Stock My 10 Gal

[Ochecom]

I'm looking for freshwater fish to stock in a 10 gal. Can you help?
Requirements:
Freshwater (heated or unheated doesn't matter as long as all the fish need the same thing.)


Non agressive (won't nip at each other.)

Gets along with snails

Not heavy breeders (or can be specifically all male/female in tank)

More than one (i.e. bettas are somewhat ruled out. Mixing betta and other fish kinda scare me)

I've gotten mixed answered about some people saying tetras are okay, some saying agressive and not for a 10 gal. I'm just looking for a rough tank idea such as "10 gal, # ____, # ____" plus snails


Thanks!

 

[fluttermoth]

Before we can advise you, we need to know the dimensions of the tank (some fish need more room to swim up and down than others, so this is important) and whether your water is hard or soft (you can find that out on your supplier's website, if you don't know).
 
What sort of snails are they?

 

[Ochecom]

Before we can advise you, we need to know the dimensions of the tank (some fish need more room to swim up and down than others, so this is important) and whether your water is hard or soft (you can find that out on your supplier's website, if you don't know).
 

What sort of snails are they?

I don't have the tank yet - I'm pre planning for college this fall where I'll be allowed a 10 gal. I could get whichever 10 gal fits the fish. The water in my area is on the soft side. Again, I don't have any snails yet but I really like the looks of them in aquariums. I had a few on my 75 gal turtle tank from live plants and they were cute (while they lasted - poor babies..)

So now I'm just looking for the perfect 10 gal recipe lol. Thanks!

 

[Byron]

"Tetras" covers hundreds of different species and some will manage in a 10g, but many others will not.  Fish size at maturity (fish require sufficient space to grow and develop properly, internally as well as externally) plus their level of activity both factor in to this, and some are more aggressive than others.  Small tanks with fish that are not suited will bring out aggressive tendencies in most fish, even otherwise peaceful species.
 
I would forget largish snails; should one die, it can create a real mess very quickly.  The common small ones like the Malaysian Livebearer or the pond snail can be very beneficial to the biololgical system.
 
If you are sure you have soft water (any chance of getting the numbers for the GH (general hardness) and pH?) there are many smallish fish that will be possible.  The so-called "nano" species will work best.  Ember Tetra, one of the dwarf rasboras in the genus Boraras, one of the dwarf species of corydoras.  All of these are shoaling fish which must be in groups, and this is easier to manage with small species in small tanks rather than attempting any of the more common but larger species.
 
Byron.

 

[Blough]

you could try neon tetras, they're great. If you only get male guppies they don't breed, and often fish stores sell the two genders separately. Don't go for goldfish or common pleco, no matter what the LFS says.
Good luck!

 

[Ochecom]

"Tetras" covers hundreds of different species and some will manage in a 10g, but many others will not.  Fish size at maturity (fish require sufficient space to grow and develop properly, internally as well as externally) plus their level of activity both factor in to this, and some are more aggressive than others.  Small tanks with fish that are not suited will bring out aggressive tendencies in most fish, even otherwise peaceful species.
 
I would forget largish snails; should one die, it can create a real mess very quickly.  The common small ones like the Malaysian Livebearer or the pond snail can be very beneficial to the biololgical system.
 
If you are sure you have soft water (any chance of getting the numbers for the GH (general hardness) and pH?) there are many smallish fish that will be possible.  The so-called "nano" species will work best.  Ember Tetra, one of the dwarf rasboras in the genus Boraras, one of the dwarf species of corydoras.  All of these are shoaling fish which must be in groups, and this is easier to manage with small species in small tanks rather than attempting any of the more common but larger species.
 
Byron.

On my water suppliers site they said they had 'a soft water of 6.8 pH." I was reading up on sparkling gouramis and dwarf corydoras. However I heard of them eating snails and shrimp - is this true? I don't want any murders! Someone also said that cory requires sand, true? Would a tank wit 4 or 5 corys and 2 small snails (or small shrimp if snails don't work) work? Or 4 or 5 sparkling G with 2ish snails or shrimp? I keep hearing of all these small fish eating things like snails and shrimp!

you could try neon tetras, they're great. If you only get male guppies they don't breed, and often fish stores sell the two genders separately. Don't go for goldfish or common pleco, no matter what the LFS says.
Good luck!

I heard if you put all males they will fight - is this true?

