Will These Fish Go Well Together In A 10 Gallon?

[nemo911]

Hi! I'm setting up a 10 gallon aquarium soon and this will be my first aquarium!! I've done some research online, but would like to figure out what types of fish will go best together. It is going to be a freshwater tropical aqarium. however, i want to set it up to look like a reef aquarium with fake coral/rock formations. I don't want to overstock it with fish, but I think from what I have read I can have about 10-15 smaller sized fish. This is what I was thinking: (Oh and yes.. before everyone starts mention cycling.. I have read up on that and WILL do that after I get my tank so I don't hurt my fish -- I'm going to do fishless cycling). I did read the pinned post above about fish in a ten gallon aquarium, but unfortunately where I live the closest place is Wal-mart and I don't have any nearby LFS.

So this is what I was thinking from the limited choices I have and I have listed them in the order I will add them:

2 zebra danios

6 neon tetras

2 male guppies

2 black mollies (My other alternative to this is a platy, but for some reason I like the all black coloring of these mollies.. Which is better to have platies or mollies)?

2 corydoras catfish (I don't like the albino ones, so I might get another species that wal-mart has (elegant, peppered, panda etc..) is there one you can recommend?

and much later I want to get 2 ghost shrimp.


HOW DOES THIS SOUND??

Another question.. I really want the corydoras I get to be pretty strict bottom-dwellers (I read for instance that pygmy ones are not); so are the peppered/elegant/panda or the other ones strict bottom-dwellers??

Also, A question about the gravel.. I want to get fine, smooth gravel (b/c I read that the barbels on the catfish need smooth gravel).. but should I get dark gravel OR light gravel??? If I get dark it will likely be dark blue/black, and if I get white than it will be white/sand colored (since I want mine to have the look of a reef aquarium).. BUt which one is easier to clean and maintain the color and also WHICH color will look better against the fish I have chosen?? THANKS!

 

[lilfishie]

stocking wise the danios really need a group of at least 5 so have either them or the neons, the mollies prefer slightly brackish/salty water, 2 male guppies will fight you'll need atleast 5 ad cories prefer to be in groups of 5+ and your limited on your choice of them due to tank size, as for decore its down to a personal choice

 

[mark.w.jones]

In a word no .

As mentioned in a 10 gal, you are really limited to having a maximum of 3 species. Out of your suggestions I would suggest the best option is:

5 Pygmaeus Cories
5 Males guppies
You would also have room for 5 amano shrimp.

OR

My preferred option
3 sparkling gourmi
5 Neons
4 Pygmaeus Cories

 

[mark.w.jones]

.

 

[Luketendo]

In a word no .

As mentioned in a 10 gal, you are really limited to having a maximum of 3 species. Out of your suggestions I would suggest the best option is:

5 Pygmaeus Cories
5 Males guppies
You would also have room for 5 amano shrimp.

OR

My preferred option
3 sparkling gourmi
5 Neons
4 Pygmaeus Cories

That bottom option is awesome for a small tank imo.

 

[nemo911]

Thanks for all of your suggestions.

Is it okay to have only 4 neons?

Also, like I mentioned earlier, I really want the corydoras I get to be pretty strict bottom-dwellers (And I have read that the Pygmaeus Cories are not); so are there other small ones that are strict bottom-dwellers??


Because I would really like variation in the levels my fish are in (although I am not such a big fan of the fish the swim near the surface).

 

[divisible by zero]

while most people keep them for feeders, I love throwing a few ghost shrimp in a tank where they won't be as readily eaten.

 

[rabbut]

Thanks for all of your suggestions.

Is it okay to have only 4 neons?

Also, like I mentioned earlier, I really want the corydoras I get to be pretty strict bottom-dwellers (And I have read that the Pygmaeus Cories are not); so are there other small ones that are strict bottom-dwellers??


Because I would really like variation in the levels my fish are in (although I am not such a big fan of the fish the swim near the surface).

Ok, 4 neons would be OK, but remember that you will need to replace any that die quickly, as groups of three or less will become stressed and more suceptible to disease. Panda corries are ok for that size tank, but are both delicate and shy. They need to be in groups of 6+ if you actualy expect to see them out often, and will need a mature tank that has run for a few months. If you change to panda corries instead of the pygmaeus, you can only realy have a few neons with them, nothing else, without breaking the 1 inch per gallon guideline. If you break the guideline, you need to over-filter and keep a realy strict maintanance scedual
HTH
rabbut

 

[nemo911]

Hmmm... out of all the fish species I mentioned (zebra danios, neon tetras, guppies, cories, black mollies), I really want these three species the most:

*Neon Tetras
*Guppies
*Cories (panda?, I have also read about peppered?)

What combination could I do with these??

The reason I choose the zebra danios is b/c I read that they are hardy fish and for beginners, after I cycle my tank (fishless), they are a good fish to start off with. And the black mollies are cool in that they are all black.

And if I wanted to add some ghost shrimp, does the '1 inch fish per gallon' rule apply to them as well?

 

[mark.w.jones]

Shrimp produce minimal waste so as long as you don't add too many they won't add to your bioload. There are 3 species of cory considered as "pygmy".

Pygmaeus 1" : Smallest and definitely stays on the bottom of tank the vast majority of the time, don't know where you've heard otherwise. They do swim to the surface at times, especially at feeding time, but mostly forage the substrate.
Harbrosus 1.25"
Hastatus 1.5"

These sp. are often mislabelled in LFS or just called "pygmy cories", although the different species will mix together, it is better to keep a single species. Pandas and peppereds are really too big for a 10gal tank and the danios whilsts being hardy are quite active and need more space than a 10 gal can provide.

 

[nemo911]

Hi jonesyUK.. I actually read that the pygmy cories do this on this forum, on the pinned posted titled: Recommendation for 10 gallon tank by Sylvia:

Below is here quote:


QUOTE: Pygmy cories (Corydoras pygmeaus): There are several species of small cories but these are my favourite. They are also quite hardy and relatively common and, due to their small size, are an ideal cory for a small tank. Many people will keep larger cories in 10 gallons but this is not ideal due to their activity levels; with the pygmy species you don't need to worry about that. They should be kept in groups as, like other cories, they are shoalers. A group of 3-4 is adequate but the more the better. One thing of note is that, unlike your typical cory catfish, pygmies spend a lot of time in the lower middle layers rather than on the bottom.

 

[nemo911]

What number combination could I do with thesein a 10 gallon??
*Neon Tetras
*Guppies
*Bottom-dwelling Cories

 

[dwarfgourami]

Pygmaeus 1" : Smallest and definitely stays on the bottom of tank the vast majority of the time, don't know where you've heard otherwise.
/quote]

Maybe in the Baensch atlas? Or in the corydoras section of this forum?

If you want a small bottom dwelling cory, habrosus is the most reliable.

If you can find male endlers, they are smaller than guppies but just as colourful.

 

[mark.w.jones]

Maybe the ones I keep act a little differently that's all. I'm going on my experience of keeping them rather than what's in a book and the ones I have at the moment stay on the bottom for probably 80% of the day, searching through the substrate. The rest of the time they swim up the glass to the surface and back down or sit on leaves of plants + on the wood in my tank. I actually think this makes them more interesting than a true bottom feeder like C. habrosus but its all swings and roundabouts really. Both these pygmy cort species are great little fish when kept in a group of 5+, good luck with your choice.

 

[Floyds mum]

I know this thread is an old one but i just wanted to say guppy males do not fight each other, i know plenty of people that started off with a group and ended up with just 2 for a long time. Not wanting to come across as "bitchy" just wanted to have my say,abit late lol.