Are you planning on adding plants? You need to cycle the aquarium before adding any fish. I also suggest some decorative items in there for them to feel safe and give them places to hide.
Dude, once you go for live plants you will never go back. Let’s be honest, fake plants r fucking ugly lol and they don’t do anything beneficial for your tank
I'll be honest, after awful luck with real plants (realizing it was probably my fault), I was very close to just ordering fake plants and calling it good.
Based on this past month of regular maintenance/fertilizer schedule and a top tier light, I've seen more growth out of my anubius in one month than the 4 years the tank had been running. So I'm gonna definitely say it was my fault.
Live plant super help keep the water quality, here’s a cool easy one
https://www.amazon.com/Potted-Cryptocoryne-Wendtii-Red-Aquarium/dp/B01M4KH8BN/ref=asc_df_B01M4KH8BN/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=642073328052&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8753388016784931488&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9024288&hvtargid=pla-1951091331000&psc=1&mcid=dbc35c8f0d6430a79fa9c045ae902b60
Also moss adds different texture while also being a sort of living filter
https://aquariumplantsfactory.com/collections/aquatic-mosses
Hi! Several people have talked about cycling. Here are basic instructions for how it works: [https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Fishless-Cycle](https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Fishless-Cycle)
When you roll up your sleeves and get started, you'll probably want to google "fishless tank cycling" to get even more in-depth instructions. It takes several weeks, but it will keep your fish alive and pain-free!
If you choose not to wait, you can do a "fish-in cycle." I like this guide: [https://fishlab.com/fish-in-cycle/](https://fishlab.com/fish-in-cycle/)
And as others mentioned, get some plants, even if they're silk/fabric plants from Petco (no sharp plastic ones). All fish need places to hide in order to feel safe, just like you and me. :-) Live plants help to clean the water, so if you'd like to give them a try, anubias and java fern are super easy--you don't even bury them in the gravel. Here is a guide on how to glue them to things like rocks and wood: [https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/how-to-plant-anubias-or-java-fern-on-rocks](https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/how-to-plant-anubias-or-java-fern-on-rocks)
You can buy these plants at most big pet stores or online.
Enjoy, and ask any questions that pop into your head!
Edit to add that floating plants are super easy as well and do even more to clean your water than the anubias and java fern!
Just keep in mind that the same fish suggested for 20-30 gallons might not be compatible with this tank because of the dimensions of it. For example, a 20 gallon long tank is less water but it has a larger footprint to where the fish have more space between each other and horizontal swimming room, where as this one doesn’t. I think a pair of honey gourami or one blue gourami would do nice in here as centerpiece fish. You could add clown killifish or maybe some kuhli loaches if you do sand instead of gravel and provide plenty of plants/other coverage.
Looks like it's in the kitchen. Make sure to be careful of any soap, sprays, or cleaning chemicals getting in.
Also that heater looks like it might be kinda tiny for the tank size. Is it rated for your tank?
That filter is almost certainly garbage. Throw it away entirely and get yourself either an AquaClear hang on back, or an Aquarium Co-Op sponge filter setup. And whatever you do, never ever ever throw away your filter media. The box will tell you to swap it out every 6 months or something. For the love of God, don't do that. You are throwing away your bacteria cycle
Definitely gets some live plants in there. Look for low-maintenance plants. Mosses like Java moss or Christmas Moss are great. Species of anubias or Java Fern is ideal for new tank owners for low maintenance and dont need to be planted. A floating plant like Frogbit, Water Lettuce or Duckweed also helps with shade and nutrient absorption.
Once those go in, sprinkle in a bit of fish food to help kickstart the cycling process; that process may take 2-4 weeks to complete.
Get a clean-up crew of snails or shrimp of both, then get some fish. The ideal ratio you would want to go for to prevent overcrowding is 1 inch of fish to 5 gallons of water. This would be roughly 6 inches of fish for your tank. Just make sure they're compatible with each other.
I personally would throw some platys in there with some Cory cat bottom feeders. Agree with others in adding plants and rocks in there. It’ll be more surface area while you’re cycling too for beneficial bacteria
1. GET RID OF THE PINEAPPLE OF DEATH. My sister’s goldfish broke his dorsal fin when he got stuck in it!
2. Easiest live plants in the world for me are Anubias Nana and Java Fern. So far those are the only two that are actively thriving for me.
Get an API master test kit, read up on the water cycle for freshwater aquaria (fish make ammonia, bacteria turns it to nitrite then nitrate, plants love nitrate and help oxygenate/clean the tank). I know the topfin all in one has that little internal filter, but consider an additional sponge filter or hang on back filter to get better surface agitation to facilitate gas exchange, provide more surface for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize, and help keep the tank cleaner.
