Ideas for a 10 gallon tank?

Question

Well all my fish died today. See this link for details....
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=An2tpA.DOq5l89Ang6N5aobO7BR.?qid=20070709085422AA7QvX8

Any way I want to buy some new fish. I used to have 1 betta, 3 cory cats, a 5 neon tetras. Any ideas on what I could put in the tank besides the fish I used to have? What would you do? I have a heater, air stone, thermometer, filter, gravel, 3 fake plants, and a fake rock setup. Thanks to all that answer.

The tap water conditioner I'm using says "Removes chlorine and breaks the chloramine bond"

Answer 1

I would suggest you start with a few hardy fish like danios. There are a few varieties that stay pretty small like pearl, long-finned blue, leopard, and zebra.

I looked over a few of your questions and have to wonder why the previous fish had died. Were these fairly new (tank running for less than 2 months)? Your tank may not have been cycled and wasn't able to support the number of fish you were keeping. Cycling refers to building a population of bacteria that convert the ammonia waste the fish produce (which is toxic to them) into nitrite (also toxic), then to nitrate (nontoxic in moderate amounts). This usually take 3-6 weeks to build, and during this time, the water will look cloudy as the bacteria are reproducing. Many new aquarium owners don't know what's happening in their tank (all they see is cloudy water and think the tank needs cleaned, so they clean the tank too well and remove too much of the bacteria so the cloudiness only lasts longer).

Another possibility is the water conditioner you were using - some brands don't really remove the chlorine/chloramine, they only make your fish produce a heavier slime coat so they are affected less by the chemicals - this really doesn't do the fish much good. It's also possible you're using the wrong type/dose of conditioner. You should have someone contact your water company and find out if they use chlorine or chloramine to treat the water and use a conditioner made to remove which one is used. Some products treat both, but the dose is different depending on which chemical is used. If your company uses chloramine and you're using a product to treat chlorine, this releases ammonia into the water and poisons the fish.

If you start your aquarium up again, I'd first find out which chemical your water company uses to treat your tap water and make certain you have the proper chemicals to treat it. Then, as you add fish, only add 2 a week until your tank is done cycling. Although the danios I mentioned are the hardiest, there's nothing wrong with the combination of fish you originally had. You could try those again, but wait to add the neons last - they're more sensitive to water quality than most fish, so if you were getting a lot of ammonia and nitrite in the tank, that's probably why they died first.

I'll add two links below to give you some info for getting your aquarium running again. Please look at both links and read the info on the nitrogen cycle (under beginner's guides -freshwater in the first) and cycling your tank (link at the bottom of the second).


ADDITION: If it only breaks the chloramine bond and your water company is using chloramine, all the product will do is turn the chloramine into chlorine and ammonia - both of which are toxic to fish. That could have been what happened to your previous fish. You need a product that will neutralize/remove both.

Answer 2

Ignore the response above about the Oscar, since it's a ridiculous and irresponsible response. Only an idiot would stuff a massive cichlid into a 10 gallon tank.

The truth is the only fish that are suitable for such a small tank are small fish like you had. You can choose slightly different small sized tetra's, and perhaps go with shrimp instead of catfish, and maybe a dwarf gourami instead of another betta. You also have the option of small livebearers, and while most barbs need larger tanks you can do cherry or rosy barbs.

Remember to take it slow, add just a few fish at a time, and do smaller water changes every week (and vacuum the gravel) to keep your tank healthy and clean.

Answer 3

Yes I agree - Ignore the suggestion about the Oscar. Yes, they are nice fish - but only someone cruel and completely insensitive could stuff a huge fish like that in a 10 gallon tank. Um, you are best off with tetras. Such as neon tetras. If you are really tired of tetras you could put about one goldfish in a 10 gallon tank. If you decide to get a goldfish - make sure to turn the temperature down (to about 69 - only if the goldfish in the only fish in the tank) The best thing that you can do is research. Read about the fish you want to get before purchasing them. Good luck!