First-time Tank Idea

[maxh8293]

Hi all,
Brand new to the forum. Just bought a ten gallon tank and wanted to pose my stocking idea and get some feedback. In your opinion/experience, should it work? Should I add/replace/remove anything? I understand of course that there are no black and white answers, and each individual fish has its own temperament, but I'm just looking for some general feedback.

1 male betta
5 neon tetra
4 pygmy cory

Tetra Whisper 10i filter
Hydor 7-inch 50-watt heater

Thanks in advance!

P.S.: I do know that I can't go ahead and stock these right away and that I have to cycle first

 

[the_lock_man]

I would lose the neons, and up the cories to 6.

The pygmy cories will often go mid-water as well as at the bottom, so you're kinda getting 2forthepriceof1 there. If you'd rather have something more colourful in the midwater, then look at a shoal (at least 6) of chilli rasboras or 3/4 male endlers, instead of the cories. You don't have room for both, and I wouldn't go for neons at all in a 10gal.

 

[Shelster]

Or celestial danios, they can be quite expensive if bought as captive bred, but lovely fish, have a google of them. They need to have a shoal of at least 6 but don't grow too big.

 

[DrSlackBladder]

+1 on increasing the corys; mine are certainly the most active and interesting fish I have, swimming at all levels of the tank. Consider a sand substrate too; looks so much better than gravel, and is more fun and kinder to the bottom feeding corys. Assume you're doing a fishless cycle with ammonia solution?

 

[maxh8293]

Thanks for all the feedback! Anybody know of any good, small bottom-feeders (preferably fish, although snails aren't out of the question) that can thrive solo or in a pair? I like the idea of a betta and a shoal of chili rasboras, but I'd also like something going on at the lower levels of my tank (plus, a little bit of algae control). Any thoughts?

 

[DrSlackBladder]

Amano shrimp!

 

[the_lock_man]

Possibly hillstream loaches. They do prefer cooler and faster-flowing water than the betta would tolerate (particularly the flow-rate), but in my experience, I had two Gastromyzin Ctenocephalus and they seemed to adapt quite well.

 

[Shelster]

I know when I bought my hillstreams my LFS said they require a minimum of 80 litres per loach, was the guideline they were using.

 

[the_lock_man]

I know when I bought my hillstreams my LFS said they require a minimum of 80 litres per loach, was the guideline they were using.

Huh? 80l per hillstream? That maybe about right for a group of clown loach.

What species have you got? The ones I had only grow to 4cm. I had 2 of them in a 34l. See here.

 

[Shelster]

Ha ha, yay I've found a fish store that over does the amount they require! they were listed as gold ringed hillstream loach, also known as butterfly sucker.
I was told they would grow to a maximum of 65mm so I bought two for my 180 litre tank.
I will totally hold my hands up as I am new to hillstreams and have only owned my two for about three months now, but think they also require a mature tank setup like the otos of about 6 months plus.


Mine is a Sewellia lineolata just looked up the scientific name

 

[fluttermoth]

I wouldn't go for hillstream loach, unless you want to make it a specialised set, just for them really.

I would go with the betta plus 6 or 8 of either chilli rasboras or pygmy cories (even small tetras like neons can be quite nippy in smaller numbers); you might be lucky and have a betta that will live with shrimps.

Or you could have featherfin rainbows or sparkling gouramis.

 

[Sarah73]

Possibly hillstream loaches. They do prefer cooler and faster-flowing water than the betta would tolerate (particularly the flow-rate), but in my experience, I had two Gastromyzin Ctenocephalus and they seemed to adapt quite well.

They need very fast moving water and plenty of space. No 10 gallon. They will also take out any bottom dwellers. Yes pygmy cories are mid dwellers, but they go to the bottom to feed.