Need help with 10 gallon tank

[chris86]

I have a 10 gallon tank with a betta, 2 platys, and a swordtail. The ammonia nitrate and nitrite are all 0. I had ammonia in the tank and and did a 20% water change because I was afraid it was harming the fish and it went to 0 and now everything is showing 0. Why would this be happening, or is this okay?

[Roemgie]

Your tank is not cycled and doing a fishless cycle will hurt and probably kill everyone, what have you done with the tank now?

[waterdog]

Is the tank cycled? How long have you had it? Did you put all the fish in at once? What kind of filter?

[angelfish11788]

not to hate.... swordtails get pretty long and like to really swim.. 10 is to little,

[Myates]

Tank hasn't cycled, how long has it been set up?

Swordtails are fine in there.. I've kept them 20+ yrs and many had been in 10g. Tank isn't over stocked.

You did right by doing a small water change when you saw the ammonia.. your tank is probably trying to cycle, so continue to monitor it often and do changes to the water when ammonia raises.

You want ammonia and Nitrite to be at 0, while Nitrates roughly around 20 - no higher than 40. Your tank will be cycled once you have 0 ammonia/nitrite and 1-40 nitrate.

Ammonia will harm to fish if it is too high, you will want to keep it below 25ppm - but ideally you want 0.

The ammonia will spike as the tank cycles, as well as when there is excess food/waste debris built up. Make sure to do weekly 50% water changes, along with small water changes in between when you see the numbers creep up.