# Any beginner fish recommendations for 10 gal tank?



## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

After taking a break from having any kind of aquarium for a couple years (and having only a 2 gallon beta tank at that), I've dipped my feet back in and have acquired an old 10 gallon tank from someone. I've followed all the instructions I found on the forums for getting an old tank cleaned up and am currently cycling the water to get the levels right. In a few days I should be ready to get the fish for the tank, and I'm wondering what kind of recommendations you may have.

I need low maintenance fish since I work full-time and have two small children that occupy a lot of my free time. The fish are for our enjoyment, but I also know I need to be VERY realistic on what I'm able to handle. So I need very sturdy, clean-living fish that will enable me to do water changes about every 10-14 days as opposed to every 7-10. Is that even possible?

Thanks in advance.


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## Fishychic (Dec 7, 2008)

Glo fish! They are hardy and your children will enjoy the bright colors! 

10-14 days is ok IF you have a filter. You'll also need a heater. I would recommend getting 5 glo fish since they do need to be in groups. Since you have a 10 gallon, i wouldn't recommend getting more than 5.


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

I DO have a filter in place. I may have a heater - there was some kind of thermometer thingie in the tank that my friend gave me. Don't know if it was just a thermometer or a heater, but I know it had SOMETHING to do with heat. *lol* If it's just a t-meter I'll hit up the LFS tonight to get a proper heater for the tank.

_Update later:_ It WAS a heater that I had. So that's in the tank and warming it up nicely.


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## smark (Dec 2, 2008)

Tetras are a nice fish and you can mix it up a little to make it nice. We have Glow light Tetra and Neon Tetra. A couple Rummy Nose Tetra. Harlequin Tetra are also nice. I also keep Corydora for bottom feeders.
Good luck.


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## TTTT (Dec 13, 2008)

I would get a school of cardinal tetras, 3 cory catfish, and some shrimp. Or maybe a dwarf gourami and cories.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Cardinals can be quite touchy about the water quality...and I find danios (glo-fish) like a lot of space to dart around.

For a 10 gallon, I'd recommend some harlequin rasboras, or perhaps some serpae tetras. A school of 6 of those would be very low-maintenance. I wouldn't suggest much more than that because you'd have to keep up on water changes. I've found the serpaes are extremely hardy.


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

I am SO sad right now. According to the water tests I just did about 30 minutes ago my water is now PERFECT for adding fish! And what sucks is that I was JUST at the LFS about three hours ago picking up one last tank decoration at the request of my son. If I had known that the water was ready (I knew I was close - but not this close!) I would have just picked up the fish and gotten them ready for the tank tonight so that the fish could be in there on Christmas morning.

Of course, all shops are closed now for Xmas Eve, and closed tomorrow. So looks like I'll have to wait until Friday. But I want to get them NOW!!!!! *lol* Why oh WHY didn't I test the water this morning before I went out for the day?????


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

I doubt your tank is ready to support fish right now, unless you've been cycling it via some fishless cycling method. What water parameters are you getting?

More on fishless cycling here: http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/misc/fishlesscycling.html


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## Plecostomus (Jul 31, 2006)

You could get ghost shrimp. They are fun to watch and only cost 33 cents at Petsmart.


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## Bymer (Aug 22, 2008)

guppies forever, that's what i say.


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## siriusalphacma (Dec 1, 2008)

Personally, I'd love to have some glofish, though my tank's already filled. But you'd need to get black light to make them really "glow" out of a dark background.


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## Sea-Agg2009 (Aug 2, 2008)

If you use a standard black background, you can get a blacklight from Spenser's or some equivalent shop and just shine it on them like you would any extra light. You could probably keep it on 24 hours, and when you turn the lights off, they would really glow...I think. With all this said, I think true glowfish, GMO's derived from a zebra danio, are a bit too large for a 10 gallon tank. 

I like shrimp, so I will suggest that. They are easy to care for...especially if you like squash or zucchini. Just put the tank by a window and you will almost never have to feed them lol. It is also a unique pet that most people find pretty interesting.


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

I've been doing a fishless cycle.

GH and KH are at zero
pH is right at 7 (for clarity's sake - it's probably more like 6.8 - it's the upperside between 6.5 and 7)
Nitrates are at zero.
Nitrites are at zero.
Ammonia is at zero.

Doesn't that mean my tank is cycled? I got those readings on Wednesday night AND again this morning just now.


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

Okay, just got back from the LFS. The woman I dealt with was AWESOME and has a 400g saltwater tank in her house!! WOW! We talked a lot about various fish, and in the end we got the following fish:

one peppered corydora, 
a blue dwarf gourami, and 
four red wag platys. 

They are currently acclimatizing to the tank, and it looks as though my tank water (at 77 degrees) is the exact same as the LFS, who told me they keep theirs at 76-78 degrees. In the next couple minutes I should be putting them in the tank directly. My son is BOUNCING with excitement!


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Sorry to be Buzz McKillington, but no, the tank is not cycled. Nitrates would be showing up, unless you have lots of real plants in the tank. Those readings indicate the cycle hasn't even started.

A lone corydora will probably languish in the tank...I'd recommend getting at least 3 more, though peppered cories are a little big for a 10. They're extremely social fish.


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

Hmmm...the nitrite level spiked at 1 and came back down. Ammonia was originally pretty high and is now at zero. I pulled out the test strip from this morning's test, and the Nitrate block is currently showing between 0 and 20. Is that okay?


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## TTTT (Dec 13, 2008)

just so you know, corys need to be in groups so, you should get some more.