 

[Byron]

On my water suppliers site they said they had 'a soft water of 6.8 pH." I was reading up on sparkling gouramis and dwarf corydoras. However I heard of them eating snails and shrimp - is this true? I don't want any murders! Someone also said that cory requires sand, true? Would a tank wit 4 or 5 corys and 2 small snails (or small shrimp if snails don't work) work? Or 4 or 5 sparkling G with 2ish snails or shrimp? I keep hearing of all these small fish eating things like snails and shrimp!
 

 
There are few fish that can eat snails, and in a 10g the only possible species would be a dwarf puffer.  As for shrimp, this depends upon the species of shrimp and maybe the fish.  But crustaceans are a natural food in most all tropical habitats so if the shrimp are small enough, yes, they will probably be eaten.  With fish as small as we are mainly thinking here, it would only be the newborn shrimp that would be subject to predation.
 
Yes, corys should always have sand.  The "dwarf" species seem to need this even more than the larger species.  They sift the sand through their gills looking for food; it is a natural behaviour and fish should always be provided with an environment that allows for natural behaviours if we expect them to be healthy and less stressed.  If you get corys, they need a group, and for the pygmy or dwarf species, I would suggest no fewer than 8 up to 12.
 
The pygmy sparkling gourami is nice, and you could have a trio in a 10g; two is not such a good number, unless you had a male/female or two females (they are not easy to sex especially when small in the store).  Like all gourami, the males are territorial, and two males would be at loggerheads; three males might seem even worse, but at least it would be spread out.  I've had this species for many years.  This fish needs fairly thick plants, and definitely floating plants.  Actually, most any fish we would recommend for this tank will need floating plants.  The substrate can be planted (if you feel comfortable with live plants), or have some chunks of wood and branches and just floating plants.
 
Byron.

 

[Ochecom]

On my water suppliers site they said they had 'a soft water of 6.8 pH." I was reading up on sparkling gouramis and dwarf corydoras. However I heard of them eating snails and shrimp - is this true? I don't want any murders! Someone also said that cory requires sand, true? Would a tank wit 4 or 5 corys and 2 small snails (or small shrimp if snails don't work) work? Or 4 or 5 sparkling G with 2ish snails or shrimp? I keep hearing of all these small fish eating things like snails and shrimp!

 
There are few fish that can eat snails, and in a 10g the only possible species would be a dwarf puffer.  As for shrimp, this depends upon the species of shrimp and maybe the fish.  But crustaceans are a natural food in most all tropical habitats so if the shrimp are small enough, yes, they will probably be eaten.  With fish as small as we are mainly thinking here, it would only be the newborn shrimp that would be subject to predation.
 
Yes, corys should always have sand.  The "dwarf" species seem to need this even more than the larger species.  They sift the sand through their gills looking for food; it is a natural behaviour and fish should always be provided with an environment that allows for natural behaviours if we expect them to be healthy and less stressed.  If you get corys, they need a group, and for the pygmy or dwarf species, I would suggest no fewer than 8 up to 12.
 
The pygmy sparkling gourami is nice, and you could have a trio in a 10g; two is not such a good number, unless you had a male/female or two females (they are not easy to sex especially when small in the store).  Like all gourami, the males are territorial, and two males would be at loggerheads; three males might seem even worse, but at least it would be spread out.  I've had this species for many years.  This fish needs fairly thick plants, and definitely floating plants.  Actually, most any fish we would recommend for this tank will need floating plants.  The substrate can be planted (if you feel comfortable with live plants), or have some chunks of wood and branches and just floating plants.
 
Byron.

You're so helpful - thank you! It seems like pygmy corys would be the best bet. If I had a sand substrate, live plants and hiding spots would that be a good ecosystem for 8 dwarf corys aND a few snails? I wouldn't mind having the fish eat the fry, I just don't want the adults getting picked to death.

 

[Byron]

You're so helpful - thank you! It seems like pygmy corys would be the best bet. If I had a sand substrate, live plants and hiding spots would that be a good ecosystem for 8 dwarf corys aND a few snails? I wouldn't mind having the fish eat the fry, I just don't want the adults getting picked to death.
 

 
Thank you, and you're most welcome.  I have a 10g which is home to my pygmy corys, and they spawn very frequently and although I do not do much to encourage survival of the fry, they find sufficient food that with six originally I now have over 30, with fry at all sorts of sizes from successive spawnings.  Not all of them make it, but that's nature.
 
