I need help finding stock for a 10-gallon tank for a picky owner

[ReyK]

Okay, so my sister has a 10-gallon tank with a black moor and a comet goldfish (WAAAAAYYYY overstocked, I know, but she's saving up to get something a lot more suitable; something between 30 and 60 gallons). She's trying to figure out what to put in the 10-gallon once she gets her goldfish tank, but she's very picky. She doesn't like tetras, barbs, danios, minnows, rasboras, guppies, endlers, or really any of the small common fish that would be recommended for a small tank like hers, so I figured I'd reach out to y'all on here and see what you think. She already has a betta in another tank, and she doesn't want to put her in the 10-gallon. She's opposed to having shrimp or snails unless they're large, but I don't know the requirements on larger shrimp or small lobsters and crawfish. She really likes gobies like dragons and bumblebees and ornamental carp like goldfish and koi, but they all require tanks far larger than 10 gallons. I think she kind of likes kuhli loaches since they look sort of like gobies, but I'm not sure she's sold on the idea. Any suggestions? Any help is much appreciated

Oh, and if it makes any difference, her tank has sand substrate, a couple small plants, and two filters: a TopFin 20 and an Aqua-Tech 20-40, but no heater at the moment (but she can get one easily).

 

[keegster803]

Shelldwellers, or if she's into planted tanks, an African Viper Shrimp

 

[TheSmallFish]

She could try 2 German blue ram cichlid I think. Maybe a dwarf gourami. Possibly a really spoiled betta.
Hope this helps.

 

[Lev]

Okay, so my sister has a 10-gallon tank with a black moor and a comet goldfish (WAAAAAYYYY overstocked, I know, but she's saving up to get something a lot more suitable; something between 30 and 60 gallons). She's trying to figure out what to put in the 10-gallon once she gets her goldfish tank, but she's very picky. She doesn't like tetras, barbs, danios, minnows, rasboras, guppies, endlers, or really any of the small common fish that would be recommended for a small tank like hers, so I figured I'd reach out to y'all on here and see what you think. She already has a betta in another tank, and she doesn't want to put her in the 10-gallon. She's opposed to having shrimp or snails unless they're large, but I don't know the requirements on larger shrimp or small lobsters and crawfish. She really likes gobies like dragons and bumblebees and ornamental carp like goldfish and koi, but they all require tanks far larger than 10 gallons. I think she kind of likes kuhli loaches since they look sort of like gobies, but I'm not sure she's sold on the idea. Any suggestions? Any help is much appreciated

Oh, and if it makes any difference, her tank has sand substrate, a couple small plants, and two filters: a TopFin 20 and an Aqua-Tech 20-40, but no heater at the moment (but she can get one easily).

What about some really tiny fish.
I've got a combi of colorful shrimp and rocket panchax in my 5 gallon. In a 10 gallon you could have a beautiful school of nano fish ... There are other similar suitable species

They might want it planted up a bit more first

 

[flchamp89]

Here are some appropriate stock for a 10g that are my favorites.
Cpd, chili rasbora, emerald rasbora, s.badis ( not for beginner), flags, endlers, embers

These would be fairly easy to find. However, cant recommend anything definitely till we know parameters.

 

[littlefish4]

I keep dwarf cory catfish in a 10 gallon. Very fun fish! Should be kept in groups and not with any fish big enough to eat them.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

If she's looking for something unique, then possibly look at Orange Dwarf Crayfish (Mexican Dwarf Crayfish). I know you said you didn't know much about 'em, so I went and gathered info from a couple sites for you, you can look at the sites themselves down below.

Orange Dwarf Crays typically only grow up to 2 inches in size, and shouldn't be much of a problem in a ten gallon. How many in a ten gallon is up to debate, some sites only say one others say a couple. I'm not sure. Anyways, every site I have seen agrees that they are pretty docile, and can do well with the majority of community fish available. I haven't owned one of these guys personally, but I have seen them a couple times in the LFS and they intrigued me enough to do a sizeable research binge on them.

Sites for More Info:
Aquariadise
Aquarium Tidings
Tropical Fish Magazine