10G Nano 60Cm X 30Cm X 30Cm Planted Biotope

[evan47]

i am thinking of setting up a 10g planted biotope/community tank with a trio of cockatoo dwarf ciclids,1m and 2f.
i am looking for mid and top dwellers not hatchet fish as i already have these in my other tank.
also, possibly shrimp?
any suggestions please?

 

[DreamertK]

Base dimensions of 24 ∗ 12" or more are acceptable for a single pair of dwarf ciclids with a group requiring larger quarters. That's at least a 15g tank for even a pair of these fish.
 
Most small fish are shoalers, so you would need 6+, but even then the tank just seems too small for proper swimming space.... The ciclids do get up to 3" long, you wouldn't have any room left for other fish unless you wanted to do multiple WC's a week.
 
You could go for a shrimp tank, perhaps some cherries or fancier species. Though I wouldn't myself have shrimps and ciclids in the same tank.

 

[Wills]

I wouldnt put Apistos in a 10g personally, you want at least a 20g with a good footprint, some of the smaller species like Panduro are maybe doable in a 15g but because of the way the hareem works 2 females wouldnt work in a 10g and 1 male 1 female wouldnt work in the tank as he would pester her too much.
 
In a 10g you would be better off with pairing cichlids like Laetacaras, Dorsiger and Curviceps would work well.
 
As for tank mates, Ember Tetras and Green Neon Tetras are the smallest and easiest available, I also like it in small dwarf cichlid tanks with marble hatchet fish in so the cichlids have the whole bottom to them selves you can do great scapes to accommodate that as well.
 
If its the 10g I would do a school of one of the able and a pair of the Laetacaras, if its a larger tank go for the Apistos with a school and you could have a small school of Pygmy Cories as well, though they do do much better in bigger schools. The other nice fish to put in these kind of tanks is Red Lizard Whiptails, they are quite long fish but light on bioload and they are also really active for sucker mouth catfish But it depends on how big this nano tank becomes
 
Hope thats helped.
Wills

 

[wrightt3]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't a 60x30x30 a 15 gallon, not a 10 gallon? I personally think you could get away with a pair and then maybe some small bottom dwellers.