What fish should I choose? Poll

[TheTenthDoctor]

Hey yall, I have a 10 gallon tank thats cycling. Its got hard water, a filter, a heater, and live plants. I am going to get the water tested. So I'll know more about what I can put in it then, but in the mean time I am trying to decide what to put in it. So please vote and comment! PS I can put in indian almond leaves to help a betta.
TheTenthDoctor
@PheonixKingZ @AJE @Fishmanic

 

[UnknownFishies]

I think a shoal of rummy nose tetras would look amazing in a 10 gallon. If not those then betta would also be very nice.

 

[DancingBetta]

Definitely betta! They’re the best!

 

[Anonymous Fox]

Betta ?

 

[AJE]

A trio of pea puffers

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I think a shoal of rummy nose tetras would look amazing in a 10 gallon. If not those then betta would also be very nice.

Rummy Nose Tetras need a minimum tank size of 55 gallons. They are extremely active and need lots of swimming room.

I would do a trio of dwarf pea puffers. They are super interesting and unique fish.

If not the puffers, then a Betta.

 

[Circus]

I recently got some Peppermint platies, and I really like them, much more than I thought I would.

 

[UnknownFishies]

Rummy Nose Tetras need a minimum tank size of 55 gallons. They are extremely active and need lots of swimming room.

I hate Google. I really do.

 

[Colin_T]

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply (in numbers)?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.
Angelfish, most tetras, barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

 

[Abaddon]

Indian almond leaves aren't going to help if you have high carbonate hardness (KH). They'll discolour the water and do their antibacterial magic, but they won't shift a high pH. I'm not going to vote in the poll until you give more info about the water parametres.
Have you thought about a nice school of rasboras (chilli, neon green etc.)? Or green neon tetras? Livebearers could work too, but sooner or later they're going to multiply out of control so you need to come up with a plan for the fry. A betta would be absolutely in heaven in a 10 gallon, but again, that depends on your water parametres. You could also go with a nice group of African dwarf frogs instead of fish, a 10 gallon could house a pretty sizeable population.

 

[Essjay]

IAL won't lower GH either.

Unfortunately chili rasboras and green neon tetras need soft water, and the OP has hard water.


For 10 gallons and hard water, endlers rather than guppies.

 

[AJE]

CPOs would be cool in a 10 too. Multis would be cool.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Most of the fish in your list don't belong in a 10G tank, regardless of gh or kh...tank size is too small
You need to be testing your own water, with one of these: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit

 

[AJE]

I don't know about that. The only fish on the list I wouldn't put in a 10 is a Molly.

 

[Essjay]

From the list:

OK in 10 gallons -
guppies (males only so no fry)
betta

need a bigger tank -
platies
dwarf gouramis (assuming that's the species meant by sunset gourami)
mollies
tetras - except perhaps ember tetras
cories

Killifish I know little about.

The fact that the water will be hard water also rules out a lot of the fish in the 'need a bigger tank' list. Depending on just how hard a betta may or may not be suitable.

There are few fish which are suitable for 10 gallons. Most need a minimum of 12 x 12 x 24 inches, with mollies and many tetra species needing a bigger tank than this.