Is This A Good Stocking For A 10 Gallon?

[BenVernon]

The tank is fully planted with Java Ferns and Anubias with a layer of dirt to provide nutrients and a layer of gravel over the top. Is this a good stocking for the tank?:
 
6x Neon Tetra
4x Pygmy Cory
3x Cherry Shrimp
 
Thanks.

 

[mark4785]

The tank is fully planted with Java Ferns and Anubias with a layer of dirt to provide nutrients and a layer of gravel over the top. Is this a good stocking for the tank?:
 
6x Neon Tetra
4x Pygmy Cory
3x Cherry Shrimp
 
Thanks.

 
If you are confident that the plants will grow well rather than rot or go mushy and that you have fully cycled your aquarium (using the 'liquid ammonia' cycling method referred to on the newcomer section of this forum), I think the stocking level you've mentioned will work very well.
 
Healthy and growing plants take up a lot of fish waste (organic fertiliser if you will) and a cycled aquarium also takes up fish waste and converts it into non-toxic nitrate. If your filter or plants are not in a position to do this, your tank would not be in a position to be stocked with anything.

 

[bluesword23516]

Gravel isn't good for cories because it can hurt their barbells. The neons might not work, but you can always try. 

 

[mark4785]

Gravel isn't good for cories because it can hurt their barbells. The neons might not work, but you can always try. 

 
I use smooth rounded gravel in my aquarium which has 7 corydoras stocked in it. Their barbels have been fine for several months. I think if the OP is using jagged non-smooth gravel, this could present a problem for his Corydoras stock.

 

[BenVernon]

Yes I am debating the cories. Would a honey gourami be a better option a long with the 6 neons?

 

[Lillefishy]

The trouble with gravel for corys is not only sharp edges, if you don't vacuum it regularly enough food & other waste gets trapped between the gravel.
Corys use their barbels to detect food & over time the dirt in the gravel causes barbel erosion leading to secondary infections.
Another reason not to keep them on gravel is that they're sand sifters taking mouthfuls of sand & sifting it through their gills removing particles of food. They can't do that with gravel so you're depriving them of using their natural behaviour.

 

[BenVernon]

So back to my second question, would a honey gourami be a better option a long with the 6 neons?

 

[Lillefishy]

A Honey imo would be pushing it in a 10 gallon, have you considered sparkling gourami?
You could have a trio of those with the neons

 

[BenVernon]

Yes I have looked into sparkling gouramis but I thought that the tank would be overstocked if I had two or three of these. I will look into it further, thank you for your help and thank you to everyone else that has helped me.

 

[Meeresstille]

How about making it a species only Celestial Pearl Danio tank?

 

[BenVernon]

Nope I'm unable to do that. I must have the neons as I have rescued them from the local pet store and they are currently in a 6 gallon. They are about a month old now and growing fast so I need to get my 10 gallon cycling and set up asap. I am thinking about rescuing some more and have a species only neon tetra tank with about 10-12 of them. 

 

[Meeresstille]

Oh, I think 10 to 12 Neons are too much for a 10 gallon. How about your 6 Neons and 10 Red Cherry Shrimp? The shrimp would feel quite safe in there and you'd see them lots. You might need to put a prefilter sponge on the filter's intake tube to prevent the shrimp from getting into your filter.

 

[BenVernon]

I really wanted to get a centrepiece fish like a dwarf gourami or a betta. 

 

[Meeresstille]

Bettas are hit or miss with tank mates! Gourami need more space!

 

[GriffinC18]

My opinion is that its better to not be fully stocked, the 6 neon tetras would be fine but you could't put those aggressive fish with them as you wanted to. (the betta or gourami). have you thought about livebearers? guppies and endless are always a good peaceful fish that seem to go well with tetras.