# what to do about my fish tank



## sarahxx92 (Mar 25, 2011)

I have a 28L fish tank which I know isn't that big..
I had 5 mollies living in it with 2 cat fish..

to cut the story short, the mollies got sick a 4 of them died. So now I only have 1 molly, and the cat fish.

The remaining molly looks really lonely. I'm scared his going to pass away too from the stress of the other fish dying..

I've done a water change, tested the water which is fine and added some malafix to help him heal and get over the stress.

But now I don't know what to do..
do I get another molly? 

because he looks so tiny in there! but when I read up on tank sizes it seems that the tank is not suitable for mollies or much other fish at all!


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Get another molly, but no more. Mollies are dirty fish, so are cats. You need to do about 30 percent water change weekly, and get the old water out by gravel vaccuming...


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## ParrotletsRock (Jun 8, 2009)

A tank of that size is really only suitable as a single male betta tank... Sorry your fish got sick and died, but I would not add anymore.


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

28litre is equal to 7.4 US gallons and is perfectly suitable for two mollies and two cats if they are not huge cats, and IF... weekly water changes are done...


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Here are a couple of pics of my 5 gl nano...or approx., 18.9 litre....In it live three dwarf sunset gourami, an albino bristlenose, and two green cats. This tank is quite a bit smaller than yours, and these fish have thrived in it for a year and a half now. I do water changes of 30-40 percent weekly....religiously. Fresh water is the key to keeping healthy freshwater fish. If you vacuum gravel, do weekly water changes, and do not overfeed....you will find that you never experience sick fish, unless you introduce something new to your tank...


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## ParrotletsRock (Jun 8, 2009)

With experienced fish keepers and over filtration it is possible to keep fish alive in a small tank, however it is not ideal. I still think it is only suitable for a male betta... Or maybe a cherry shrimp tank.


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## sarahxx92 (Mar 25, 2011)

hi everyone thanks for your advice!
I actually decided to rehome my last Balloon molly, his gone to live in my friends 60L tank where he will have other mollies to swim around with!
I decided to get a male fighter since I really do love them! I still have my cat fish for now and they seem to be getting on fine!


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## LynandIndigo (Jan 21, 2012)

Beautiful Sarah i love them to... When the house got flooded from a burst pipe under the sink i couldn't look after the little fish tank i had i only could feed them every couple of days when i was at the unit but i lost them through all of the dust and the blowers going. Do now that i am back home again i am going to get a fighting fish as well as they are much easier to look after i don't have to worry about a pump only a heater... I have had them before...


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## sarahxx92 (Mar 25, 2011)

lynbuster said:


> Beautiful Sarah i love them to... When the house got flooded from a burst pipe under the sink i couldn't look after the little fish tank i had i only could feed them every couple of days when i was at the unit but i lost them through all of the dust and the blowers going. Do now that i am back home again i am going to get a fighting fish as well as they are much easier to look after i don't have to worry about a pump only a heater... I have had them before...


I'm sorry you lost your other fish Lyn 
But its great you want to have a fighting fish  they are great little fish to watch swim around and come in so many beautiful colours!
I have to think of a name for this new one.. have any ideas?


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## LynandIndigo (Jan 21, 2012)

sarahxx92 said:


> hi everyone thanks for your advice!
> I actually decided to rehome my last Balloon molly, his gone to live in my friends 60L tank where he will have other mollies to swim around with!
> I decided to get a male fighter since I really do love them! I still have my cat fish for now and they seem to be getting on fine!


Your fish looks like to be a Frisky with his tail all spread out..

How about FRISKY for a name...


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## ParrotletsRock (Jun 8, 2009)

Very pretty... Good choice on the betta!


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

The beta will certainly have all the room he needs....

Filtration has nothing to do with the amount of fish you can or cannot keep. It all comes down to water changes. Even ten times the recommended filtration will not lower nitrates...


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## ParrotletsRock (Jun 8, 2009)

jonah said:


> The beta will certainly have all the room he needs....
> 
> Filtration has nothing to do with the amount of fish you can or cannot keep. It all comes down to water changes. Even ten times the recommended filtration will not lower nitrates...


Yes and no...lol filtration will not remove nitrates one they are made and in the water... ( And yes you are right... that is where your water changes come in ) But heavy filtration with proper rinsing of the media ( in the water that you have removed from the tank during the water change to protect your nitrifying bacteria ) will remove a lot of the debris that will convert to nitrates... The same is what happens when you vacumn the gravel. I am not saying you are wrong... But what an experienced fish keeper can do with a small tank, may be very frustrating to a beginner who does not understand how the cycle works and how to keep it healthy.


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Your right also...that is why I emphasized weekly water changes right up front. Many people don't know, or don't bother with regular water changes, and that is even more detrimental to your fish, than not cleaning your birds cage for a month would be to your bird...


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## ParrotletsRock (Jun 8, 2009)

jonah said:


> Your right also...that is why I emphasized weekly water changes right up front. Many people don't know, or don't bother with regular water changes, and that is even more detrimental to your fish, than not cleaning your birds cage for a month would be to your bird...


Yes, it is like breathing toxic gasses... Well actually it is the fish breathing toxic gasses...lol I kept fish most of my life... From the time I was about 6 yrs old till 2 years ago.. I am 54 by the way...lol I sold all my tanks 2 years ago to make room for my green cheek conure's flight cage, and to uncluttered the dining room ... Since then it has cluttered back up with more birds...hehe. I do miss my one tank tho... It was a 36 gallon bow front tank... It had black silicone and a black frame... Black gravel with bright green plants ( plastic... I never had a green thumb with aqua plants ) a large root in it. I had it stocked with harlequins, serpas, albino Cory's, and 2 fairly large angels. I also had a natural looking leafy background. Sadly I didn't have room for both the birds and the fish in my apartment, I love the interaction of my birds so I sold off my fish. Luckily they went to an experienced fish keeper who could appreciate them.


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Well you started about 4 yrs. earlier than me, and are 3 yrs. older....but, factor in the two years you have been out....we might be close....


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## Angie (May 11, 2007)

sarahxx92 said:


> hi everyone thanks for your advice!
> I actually decided to rehome my last Balloon molly, his gone to live in my friends 60L tank where he will have other mollies to swim around with!
> I decided to get a male fighter since I really do love them! I still have my cat fish for now and they seem to be getting on fine!


Great choice. Do you have any live plants? I would try to add some.


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## ownerofcoconut (Jun 10, 2013)

I have a 10 gallon tank with lots of cute things in it for my nemo to hide. He is an african chilid and he is about 6 inches longs (big one) i've had him for 1 year now. I think that is why he has grown so much because he is the only one in the tank..(beautiful fish) they are very easy to take care of as well. Not sure what a fighter fish is? Good luck with your other fish..they make a house look so pretty at night..


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## Azurei (Jul 29, 2012)

Beautiful betta!! I loved my betta, he had such a character for such a little fish  even got some awesome looking young from him, he was a deep royal blue, one of his sons was a greeny blue and very nicely built  I would have one again, I love how curious they are, mine would go cross eyed looking at little things on the tank like water droplets, cuteness!


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## sarahxx92 (Mar 25, 2011)

Angie said:


> Great choice. Do you have any live plants? I would try to add some.


nope i have trouble finding live plants that actually fit well in my tank! they are usually too tall or take up too much space, I was considering getting a potted plant for in there which are usually grass type ones? or a banana lilly plant which is only really small to go on the bottom..
what kind of plants would he like best?


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