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Unfortunately, your tank is overstocked as it is. Depending on the species of pleco you have, you may have to either move him to get rid of him. Most plecos get to big for a 10 gallon, again, depending on the species.

Also, most of the common corys get too big for a 10 gallon (not alone, but since they like groups, a good number of them would be too much for a 10 gallon). If you can do something with those fish, the you could get 4 more neons for a "proper" school, and then your tank would be fully stocked.

As for live plants, under normal lighting, most will not live. Assuming you have a flourescent hood, just getting the right lamp will not be enough. The main thing to consider is wattage, then right lamp. If you can purchase a new light fixture, then you would be fine for live plants.

Ten gallon are actually pretty convienent with lighting with new lamps out. If you have or can get a incandescent light fixture that has TWO screw in fixtures, then you can get two AGA mini power compact bulbs. They are 6500K, which is the desired light for plants, and 10 watts each. 20 watts over a 10 gallon is more than enough for most plants, and the you will be able to keep all but the hardest of plants in your tank.

However, remember that most plants grow pretty big, and you will have to do a lot of pruning.

HTH

~Jorge

Well, you are already fully stocked, and before you get any more fish, you should definitely get a bigger tank. For what you have in mind, a 30 gallon tank would be ideal! Your male betta very likely killed your male guppies, and the betta would probably make a snack out of any fry. You could always keep the betta in the 10 gal. if you get a larger tank. The pleco may not be growing because it doesn't have enough room or is stressed. Do you know what kind of pleco it is? If it is one of the ones sold as "common" plecos, then even a 30 gal tank will probably not be large enough. They are very messy fish, so water quality could become an issue. If it's a "common" pleco, it may tear up, eat, or otherwise destroy any plants you try to have. If it's a bristlenose pleco or other small variety, then it will still be a messy fish and need a larger tank, but won't harm plants.

As for plants, the basic ingredients are substrate, light, and nutrients. A good substrate for most plants is a small smooth pebble gravel. You can supplement with root tabs or mix fluorite or laterite (nutrient rich clay-like gravels) in with the gravel.
Lighting is very important, and can sometimes be costly. Look at the lightbulb you have. Somewhere on there it should read the wattage for the bulb. On a 10 gal. tank, you should have an 18 inch fluorescent tube that is probably 15 watts. Once you know the wattage, compare that to how many gallons your tank holds. The common measure for aquarium lighting is in Watts Per Gallon (WPG). With a 15 watt bulb, you'll be getting approximately one and a half watts per gallon, which is pretty good for low to medium light plants.
If you get larger tanks, it becomes harder to get high wattage lights in fluorescent fixtures, so many people start getting multiple fixtures for the hardware store and have 4 fluorescent tubes hanging over their tanks. Another pricey option is power compact fluorescent fixtures. These are expensive, but two or three times as powerful as regular fluorescent tubes. Unfortunately, you can't use compact fluorescent bulbs in regular fluorescent fixtures, so you have to buy a whole new lighting system, but for large tanks, they are really worth it.
The same WPG rule applies to these, but you're going to notice that some lights use words like Actinic which is a blue light commonly used for saltwater reef tanks. They are pretty useless for planted tanks, so don't get them. Some lights also have different K-ratings, which determines the intensity of various parts (usually blue) of the spectrum. If you're looking at power compacts, go for a 6500K or 10000K daylight bulb and you can't go wrong.
Like fish, plants need food to thrive. Some plants are more demanding than others, but the easy ones will usually do fine feeding on nutrients present in your tap water and the fish waste. Another important nutrient is carbon, which plants extract in the form of CO2. The fish expell CO2 naturally, so again, for easy plants you don't need to add additional CO2. Something you may consider is a trace supplement such as Seachem's Flourish. It's a plant fertilizer containing trace minerals that may not be present in tap water in sufficient concentrations. Root fertilization is also helpful, and using root tabs, laterite or fluorite in your gravel will give plants with well developed root systems a necessary boost.

Now on to the plants! Here's a list of a few easy ones for beginners.
Aponogetons: These are often available in pet stores or Wal Mart as dried, hairy bulbs that you just drop into your tank. In a few weeks they sprout leaves and roots and you can nestle them into the gravel, making sure to leave the bulb attached and above the gravel.
Java fern: this hardy plant grows on a rhizome that should always remain above the gravel, which is why it is usually tied onto a piece of rock or driftwood, though you can bury the roots in the gravel and leave the rhizome resting above.
Hygrophilia Polysperma: this is a stem plant that may have no roots at all when you first get it. You can bundle a few stems together with string or a metal plant weight and just stick them an inch or so into the gravel, and in a few weeks it will grow roots.
Rotalla Indica: Another stem plant that you plant the same way as the Hygro.
Amazon swords: this plant has long roots and will need at least 3 inches of gravel with root tabs to thrive. They are very popular and easy to find.
Anachris (Egeria densa): this is a weird stem plant that you can either stick in the gravel where it may or may not form roots, or you can let it float in long ropes in the water.
Corkscrew valisnaria (vals): these are grass-like plants that twist like green ribbons. They also do well with fertilization at their roots, and make sure that the crowns at the top of the roots are above the gravel or they may rot.