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

Okay, I'll go back and get another cory - but will that mean I've got too many fish for the tank? Is having two corys enough socialization for them?


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

I've gotten another peppered cory (we went out to the movies with the kids and fortunately the LFS is right next door). In other news, as I was walking around with the kids, they ran over to the section containing empty fish tanks. I hadn't been over to that section at all since I already HAVE a tank that I bought from a friend.

So imagine my surprise when I saw the 10-gallon tanks. And they were smaller than what I have. I wrote down the measurements and came home - sure enough, mine isn't a 10-gallon tank like my friend told me. It's a 15-gallon tank!!! Of course, now I wonder if I can get another couple fish - namely, the neon danios, that my daughter saw and LOVED at first sight.

Any thoughts on that? Knowing the tank can handle a couple more fish, would the neon danios (maybe 2-3) work in there?


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Nooo. Don't do the danios. They will freak out your other fish in a tank that small. They're darty little things, and I honestly wouldn't put them in anything smaller than a 20L. Just IMO. Sorry! But you do have more room for peppered cories...bump their numbers up to something like 5 or 6. A pair is no school


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

Yeah, upon arriving home I saw how happy the cory was when I added a friend that I immediately decided to get another one when we determined that I definitely had a 15 gallon tank.  I'll go ahead and pick up two so we have a set of four.

My daughter has her heart set on having at least ONE fish to call her own. Is there any solitary, REALLY bright fish (similar in color to the neon danios) that would work with the other fish we currently have?


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## smark (Dec 2, 2008)

It sounds like you all are just having a blast with your new fish.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Ehhh, not with the dwarf gourami. Why not make that "her" fish?


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

Yes, we are having fun already. My son and I sat and watched that tank for about 30 minutes before he went to bed - a nice quiet time together.

As for the fish, my kids have already dubbed the gourami "Mommy Gourami" and claimed it to be my fish. I doubt she'd let me change that and call it hers - like a regift. *lol*

Can I get a DIFFERENT pair of corys for a school of four? If we have two peppered and two of another kind, I can probably talk her into claiming the two new corys as her own. But I don't want to mix corys if that won't create a proper small school.

Also, I'm happy to report that upon feeding them this morning they moved all over the tank and seem to be doing quite well - lots of activity and movement, and a healthy appetite. I plan on buying some tubifex for the corys today while I'm getting the other two.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Honestly, if you had more room you could, but I wouldn't recommend it when you'll already have a small tank. Sorry 

Hm...What are the sex ratios of your platys? You could pick up another, very colorful variety of female platy for her.


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

We have three female platys and one male platy. I'll see if I can find a couple female platys in another color for my daughter.

I think I'm just going to pick up one more peppered cory. I have read so much about overpopulating and I don't want to go overboard.

My end result in a 15g tank:

4 red wag platys
3 peppered corys
1 dwarf gourami
2-3 other colored platys

That seems like a lot.

And by the way, THANK YOU for your patience and guidance!!


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

No problem 

You don't need to overdo it with the platys. Buying one more would be just fine, as long as the ratio is more than 1 female to each male. 4f/1m would be fine. You won't overstock with the peppered cories, having 5 cories, 5 platys, 1 dwarf gourami would be fine, just make sure you do a weekly water change


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

Okay, so here's my final fish count in the 15 gallon tank:

4 red wag platys (1m/3f)
2 sunburst platys (2f)
3 peppered corys
1 dwarf blue gourami

Everyone is getting along in the tank, which makes me happy. 

I bought algae wafers for the corys today and at feeding time (5 p.m.) I put one in the tank and it was a feeding frenzy - everyone but Mami Gourami was trying to get to it. The instructions on the bag said to take out whatever is left after two hours. So at 7 p.m. I went back to the tank to take out whatever was left and WOW were those platys full. I was shocked by how big their bellies were. And the corys were eating the remaining bit of the wafer - by then it was the smaller than the size of a tic tac so I left it for them to finish. 

So, lesson learned: definitely only put in half a wafer and only put it in at lights out.

I want to thank everyone again for their advice and recommendations. I really appreciate the help and will keep everyone updated on our progress!


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Very glad your tank is working out well! Pics?


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

I do have a few pictures - but they aren't nearly as lovely as some of the ones you post here. I guess that'll be the next thing I learn - how to take great pics of fish!!


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Very nice  Glad things are off to a good start. Just don't forget about waterchanges


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

I'm due a water change on Wednesday but I'll probably do it tomorrow night. I tested the water this morning and it looks pretty good considering the addition of 10 fish over the past four days!


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

So last night I did a 25% water change and my levels look good this morning. I also put in a quieter filter because the old one was just too powerful for my 15 gallon tank (it was pushing the platys around). The new filter is MUCH more quiet than the one I got from my friend. And the fish continue to swim and be happy in the water, so it looks like I'm still doing something right!

I've also decided to move the tank when I do a 50% water change on Friday. It's on a dresser right now but is just too high for my young kids to enjoy. So I found a solid redwood aquarium stand on Craigslist that I'm going to pick up tomorrow. It is only $50 and was made to hold a 29 gallon tank, but will be perfect for my 15 gallon.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Congratulations and be very very careful in moving the tank. I would suggest draining half the water into buckets and then replacing the rest.


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## Jaynee (Oct 11, 2006)

We ended up doing a 60% water change in order to move the tank. We took out 60% of the water, then we moved the tank. I then took the time to vacuum the rocks and then did the water replacement. It went smoothly and the new location is MUCH better. The new stand is a perfect height not only for my kids, but for ME. The 60% water change was so much easier than the quick 10% water change I did on Tuesday!


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