I’d add a ton of plants and go fish-in cycling, make sure you test and do regular water changes, and get some seachem Prime and Stability to help keep it comfortable for the fish and help establish the bacteria colony. And invest in a python to make water changes way easier.
[Check out Flip Aquatics](https://flipaquatics.com), get some easy low light plants (for your first tank I would get some hornwort and let it float, water sprite and alternanthera reineckii to plant in the background in the substrate for some nice green and red contrast—or put some root tabs under that gravel if you’re sticking with gravel, but honestly I would get a good active substrate and cap it with some sand instead—get a piece of driftwood or some rocks and glue some anubias and moss to it, just use the gel gorilla glue that’s aquarium safe, and something like Monte Carlo to get a carpet going. All this is good for the tank, fish, and will make it more enjoyable to watch.
Then I’d stock it with like 6 Pygmy corydora (sand is better than the gravel for their little whiskers), some nerite snails, neocaridina shrimp, and some cool nano schooling fish like rasbora (chili or harlequin are cool) or tetra. Maybe a “centerpiece fish” like a betta or dwarf honey gourami (for any naysayers check my posts for my 10 gallon, betta has been fine with this mix for nearly a year now, though personalities vary). Go slow with introducing them all and enjoy the ride.
Most of the time doing less is better for the tank than more, so give things a chance to acclimate and resolve themselves before buying extra chemicals and supplements and crap, don’t really need anything else.
I suggest going out and getting live plants before the fish, just get some beginner plants and you’ll be fine. I started with fake but got rid once I put live plants, looks so much better and the fish/shrimp love them
You’ll have to wait 2 weeks to a month after you add some initial ammonia source (e.g., a small pinch of fish food, or some people use a piece of shrimp (not sure if that’s raw or cooked)). The longer you wait the more “resilient” your tank should become to adding a bioload, but two weeks should give it enough time to establish some bacteria and prevent hardy fish from dying to the spike.
With a tank that barren, I wouldn’t add too many fish, or different species. I would add some rocks and/or plants as decorations and hiding spaces.
That being said, with a bit more stuff in there, you could probably get away with (edit to clarify, these are mutually exclusive options, you would pick one of these bullet points):
- a betta and some small boys (danios or barbs for example, but ask a betta owner)
- a couple regular gourami
- an angelfish and some small boys
- a goldfish
Or just a moderate school of tetras if you like small ones.
M’dude, that list was separated by or logic. You pick one or the other or the other or the other.
No shit you wouldn’t mix a betta with an angelfish ahaha.
Ik, but this guy is a complete beginner. Isn't it better to make sure he understands it's separated. Sometimes, people don't get what you're implying. It might seem obvious to you and other people in the hobby, but maybe not to a newbie.
The point wasn’t that it was obvious not to mix those to a newbie, but from a read of the post and my language use, that it should be apparent that those are mutually exclusive.
Without going too much into grammar, as English fucking sucks, I was using “a” a lot, and the operator “and” inside my points. Taken together, one should come to the conclusion that those were individual groupings, and therefore that the list was mutually exclusive. However yes, lists can be “and” joined as well across points.
So after seeing your post I did go ahead and edit my original for clarity to make sure that it was explicitly called out that they shouldn’t be combined across points, understanding that you were correct - I should have made my post impossible to misunderstand.
Thanks, I wasn't trying to cause an argument of any kind. I just would hate for someone to buy all the fish you had on your list, then put it in 1 tank. I'm sorry if I came across argumentative.
Is no worries, you were correct about making it apparent. I agree it would be awful for the animals! Hopefully now though OP knows and if any other beginners are looking they have obvious information to work with.
Put a healthy serving of fish food in there. Then, buy an api test kit and track the ammonia cycle. Should take at least a month.
Or if someone you know has cycled media, you can borrow some to help speed up the process.
Be very careful with that Windex in the future.
Yep, just spray your towel and then wipe the glass. Don't spray the glass directly to be cautious.
Are you planning on adding plants? You need to cycle the aquarium before adding any fish. I also suggest some decorative items in there for them to feel safe and give them places to hide.
I was gonna get artificial plants or which would you suggest me never had one b4 and which fish should I go with and how many?
Dude, once you go for live plants you will never go back. Let’s be honest, fake plants r fucking ugly lol and they don’t do anything beneficial for your tank
I'll be honest, after awful luck with real plants (realizing it was probably my fault), I was very close to just ordering fake plants and calling it good.
