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How many neon tetras could live happily in a 10 gallon tank?

Forget the Cabomba unless you go 3wpg w/c02.

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Thanks for all the info SneakyPete.
That's amazing, because that variety of Cabomba is very difficult to grow especially without very high light.

Your parmameters are close to mine, although I don't put any spikes or fertilizer into the substrate since I use eco-complete.

I do dose Nutrafin plant grow with my water changes and I'm using diy co2.

My Scapes

Hi Tetra,
No problem.
Tank is 75g. ph is 6.6. Temp is 82F.
Ammonia 0- Nitrite 0- nitrate- >20ppm
Iron is at mid range on my test
Hardness is ~180gh
I have placed Jobes plant and fern houseplant spikes around the base of all rooted plants.
I have 5 nutrafin plant spikes near the heavy root feeding plants, swords, anubias, etc.
I dose once every water change with a BC made fertilizer called "Aquarium Stuff Pond Plant Food" made by the Aquarium Stuff Company.

The dose is 1 capful per 100g.
I dose 1/2 a capful once every 10-14 days following a 40% water change.
Tank is filtered with an Eheim 2217(197.5gph) and a Fluval 204(120 gph). Together this gives me about 4x per hour turnover rate, maybe a little less.
I have had great success with other plants that have higher requirements too.
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SneakyPete,

I don't know what's in your water to make that plant grow. That variety is definitely one of the harder plants to grow.

Reference this link:
http://species.fishindex.com/plant_16.html

Can you tell me some of your readings and what you are dosing.


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Hi,
I have had the Cabomba now for going onto 6 months.
The variety I have looking at Tropica is Cabomba Furcata.
The one with dark reddish green foliage and little purple flowers. Mine has flowered at the surface 3-4 times now, and underwater 2 times.
I have no trouble whatsoever with this plant, nor with lower leaves dying.


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Thanks everyone!

I agree with both of Tankies comments very strongly.

My Scapes

cabomba...will grow well at 1st...but in a long run...anything lower than at least 3wpg and no co2...the plant will expire...

i had cabomba for 2 beautiful months..then, it started breaking off...coz i dont have enuf light (2.5wpg).

as regard to neons...its nice to see them in a bigger group (12 or so)...but in a 10g tank..regular water change is a must to keep them happy.

SneakPete,

How long have you had the plant?
I have attempted to keep Cabomba many times, first with no co2 injection and 2 wpg and they live for a while but eventually wither away. I then attempted with 4 wpg and co2 and I still couldn't get them to survive well.

There are also different types of Cabomba and some are easier to keep then others. The believe the Green or Carolina Cabomba is more difficult.

You must have something in your water they like.



Last edited by tetratech at 10-Jun-2005 09:05

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Oh Also,
Tetra - I have Cabomba thriving in my 75g tank with 82F water, No C02 of any type, and only 1.8wpg.
I find it is an incredibly easy plant to keep. Grows about 6 inches a week.


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123,
No they are usually found in the light bulbs aisle.
Usually you can buy a package of 6-8 of them for about
$10. I have replaced every bulb in my house with these because they save a ton on the energy bill.
They also work great in fish tanks that take an incadescent bulb. You can sometimes find them in "daylight", which is better, but the normal ones
also work fine.
This is the kind of bulb I am talking about:
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Were the spiral lghts in the the fish section?

Yes, I agree. 15 neons would do just fine in a well planted 10g tank.

Some plants I have found to do really well in a 10g tank are:
Wisteria (Hygrophilia Difformis)
Bacopa Carolinia
Vallisneria Americana
Anubias
Small Swords
Ambulia
Cabomba
You should try to add something nice and fluffy, like hornwort, cabomba, or Ambulia. These act like sponges for excess nutrients and nitrates.
What type of light do you have on top?
This will provide a good guide to which plants will do best in there. I had a 10 with 2 incandescent bulbs, and I swapped them and put in 2 11w spiral flourescent bulbs from Walmart.
Much better lighting, doesnt get as hot, and makes those plants grow like hotcakes. I use my 10g as a place to start, grow, and mature plantlets before moving them to the big tank.


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I would go for 15 Neons in a 10gal. planted tank.


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Even a dozen would be great! wow! Thanks!

P.S.: I have had the tank for about 4 months.

IMHO 20 is too much for a ten, even without other fish.
If you are going to work up to 20 added a few at a time and see how they do.

From my experience neons will do much better in a tank that has matured and been setup for at least 4 months.

I would go with a dozen tops.

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I just added a rose sword and an airstone, and I'll have more plants on their way. Thanks everyone!

Yep, plant it with some fast-growing, nutrient hungry plants (a lot of bunch plants are in this category), and you can increase the bioload in your tank.

I have heavily planted tank (with Hygrophilia, Anubias, Cryptocoryne and Java Moss), and I have 15 fish in there (and they are bigger than neon tetras as well).

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

I only have 1 dwarf anubias and 1 banana plant. I have 2 snails and i think about 3 shrimp. So you are saying that if I get more plants I could get more fish? Thats great!!!

Any plant suggestions?