# Suggestions for a 10 gallon?



## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

My birthday is tomorrow and I'm getting a 10 gallon Tank, I know it will be a while before I can stick any fish in it, but I was wondering if anyone had some suggetsions. It will have a filter and airstone. I know I am going to put 5 neon's in it and a couple Ghost shirmp. I like fish that are rather active, I love to watch them swim Any other suggestions?

I will probably end up sticking a few live plants in there as well.


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## Guest (Nov 25, 2005)

a school of cories would be nice. 5 would be good. just make sure they are pygmy cories.


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

I really dont have any suggestions as I have only owned cichlids - Just wanted to say Happy Birthday!


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## micstarz (Oct 22, 2005)

if you are a while into your aquarium and there is sufficient algae to support them, ottos or hillstream loaches are cute!


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

I like the cories idea, would they school with the neons (that way I wouldn't have to get to many)? I would like something a bit larger though, maybe beta size (But not a Beta, my beta is going to get to keep the tank he's in) kinda as a centerpiece of the tank. I really don't know what would be over stuffing a 10g though.

Thanks for the birthday wishes, they are apreciated .


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

The picy of the ottos that I found made them look quite a bit like the pygmy cories. I'll keep looking though. (Not the best at knowing what fish are what). I ran into a site that said they wont eat anything except for vegitables, will they eat lettuce or would I need to buy some of the algae tablets?

I have seen the Hillstream guys, they are neat, do they need lots of algae too or will they eat the tablets? I try to keep the tank walls clean to the best of my ability.


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## micstarz (Oct 22, 2005)

hillstreams will eat flake, but need some green matter in their diet, so consider that. Personally I encourage algae to grow as it supports my hillstream population.


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## micstarz (Oct 22, 2005)

oh, but one thing; if there is a desease outbreak, you will have to go to the trouble of finding a scaless fish safe medicine.


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

Hmm, I like to treat with all natural stuff.. Using a green tea thing right now to treat my Betta, he's almost over his ich. That will be something to think about though, I know I can't use Rid-Ich because of the shrimp, I suppose that would be the same general thing?


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

I don't usually have to encourage algae to go, I have so many windows. I like to keep it down but I usually leave it on a tube in the tank so the snail has something to eat.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

There is no loach that will fit in a 10 gallon (except MAYBE black kuhli loaches) and I wouldn't put them in anything less than a 20. Otos COULD work, but be prepared for them to all possibly die as they are very sensative to water quality and a small change in a 10 gallon is huge. The neons could work with the cories. Maybe add a dwarf gourami.


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

If water quality messes them up that much I wont bother, I'm a beginner with this water stuff, don't want to cause any deaths.


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## Doodles (Oct 2, 2005)

You wouldn't want anything that is scaleless or sensitive if your just starting out. 

Danios would work, they are fast, exciting and provide a lot of movement. You could go with a couple platys, guppies, rasaboras (very fast lively fish). Cherry barbs are nice too. A couple African dwarf frogs, very cute, 

I was going to suggest a few dwarf puffers, they are way to aggressive for neon tetras but it's just a thought. They are pretty hardy compared to the rest of the puffers and are extremely adorable.


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2005)

to answer your questions about the corys and neons...i dont think the corys would school with the neons, so it is necessary to get at least 5 of the corys.


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## heatherhoge (Nov 13, 2005)

the meds I like best is melafix and prima fix. Its all natural and use it on all my fish including the stingrays and scaless and it works great. Be carefull not to use it on lug breathers like bettas it will kill them. As far as types of fish the tetra family is a good schooling small fish group fun to watch. fancy guppies are pretty. Pencil fish are cool. They turn colors at night. The go from vertical stipes to horizonal strips at night time. their are lots of small tetra speicies and they are really cool. Have fun and happy b-day.


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

Thanks for all of your input. I thimk I will go with A Guormi (spelling) and either some zebra dinamos or cories or male facncy guppies... I heard they had to school though?
I'd love to see the pencil fish, but they didn't have them at the pet store when I went to 'window shop'

Still working on the cycle of course, not 100% new to the fish thing but I don't want anything tht will die to easily. I love ghost shrimp so I'll get a couple more of those. I picked out some aquarium toys today, couldn't resist.

Anyone know of anything that would speed up the cycling process... That would be safe for the fish of course?


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## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

A hillstream loach will not work in a 10 gal and it does not eat algae but the microorganisms found on tank deco, gravel and walls. In the process it may ingest some algae but that is not what it is after. A ten gal will not provide enough space for a hillstream loach. They come from cool, fast flowing streams and need a high current.
I would go with: 
5 neons, 2 otos, and a few ghost shrimp.
or
5 neons, 4 amano shrimp, and 2 African dwarf frogs.
or 
5 neons, 2 applesnails, and 1 clown pleco (if you have some real, not fake, driftwood)
or
5 neons, 2 panda corys, 2 otos. 

