The Puffer Forum

It was, once i removed Mr. Puff I drained all the water, took all the gravel out and also took the decor out. Then I rinsed the tank with hot water, and rinsed the sand. Then I added the sand into the tank, then the water with prime/stability, and finally put the decor back in. So far its not cloudy at all, it just looks empty and sad

Just go ahead & fishless cycle the tank. Stability is a waste of $$$.

Thanks PP for the helpful info, I love this site Are there any other kinds of puffs i could put into my 10g once its cycled? I can't think of any stocking ideas. I wont be heading to my lfs for about 2 wks so I just thought I'd get some ideas from y'all here

A single red eye.

You could do dwarf puffers, or if you can find any of the red eye species, that would work. Most of the other species get too big for 10 gallons.

I saw you mention kuhli loaches.. they are cute, but be aware that they are cooler water fish (all loaches are) and hide a lot. Also, if snakes freak you out, these will too, especially if you have to catch them! They are slimy and wiggle a LOT. They make a nice peaceful addition to a peaceful tank though, and if you go planted, they like to climb in the plants and hang from branches like mini anacondas in the jungle, hehe.

What I would do though is go to your local store and see what they have. Don't buy, but write down anything that looks interesting. Then come home and research its full grown size and see if it is suitable for a 10 gallon tank. Then go back and buy You might end up with dwarf puffers, or you might end up with a betta and some kuhli loaches or who knows! Just don't buy anything without knowing how big it gets, or you can get in trouble.

Are there any other puffs I could get for that tank? Not sure if I want another red eye

Sorry Myaj didn't see ur post b4 I posted a reply lol. I dont mind reptiles at all, I have leopard geckos, crested geckos and a ball python I googled the kuhli loaches and they do look very neat and interesting, if I were to go down that path and get some how many for my 10g and u mentioned a betta as well, sounds cool. Any other suggestions for my 10g?

Just dwarf puffers.. but you could get a pair or even a male and two females, if you don't want to put any other livestock in there and are good with your water changes.

Everything else truely does get too big, or simply needs more water volume than a 10 gallon can provide.

Very sorry for your loss.

Goodness we have to stop posting at the same moment, its getting confusing!

Its all going to depend on what your personal tastes are and what the store has available. Some ideas:

A single betta
Dwarf corydoras (so adorable if you can find them!)
Galaxy rasboras (tiny fish, so you can get a lot)
Sparkling gouramis (small, pretty, but really prefer softer water I think)
Algae eating shrimp of any kind
Kuhli loaches
Small shell dweller species, no tankmates.. these are entertaining and will breed like rabbits

That sort of thing.. be careful with tetras, many of them get bigger than you'd think. Stay away from angel fish, most cichlids, live bearers (unless you only buy males), and obviously things like oscars, bala sharks, etc that will grow bigger than your tank

So would i be able to get maybe 2 kuhli loaches and then a few other tiny fish?? What would be a good combo, I like the list u gave Myaj

Quick question, to help my 10 g cycle should I also add some tank water from my 55g cichlid tank?? I wont be buying any fish till next weekend, give or take. I have a few ideas on what I want to get, gonna look at the lfs and see wht catches my eye Suggestions or tips/ideas are always welsome )

not the tank water but a portion of the media will help. That is called "seeding"

A little of the substrate will also help. Then you will need an ammonia source which can be from the bottle or a "seeker fish". I know this board frowns upon the latter. Liquid test kits will also let you know when you are ready to add fish.

Sorry for your loss. I know you had troubles and I wish I could help more but I don't know how (very frustrating).

The substraight is sand now, no more gravel. I took some filter media from the 55g to put with the 10g filter I did use stability though, everyone I talk has mixed feeling about it, some say yes others say no. When should I test the water??

if you have a chance before the water change and 12 ~ 24 hours after. If the level off after 24 hrs then you are ok.

The main Q is the ammonia source. If your ammonia source is less than the fish output then you will have a mini cycle. If it is greater than the fish output, then you will have die off and it will adjust itself.

If your ammonia reads zero, and nitrites are zero and nitrates are present within a 24 hour period, then test again. If adding an ammonia source and obtaining the same results, you are good to go. Don't forget the water change to get rid of those nitrates... BIG water change..