# Random Beginner Questions



## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

Pretty much I have a few beginners worries that i would like to voice, and any advice would be very very appreciated.

First off i have a 10 gal tetra tank with 6 live plants, an air stone, a whisper filter, and a betta just now back in the tank after recovering from fin rot.

I just put him back yesterday after 10 days of medication and isolation from the tetras but he hasnt been himself. Before I put him in the hospital tank he would swim in the front of the tank and be friendly and happy, now he sulks in a corner behind an umbrella plant or hides near the air stone. I havent added anything new except the filter (Which now that i think about it, the filter creates a faster current near the front of the tank, so maybe he just doesnt want to swim near it?).

Also my pea**************** ferns are dying and i would like to replace them with plants more suited for beginners but none of the plants i have heard about are sold near me. I have very few petstores where i live so petsmart and petco are my main places of purchase. They sell things called "moss balls" that look very weird but also kind of interesting, would that be suitable in my tank or would it just create more hassel?

Oh! And a very weird thing happened the other day, i came home and went to the tank to feed them and my black neon tetra had lost his black stripe completely!!!! Then when i came home today to do the same thing he had it back good as new?? What is happening?

Thank you for any advice you can give me.


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## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

lol they blotted out the name of the plant because it sounds dirty. The name of the fern is a large colorful bird that is notorious for their feathers, that makes the meoooooow sound (if anyone has heard them).


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2008)

I haven't heard of that plant, so my guess is it isn't aquatic. Lots of stores sell non-aquatic plants as aquatic....its not right, but it happens.

You have a crazy mix of tetras in your 10g.....they would all like to have a school of their own kind. Ever considered choosing just one type? If the lights were off and you turned them on to feed and that is when you saw the black neon's stripe, it was just because the lights were off. If the lights were always on when you saw this, then he's probably stressed because he has no friends of his own kind.

I highly suggest you rethink your stocking and choose 1 school of fish to keep. Tetras are ALOT happier when you give them a school of their own kind. Unfortunately a 10g is only big enough to hold 1 school.

The Red Minor tetra could have nipped the Betta or may be nipping now and stressing him out...could be why he hides. Or it could be the current...or a combination.

I'm not sure what kind of lighting you have. I think moss balls need medium-ish lighting (around 20 watts over a 10g). If you like them, they would be fine if you have enough light. They tend to collect some debri, so just remember that. Otherwise, Anubias, Java fern, Java moss, Anacharis and Cryptocorynes would be fine if you can find them.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

I agree with Kristin! (My turn to follow you )
The tetras all need schools of their own. You need to pick the type you like the most, and take back all of the others in exchange for more of that type. I know it's hard to do when you're attached to the fish, I had the very same problem. But it's definitely for the best.

Peac0ck ferns are "false aquatic" plants. That is, pet stores may sell them as aquatic, but they aren't.

Your black neon is probably stressed from being the only black neon in the tank, that's why its color changes.


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## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

Suprisingly all of my tetras school and move together (although some are bonded more closely to a certain fish, for instance my silvertip, estella, and xray spend all of their time together, while my flame tetra and my beta get along great) and i had never planned on getting different types of tetras until i read this article on fishforums/general freshwater by Cichild Man
"Tetra Tank

This tank purely consists of one of each similarly sized tetra species.
However, large aggressive tetra like buenos aires and black widows should not be included due to their aggressive nature.
A 55g planted tank can be made to look quite nice with one of each of the following speices:

neon
cardinal
green neon
glowlight
black neon
rummy nose
emperor
red phantom
black phantom
lemon
ember
rosey
blue
diamond

When first introduced they may seem a little nervous being seperated from their own species, but give it a few days and they'll all start to interact. Once they've all got used to each other they'll even begin to form shoals! 
And beleive me it's one hell of a sight, it's one big wave of color!
Give it a try"
None of them seem stressed except the betta, and im adding more plants to give him space to chill and most of the tetras said they needed a heavily planted tank.


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2008)

I don't like that advice. Tetras school in huge groups in the wild. While I can't give them huge schools in my tanks, I like to give them conditions that are close, which would include keeping a group of the same types of tetras together instead of random fish. 

They school together now because they don't have any of their own kind. They'd be happier with groups of their own.


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## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

damn now i feel terrible 
i just got everything to work and now im messing with species again and finding out im causing duress to my fish  I have no idea which to give back and which to keep.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Aw, I know the feeling!! Trust me. If you read my earliest threads, you see that I was stuck in the same situation last summer. Back in the ol' days. But just know that you're making your fish happy by doing the right thing.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Fishi91 - don't feel terrible. You actually can mix different single specimens of tetras in a tank and they will school together. You need a really big tank to do it though.

I would suggest that you find a pet store other than one of the big chains to get fish from and talk to them about making some trades. I can't imagine that it in a city the size of Albuquerque there are no independent specialty aquarium shops.


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## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

There are but they are on the South East side and im in the North West  I can get down there but i need to coax my mother into giving me gas money first.


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## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

OK I have my plan now! I am going to give all of my tetras to the fish shop that i gave my cory to a month ago. The guy who worked there was very nice and informed and had like 4 different tetra tanks. Then i am going to put my beta back in the 2 gal with my shrimps while i plant the 10 gal and cycle it really well so i can get an actual school of tetras later! This is stressful but i have always harbored a fear that they didnt really _want_ to school together. Thank you guys for everything!
PS Ghost shrimp kick butt!! (i say this because i didnt believe that they could clean up _that_ well but i was proved very wrong  )


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## Good Wolf (Mar 5, 2008)

I was in the same boat when I first started. It is not fun returning fish but as you your well aware of it is a lot more enjoyable having fish that are happy. 

Good Luck!


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2008)

fishi91 said:


> OK I have my plan now! I am going to give all of my tetras to the fish shop that i gave my cory to a month ago. The guy who worked there was very nice and informed and had like 4 different tetra tanks. Then i am going to put my beta back in the 2 gal with my shrimps while i plant the 10 gal and cycle it really well so i can get an actual school of tetras later! This is stressful but i have always harbored a fear that they didnt really _want_ to school together. Thank you guys for everything!
> PS Ghost shrimp kick butt!! (i say this because i didnt believe that they could clean up _that_ well but i was proved very wrong  )



Great! I'm sorry to have been the one to tell you.  I know its hard to give up fish. But, I'm really glad you are doing the right thing! I also know how hard it is to stock a 10g, since you are limited on space. Just think though, its a hard choice now to pick just one schooling type, but you can always set up more tanks later for more types.


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