My roommate bought a six gallon tank and things aren't going so well. I fear it may be overstocking (she had six small platies in it). The fish were buy one get one free at the pet store and the lady pretty much forced the 3 free ones on her (I think they were trying to clear them out). Anyway, the water params are perfect (she's using cycled water from Lance's established tank).

So... we're wondering what can survive in a 6 gallon tank with a decent filtration system. I don't know the exact numbers on the filter but it looks like a good one- it's a power filter with a bio-wheel.

So that's all I need to know, how many and what kind of trops can go in a six gallon.

She only has two platies left and they look like they're on their way out. It seems like they have every ailment possible- fin rot, cotton mouth, septacemia, body fungus, gill flukes and some ich appeared on one of them. We're going to a different pet store tomorrow because I think the stock had something to do with it. One whole wall of the pet store had ich, but it's usually a good store so I didn't think all the stock would have probs.

thanks

have you been testing the water at all? what temp is the water as well. for a six gallon you could get maybe 4 tetras in it but really its only big enough for a male betta.

You could get 6 small tetras like neons. or x-ray teras. Or a divider with 2 bettas or maybe a betta with some tank mates.

A shoal of white cloud mountain minnows would work. 4-6 of these

I'm so sorry about your friend's platys

if your looking for summink unususal, then you could go for an african dwarf frog. they are very cute!!

Thanks for the suggestions. : )

The params are ammonia-0 nitrite-0

I don't know about the nitrate, I don't think it would be bad enough to be doing this because it's Lance's (my ranchu) water and he's fine. The pH is usually aroun 7.

The temp is about 78 degrees.

if the fish in the tank have had that many problems diseases and such i would not add anything till all clear but if the 2 platies do make there way out i would strip tank and clean clean clean then start again

Good luck

if filtration is good, i think 6 platys arent going to be a problem. just dont let them get more...

should be fine.

Hi,You may have used cycled water from Lances tank,but unless you actually used some of his gravel/ornaments/filter media,etc. the tank really isn't considered a cycled tank. How long has the tank been set up now? If Ammonia and Nitrates are reading zero,then it would be really important to have a NitrAte reading to see if the tank was actually cycled.This may be why the fish have not been surviving. As for fish,I would advise against the Neon Tetra's,as they sometimes can be very difficult to keep alive,or any fish that are live-Bearer's-as you would quickly become over populated,unless you picked all of the same sex. Betta's,you could actually do two males,but that would involve making a DIY Divider,as I think they wouldn't have one for a six gallon. Does your Roomate have a heater for this tank?

guppies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what about them?

Platies seem to be very susceptible to diseases, and our livebearer section at work is frequently red tagged. Also, most people dont realize that fish stores have all their tanks on one main system (usually) and if one tank has a disease, they ALL can have it! Look carefully when choosing your fish.

If the tank is heated, I would say neons may be okay. But you definitely only want to start with a couple for now, and then work your way up later. You could safely fit 6 neons in there because they only get 1" long. As far as body mass, they are very small and thin and do not create much waste. You could even get a small oto cat or African dwarf frog (after it is cycled).

As far as other reasonably hardy fish, you could try Glowlight tetras, black neon tetras (seem to be hardier than their red and blue relatives), harlequin rasboras, or even black phantom tetras. You should be safe to add about one of these per gallon (but only choose one type–you want at least 6 of any type of tetra).

ANd like Devs said, taking gravel from an established tank should help to jumpstart the new tank in no time. You still want to stock very slowly though, and only add 2 or 3 fish to start with.

(And definitely clean out the whole tank with vinegar or a bleach solution before putting any new fish in there!)

Guppies can go in a 6 gallon becuase they need at least 5 gallon of water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are also very cool!!!

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

Devs, I'll test the nitrates to make sure. I was thinking about maybe the cycle crashing because of all the fish in there. That's why I tested it but the ammonia and nitrite were 0. But yeah, the gravel and bio-wheel are new, and then she did a 50 percent water change so definitely that could crash the cycle.

Jrtist, thanks for all the many suggestions and advice, I will have her read your post. We went to KC to check out some other stores for stock. I found some good marine stores, one in particular, but there was not a lot of freshwater tropicals available. There was a very good tropical fish store (marine and fresh) here in town, but they shut down. I think maybe with the lack of competition the other lfs has let their fish standards go down.

I need to get Lancelot a friend (a Gwenivere), but I don't know where I will get her as I can't find any Ranchu's anywhere but this sick lfs.

Oh yeah, my roomie doesn't want bettas.

Um, hello all. I'm the roommate.

Here's the deal:
It's an eclipse system six with a small heater. It's doing fine now, with one surviving, now pretty healthy, platy. She's pretty happy. She's blue. Her name is Beyonce, cause she's a survivor. Also, I think it's funny to have a fish named Beyonce. I'm going to get her a friend or two as soon as I find some healthy ones.

Just thought you'd like the update.

Previously, I had a betta for a while. I also had some snails, one adult and one baby. They all died when the big snail crawled into a cave and died, leaching his rotting carcass chemicals everywhere in my tiny 2-gallon. I'm ready to move on.

thats possible, dead snails should be removed asap.

The problem was that I didn't know he was dead, because he had a habit of disappearing for days anyway.

Freshly-dead snails are bad enough...

Are you planning on getting more platys?

BTW, to both you and Beyonce

I think for my fish's sake I will... she's an awfully lonely little baby fish in that big tank.

I just have to find some that aren't dying.

I would definatley avoid any livebearers in a six gallon tank, they will reproduce and overpopulate your tank, and no matter what anyone says, livebearers are not good begginers fish They need a salt concentration of 0.1% and are susceptible to mouth fungus more than any other fish. White clouds are ultimate hardy, beautifull fish. A shoal of 5 or 6 would be great for your tank

cull the babies or have them be all males.

Or all females, in the case of the platys Although you would have to be sure to get some that aren't pregnant already.

If your going to get male and female, don't forget about 4 females
per 1 male, but you may always do an all female tank or all male tank.
Good luck,

Alex