What fish can I keep in a 10 gallon tank?

Question

I currently own a betta in a 5 gal. tank and I'm planning to purchase a 10 gal next month (including heater, filter, substrate . . . the works).

I basically know next to nothing about any fish species other than bettas. I've been researching appropriate fish for a 10 gal. tank but the information I read seems contradictory.

I have three general questions:
1) Can I keep cichlids in a 10 gal tank?
2) If I keep schooling fish (danios, rasboras, tetras, etc.) how many would be suitable for a 10 gal tank? If I do decide on schooling fish, can/should I keep other fish with them, such as cory cats?
3) My betta gets bored incredibly easily (a tail-biter). . . can/should I attempt to incorporate him into my new 10 gal with other schooling fish?

Thank you for the advice!

Answer 1

1) It really is best not to go with cichlids. Even the dwarfs like Rams and Apistogramma arevery active and territorial, and should have more room to function, even if you can technically squeeze them in.

2) Try to keep groups of at least 5 schoolers. It's always better to go with one species of a large group rather then a few species in bits and pieces - they both do better and look nicer this way. Open water schoolers like tetras do very well with cory catfish (which are also schoolers) because the cats use the bottom of the tank, the tetra's the middle. Small shrimp will also work in your tank, for a different critter aspect to the tank.

Small tetra's like neons, glolights, cardinals, head-tail light, etc. are excellent for this tank. Larger, feistier tetra's like Serpaes and Black Widows should have a larger tank. Small rasbora's are also fine for a 10 gallon, while Danio's should have more space because they are very fast and endlessly active. Avoid algae eaters, they are messy, often territorial, and almost all of them outgrow this tank.

A typical, properly done 10 gallon community would look something like 6 cardinal tetras, 4 corydora catfish, 1 betta or dwarf gourami, 2 or 3 ghost shrimp.

Certainly try the betta in your new tank. I keep mine with Cardinals, Corydora cats, Amano shrimp, and a couple of Oto catfish.
Do this though - keep him in his small tank until you've set up the 10 gallon, cycled it, and added all the fish. By introducing him into an already populated tank it should help keeping him from thinking of it as 'his'. Keep his old tank set up for him just in case.

Also, don't forget lots of plants, real or fake. Bettas need them in larger tanks for security, and it will make him much more active, and less likely to go after other fish - and all the other fish you will be getting are also from planted environments, so its good for all involved.

Answer 2

Cichlids are too territorial to keep in a 10 gallon tank in my opinion. Your options are limited with that tank size.

You can have some nice fish though. Some species of fish get along quite well with each other. Stress is a major killer of fish also.

Right now I have a 10 gallon tank and I have a white cloud tetra, a red eye tetra, 2 guppies, a black tetra and a plecostomus. I have had the red eye and the black tetra for 2 years. The others I have had for almost a year.

Don't add all the fish at once. Read up on the right way to start up a tank and how to condition the water. I started by adding just 2 fish and didn't add any more till a month later.

I have had this tank for 2 years and have had only 4 casualties.

Be aware that some fish that say they are 'community fish' are more aggressive than others. Also, some fish, like the neon tetras are very fragile.

One thing that I always add to my tank with water changes is salt for freshwater fish. The product I use is Doc Wellfish's aquarium salt. Just follow the directions on the package.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

Drip method: 1)Get a container (preferable a small Styrofoam so the water doesn't cool) 2)Get and air hose (the really thin ones used for aquarium air pumps) and either tie a knot in it or attach an air valve 3)Dump fish and water from bag into container 4)Stick the -non-knotted/ end without the air valve- into the main tank and start a siphon by sucking on other end. (make sure air valve is open all the way or if knotted, the knot is not too tight. 5)Then just adjust the air valve so the water coming out is a stead drip. If using a knot, tighten the knot accordingly to reduce water flow. 6)let the water volume double in the container. 7) dump in main tank As for the quarantine tank, it needs to be large enough to accommodate the species you plan on putting in it. Most people keep their fish in there for 2-4 weeks. a 29 gallon you can easily find at any pet store will usually do for most applications. Obviously if you are buying adult fish that are 10+ inches you will need something significantly larger.

Answer 4

1) Cichlids get very big. they do have small ones that grow up to be like 4 inches (like the Rams cichlids), but those are hard to find. Remember that cichlids are aggressive fishes, and generally they should not be kept with other smaller fishes.
2) Schooling fishes do well in groups of 5 or more. Neon tetras do benefit from odd numbered groups (5, 7, 9 or more. )
3) Like people, bettas do have different personalities. Sometimes guppies will nip at the bettas tail, and sometimes the bettas will nip at the guppies' tails.

Answer 5

1) the answer is absolutely no
2) 6 of each but only 2 schools in a 10 gallon tank
and a couple of cory cats (they are bottom feeder)
3) Yes you can keep other fish with them as example
3 ballon mollies
3 dwarf platie
including the betta you own already
If you don't want any babies, get only males, the fish mentioned are all tropical fish and peaceful
4) yes absolutely, just stay away from male guppys or anything similar with long fancy fins

5) And forget the 1in per gallon rule, that is BS
If that would be true, you could keep a common pleco in a 10 gallon, which you can't



Hope that helps
Good luck


EB

Answer 6

Dwarf Puffers are very interesting, intelligent and active fish. They learn to recognize their owner and will come to the glass to see what you're up to whenever you're in the room. They also will beg for food (they even learn what the container looks like) or follow your finger around the glass. If you put your hand in the tank, they will have to be right by it at all times. It's as if they have to know exactly what you're doing! You also have to be careful when siphoning water from the tank, because their curiosity will sometimes lead them a little too close to the siphon tube! I've sucked one up a time or two and had to rescue them from the bucket! These little guys have tons of personality and are by far one of the most fun fish to own :) Their relatively low pricing ($2.00-$5.00 U.S.) and the fact that they can be kept in smaller aquariums have definitely helped as well. Dwarf Puffers now account for the majority of new pufferfish

Answer 7

1. Only the dwarf types of cichlids (Rams, Krib, Aggazi's, etc.).
2. Minimum of 5 for all, and yes you can keep cory cats with them.
3. If it's a male betta, then you probably shouldn't since he'll nip at any long, flowing fins. If it's a female betta, then yes you can.

~ZTM

Answer 8

Well I can't answer any of the other questions lol...but Bettas do fine in most community tanks unless placed with similar long finned fish which they can mistake as another betta. I've had my bettas with lots of other fish...ghost shrimp, snails, cory's, etc. with no problem for over 20 yrs :)

Answer 9

I just know this basic rule:
Look at the fish ur putting in. For a ten gallon tank, use 10" of fish. so that could be 10 tiny schooling fish (unless they grow up huge). And no, don't put chiclids in that tank. unless there's only 1. and he'll get pretttty bored.