What can prosper in a 10g?

[Ethos]

I have a 10G opening up soon, so I want to have a live bearers tank.......but what should I get?
I want 3 swordtails(1 MALE, 2 FEMALE) , and 3 platies(1 MALE, 2 FEMALE)........can I add some neons to that?
I also wanna add a few guppys.........just maybe...

 

[Annastasia]

Personally, I think 3 Swordtails, 3 Platies, and enough Neons to make a good school is going to overstock that tank. I'd pick either the Swordtails or Platies (Might get too big for your tank though), and then get the Neons. Or just Guppies and Neons. And maybe a few Cories. Pygmy Cories are always good, if you can find them.

Also, if you're going to have Male and Female Livebearers, be prepared for LOTS of fry. And I mean lots! Just make sure you have a place to raise them, and a place to keep them, or give them away too, because they will quickly swamp you.

 

[Ethos]

Ok....what are easier to breed, swordtails, or platies?
Both look alot alike, so is there any deciskve features on either fish that'll pull me twords one or the other?

 

[Annastasia]

Hmmm..I'd say they are about the same, in my experience, but I know people have had some trouble breeding Swordies.

I personally like Swordies better. They have more personality, I think. But they DO looooove to jump, so just watch for that if you get them. But...they might be a little big for that tank.

 

[Ethos]

hmhmhm.........I also need to get rid of the fish I have now......I think I might need to flush em. Non of my friends want em, I dont have the time to drive them anywhere, and the danios seem almost dead anyways......
I dont like flushing live fish,,,,somethings wrong with it......

I think I might go with the platies......just because there so darn cool!

 

[Annastasia]

Please, please, Please don't flush your live fish. If you absolutely MUST get rid of them, do it in one of the humane ways listed on the Euthanasia thread. Such as Clove Oil.

But surely someone must want them...have you tried the Buy, Sell, And Swap section? Or putting an ad in the local paper?

Another possibility is letting them live with the Platies, instead of the Tetras. What fish do you have in there?

What are the danios sick with? Have all the medications failed?

 

[FalconStorm]

Are the danios sick? Have you tried medicating them? What other fish are in that tank? Why are you just wanting to get rid of them? If you were nearby, I'd take them off your hands.

 

[Ethos]

I have one very large cherry Barb (I'm starting to think hes not a cherry barb) and 2 danios (1 zebra and 1 large)

What clove oil?
I might not need to flush them at all. I am going to my lfs today to check out 5Gs.......maybe I'll just get one of those...

Are the danios sick? Have you tried medicating them? What other fish are in that tank? Why are you just wanting to get rid of them?

They're just old. they've stopped swiming fast....they have like a pace set up....its really weird. I havn't tried medications, because I've never herd of one that makes fish young again.

 

[3fsh]

Dannios, tetras, and barbs need to be in schools of about 5-6 fish. That's your problem. Just give them to the lfs, I'm sure they'll take them from you. If not, post that they are free in the Buy/Sell/Swap section and see if anyone is interested. Putting them in a 5g would not be smart... they would be miserable.

If you are planning on breeding, please make sure that you have homes for the babies. Don't say, "well, I'm sure I can sell them", because no one will buy easy-to-find fish unless they are dirt cheap and you are willing to ship them. If you want to sell fish, buy a good trio of expensive fish that are in high demand. I think a trio of fancy guppies would live quite happily with the swordtails you are intending to buy. Hmmmm... some snakeskins would look nice.

 

[mlee0332]

Swordies and platies are certainly harder to breed than guppies...

Keep this in mind. If you donot want babes, you should rethink your livebearer tank choice.

Don't euthanize those fish just b/c you dont want them!!!

An lfs will most certainly take them if you give them for free. I dont know that you can sell though.

 

[Ethos]

Well, the thing is I also want a small, easy going fish, and that seems to fit under platies and swordtails....I dont know if I want to breed them...I just wanna see em....

 

[dwarfgourami]

Can't see the morality of euthanising fish just because you are bored with them or they are getting old and less entertaining. (I wasn't planning to flush Grandma. Though come to think of it, she is very entertaining).
Give them to the lfs for free if you can't give them a home.

However, what nobody has mentioned so far is that swordtails are quite fast swimmers and like to get around, so a 10 gallon is really on the small side. Platies who like to bumble along would be much happier.

The tank is also on the small side for zebra danios, so this might be a reason for rehoming them. Perhaps their pace has slowed because they've discovered they can't really go far. If their only problem is old age, then I would say you had a moral responsibility towards them, as they are your fish and less likely to thrive on rehoming. On the other hand, if they are not happy where they are, then it is better to find them a new home.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Yeah i agree, swordtails can technically fit in a 10gal but im not sure about prosper as they are fish that prefer their space more than anything else- a 15 or 20gal would be mush better for them.
If you want livebearers in your tank i suggest you either go for endlers, guppys or platys- mollys and swordtails will realy be pushing the space limits even at 3 but if you went for platys or guppys for example, you'd easily be able to fit 4 in there with a couple of corys .

 

[fishwatcher]

I agree with most of the above... give the danios to the lfs. then I'd go for a trio of lyretail guppies (1m, 2fm if you want to breed) and some cories. Cories rule!

 

[Polardbear]

I wouldn't recommend swordtails in a 10 gallon. I only put mine in 10 gallons for medicating or quarentine. They really need more room and won't be happy.