10 Gallon Tank Compatability?

[Kelsyann]

So I have a 10 gallon aquarium. I wanted to breed Bettas, but after that didn't work out I just decided to keep tropical fish as a hobby.
I do not have any fish in there yet. I'm cycling it right now, and plan to for another 2 weeks or so. Its 10 gallons, has gravel substrate a Whisper 20i back of tank filter. A 50 watt heater and some fake plants and other decor. I do not have a light, it didn't come with the tank, will I need one?
I have not bought any fish yet but this is what I'm thinking. I don't know how compatible they are so please tell me if you have any other suggestions
Fish:
-2 female Bettas (already have)
-1 Male Dwarf Gournami.
-3 Cory Catfish.
-Maybe a small school of Neon Tetras?

Which fish should I add first? I already have the Bettas, so I was planning on adding them first. Is that okay? Nothing is set in stone, so I could easily vhange the fish selection around. If needed I can keep one or both Bettas in seperate tanks if they just will not fit in with my community.
This is my first tropical tank so any help is greatly appreciated

 

[CKutz]

i know dwarf gourami and male bettas don't get along, i'm not sure about females..the females could be alright with the dwarf gourami, but he might not be alright with them haha. i'm sure someone else will verify this. it's because they are sort of cousins, both are labryinth breathing fish, so generally gourami and bettas will fight.

i'm not sure about cory's for a 10 gallon. if you get pygmy cories it will be fine and you could get more than 3, more than 3 is ideal for cory's they like to be in groups very much. check out this post here, it was one of mine and someone posted pics of the pygmys as a suggestion for my 10 gallon. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=280608

i don't really understand why you wouldn't want a light? without one you won't be abel to see your fish and their color very well..you also might miss noticing if they have damage or parasites. also i think they sort of need light, otherwise it would be sort of like us living in a room with no light our whole lives...

other than these small issues it sounds like you're doing very well

 

[Miss Wiggle]

how are you cycling the tank?

the betta's and gourami's are not a good mix. it's also not a good ideal to keep 2 female betta's together. while the females are less aggressive than the males they are still pretty fiesty with their own kind, you can keep them together but you need to have at least 6 of them to dissipate the agression between them, if you just have two then one will be stronger and one will be weaker, you'll then have bullying issues and no end of problems from it.

So either 1 females betta in a community tank or a group of 6+ in what is called a sorority tank.

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Kelsyann and Welcome to TFF!

(you wrote)
"I do not have any fish in there yet. I'm cycling it right now, and plan to for another 2 weeks or so."

Cycling (short for "Nitrogen Cycle") is not a process where you choose the time-period yourself. How long it takes depends on how long it takes for the colonies of two specific species of autotrophic bacteria to mature in your filter such that the biofiltration function of the filter will then be able to sustain the fish load you add to the tank. Indirectly then, how long it takes is determined by the feedback you receive from readings you take using a good liquid-reagent based testing kit. Here in our beginner section we also find it helps to have a fair amount of "give & take" about your cycle for a beginner to be able to interpret that test feedback and know when their cycle is really over and the tank ready.

You may have already read this or may be experienced at doing this, and if so I apologize, but I just wanted to be sure you weren't racing off on some assumption about cycling given to you by the local fish shop or a book or something! This is why MW asked how you were cycling.

Full understanding of the Nitrogen Cycle, learning to use a good test kit, preparing a good filter, learning the correct techniques of water changes are all core skills you can take away from this beginner's group and are important to have prior to finalizing what fish you will have, as there will be plenty of time for that as the cycle progresses through its average 3 to 6 weeks or even 2 months. Later, when you see the vibrant colors and health of the fish, there should be a moment when every beginner says, "So -that's- why I worked so hard on learning the basics!"

Good luck! The members already helping you are great and will get you going with the right feedback hopefully,

~~waterdrop~~

 

[thehugdemon]

So I have a 10 gallon aquarium. I wanted to breed Bettas, but after that didn't work out I just decided to keep tropical fish as a hobby.
I do not have any fish in there yet. I'm cycling it right now, and plan to for another 2 weeks or so. Its 10 gallons, has gravel substrate a Whisper 20i back of tank filter. A 50 watt heater and some fake plants and other decor. I do not have a light, it didn't come with the tank, will I need one?
I have not bought any fish yet but this is what I'm thinking. I don't know how compatible they are so please tell me if you have any other suggestions
Fish:
-2 female Bettas (already have)
-1 Male Dwarf Gournami.
-3 Cory Catfish.
-Maybe a small school of Neon Tetras?

