10 Gal.

[halfbloodprincess]

For my brothers birthday, I am getting him a ten gallon tank. My mom thought it was a great idea. And I want something easy to take care of, so I was thinking maybe guppies. How many guppies could he have, and what could go with them? And are guppies ok or not?

 

[rdd1952]

Guppies should be fine in a 10 gallon. Here is the pinned topic on suggested fish for a 10 gallon tank. You could probably have 6 or so without being overstocked but keep in mind that if ou get any females that in less than 28 days you will have a lot more than 6 as the will have fry every 28 days. You can always let mother nature take its course and leave them in the tank for the other fish to eat but even then, if there are enough hiding places, some will still survive.

 

[halfbloodprincess]

I was wondering if I could have a couple oto catfish in there as well.

 

[rdd1952]

Otos should be fine (they prefer to be in groups of 3 or more). They are so small they really dont ad much to the bio load. When you get them though, make sure to ask how long the LFS has had them. They are all wild caught and don't handle the traveling very well. There is usually a large die off in the first couple weeks they are in the store so if they are new, there s a very good chance you could lose them.

 

[JDonner]

You could probably have 6 or so without being overstocked

It's a myth that stocking relates to size of the tank. Water changes, quality of filtration system, feeding pattern, decorations, etc, etc, they all have a great influence on how many fish you can have in your 10 gallon tank.

 

[rdd1952]

You could probably have 6 or so without being overstocked

It's a myth that stocking relates to size of the tank. Water changes, quality of filtration system, feeding pattern, decorations, etc, etc, they all have a great influence on how many fish you can have in your 10 gallon tank.

I definitely dont think it's a myth. Tank size is a major consideration in figuring stocking levels. Obviously, the things you mentioned play a role too but for beginners, it's highly unlikely they have extra filtration and very likely they will overfeed. The 1" per gallon guide is a good starting guide to allow them to ease into the hobby without many problems.

 

[loachman]

Ottos and guppies are fine for 10 gal. I would strongly suggest getting all male guppies. A 10 gal tank just can't handle all the guppy fry that females can produce.

You should also have a backup plan in case he's not so keen on taking care of the tank. Surprise pets sometimes don't go over well.

 

[halfbloodprincess]

I will get all male guppys. I dont think he expects fry! But it was also my brothers idea for the tank. He has been wanting a pet of his own, so I suggested the tank. I thought it would be good since I can just take care of it till he is just a tad bit older.

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

I don't recommend Otos for a small tank like a 10 gallon. Especially 3 of them. >< There simply won't be enough algae for them to eat, and some of them are very picky about eating vegetables or algae wafers.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

The 1" per gallon guide is a good starting guide to allow them to ease into the hobby without many problems.

im actually starting to think that inch per gallon rule is bad. once you start working at a fish store, you will see why. i get people asking me if they could get 2 koi in a 10 gallon tank because they are 5 inches, and the tank is 10 gallons. horrible rule if you ask me, but then again, i get all these wacky questions anyways like, can i keep that fish in this bowl? (bowl is about the size of the cup and the fish was a domino damsel) i think when you say an inch per gallon, it gets stuck in their head thinking that everything is okay as long as it fits that rule. i think a better rule would be, if you wouldnt want to be that fish, dont get it.

 

[rdd1952]

It's not just 1" per gallon, it's 1" of adult fish per gallon. Obviously, a koi is going to grow a lot bigger than 5". So just because a juvie redtail catfish is only 3" long doesn't mean you can put 10 in a 30 gallon tank as they will grow to 24" or better. The guide doesn't apply to large fish like that anyway but using it as an example.

 

[halfbloodprincess]

The 1" per gallon guide is a good starting guide to allow them to ease into the hobby without many problems.

im actually starting to think that inch per gallon rule is bad. once you start working at a fish store, you will see why. i get people asking me if they could get 2 koi in a 10 gallon tank because they are 5 inches, and the tank is 10 gallons. horrible rule if you ask me, but then again, i get all these wacky questions anyways like, can i keep that fish in this bowl? (bowl is about the size of the cup and the fish was a domino damsel) i think when you say an inch per gallon, it gets stuck in their head thinking that everything is okay as long as it fits that rule. i think a better rule would be, if you wouldnt want to be that fish, dont get it.

I was told that the one inch rule only works with fish below 3 inches. And if they are above that or grow larger than that, than it is different.

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Some people will quote the "1 inch per gallon rule" as if it was one of the 10 commandments of fish keeping. In reality, it's just a very basic guideline for beginners because there are sooo many factors involved with proper stocking levels that it can be very overwhelming for newcomers to the hobby.

Individual research on every species that you are interested in putting in your tank is far more important.

Some very small fish are active swimmers...while some larger fish are not. Some small fish are huge waste producers while some larger ones are not. Territory room, preferred swimming area, light sensitivity, aggression level, minimum number of a species, etc are all factors involved with picking the correct species for a tank. Not to mention filtration level, dedication to proper maint., and proper feeding/diet are all factors in how many fish an individual should attempt to keep.

If you really want to do guppies...go with maybe 4 to 5 males. Guppies are not horribly active swimmers, and in my experience enjoy exploring the entire area of the tank. Males are usually prettier, and this will prevent getting any unwanted fry. Endlers are smaller, and thus prob. a bit more suited for the tank size, but they are harder to find, and even harder still to only get one gender of.

 

[rdd1952]

I was told that the one inch rule only works with fish below 3 inches. And if they are above that or grow larger than that, than it is different.

That is correct. Mainly community type fish such as tetras, guppies, platys, etc. Larger fish actually have even stricter guidelines (if you want to call it that). Usually, you are looking as more like 1" of fish for 2 or even 3 gallons of water since bigger fish are usually bigger waste producers.

 

[halfbloodprincess]

I think I will just make the tank planted, and put my betta in it, he will like the space. I have yet to upgrade him. What tank mates would be best with the betta?