Otos should have some live plants in their tanks.

Biospira if you can get it ordered through your LFS will instantly cycle your tank and you have to put the entire planned fish population in at one time. It's basically a bag of biobugs. But then I would not add otos to the tank because they need to be put in after the tank had a chance to grow some algae or they will starve. Not the easiest fish to care for.


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

Thanks for the tips on Biospira, I'll see if I can get a hold of some, I would love to start introducing my fish.

So with that I have the plants that I am going to have in there in the tank already while it cycles or would I have to remove them?

Also, just confirming, put everyone (fish) in at once?


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## heatherhoge (Nov 13, 2005)

I am not a plant expert but in a 10 gal I personally wouldn't add more than 5 fish at once. Wait a week then add another 5 is my rule of thumb. If tomany fish at once can create a big spike. I don't think the plants will affect the tank and if I remember corectly the plants help keep nitrates and nitrites down but don't solve them completely. I would follow up on this to be for sure like I said I am not very good with plants since my fish eat them as snacks. lol. As you probubly see there are lots of fun fish to choose from. Be careful of the fish itch. I started with a ten gal and got the itch and now have 11 tanks. But I love the hobby.lol. Enjoy you new addition.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

good luck, I to would have suggest dwarf puffers(I love puffers) but they require alittle more care. Neons would look nice with white cloud mountian minnows but it's your call. If you like fish that are active white clouds, neons, and danios are great(danios will get the largest). I find dwarf gouramis to be aggresive, but it might have just been a character flaw with mine. 

Not to be rude but your spelling needs some improvement, some people are very critical. Mine isn't great either


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

I have a 10 gallon with:
lots and lots of plants (and a soil + gravel substrate and 24W of light to support this)
6 neon tetras
2 apple snails
1 nerite algae-eating snail
2 different kinds of shrimp (cherry shrimp and Amano shrimp)
assorted critters that came with the plants (two different types of small snails and leeches, which I seldom see)

I love the large variety of life in this tank!

But I have been keeping fish for a bit (about 1 year now) and none of these things is appropriate for a newly setup tank.

Will your tank have a heater? You don't mention that as part of your equipment. If you have no heater, I would go for something like white cloud mountain minnows to start off with, and then later, at least a month down the line when your tank has stabilized, add shrimp and an apple snail or two.

Or, if you want ACTION, danios and later shrimp (danios aren't compatible with apple snails as they nip at the antenntae).

Nerite snails are good for eating algae if you can find them. They're not too hard to find in the UK, but may be fairly difficult to find in the US. Nerite snails can be kept with danios, since they tend to hide mostly in their shells (apple snails come way out of their shells and expose those long and beautiful antennae, presenting an irresistable target for some fish).

Neon tetras probably shouldn't be kept in an unheated tank. Yes, they like it cooler than most tropical fish, but not quite as cold as you would get in a typical unheated tank, unless your house is quite warm (or, as is the case with me, you have quite bright lights which generate a fair bit of heat).


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

I'll have to check out the minnows, I've had Gouramis before and they weren't agressive. I like the idea of the danios too. 

I already have the fish itch, Started with one betta, now thinking about having 11 fish. Don't have any more room (or funds) for other tanks though, so I don't need to worry about ending up with 11. 

Ah, let them be critical, you can't be good at everything Spelling has never been my high point *hugs my spell check* Don't use it on stuff like this though 

I've always heard to add 3 fish at a time, but a post up there said to add them all at once. Went out and got some of the bio stuff but I wanted to check on that before I put in my neons. Will go out and get more fish tonight


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

I do have a heater with the tank, not sure how great it is though as it was in the tank's kit.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

If you just getting into the hobby then white cloud mountian minnows are great. Mine were able to thrive in nitrite levels up to 10+ ppm!!!! Neons can't even handle nitrite at 5 ppm without a few deaths or disease. Plus the things cost $0.99 a peice compared to neons which cost double that and they both have a similar size and buetiful color. White clouds also come in a long finned and gold varity ibut the common color is much more common. They also can handle a temperature range of 50 to 90+ degrees(although keeping them at those extremes for along time isn't advised 69-80 is better)


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## kristian18f (Oct 31, 2005)

Ah, can't do anything bout the neons, I've had them for a while, they just got moved to a larger tank. Got mine for $.99 each on sale. I know they are fragile though. 

I've only seen one kind of white cloud and wasn't to impressed with them, checked my LFC and they didn't have any kind of minnows except for the feeder ones.

My tank is currently between 75 and 78, I have a heater but don't see the need for it yet.


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