Which fish should I add first? I already have the Bettas, so I was planning on adding them first. Is that okay? Nothing is set in stone, so I could easily vhange the fish selection around. If needed I can keep one or both Bettas in seperate tanks if they just will not fit in with my community.
This is my first tropical tank so any help is greatly appreciated

hm.. well.. i'm partial towards the gourami. but they like other non-active tankmates, so i dunno if the tetras would be okay with him.. they need to be in a group of at least 6 to be happy, i've heard. and corys need to be in groups, like someone else has stated.

you might look into some otos. they're bottom feeders who're active at night. they're fun to watch when you put in a slice of cucumber. ( i love watching mine)

but above all:
CYCLE YOUR TANK!

and don't take everything you hear from the pet store to heart, they're mainly looking for a sale rather than a happy home for their fish... T_T

 

[Kelsyann]

Waterdrop, I think i know the main idea about Nitrogen Cycling. Correct me if I'm wrong.
-Put water, plants, substrate, filter and heater in the tank.
-Let everything run for a few days.
-Add pure Ammonia to the tank and test Nitrite Nitrate and pH.
-Allow tank to keep "doing it's thing" untill Nitrate and pH are both 0 (zero) and you have some nitrite.
This is basically what I've gathered from various places, including books and websites. This is my first "real tank" however, and I want to make sure I'm doing everything right. So far I haven't done anything but the first two steps I've listed. I'm planning on buying a Liquid test kit tomorrow from Petsmart. Should I pick up anything else while I'm there?

Thanks for your great input everybody! So I guess its a 'no' for the gourami and only one Betta.

 

[CKutz]

hey, check out this pos; http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=281040t, part way down i make a list of some things that i think are useful. i'm not an expert, but i have been doing a lot of reading on this forum, and a lot of my own trial and error.

well i think you might have made a typo in your last post, because you certainly don't want a pH of 0. you will keep adding ammonia until your tank reads 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite in 12 hrs..nitrate is the result and you will do weekly waterchanges to cut down on this.

there are very good "fishless cycling" topics in this forum if you haven't read them yet.
you are off to a very good start, congratulations! be patient and you will be rewarded with healthy and happy fish.

 

[Bleh]

seems like too many fish for a 10 gallon, I work at pmart and were always told that you can have an inch of fish pr gallon of water (of their full grown size, not what they are when you buy them)

 

[CKutz]

the cory's are probably too much. or rather, not really appropriate for a 10 gallon tank, unless they are pygmy cories.

it is ok to go over the 1" per gallon rule sometimes, because some fish really don't produce much ammonia/waste. also if they all tend to a different area of the tank that makes having more fish possible.

i don't think petsmart has pygmy cories, i think they have peppered/albino/and emerald. getting a group of these will be too much for a 10 gallon because there just isn't htat much room on the bottom for them all.

if kelsyann got 1 gourami, 6 pygmy cories, 6 neons, she would only be over the 1" rule by a few inches. that's not really a big deal. in my personal opinion, fish that school can sort of be counted as a little less, because getting a group will be healthier than not having enough, and as long as the fish itself stays within a size permitable for the tank, it should be ok. the 1" per gallon is just a very good guideline to go by for a general idea of stocking limits.

i don't think petsmart has many bottom dwellers that are acceptable for a 10 gallon actually, so it might be better to look else where for them.

kelsyann i would also suggest you pick up a hood with lights

p.s. i'm not an expert, i just thought i'd add my opinion.

 

[waterdrop]

Waterdrop, I think i know the main idea about Nitrogen Cycling. Correct me if I'm wrong.
-Put water, plants, substrate, filter and heater in the tank.
-Let everything run for a few days.
-Add pure Ammonia to the tank and test Nitrite Nitrate and pH.
-Allow tank to keep "doing it's thing" untill Nitrate and pH are both 0 (zero) and you have some nitrite.
This is basically what I've gathered from various places, including books and websites. This is my first "real tank" however, and I want to make sure I'm doing everything right. So far I haven't done anything but the first two steps I've listed. I'm planning on buying a Liquid test kit tomorrow from Petsmart. Should I pick up anything else while I'm there?

Thanks for your great input everybody! So I guess its a 'no' for the gourami and only one Betta.

You're beginning to get the general picture but the process itself is a little more specific and you've got some of the substances you measure and worry about confused. Take a look at the Beginner's Resource Center and in particular be sure to read rdd1952's article, which is our working article on the Add&Wait method, and read that a couple times. Then come back and ask more detailed questions and we'll be sure to help you get down to specifics.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Kelsyann]

CKutz, I just bought a hood and light today so we're all set on that. I was also at Petsmart today and I know they don't have pygmy corys. I'm going to a local specialty fish store for them. Thanks everyone for your help. Hopefully this tank will be up and running soon

 

[CKutz]

oh that's great, i'm glad you found them, i bet they'll be a lot of fun

good luck with it!