Without other fish present, you will almost certainly have similar with just pygmy corys; they do not seem to eat their eggs (larger species may perhaps, though I am inclined to think it is the other non-cory fish that get eggs or fry if they hatch).  And even the nano-type upper fish, which I would suggest you consider, will not have much effect.  The Boraras species of dwarf rasbora are very beautiful, and tiny.  I had a group of 12 or so in with some pygmy corys several years ago in a 10g, it was quite lovely.  The brilliant red of the Boraras species among the green of the plants is beautiful.  Ember Tetra are a tad more orange/red, but nearly as small and peaceful.
 
The Malaysian Liveberaring snails or the pond snails would both be fine.  I have these in all my tanks, hundreds, and I am glad.  They are your best friend when it comes to a healthy tank.  Some chunks of wood on the sand, and a few branches, would please all of these fish and snails.
 
Just for fun, I'll attach a couple photos of my rather messy 10g as it is presently; it is the breeding tank for the pygmy corys, and I also use it to grow up some Farlowella vitatta (Twig Catfish) fry from time to time.  I might find a photo of some different sized corys.
 
Byron.

 

[Ochecom]

You're so helpful - thank you! It seems like pygmy corys would be the best bet. If I had a sand substrate, live plants and hiding spots would that be a good ecosystem for 8 dwarf corys aND a few snails? I wouldn't mind having the fish eat the fry, I just don't want the adults getting picked to death.

 
Thank you, and you're most welcome.  I have a 10g which is home to my pygmy corys, and they spawn very frequently and although I do not do much to encourage survival of the fry, they find sufficient food that with six originally I now have over 30, with fry at all sorts of sizes from successive spawnings.  Not all of them make it, but that's nature.
 
Without other fish present, you will almost certainly have similar with just pygmy corys; they do not seem to eat their eggs (larger species may perhaps, though I am inclined to think it is the other non-cory fish that get eggs or fry if they hatch).  And even the nano-type upper fish, which I would suggest you consider, will not have much effect.  The Boraras species of dwarf rasbora are very beautiful, and tiny.  I had a group of 12 or so in with some pygmy corys several years ago in a 10g, it was quite lovely.  The brilliant red of the Boraras species among the green of the plants is beautiful.  Ember Tetra are a tad more orange/red, but nearly as small and peaceful.
 
The Malaysian Liveberaring snails or the pond snails would both be fine.  I have these in all my tanks, hundreds, and I am glad.  They are your best friend when it comes to a healthy tank.  Some chunks of wood on the sand, and a few branches, would please all of these fish and snails.
 
Just for fun, I'll attach a couple photos of my rather messy 10g as it is presently; it is the breeding tank for the pygmy corys, and I also use it to grow up some Farlowella vitatta (Twig Catfish) fry from time to time.  I might find a photo of some different sized corys.
 
Byron.

Your tank is lovely.. how do you keep the plants from getting stuck in the filter? Also could you clarify what you mean by 'upper fish'? Like ones that swim near the top? It wouldnt be over stocking to have 8 corys and 8 rasboras?

 

[Byron]

Your tank is lovely.. how do you keep the plants from getting stuck in the filter? Also could you clarify what you mean by 'upper fish'? Like ones that swim near the top? It wouldnt be over stocking to have 8 corys and 8 rasboras?
 

 
Thanks.  The filter is a sinple Hagen Elite single sponge, in the left rear corner out of sight.  I take the sponge off and rinse it every week during the water change so plants don't get attached.
 
In this context, I was meaning fish other than the corys, though they do swim all over the place.  We are talking very small fish here, and I would suggest more.  Keep in mind the "rasbora" are not the common ones like the Harlequin, but the very tiny Boraras species.  I had 15 Boraras brigittae and ten pygmy corys in this tank a few years ago.  And there could have been many more.  Provided one stays with the "nano" species.

 

[Bluehawk09]

I suggest some cardinal tetras, about 5 should be a good number as they are a schooling fish. They are very pretty with a blue stripe down the middle and red everywhere else. If you turn the lights off for a couple minutes and turn them back on you will see that their red has disapeared, they do this as a survival instinct and I gotta say It is pretty cool! I have some in my tank and they get along with the other fish beautifully!

 

[fluttermoth]

Most people would consider cardinals a bit too large and active for a ten gallon. Smaller fish would be better