What Kind Of Fish Can I Get?

[Captain Retardo]

Tigerman offered to give me a free 10 gallon tank and i am wondering what kind of fish i can get, he informed me i could get a yo-yo loach, dojo loach, some catfish he used to have, and some barbs.

i am just a beginner and this would be my first tank so i would appreciate it if you told me what kind of fish i could get that are easy to take care of for a beginner. I am probably gonna get a Betta, yoyo loach, dojo loach, and the small catfish he used to have (im not sure what kind it is), will i have enough room in a 10 gallon for all that?

Thanks!

 

[tttnjfttt]

I'm sorry to day you will not have enough room for those fish in a 10 gal. Dojo loaches can get up to 10 inches, which is way too big for a 10 gal tank. yoyo loaches get up to about 4", but are very active and need to be kept in groups of atleast three.

Are you talking about corie cat fish? Those guys are small enough to keep in your tank, however, they are social fish so get atleast three. With bettas, there are two things you need to be careful about. One is they cannot be with tank mates who are nippy. The second is that they have a hard time swimming against currents because of their long tails. I had mine in a 10 gal and he FOUGHT against the filter set to the lowest. With bettas, other tank mates you can look at are white cloud minnows. With these fish, the highest temperatures they should be kept at is 75, so be aware of that.

In general, if you are set on the betta, alot of the other fish that can be kept in a 10 gal are too nippy.

 

[Captain Retardo]

im not necesarily set on a betta, i would really like to get some loaches though. are there any that there are for a 10 gallon?

my friend said he'd sell me a 2.5 gallon for 12 bucks, and if he does thats where i would keep 2 bettas in there (with a divider of course).

 

[Captain Retardo]

or eels, are there any eels that would go good with the tank?

 

[dwarfgourami]

If you are looking for a loach, and also like the eel look- khuulies loaches would be fine for a 10 gallon. They are seriously cool, peaceful and have a relatively small body mass. Get at least 3 as they like being in a group.

For a betta relative, how about a honey gourami?

 

[Captain Retardo]

ok, i researched this a lot and i think i got something here, even though its not exactly following the rules:

10 gallon:

1 Otocinclus Catfish
2-3 Kuhli Loaches
1 Yo Yo Loach (My friend had just one and it was fine, i dont really care if it dosent pull shananigans on me with a group of 3)

2.5 gallon ( i might get it):

1 Betta
1 Dwarf Gourami

I know it isnt exactly corresponding with the 1 inch per 1 gallon rule but i think its close enough (the 2-3 kuhli loaches break the barrier) and also the 2.5 gallon dosent follow that rule exactly.

I am thinking about getting a Dwarf Gourami instead of Otocinclus but that would take up more space and i dont know how good it would go with the others. And if i got both tanks i might switch and put the Catfish in the 2.5 gallon and the Gourami in the 10 gallon but im still not sure how that would work out.

Is there anything drastically wrong with that setup?

Would the Gourami switching with Catfish work?

And instead of getting 2-3 Kuhli Loaches can i just get 1 Khuli like the Yo Yo Loach and get another fish instead?

Thanks

 

[Shelly_Otterkin]

I have a 9" yoyo loach. They will not work in a 10 gal tank.
Go with the kuhlis. They are great fish and will not add as much to the bio-load as thin as they are.
The oto is a great fish but add it only after you see algae growing in your tank.
Dwarf Gourami are vary hard to keep heathy and will not do for a first time fish and it will fight with your betta.

I have a tank set up right now that has a betta, 3 pygmy cory cats, a oto cat, 3 kuhlis and some ghost shrimp. With your tank you could up the corys to 5 with no worries.
Good luck, don't forget to cycle!

 

[tttnjfttt]

2.5 gallons is WAY too small for a dwarf gourami. They need to be in atleast a 10 gal tank. Also, otos are very sensitive to bad water and need to be in an established (cycled) tank. Have you read about fishless cycling?

Maybe get 3 kullis, 3 otos, and a dwarf gourami in the 10 gal, and a betta in the 2.5. If you want, you could also put a snail in the 2.5 gal.

 

[Captain Retardo]

oh ok, thanks!

i really wanted the Yo yo though but thats alright.

what about this in the 10 gallon:

2 zebra danios (or 2 platys)
3 kuhlis
1 oto (or not)

would i be able to fit in some pygmy corys (i would be willing to take out the oto catfish but i doubt that would make a lot of space)?

 

[Shelly_Otterkin]

what about this in the 10 gallon:

2 zebra danios (or 2 platys)
3 kuhlis
1 oto (or not)

would i be able to fit in some pygmy corys (i would be willing to take out the oto catfish but i doubt that would make a lot of space)?

With this set up you could go
5 zebras /or 3 platys
3 kuhlis
1 oto
3 pygmy corys

All of these fish are vary slim/small and will not over load your tank. Make sure that your tank is cycled and wait for algae to grow before adding the oto.
Good luck

 

[Captain Retardo]

oh ok, Good!

thanks for the help everyone!

 

[tttnjfttt]

Everything I have read said ottos need to be in a group since they are social fish. I would either get a group of them OR skip it all together. You have several bottom feeders already, so it really isn't necessary.

 

[Captain Retardo]

ok i guess i wont get any otos

and i just read about the fishless cycle, sounds easy, i just need to get the ammonia

by the way, are there any loaches that i can get while also having 3 khulis?

and how much would everything approximately cost? because i only have $65 American (the tank is free remember, also take into account the cost of the hardware, gravel, fish, and fish products (basically everything )

 

[tttnjfttt]

I wouldn't add too many more fish from what you already have planned. Remember, it is a small tank.

You say the tank is free, does that mean you have a heater, filter, hood, and light?

I would skip the gravel and go for play sand. It is cheaper and your fish will do better with it. just make sure to wash it off very well to remove the dirt and small particles from it.

Other things you are going to want to buy
*master test kit (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH)
*water conditioner
*food, both sinking food for the bottom feeders and floating flakes for the danios
*siphon to clean the tank with
*thermomiter
*decorations (can be done fairly cheaply if you use some rocks)
*save some cash to have on hand incase of illness

 

[Captain Retardo]

he can only offer me the tank and a bubbler for free

ok, how about this setup, i think i have it this time:

3 zebra danios
3 khuli loaches
1 platy
3 pygmy corys

and just wondering, say all my fish eventually die (hope not, but of course they will) will i be able to keep a killifish in there or a paradise fish and maybe some others?