# Looking for some guidance with my new 10 gallon



## cwil14 (Jul 5, 2014)

Hey guys,

So I am on my second day of cycling a new 10 gallon tank with a few guppies but I have a couple questions and looking for some advice for when my tank has completed it's cycle. I was able to transfer some gravel and rock from a fish bowl to this tank to quicken the cycle.

But my question is... Is it okay to add live plants during the cycle? I have read conflicting opinions on this. I do want plants but I would rather wait after the cycle if it is better in the long run.

ALSO this is what I plan to stock my tank with. Maybe switching some things around, possibly a few more guppies. Should all of this be okay in this tank? I have a Tetra Whisper PF10 filter in there right now.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

go ahead and add the plants...your stocking looks fine to me.just don't throw everybody in at the same time.


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## cwil14 (Jul 5, 2014)

Thanks! I added the plants yesterday. It's amazing the difference it makes in the aquarium. It looks so much better. Anyway, I did read not to throw a bunch of fish in at once but, do you have a suggestion as to what order to put them in at? Or how many at once? I currently have two guppies and a platy in there now to help with the cycle.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

leave it as it is for a few more weeks..then add 1 or 2 more fish..2 weeks later your cycle should be done or close to it and you can add a few more ....


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

As for order of putting them in, I'd put all the smaller fish in first (ghost shrimp, then guppies, platies) and the gourami at the end. I know this worked for me and my bettas (also teritorial fish) so that they won't defend their habitat against newcomers.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

if you happen to get an aggressive fish net it and slap it's face and tell it that you know some little Japanese guy that has some very sharp knives.......


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## jennifer (Jun 24, 2014)

I've found that adding plants helps getting a tank cycled.

Also, you are adding two different species of live bearers. If you have boys and girls in both species, you will have plenty of fish to play with in a relatively short time.

So, something to think about is if they do pop out fry, do you want to try to raise them or not? If you do, you might want to reconsider your setup a bit.


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## cwil14 (Jul 5, 2014)

lohachata said:


> if you happen to get an aggressive fish net it and slap it's face and tell it that you know some little Japanese guy that has some very sharp knives.......


:roll: very funny!


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## cwil14 (Jul 5, 2014)

jennifer said:


> I've found that adding plants helps getting a tank cycled.
> 
> Also, you are adding two different species of live bearers. If you have boys and girls in both species, you will have plenty of fish to play with in a relatively short time.
> 
> So, something to think about is if they do pop out fry, do you want to try to raise them or not? If you do, you might want to reconsider your setup a bit.


Thank you for your advice but yes I have weighed my options, done my research, and I do have experience so I am confident with my setup


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

Ha Ha Loha!
This puts me in mind of a friend who had a fairly aggressive 3 spot gourami. One night when it had yet again terrorized its tank mates she got a pencil, put it into the tank and rapped the gourami sharply with it. after that she never saw it bully anyone and it always hid after that when it saw her. She later gave that fish and all her other tropical to another friend. The gourami is still going strong after 3 years and is a perfectly behaved fish. It must be extra smart to remember that it got wacked.


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