Stocking a 10 gallon

[jiffy]

While I am waiting for my tank to finish cycling I am trying to figure out what I definitly want/can have in my tank. Here is what I was thinking

5 - 6 neon tetras
1 dwarf gourami
A couple ghost shrimp

Now some questions:

I want glowlight tetras, but will they school with the neons, or do I need to get a decent group of glowlights?

Ottos seem to be a good fish, but should I wait until I have an alge issue to get them, or will they do ok in a new tank. And what do they need to be fed?

 

[crazie.eddie]

Please remember the stocking rule of 1" for each gallon, which applies to fish under 3". Larger fish should follow the same rules as Marine Aquaria of 1" of fish for every 5 gallons of water.

Neons and glowlights will get along. The males are just territorial and will just chase others away.

Otos will eat algae discs and also zuchini. You can lightly boil the zuchini so that it will sink.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I would not put any faith in that myth. There is no one inch rule. All fish have different metabolic rates, eat different food, excrete different amounts of waste, require different amounts of space, require different amounts of O2, etc. It's different for each fish. You have to experiment with stocking until you get a balance. Add only one or 2 at a time, that way you'll be able to tell through water tests if your tank can handle more.

The information on ottos that was provided should work. I wouldn't add neons to a ten because, IMO, they need more room than a 10 gallon can provide.

 

[crazie.eddie]

I don't think the 1" rule is a myth. Many aquarium websites follow that as a guide. True that fish have different metobalic rates, excrete different, etc. But it seems as though that larger fish require so much, which is why a bigger requirements. It would be very difficult to have a different stocking guide for each fish, therefore, the 1" of fish of 1 gallon should be followed as a guide. I believe only the experienced hobbyist can excede that rule, since they are the ones more capable of performing regular tank maintenance, proper feedings, know signs of problems with fish or tanks, etc. You want the novice hobbyist to follow those guides to keep a healthy and well established tank.

 

[jiffy]

As far as I knew, the 1 inch rule was a good guideline to go buy. Sure, it doesnt account for every fish's different metabolic rates, but it gives a general idea of where you should be.

As far as neons go, Im pretty sure 5 or 6 of them would be fine in a 10 gallon.

Really, I want the tank to look as full as possible while not overstocking. I think that 1 school of neons will fill out the middle nicely. the gourami will take care of the top. I just need something for the bottom, which is why I was thinking an otto or 2.

 

[modernhamlet]

I think your first thought of 6 neons, a dwarf gourami, and a couple of shrimp sounded good. That's an active, interesting 10 gallon tank.

The problem with ottos would be:
1. They do best in groups of at least 4.
2. They highly prefer well planted tanks. (You hadn't mentioned plants.)

HTH

 

[crazie.eddie]

Otos aren't really much of a bottom feeder, they go anywhere they want to. Though cories should be kept in groups, a dwarf cory will work as a good bottom feeder.

Hey, why not get a larger tank? It seems as though you kind of know what you want, but just don't have the room now.

 

[jiffy]

Modern Hamlet - thanks for bringing up the plants. The only plants I have right now are plastic ones. Although real plants are nice, I dont ahve intentions to try growing them quite yet. And I think 4 ottos is a bit of an overload.

crazie.eddie - i would love a larger tank, but right now this is all I really have space for in my room. Plus, I just got everything set up for the 10, Im just impatiently waiting for the cycle to finish.

Would a drawf cory be ok alone, or would 2 of them be best? (leaving out ghost shrimp if I had 2 corys, or mabye just haveing 1 since I read they create almost no bioload)