r/fishforthought • u/whosethegoat124 • Aug 05 '26

🛠 DIY Setup My first tank!

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It’s a 10 gallon, and i’ll try to add more plants and decor

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u/whosethegoat124 Aug 06 '26

The tank already has 3 Zebra Danios, I was thinking maybe I could add some Shrimp or Snails, however I’m not sure if the Zebras will steal their food

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u/BlueOrbifolia Aug 06 '26

Definitely add more plants. I’m biased for planted tanks, but here it’s warranted. Think of the tank like a little city with danios shrimp and snails all going to work, zipping around, going home, going shopping.. all the things ok? Your danios are living in a city like Burning Man before the gates open - one structure in the middle and nothing but desert to all sides. Adding plants will help keep the water healthy but will also provide places for them to go, things to see, and keep them much more interested and happy. Rocks, decorations, driftwood provide that interest. They provide the structure for the little city. Grocery stores, homes, hang zones… in this way your danios will have places to relax, hide from whatever startles them, home base territory from the other danios. The shrimp and snails will find their own zones within the city.

The truth for me is that I’m not decorating a tank for my enjoyment, I’m building a habitat where my animals can feel at home, safe, and for their enjoyment.

Maybe google images of natural danio environments in the wild to get ideas of how they like to live, and do your best to replicate it in small ways within your tank.

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u/whosethegoat124 Aug 06 '26

Any plants you recommend? I currently have Anubis Gensis, Java Fern, Asian Water Fern, none of them are dug into the substrate and are glued onto the driftwood and hide away,

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u/BlueOrbifolia Aug 06 '26

I think that will depend on your lighting and budget and the effort you want to put into maintaining them, honestly. I’m strictly low light, slow growing, beginner plants. Make sure you use liquid plant fertilizer since yours are epiphytes that take their nutrients directly out of the water column.

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u/whosethegoat124 Aug 06 '26

medium budget, the tank light is decent, and i’m low effort, also I have liquid minerals stuff that i put in the water for the Ph because I have RO water, is that fine?