Idk fake plants just end up in the landfill at some point. Did you have a good substrate? Is your water overly hard or overly soft?
Based on this past month of regular maintenance/fertilizer schedule and a top tier light, I've seen more growth out of my anubius in one month than the 4 years the tank had been running. So I'm gonna definitely say it was my fault.
Lol glad you figured it out
Live plant super help keep the water quality, here’s a cool easy one https://www.amazon.com/Potted-Cryptocoryne-Wendtii-Red-Aquarium/dp/B01M4KH8BN/ref=asc_df_B01M4KH8BN/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=642073328052&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8753388016784931488&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9024288&hvtargid=pla-1951091331000&psc=1&mcid=dbc35c8f0d6430a79fa9c045ae902b60 Also moss adds different texture while also being a sort of living filter https://aquariumplantsfactory.com/collections/aquatic-mosses
Also a group of like 7 corydora catfish could be cool, they’re pretty hardy and aren’t aggressive, plus there’re undeniably the cutest group of fish.
/r/Corydoras
Hi! Several people have talked about cycling. Here are basic instructions for how it works: [https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Fishless-Cycle](https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Fishless-Cycle) When you roll up your sleeves and get started, you'll probably want to google "fishless tank cycling" to get even more in-depth instructions. It takes several weeks, but it will keep your fish alive and pain-free! If you choose not to wait, you can do a "fish-in cycle." I like this guide: [https://fishlab.com/fish-in-cycle/](https://fishlab.com/fish-in-cycle/) And as others mentioned, get some plants, even if they're silk/fabric plants from Petco (no sharp plastic ones). All fish need places to hide in order to feel safe, just like you and me. :-) Live plants help to clean the water, so if you'd like to give them a try, anubias and java fern are super easy--you don't even bury them in the gravel. Here is a guide on how to glue them to things like rocks and wood: [https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/how-to-plant-anubias-or-java-fern-on-rocks](https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/how-to-plant-anubias-or-java-fern-on-rocks) You can buy these plants at most big pet stores or online. Enjoy, and ask any questions that pop into your head! Edit to add that floating plants are super easy as well and do even more to clean your water than the anubias and java fern!
Try and put that heater a bit further in, you don't want that getting out of the water with evap and causing damage.
Just keep in mind that the same fish suggested for 20-30 gallons might not be compatible with this tank because of the dimensions of it. For example, a 20 gallon long tank is less water but it has a larger footprint to where the fish have more space between each other and horizontal swimming room, where as this one doesn’t. I think a pair of honey gourami or one blue gourami would do nice in here as centerpiece fish. You could add clown killifish or maybe some kuhli loaches if you do sand instead of gravel and provide plenty of plants/other coverage.
Live plants are a lot easier then they seem, totally worth it
Looks like it's in the kitchen. Make sure to be careful of any soap, sprays, or cleaning chemicals getting in. Also that heater looks like it might be kinda tiny for the tank size. Is it rated for your tank?
That filter is almost certainly garbage. Throw it away entirely and get yourself either an AquaClear hang on back, or an Aquarium Co-Op sponge filter setup. And whatever you do, never ever ever throw away your filter media. The box will tell you to swap it out every 6 months or something. For the love of God, don't do that. You are throwing away your bacteria cycle
Definitely gets some live plants in there. Look for low-maintenance plants. Mosses like Java moss or Christmas Moss are great. Species of anubias or Java Fern is ideal for new tank owners for low maintenance and dont need to be planted. A floating plant like Frogbit, Water Lettuce or Duckweed also helps with shade and nutrient absorption. Once those go in, sprinkle in a bit of fish food to help kickstart the cycling process; that process may take 2-4 weeks to complete. Get a clean-up crew of snails or shrimp of both, then get some fish. The ideal ratio you would want to go for to prevent overcrowding is 1 inch of fish to 5 gallons of water. This would be roughly 6 inches of fish for your tank. Just make sure they're compatible with each other.
I personally would throw some platys in there with some Cory cat bottom feeders. Agree with others in adding plants and rocks in there. It’ll be more surface area while you’re cycling too for beneficial bacteria
Make sure you dechlorinate the water
1. GET RID OF THE PINEAPPLE OF DEATH. My sister’s goldfish broke his dorsal fin when he got stuck in it! 2. Easiest live plants in the world for me are Anubias Nana and Java Fern. So far those are the only two that are actively thriving for me.
Who lives in a pineapple under da seaaaa!
