Suggestions for classroom tank

[alabaster]

Yes I'm kidding about the oscar lol.

I'd like to revise my earlier suggestion by saying that 10g is too small for 5 tiger barbs and 4 mollies Forget I ever said that.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

actually alabastar, most of your "options" are way overstocked. you don't want to stock heavily a small 10g if you can't do lots and lots of water changes. we're talking 2-3 times a week for most of those suggestions.

since its a classroom tank, i bet you're wanting something very low maintenance. i suggest getting just a few sub-tropical fish like danios or hill-stream loaches. my memories of school include terribly cold classrooms, so either you'll need to get fish that enjoy lower temperatures or you'll need to add a heater to the tank.

one suggestion that i can make (that may not be well received) is to put just ONE paradise fish in the 10g. the paradise fish is a fairly close relative of the betta and incredibly hardy. they also thrive in a wide range of conditions, including both cold and hot water. like bettas, paradise fish can be quite aggressive if they feel their space is invaded, so he would have to be the only occupant of a 10g. but they're very pretty and interactive fish. i've attached a picture of my standard red-blue paradise fish; there's also an albino variety that is just

the only reservation i have about putting a paradise fish in a 10g is that it's a 4-inch fish. that's a little close quarters for a fish that size, but i think it would be fine so long as you don't add any other fish. the upside is that by understocking, you significantly cut down on the number of water changes you have to do. heavily planting the aquarium would also be a good idea.

Paradise Fish, Macropodus opercularis

 

[DeepSeaFishin]

Just beware, if you going to choose guppies, pick all male so babies dont reproduce, they will reproduce like rockets!

 

[KeddyPie]

What I would do personally -

If I wanted a very low maintenence tank, I would get a 10 gallon, with 1 male betta, and perhaps 2 small cories or an Oto. Maybe put a few plants in there, and some dark gravel... Nice and easy.

If I was willing to do some more maintenence work, I would do a heavily planted 10 gallon (I just LOVE planted tanks) with some java moss and crypts and other random plants, with a lighter color substrate, with maybe 5 or 6 harlequin rasboras, Or if you can find them, lemon tetras. (they are brilliant little fish!). If there's room, I'd add an oto to there too. My 1 little oto keeps 100% of the algea from my 20 gallon, he's completly obliterated my use for my little magnet glass cleaner ^___^

There are a thousand options, just make sure you do what's right for you! I find looking at photos a wonderful way to plan and decide what I truly want. Maybe start a post in the photo section asking for photos of low maintenence 10 gallons and a list of what they are stocked with, so you can get a feel for a lot of options

 

[rdd1952]

I also think you would well advised to go with a low maintanence tank. That being the case, I would say to be very careful where you locate the tank in the room. Classrooms tend to have lots of windows and get lots of sunlight. Make sure it is located where it does not receive either direct or indirect sunlight. You don't want to be over run with algae, especially the dreaded blue green algae that no algae eater will eat.

 

[invid]

If you want a 10 gallon to save space on the footprint, you should be able to find a 15 H tank. It's the same footprint as a 10 gallon, but it's taller, adding 5 gallons. With a 15 gallon tank, you should have lower maintenance and be able to put in more interesting fish.

 

[@ombomb]

I don't trust rams with anything smaller than them.

I have 10 lampeyed killifish in with mine and they've never bothered them. The only other fish my rams have had problems with are Gouramis.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

the relative aggressiveness of any territorial fish corresponds to the degree it feels its territory invaded. a 10g is too small to encompass both territory and neutral ground; any fish inside the tank will be within the blue ram's personal space. should the ram decide these visitors are unwanted, there's no place for the other fish to escape.

you cram blue rams into their absolute, bare-bones minimum tank size and you're going to have some fairly aggressive dwarf cichlids on your hands.

 

[wwestar2000]

I don't trust rams with anything smaller than them.

I have 10 lampeyed killifish in with mine and they've never bothered them. The only other fish my rams have had problems with are Gouramis.

[snapback]863017[/snapback]​

I had 3 keyholes and 3 angel but it was a ballon. There known to be more aggresive. He was the most aggresive fish in the tank. And he was the smallest. I wouldn't trust anything smaller with them. All the fish are juvies so it wasn't a space issue cause half the time they looked lost in my tank. lol sadly for some reson he died yesturday. He was really beat up when i got him though. Im not going to replace him either. Im just going to leave those 6 in the tank for a while until my cusins 30 gallon is free. Try to not do anymore impulse buys!

 

[NinjaSmurf]

How old are the kids?


Personally I would let them pick the type of fish and number (of course from a selected list of fish that would work in that size tank and proper stocking numbers) and teach them in the process about proper care of the fish and tank. This is, of course, if they are old enough (doubt preschoolers would really care about the nitrogen cycle...). I just thought it might be more fun if they had some say in the tank, even if just decoration wise, than if they showed up to school and found the fish....

 

[blitztidus]

A school aquarium is a fun and great educational experience.