# Should I add new plants and more fish the same day???



## Martina (Oct 11, 2005)

I have my 10 gallon tank since mid August, and I think that cycling is finished, right now I have 1 longfinned zebra danio and 3 red serpea tetras. And some plants, most of them dont look very healthy, and I dont think they will recover anyhow - so I want to get new plants and 3 more fish this Sunday - I have to drive to the aquarium shop for 1 hour...- would new plants and more fish to much stress? What do you think? And one more question: does anybody have red serpea tetras in his or her tank? TIA


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

You may want to add plants first, then gradually add your fish. The latter will help you prevent upseting the biological filter and stress for your fish.


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## Martina (Oct 11, 2005)

Thank you very much - so adding new plants this weekend and more fish next weekend would be fine?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

If the plants you currently have are dieing, I wouldn't add either. Decaying plants will foul up water as fast as a dead fish will. Adding more plants that will die will do more harm than good.


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## Martina (Oct 11, 2005)

I dont think that they are dying...they arent just pretty :| and I dont think that my fish have enough hidding space, so I want to add some more...any ideas for hard to kill, low tech plants? And another question: airstones are good for fish, but not for plants? And if so, would it be a good idea to run the airstone only during the day or night? TIA


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## Hamm35924 (Jun 13, 2005)

a low light plant would be java fern, its cvheap too, only about $2


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Check the sticky in the aquatic plants section


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

I think that adding new fish and plants on the same day isn't such a good idea. Generally, you want to get your fishies started on the acclimatization process as soon as possible, so they remain in those small bags as little time as possible. Putting plants in before you start off the fishies will mean they spend more time in their bags, and putting the plants in at the same time or just after the fishies will stress out the already stressed new fishies.

Two ideas. First, you could get plants mail order. In my experience, mail order aquatic plants are very good: they are good quality and reasonably priced. Then you could add them at completely different times. Alternatively, you could buy the fish and plants the same day, and just keep the plants in a bucket for a couple of days til the new fish have settled down a bit, and then add the new plants.

And I agree that java ferns are nice plants, especially the frilly end ones 
http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=008B


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## fishn00b (Jun 10, 2005)

Hamm35924 said:


> a low light plant would be java fern, its cvheap too, only about $2


They are over 4 dollars where I live :-(.


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