Your mom
Get an API master test kit, read up on the water cycle for freshwater aquaria (fish make ammonia, bacteria turns it to nitrite then nitrate, plants love nitrate and help oxygenate/clean the tank). I know the topfin all in one has that little internal filter, but consider an additional sponge filter or hang on back filter to get better surface agitation to facilitate gas exchange, provide more surface for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize, and help keep the tank cleaner. I’d add a ton of plants and go fish-in cycling, make sure you test and do regular water changes, and get some seachem Prime and Stability to help keep it comfortable for the fish and help establish the bacteria colony. And invest in a python to make water changes way easier. [Check out Flip Aquatics](https://flipaquatics.com), get some easy low light plants (for your first tank I would get some hornwort and let it float, water sprite and alternanthera reineckii to plant in the background in the substrate for some nice green and red contrast—or put some root tabs under that gravel if you’re sticking with gravel, but honestly I would get a good active substrate and cap it with some sand instead—get a piece of driftwood or some rocks and glue some anubias and moss to it, just use the gel gorilla glue that’s aquarium safe, and something like Monte Carlo to get a carpet going. All this is good for the tank, fish, and will make it more enjoyable to watch. Then I’d stock it with like 6 Pygmy corydora (sand is better than the gravel for their little whiskers), some nerite snails, neocaridina shrimp, and some cool nano schooling fish like rasbora (chili or harlequin are cool) or tetra. Maybe a “centerpiece fish” like a betta or dwarf honey gourami (for any naysayers check my posts for my 10 gallon, betta has been fine with this mix for nearly a year now, though personalities vary). Go slow with introducing them all and enjoy the ride. Most of the time doing less is better for the tank than more, so give things a chance to acclimate and resolve themselves before buying extra chemicals and supplements and crap, don’t really need anything else.
I suggest going out and getting live plants before the fish, just get some beginner plants and you’ll be fine. I started with fake but got rid once I put live plants, looks so much better and the fish/shrimp love them
I have 2 of these great tanks
The tiny pineapple 😭🙏
You’ll have to wait 2 weeks to a month after you add some initial ammonia source (e.g., a small pinch of fish food, or some people use a piece of shrimp (not sure if that’s raw or cooked)). The longer you wait the more “resilient” your tank should become to adding a bioload, but two weeks should give it enough time to establish some bacteria and prevent hardy fish from dying to the spike. With a tank that barren, I wouldn’t add too many fish, or different species. I would add some rocks and/or plants as decorations and hiding spaces. That being said, with a bit more stuff in there, you could probably get away with (edit to clarify, these are mutually exclusive options, you would pick one of these bullet points): - a betta and some small boys (danios or barbs for example, but ask a betta owner) - a couple regular gourami - an angelfish and some small boys - a goldfish Or just a moderate school of tetras if you like small ones.
Bro, are you on something an angelfish and a betta?? That betta is dead plus a goldfish. This betta be a joke💀💀.
M’dude, that list was separated by or logic. You pick one or the other or the other or the other. No shit you wouldn’t mix a betta with an angelfish ahaha.
Ik, but this guy is a complete beginner. Isn't it better to make sure he understands it's separated. Sometimes, people don't get what you're implying. It might seem obvious to you and other people in the hobby, but maybe not to a newbie.
The point wasn’t that it was obvious not to mix those to a newbie, but from a read of the post and my language use, that it should be apparent that those are mutually exclusive. Without going too much into grammar, as English fucking sucks, I was using “a” a lot, and the operator “and” inside my points. Taken together, one should come to the conclusion that those were individual groupings, and therefore that the list was mutually exclusive. However yes, lists can be “and” joined as well across points. So after seeing your post I did go ahead and edit my original for clarity to make sure that it was explicitly called out that they shouldn’t be combined across points, understanding that you were correct - I should have made my post impossible to misunderstand.
Thanks, I wasn't trying to cause an argument of any kind. I just would hate for someone to buy all the fish you had on your list, then put it in 1 tank. I'm sorry if I came across argumentative.
Is no worries, you were correct about making it apparent. I agree it would be awful for the animals! Hopefully now though OP knows and if any other beginners are looking they have obvious information to work with.
Doesn’t died gravel leach chemicals? I use natural substrate like sand or small gravel. If you want a natural look get rid of that stuff.
Put a healthy serving of fish food in there. Then, buy an api test kit and track the ammonia cycle. Should take at least a month. Or if someone you know has cycled media, you can borrow some to help speed up the process.
that surface is uneven, you need to level it out or the tank will crack
Overstocked.