# Aquarium People--Help Me Stock my New Tank! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 20, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aquarium-people-help-me-stock-my-new-tank/230203 "2004-02-20T14:52:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dan\_Turk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dan\_Turk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Turk)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aquarium-people-help-me-stock-my-new-tank/230203/21 "2004-05-02T07:53:22Z")
> [@Odinoneeye](#): > > Oxygenation of the water takes place at the surface, not from airstones or bubble filters. You need to make sure the surface of your water is in motion. I’ve just started a (nano) tank as well, and cannot for the life of me understand why I keep reading this everywhere. Isn’t water-to-air contact all that matters? Isn’t what’s happening inside those tiny bubbles the same as what’s happening at the surface? Can someone please advise on the science behind this? I’m very much lost. in case anyone is wondering: 2.5g 12x6x8 tank large “rock” with 4 caves in it charcoal/gauze/sponge filter 10" airstone making a really neat bubble screen pump for 5g tank for filter pump for 20g tank for airstone purple and white gravel 4 feeder goldfish to start things off I just got all this today and do have pics of it, but I’m not certain of the picture linking policies of this place, since I’m a newbie. Please advise. As for the OP: everything sounds right so far, except, as others have said, that many fish at once and the choice of a common pleco may be bad ideas. I’d recommend ghost shrimp for cleaning duty, and the only time I’d add so many fish at once is to make a mini-school for fish that are social. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aquarium-people-help-me-stock-my-new-tank/230203/22 "2004-05-02T09:55:07Z")
It just won’t be a fish tank without a candiru in it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aquarium-people-help-me-stock-my-new-tank/230203.md?page=1)