numbers check please..

[SeaDevl]

Hi all, i am about to pull the trigger on some fish!..

These numbers look ok to me, they have been stable for a week now.

Ph-7.2  Ammonia-0.5  No2-0.5  N03-10

Just added one Nerite snail who is being busy.. i am looking to get some small shrimp, maybe 3 Oto and some Danio or White Cloud to start..

Any thoughts or input gratefully received!

Seadevl.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hi. If this is a newer tank I would STRONGLY advise you to get your middle dwellers in there first before you get Otos. Wait till the tank is a bit more established. When that happens I'd also get more than 3. 

Edited January 28, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[ScottieB]

Looks good!

You might consider holding off on the Oto's unless you supplement the diet? Assuming the tank is new (and not knowing the size) you may have not have the algae growth to support them. If theres live plants all the more reason your good to go.

 

[H.K.Luterman]

Ammonia and Nitrite should always read 0 in a cycled tank, the presence of any is indication that your tank is not ready to support livestock quite yet, as the nitrifying bacteria colony hasn't grown large enough - adding animals would compound this problem. I would definitely hold off before adding shrimp, as they are even more sensitive to water quality, and do need an established, seasoned tank. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I did miss that number, make sure ammonia/nitrite is at 0. I've never been successful at keeping shimp at all but @H.K.Luterman is correct- after the tank is truly cycled add the middle dwellers first and let them establish before adding anyone else. Do small doses as larger amounts of fish in quick succession can crash a new tank very easily. This will give you a chance to start a QT tank for your next inhabitants...if they are shrimp or otos gives the QT a chance to form some biofilm- or even better you can put things in your tank that will grow it and then you'd place them in the QT for them to eat off of and cycle the QT as well!

[Guppysnail]

After your tank finishes cycling you may want to wait until you hit the ugly phase (you will know it when you see it biofilm brown diatom algae etc) most tanks go through this, then get shrimp and oto. The natural biofilm is essential to both of these and they tend to not do well in new tanks. Best of luck. A week after you read 0 ammonia 0nitrite and some nitrate is the time to think mid water critters. Your nerite should be ok just keep an eye on parameters but they do not often eat supplemental food either. You may want to leave the light on an extra hour or two to get algae growing for him to munch on. 

[EmmaK]

@SeaDevl get 6 otos, if your tank allows it. They’re totally different fish when they’re in groups. It makes me feel bad to think about the times I only had 1-3 at a time because I didn’t know any better. They don’t add much to the bioload.