This is just a few popular and easy to find plants to start with. Some web searches or looking through the posts in the planted tank forum will give you lots more info.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

Thanks guys for the help, My 10 Gallon is currently in the office where I work, I would LOVE! to have something bigger, but I am pretty sure my boss woudl kill me if I got a bigger tank right now! However as soon as I get to move I will have to start a bigger tank at home I have been wanting to get a big tank anyway but I do not have the money for it right now because of other bills I have to pay because of where I live now. Everyoen in my tank seems to be very content right now so I guess I will just have to leave it the way it is. I do regular changes and I try very hard to keep everythign in my tanmk clean so I don't think keeping what I have in there now will be a problem. I would still like to add some plants though, maybe I will start with the cheap ones from wal-mart for starters and see how that goes, I will let everyone know when I can Thanks.

Aponogeton bulbs would be a great start. They're super easy, good in low light, and you know that they aren't going to come with any snails! If you do get live plants, inspect them very carefully and rinse them under water. Look out for any clear jelly masses and scrape them off with a fingernail. These are snail eggs and once you get snails, it's next to impossible to get rid of them without tearing down the whole tank.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

1 Male Betta, 3 Female Guppies, 4 Corydoras, 2 Neons & 1 Pleco. All these are in a 10 gal. tank?. If yes, then you are highly overstocked & to be honest, Corydoras & Tetra's need to stay in schools of at least 6 of the same species. Try to get a bigger tank, like a 3 foot one & add more Neons & Corydoras, to make them school.

What type of Pleco do you have?. If it's a common one, just take him back to the LFS.


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that is too full for a 10 gallon, plus female livebearers should not be kept by you(even more so since u want them to breed) and u dont have a larger tank, no more guppies, wait for the females to die, then get only males, but that is after u get a larger tank.

sometimes the answer u get is not the one u are looking for, there are many problems with that stock list, and u said it urself, ur not able to get a larger tank, so getting new fishes is out of the question, b/c the old fish are not even in the right conditions.

to fix that stocking i would go with 1 male betta, and 4 male guppies, and move the others into a different tank, but female guppies can overstock even a large tank, and for many months even if there are no males. the pleco if it is a "common" will grow very large, and just b/c it hasn't grown much, doesn't mean that it wont, and the cory/neon schools should be increased,

in a 29 gallon tank that would be ok, well for alittle while anyway.

Last edited by bettachris at 14-Oct-2005 17:41

First of all, I'll apologize... bettachris seems to be a bit cranky lately. (chris! be nice! ) Anyway... onwards...

I know how confusing it is when you first start a tank... let me try to keep this simple for you. I'm going to bold the different types of fish as I cover them, so you can read this easily.

Okay... first, go get a small tank for the male betta. Walmart carries small tanks cheapy... there's a one gallon for ten bucks or a two gallon for a bit more.

I'm HIGHLY suggesting this, because of one major reason. Male bettas can and likely WILL kill female guppies when they are giving birth. Bettas will eat the fry (think sushi... they love fresh food), then figure out where the fry are coming from, and attack the guppy girl. Fish dying is so disheartening... I don't want you to go through that.

As for the guppy girls... female guppies store sperm. Even though your male guppies are no longer, you can STILL have fry every month for up to 6-9 months from now.

Moving on to the cories. What kind do you have? Do you know? Most cories get too big for a ten gallon tank. You've got the right idea in getting a bigger group, but unfortunately, they won't do terribly well in a ten gallon. I know, I've been there before. Don't blame you for wanting them, though, I swear they're the cutest fishies out there.

You're right... the neons would like a bigger group. A school of at least six is preferable.

As for the pleco, he's likely what is called a common pleco... and unfortunately, he can grow to be about 18" long. Yes, that tiny lil cutie is gonna be HUGE. Unless you intend to get a LARGE tank (75+ gallons, and preferably 100 or more), just go ahead and return him. Unless you have a pond handy? Not only do common plecos get huge, they're known as poop machines. You aren't doing yourself any favors if you keep him in your tank... a ten gallon is going to get EXCEEDINGLY dirty with a pleco in there.

I'm going to offer a few suggestions, and I hope this helps you out...

One of the rules for stocking is to have one inch of ADULT fish for every gallon of water in your tank. In this case, ten inches. This is a very general rule, but will work for now.

Let's say you return the pleco... it's the best idea in this case, really, though I know how awful cute they can be.

