bought a 12 galloner on a whim.....

[keane]

Hi all.

I know this is one of those questions that p**ses everyone off so I apologise in advance .

However, I was at a local LFS today and spotted a Peak Aquatics 12 gallon tank for sale> Heater, filter, power head and lighting all included.....reduced from £80.00 down to £30.00.....so I bought it!!

Now my problem is I have no idea what to keep/can be kept in it.

I would love to do a nano marine tank but money (or rather, lack of it) prevents this so I will be staying with freshwater tropical.

I know my options are limited because of it's size but I would like to turn it into either a) dwarf puffer tank or B) a mini community tank.

Is it viable/fair on fish to keep a "mini" community in this tank? My list of possibilites that I can think of fishwise that should be okay in it are: -

Cories
Smaller variety of tetra (any views on what type to go for??)
Dwarf Gourami (or other small top dweller, if there are any??)
Otos
BN Plec (or is the tank too small?)

Are there any others that will be "happy" in a 12 gallon?

Filtration will be ample (400 l/ph) so I am not concerened about a little overstocking but I am wondering whether I am pushing it a little too far and should maybe just opt for the puffer tank?

Sorry to raise the "same old question" again but my other tanks are all over 4 feet long so I have never had this conundrum before.

Please let me have your views on this.

Cheers

steve

 

[playfulalliecat]

I would do the puffer tank. They are so cute swimming around! When I kept them, they weren't in really good shape coming from the lfs, he had fed them flake which constipated them. GRRR.....thought you might want to be sure they've had a varied diet before/if you buy them, they are quite sensitive little buggers.

 

[SarahBravo]

Heavily planted, with a shoal of cardinals and a couple of shrimp, a la Takashi Amano?

Can't beat cards, they're gorgeous!

 

[tigerbarb420]

Yeah definitely cardinals or neons... and perhaps a school of rummy nose and cories? That would be quite nice.

 

[cometcattle]

I have a well planted 10g with Sparkling gouramis and cories.

Another idea would be to get a bunch of Escargo shells and a trio (1M, 2F) of L. Multifasciatus.

 

[Dwarfs]

I would put 4 peacock gudgeons, 2 badis badis, and and a few cories in that tank, and then add a whole bunch of java ferns in

 

[Dorkhedeos]

i would go cardinals. if i had a empty 12 gallon tank, i would get 12 cardinals, lots of plants and some ghost shrimp. shiny

 

[keane]

I have a well planted 10g with Sparkling gouramis and cories.

Another idea would be to get a bunch of Escargo shells and a trio (1M, 2F) of L. Multifasciatus.

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Yeah, Multis and Shellies crossed my mind but none of the LFS's around here sell them . It all seems to be Malawi only.

On the Gourami note cometcattle, how many do you keep in there? I would imagine only two at most .

Are there any other smaller top dwellers I haven't thought of, rather than Gourami?

Thanks for the input guys and gals.

Keep it coming .

steve

 

[SarahBravo]

I've got 10 sparkling gourami in a 10 gallon - they look really good - very active and in all areas of the tank.

 

[keane]

10 in a 10 gallon??

how small are the buggers luv?

steve

 

[SarahBravo]

About 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch at the moment, get to about 1.5" I think. Slightly overstocked, but it's going to be heavily planted so should be okay.

Little nutters! And they croak!!!

 

[Arfie]

I have had in my 10G 12 neon tetra and 4 harlequin rasbora and 4 cory's.

When I have sorted my big tank out, the 10g will become a planted dwarf puffer tank

Arfie

 

[keane]

some food for thought from everyone.

cheers all.

steve.

 

[Elisabeth83]

I would put 4 peacock gudgeons, 2 badis badis, and and a few cories in that tank, and then add a whole bunch of java ferns in

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That's exactly what I'd do too Although I like the ideas of sparkling gouramis too

 

[keane]

I would put 4 peacock gudgeons, 2 badis badis, and and a few cories in that tank, and then add a whole bunch of java ferns in

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Dwarfs, I think you have sold this idea to me.

Just looked at pics of the Peacock Gudgeons and they are superb!!

Where can I get them from online? Just looked on Trimar and can only find Peacock Goby. Are these the same?? If not, what category do they fall into??

Also..couldn't find Badis Badis but did see Dario Dario (Scarlet Badis). Are these the same or should I be looking under another name?

Any help appreciated as I think these are the perfect tenants for my new tank, along with the cories (which ones, I am not sure yet...so advices again appreciated).

Cheers

steve.