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Although I love my 10G, my friend wants neons and I dont want them any more(3years) So I was thinking of some thing more advanced like a speices tank.

Dwarf Gourami 1m/2f
I dont know much about breeding habits of gouramis but I'm guessing someone here will tell me. This tank is also very well established and I have 1 otto and getting 1-2 more so he can have some company, any other Ideas, I know 10G is small but that's what I got.

P.S. will otto's eat fry? I was thinking I can use it for my future baby Platys, what else wont kill the babie fish?




10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

I think a 10g is too small. I think in a 10g the male would torture the females too much. I've never bred them so I'm not sure.

If you planted the tank heavily, you could get a pair of German rams. They would probably breed in a 10g. Or a pair of Apistos.

If you are interested in something totally different, what about Shellies? You'd have to change the substrate to some kind of sand, probably one that raises the hardness and pH, but they seem like cool fish. Also, you would have to find a new tank for the ottos.

*Kristin*

Ah..nvm I love my ottos, what other fish would not bug fry?

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

If you have never had them, cherry barbs are pretty peaceful, and so are harlies. For a ten, I would keep the tank single species - nothing over two inches adult length. Your ottos will not harm your fry. I have a tiny rubbernose pleco, in one of my ten gallon tanks, that is pretty interesting when he is not hiding (will move him to my 29 when he gets bigger).

Yes Harlequin rasboras are great. I have 6 in my 10g at the moment. They are small (about 1 inch) and would be fine with the ottos. If you wanted a dwarf gourami, you could get one to be the centerpiece.

Oh, and I didn't mean you'd have to give your ottos away. I really thought you could put them in the 48g when its done cycling....that is if you were going to change things around.

*Kristin*

anything that thinks it has a big enough mouth will try to eat fry. even fish that dont look big enough to eat them i one gulp will chase them relentlesly. many kinds of tetras, well atlest mine, kill fry for fun.

Rams!

Chris

I was just wondering I'm planning on adding more plants, but should I get a co2 filter, and how much do they cost canadian If you don't mind thankyou.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

Acctually I really don't want to give away my Neons, They may not be the most interesting fish but they have been with me for 2 years and gone through many newbie mistakes(on my part) I cant make them suffer agian in a pet store, Ill just keep them till they die.

Thanks For the Ideas though, still planning on adding more plants though.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

but should I get a co2 filter

Do you mean should you add CO2?

If you aren't going to plant it heavily and have high light (4wpg or more), I wouldn't worry about CO2. There are small DIY Systems you can buy, like the Hagen Natural Plant System. I'm not sure how much it is in Canadian though. You don't need CO2 unless you have really high light.

*Kristin*

Oh ok thanks, the guy at the petstore just helped explain to me how to make my own Co2 filter, but I gusse I don't need it.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

DIY co2 is really easy, and very effective in tanks under 20 gallons.

They really are necessary for good plant growth over 2wpg. Good plant growth usually means less algae , since the plants are able to outcompete the algae for nutrients.

They do take a little bit of time to make, but you most likely have just about everything around the house already (soda bottle, airline, check valve drill). It's really important to have a check valve in the air line. And the one thing you may not have that someone here on FP suggested was a barb adapter that you can get from the hardware store. I'll dig up the thread later but they help keep the seal which is the weakest point in a DIY system from breaking.

However, like GirlieGirl mentioned they aren't necessary for all plants. Some will die without it but other plants (like java fern) will do fine without but show remarkable growth with.

^_^

Should I get fertilizer or something for my plants?

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

i dont use it in my tanks becauze i have plant growth lights. i dont like usin cemicels, even if they are "safe" for fish.

"plant grow" lights will do nothing for a tank that regular lights can do. Excessive light, or light of the wrong temperature and without proper nutrition will cause plants to grow poorly.

If you don't have at least 1.5 wpg of light there is no need to add co2, if you're not adding co2, there is really no need to add ferts.

Broad spectrum ferts (like flourish and others) shouldn't be added as they will often OD the tank on something it doesnt need causing algae issues. Rather you need to study the plants and dose them with what they need.

^_^