Unless you can get yourself another tank (a twenty gallon, perhaps?) you'll want to return the cories as well. I know... sweetest lil fishies ever. But to keep them happy, you want a bigger tank.

That leaves you with the betta - putting him in his own tank would be a great idea - the guppy girls and the neons. Rejoice! You can make a tank out of this!

Bump the neon school up to six or so. The guppy girls WILL be giving you babies... you're going to have to deal with that. Three girls x around 20 babies per batch... yikes... you could easily have 50 babies a month. Now, all of them won't make it, and if your guppies are relatively young, you'll be looking at small batches. Find friends or relatives who'll want the guppies. Or bring them back to your fish store after raising them to a sufficient age. You may get something for them, but maybe not.

As for the idea of keeping male guppies with a male betta... bettachris, for shame... you should know that the betta boy will probably rip a guppy boy to shreds. Unless you are VERY familiar with your fish, I wouldn't contemplate that idea. However, once your guppy girls stop having fry, male bettas work well with them, assuming your betta boy isn't excessively aggressive.

That's the problem with livebearers... too many babies and no one wants them or can take care of them!

I know there are a lot of long posts on this thread, and I hope you made it through mine and that it was of SOME use. I think I've offered the most cost effective solution... I hope.

Good luck!

Last edited by Kitten at 14-Oct-2005 18:21

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

I apologize right now for BettaChris's response, apparently he has lost all his mind and forgets some people are still learning. Chris at one point you were new to fish keeping and had problems, we have all been there now settle down and cut the ugliness; you are beginning to sound like another member that you don't like.


Now, for the topic. don't add anything else to that tank. It is fully stocked, and probably over stocked, especially with the guppies. Luckily you do have a betta boy who will do fry clean up for you quite readily ok most bettas do, some don't:%)

The pleco will outgrow the tank eventually especially if it is a common, but you will have a few months (6-8 roughly).

I know the feeling about needing another tank, no matter how many you have there is always the i need another larger tank, it's called MTS (multi tank syndrom) and there is no cure, i'm sorry to say.

Now a 29 gallon tank is a nice step up from the 10, and then you don't have to worry much about overcrowding for awhile. and you are gonna have to get a few more corries when you get the 29

don't give up when some here get grouchier than their age should allow,
heidi



"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

First of all, these are my stats

1 10 Gallon Tank (as of right now, but boy woudl I love to get a bigger one)

A Top Fin 20 Filter

Ph 7.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 60
Alkalinity 100
Hardness 300

I have:
1 Male Betta
3 Female Guppies ( My males all died, Someone told me they think my Betta did it)
4 Cories (I just purchased 3 new ones yesterday)
2 Neons (I would like to get more)
1 Pleco (He is very small and has not grown since I first bought him hardly)


I would liek to add some more fish preferably some male guppies, I would really like to get some babies, unless the betta is jsut going to kill them and a few more neons, and 2 more cories. I have plenty of grass and plants to hide the baby guppies from the other fish so I don't think that is an issue.

I guess the Question is what live plants would go best in this tank? I am tired of the fake plastic ones. I have never had live plants in an aquarium before, so I need some real guidance... Should I get rid of anything, maybe not add something? Would what I add be overstocking my tank?

I would REALLY appreciate some help!

Thanks ALOT!!!!

Instead of a starter fish, try a teaspoon of pure white ammonia, and wait two weeks, and add some BioSpira or if you can't find it New Improved Cycle.

You would probably be ok to add 2 neons...some other might tell you no, but you'll probably be ok...

As for the 25 what do you want to put in it? I'll go check that thread in a second.

As far as plants go I'm really not one to ask, I tend to kill most everything. For now I'm having lots of luck with Anacharis, and Java Moss...so far I haven't killed them off, and am quite proud wth how fast they are growing...so they might be something to try

hml

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

The 25 came with a filter a heater a light and a hood I am not sure how many watts the light is though. It is 18", but it doesn't say how many watts. If I can return my pleco and I bring my cories over here and yes I will be adding 2 more cories to the school, would anyone object to me adding 2 neons and thats it. Plantwise I will probably put a couple aponogeton and some java fern and maybe 1 or 2 more to both my 25 and my original 10 gallon. Other than that I hav eno clue what I am going to put in the 25. I started a new post on that please put any suggetsions on there you can! I will really appreciate ANY you guy can give me!!!

