa:
I don't know whether you have taken any action with regard to your edge tank yet, but dialing down on the fish numbers will probably help your system if you still have those large numbers. IMO you shouldn't judge the tank's success on how well things are going for a few weeks. The real indicator is how well the system does over the years of maintaining it. If all or most of the inhabitants can survive in that tank for over a year then your tank stocking may not be as outlandish as others might think. But if they die or disappear of unknown causes or get real sick (assuming they are all young and small fish) and algae blooms persist over very long periods of time then stocking needs to be reworked...


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

I'm working on getting a small filter with a spray bar. I'm a college student, the biggest tank we can have is a 20 gallon. I just have it so that I have something to take care of. I was originally going to keep my male betta with the corys to get rid of a bug infestation that came with some plants from a petstore. The Betta proved to be a bully and a fin nipper, so he lives in a 1 gallon bowl on my desk. I was just wondering if it would be possible to put a group of 3 tetras or 3 raspboras in with the corys. If not, I'll leave it alone. You can see pictures of the tank in my "Sand" album on my profile.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

How many coreis do you have left right now? 3 which means you originally got 4?
You could probably get 3 tetras/rasbora in a few months once the tank settles (I am assuming it is less than 2 months old?)
Once you have your tank full of healthy plants, it should be ready for more fish. more fish though is pushing the limit, be aware that it isnt safe without healthy plants and frequent water changes on the tank.
Also stick to smaller species of tetra or rasbora. Which species were you thinking of getting?


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

I originally got 2. When 1 died due to a campus power outage and melted bloodworms(I'll never make that mistake again) I waited 3 weeks until easter and got 2 more corys. What I wanted was a small tetra like a green neon, but the LFS's I have access to are limited when it comes to species of fish. I would probably end up with neons or cardinals. I don't know what they stock when it comes to raspboras. 

I think you missed the part where I said I empty and clean the tank every Friday.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

How do you empty and clean the tank? can you please describe the cleaning procedure from the first to last step.

Green neons would be ideal. You should choose the best LFS having the healthiest looking fish and figure out what kinds of tetras and rasboras they carry. You can try asking the LFS emloyees for the smaller species. Also if the store has their own website you could check online what they carry.

Melted blood worms? lol how did that happen exactly? You fed some bloodworms that were sitting out of the fridge/ freezer for a few days?

How low did the temp go during the power outage? (assuming the cory died because of heat issues.)


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

Water Sprite can help your tank btw.


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

I take the plants out, I take the rocks/pot/pvc piping out, I take the thermometer and heater out, I take the fish out and put them in a container to chill in. I take the water out with a bucket and pour it down the drain. I put extremely hot water in the tank(in the bathtub) and scrub the sides of the tank with my bare hands. I also wash the rocks/pvc piping/pot along with the heater and thermometer. I swish the sand around, let it settle and pour out the poo and grossness. I repeat this rinsing step 4 or 5 times. Then I dry the outside of the tank so as not to drip water everywhere. 
I put the tank back, put in 4 to 4 and1/2 gallons of water. I put 10 drops of Jungle Start Right water conditioner for every gallon and 5 drops if it is a 1/2 gallon. 
I put the heater and thermometer back in, I also scape the tank with the plants and rocks/pvc piping/pot. I heat up the water if it is too cold. Then I put the fish back in. Around nighttime I feed them. 
The same process is done with the 1 gallon fishbowl.


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

Power went out, bloodworms melted. They were melted longer than I thought. I thoughtlessly thew some into the 5 gallon and 1 gallon. 
The next afternoon, the corys were lethargic and trying to swim to the top. I only got 1 into fresh water before it was too late. The betta was unaffected. There was no temperature swing that night. It was bloodworm poisoning and it was my fault.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

I can see a big problem with the way you are not allowing the beneficial bacteria to grow in your tank. With that maintenance regimen you are keeping your tank from cycling.
You see keeping a sterile environment that way is not a good idea because the nitrogen cycle (or at least the aquatic part of it in our aquariums) is vital to long term health and success of a normal aquarium.

