Alright so, I just set up a fish tank after a couple years of not having one. I had a tank for my entire childhood that was my chore to clean (but obviously I didn't set it up or monitor parameters).
I also had a tank in college (as you can see by the photos, very basic and not planted, but my fish were happy & well cared for). I loved the tank and the hobby, but never delved too deep into anything more than what you see here.
My new goal is to make this FluvalFlex 9 a lovely planted tank for a Honey Gourami, 6 Neon Tetras and 6 Pygmy Corydoras (would love some red cherry shrimp but I can't find them, as I live in Hawai'i and I don't think they are able to be imported to the island?). This amount/ combination of fish was recommended by aquarium co-op even tho to me it seems like a lot for a 9 gallon? I also planted these in just gravel, do I need to add any sort of fertilizer or get different plants? Will my tank do okay without any algae eaters? I'm scared to get snails and have them lay eggs everywhere and take over. If anyone here happens to be on Big Island and knows of where I can get some red cherry shrimp or similar algae eaters l'd love to know!! My air stones in the gravel also seem so aggressive in such a small tank…?
Basically I'm asking for any advice, critique and suggestions on my plan, and what to do next for stocking, planting etc.
Photos are of my previous tank, my new tank immediately after set up and my tank now – 48 hours after set up. Also the substrate, heater, air pump and water treatments l've been using. Have not done any water testing yet.
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/ cookie-cutter-for-10-gallon-aquarium
Posted by cpgoose
2 Comments
Hi! I want to start off by saying I’m here to help, I’m not here to be mean or criticize you. For starters, that is waayyyyyy too many fish for a tank that size, a 9 gallon tank can have 4-5 small fish at most. Having 2-3 fish will give you enough room for some shrimp, at most 4 shrimp. Second off, those plants will be just fine in gravel, just watch out for browning of leaves, if you do see some browning on the leaves you either A: have your tank light on too long every day, or B: need to buy some aquatic plant nutrients from the pet store. Does your tank have a filter? If so, you will be fine without an algae eater but if you do decide to get one.. netrite snails are awesome, they do not breed unless their water is salty and the temp they like. The amazing part about netrite snails is that they are good in freshwater and saltwater, but unless you want babies, I’d keep them in freshwater. To test if your water flow is too strong add a piece of yarn and if it flows around too much, it’s too strong. Last but not least, I do believe cherry shrimp are illegal to sell in Hawaii. Let me know if you have any more questions. Good luck.
That is too many fish for a 9 gallon. Some plants will need root tabs of something to feed on. I’ve seen a person who says you just need to let mulm build up for 6 months with gravel.
Also is that bamboo you’ve got there? It will drown and rot if it’s fully submerged like you have it.
Algae eating creatures aren’t absolutely necessary. You can scrape it off yourself if it bothers you.
Snails are nothing to fear, they actually keep your plants healthier. They reproduce more the more food they get, so if you feed your fish too much and extra sinks down, or if you keep your light on 24/7 and have a lot of algae, they’ll overpopulate. If the tank is good they’ll stay at a healthy amount.