Chrissy, don't be upset about the confusion on gender:%)seems like some of us quite often swap gender or so others think

In all honesty, you really don't need a pleco in the tank, it is one of those things everything thinks, but really you don't need one

The corries are going to love the 25 gallon when it's set up don't forget to add them a few more friends

If you take the pleco out, and the corries out and into the 25 at home, you should be able to leave the betta, and guppies, and be happy with the 2 neons...i know neons need more than 2, but they will be ok for now...i had only 2 for awhile with guppies and they forced the guppies to school

Keep your chin up and i'm jealous a 25 and a 10 for less than $40

Heidi (female)

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

For either of the 10g's you could have the male betta, 6-8 neons, and a few Ottos. The new one would have to be cycled first because the neons and ottos are sensitive. For the 25g, Bristlenose Plec is a suggestion for replacing the common. I dont know much about them but I think they can be kept in smaller aquariums. Someone else will have to put some input on them. Ottos are good but are very sensitive and need live plants, good filtration, and regular water changes.
I have a 10g and just gave my 2 Black Widow tetras and 1 zebra danio to the pet store. They needed bigger groups and a bigger aquarium and I didn't want to keep them in my new 55. I bought 6 neons and 2 ottos, and I'm gonna put my male betta in the 10.
I hope my suggestions help. Its hard to choose fish for a 10, I think because fish choices are limited in my area.

Kristin

edit: For plant suggestions...I can help there too. In the 10g with two 10 watt fluorescent bulbs...I have 1 anubias nana (get petite version if you can find it), 1 cryptocoryne wendtii red, hygrophilia difformis (wisteria), rotala magenta (not doing so good at the moment), and dwarf saggittaria. Those are the plants I have now. I just got them a week ago so I don't how well they are gonna grow. Hope that helps.

Last edited by GirlieGirl8519 at 15-Oct-2005 19:25

*Kristin*

OK EVERYONE!!!! I hope you are happy you made me do it I JUST COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!!! I got myself into trouble today, I went to a LFS today and had an itch I just HAD to scratch and I ended up buying a 25 gallon set-up and a 10 gallon tank and paid less than 40 buck for it all! I am excited! I can't wait to set them up! I am going to bring all of the cories to my house and put them in my 25 Gallon tank! But I still do not know what to do with the pleco, what can I replace him wiht for starters? Something that won't die!!! I might give the betta to my grandma or aunt if I can't return him.... Then I will just get like 3 more neons to finish off the tank and whatever I can to replace the pleco in the 10 at the office. Does that make you happy bettachris????? (j/k) Oh yea I am going to start a post on suggestions on my 25 so please give me some ideas on it thanks eveyone!!!!

First off I am NOT a he! Second off if you would read my later post you woudl see that it has been a long time since I have dont stuff wiht fish so I am a little rusty, plus most of what I have learned I learned from family that obviously didn't know what they were doing. Longhairedgit if you had read everything through, you woudl knwo that I all ready said I would see what I could do about getting rid of some of them and/or gettign another bigger tank if possible, I don't know why everyone had to get sooo moody abotu the subject I made a mistake andI am trying to resolve it!!! I promised last night!!! As a matter of fact I am gettign ready to leave to try to resolve some of my problems now. I will get back to you later.

Why does everyone thing chris was cranky? He was mostly right, and if as the fella states he was overstocked and since hes been keeping fish since he was 4 should know better.The common plec thing is a bit of a beginners mistake after all, as is overstocking. I think chris's reiteration of the facts was to the point, and obviously required.

But then people probably think i'm moody too

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Unfortunately, I already knew EVERYTHING that everyone told me I have been dealing with fish since was like 4 years old. It has been probably about 2 years since I have done anthing with fish though. I got away from it for a while and you know what they say "Use it or lose it" so I did forget a lot about what was good and what was bad. I guess I jsut needed a refresher course...I am sorry bettachris (by the way my name is Chrisina so I see chris and think someone is talking to me at times lol) if I made you mad because I did or said something wrong I know we all have bad days and I have had a week like that so I completely understand. Now as for the I need a larger tank, there is no way I can get one anytime soon because as I said earlier the tank I am currently dealing with is in the doctors office where I work. I donated it, I guess you could say, and if I can talk my boss into getting a bigger tank for the office I will do what I can everyone, but I doubt she is going to go for it. I have had these fish in this tank forever and I will not be able to return any of them because it has been way too long for me to do that. I could maybe bring them to a different store and get store credit for them or something but I don't know. As for my guppies not one has had babies as far as I know, and as for breeding them thats somethign I was thinking about doing in the future after I get a tank set up at home not at the office NO WAY!!! If the pleco is going to get so darned big what am I supposed to get instead of him, every other algae eating fish I have tried has died on me! Plecos seem perfectly content in my set-ups but all the other ones hate me I swear! My betta is very friendly I PROMISE!!! He gets along very well with everyone in the tank. I promise I will see what I can do about getting rid of some of the other fish but I am not sure what they will say. I have a feeling that I am going to get in trouble with our regular kids though, you kno how they get when you take somehting like that away from them, so jsut be ready for me to write some other posts on what they think about what you guys made me do!!! Well I will see what I can do abotu the fish but I still want to get a few plants in there maybe that will make up for it with the kids? Who knows.... I will keep everyone posted...