Weekly maintenance can just simply consist of draining the tank with a syphon, without stressing out the fish and messing with the decor/gravel/sand/plants. then cleaning the glass from any algae with a paper towel or some glass safe (or plastic safe if your tank is plastic) scrubber. NEVER PUT ANY TAP WATER near equipment that goes into the tank or any part of the tank. Tap water and chlorine kill the bacteria in your tank that you are trying to culture. if you are not familiar with this concept of bacteria, you could read up on a tank cycling guide online.
After cleaning the glass and syphoning out enough water to leave enough in the tank for the fish to comfortably wait in, you refill the tank slowly to not upset the sand and cause a sandstorm in the tank. after you refill the tank your weekly maintenance is done! Since you dont have a filter to maintain yet.

Always rinse tank equipment if you need to with old tank water, NEVER TAP. Also always dechlorinate tap water with a water conditioner prior to filling the tank back up. the water you will change into the tank should be dechlorinated and sit in a bucket or other vessel for a few hours for the dechlorinator to mix in and the temperature to reach room temp.

The same procedure can be done each week with the betta vessel.


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

nerzaa said:


> 18 neons (1.5cm each) in a 6 gallon (36.5cm H x 43cm W x 26cm), it's like 18 people (175CM each) live in a 42m H x 50m W x 30m space;
> 
> let's 1st consider just the area, 50m x30m = 1500 square meters; that's 1500/18 = 83 square meters for each person, bigger than most people's room for sure; then add the height to it, that's 42 m in height, you got a 83 squaure meters room with a ceiling that's 42 meters high. what more do you want?
> 
> ...


 but humans P in a toilet, fish live in there toilet. our toxins dont build up in our bedrooms. Well most of our bedrooms. So i respectfully beleive your analogy is invalid.
If your new, listen to these guys on this website, fishless cycle your tank, and atleast in the begining stick to the inch per gal rule, or less and slowly increase from there after things are established. Patience are your friend in this hobby.


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

Newman said:


> Weekly maintenance can just simply consist of draining the tank with a syphon, without stressing out the fish and messing with the decor/gravel/sand/plants. then cleaning the glass from any algae with a paper towel or some glass safe (or plastic safe if your tank is plastic) scrubber.
> 
> I don't own a syphon, nor do I know where to get one or what it consists of.


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

Newman said:


> Always rinse tank equipment if you need to with old tank water, NEVER TAP. Also always dechlorinate tap water with a water conditioner prior to filling the tank back up.


I dechlorinate the new water in the tank, because of the danger of chlorine from the water used for cleaning. The decorations/heater/thermometer go in directly after putting the dechlorinator in. 
The fish have not seemed stressed from this method.(just unhappy with the moving part) I have had 3 healthy bettas over the course of 4 years doing this method. So, I assumed it was working for now.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

I advise you research aquarium cycling. much less hassle in the long run and guarantees a stable environment.

A syphon can be anything. if you need a small one to get into tight spots, a simple air line tube will collect debris from corners that are hard to reach. otherwise for wide open areas a larger diameter rubber hose/tube works. just try not to suck up all your sand. wave the syphon above the sand to stir up waste and collect it as it drifts up.


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

So, I guess this means no more fish. Thank you for your advice Newman.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

It just means no more fish for now; when you can run the tank in a stable way, having cycled it to begin with (liquid test kit for freshwater will really help you instead of just relying on the petstores to test your water for you) and having lots of healthy plants, your tank could support around 3 tetras or neons and the cories. Along with the successful biological filter (the bacteria) plants will also make your tank more healthy if they are growing well.


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## genomer (Mar 29, 2011)

I know this thread is old news, but I may have lol'd in real life when I read the number of fish put in a 6-gallon tank. Absolutely one of the most absurd things I've read on this forum!


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

yes that stocking list sounds more like a 20 gallon tank. the fish must all be young.


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