New Aquarium...Fish species to add with Guppies?

[bcpsfg816]

Hi all, I'm new here and also new to aquariums (other than when I was a kid). I want to do it the right way because I for certain didn't do everything correctly when I had fish as a youngin', regardless of long fish lives.

So I setup my tank yesterday. I have to get the pH down, it's a whopping 8.0. YIKES! I plan on getting API pH DOWN. I also heard putting peat moss in the filter and driftwood is also an option but doesn't seem drastic enough for a 8.0 pH level. (Any other advice with that will be much appreciated). I want to get it down quick because I just can't wait to get some fish in there! [emoji4]

So I for sure want to get a few guppies, 2 females 1 male, but I would love more variety in my freshwater tank. I don't want to stress any of my fish so please help expedite my research with this! Here are the specs of my tank:

- 10 Gal Freshwater
- Current avg temp. 78 F
- Equipped with heater and Filter
- A few artificial plants, one large cave ornament and several Java fern (just ordered the fern so I still need to cycle them in once they arrive).
- pH is currently 8.0, aiming for 7.0-7.2

So I would like some wild and fun tropical fishes in the tank with the guppies. Any fun not quite average companions for them is my aim. Including some type of algae eater/bottom dweller. I think that hillstream Loaches are fascinating but wildly out of range for my tank. I'm also not getting these companions right away. I'm going to wait a few weeks after the guppies become acclimated. So any tank suggestions and other compatible fishes are appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[ebjornsgard]

For bottom dwellers, you could have a type of Cory cat. Some of the species don't get very big and I think would do well in a ten gallon. They don't eat algae, that I know of anyway.
In my experience, guppies reproduce extremely fast, so your 10 gallon will be full very soon if you keep both males and females.
I have a platy that eats some algae. They are not classified as an algae eater by any stretch of the imagination, but they are pretty, available in lots of colors and varieties. They are also livebearers, and reproduce quickly. They are kind of average, but great fish to keep.

As far as the tank goes, it sounds like you have a nice set-up planned. Waiting for cycling to happen is terrible, it's so fun to add new fish right away! Good luck with your tank!

 

[V227]

Not a good idea to use chemicals to lower the Ph. The driftwood and peat are better solutions but will stain the water like weak tea. I wouldn't worry about your 8.0 PH. My tanks are at least 8.0. I keep Buenos Aires Tetras, Silver Dollars and numerous varieties of New World cichlids.
The all do very well.
When chemicals are used to lower PH there often will be a sudden PH rebound. Not good.

 

[bcpsfg816]

Thank you for your replies! I did read that the moss will discolor the water, but 8.0 levels still very much concerns me. I also do know guppies reproduce like crazy first hand! It is a fact! I accidentally bred my guppies when I was...13, maybe? I thought the babies were large fecal matter at first [emoji23] Of course I didn't know what I was doing, and the fry got eaten by the adult guppies [emoji22]

 

[Toad]

My tank levels are around 8-8.1 and my guppies have no issues with it. Steady PH is more important than aiming for a supposedly ideal PH and have the levels swinging up and down.

For a ten gallon I'd get only male guppies, unless you have an absolutely foolproof backup plan for the fry or you will be overstocked.

Dwarf cories, african dwarf frogs and other 'nano' type fish can go along well with a couple of guppies, just make sure you don't overstock the tank (very easy to do with small tanks). Google a lot, and refrain from impulse buys lol.

 

[bcpsfg816]

Hey thanks Toad! All my research about high pH makes its sound like fish murder. lol Good to know that steady pH is the key.

So, I've got a community in mind after a bunch of research. Here's what I have in mind:
A couple of male guppies, a few Glo Danio's, a peppered Cory cat and drum roll please...a male dwarf gourami. So I know some people may disagree with the Gourami. However, I have looked into the compatibility of the other fish and most I've read had said they will make good tank mates with the other schooling fish as long as I provide enough foliage so he can maintain his own territory since they can occasionally become territorial and they are shy. I did order the Java fern, I have a temple cave ornament and I went out and bought some Amazon Sword (in addition to some artificial plants I already had. Some may also disagree due to the size of my tank, however, Danios and guppies are rather small.

So what do y'all think? Go or no go?

 

[ebjornsgard]

That sounds like a great group. I've heard mixed reviews about keeping a Cory cat singly, some people say that they do better in groups, but I had one for 6 months by itself and it seemed to do just fine (grew a ton). And Dwarf gouramis make great center piece fish.

 

[coralbandit]

Guppies love hard water. Most livebearers need the minerals that hard water provides.
I would look to fish that like your water pH or close to it.
10 g is way to small for the DG and I am one of those people who don't like them...
Read up on DGI [ Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus ] and their aggression before you add one to your tank.
White clouds especially the long finned are great looking fish that would compliment the guppies.
Pygmy cories stay small enough you could have a proper group of them.

 

[Toad]

I would nix the danios, they are very active fish and a 10g isn't much swimming room. Check out sparkling gouramis, they're supposed to stay smaller and are more chill than the others

 

[EOGoldfish]

I would say go for a honey Gourami instead of a dwarf Gourami. Nerite snails may be a cool addition.

I have a ph of 8.3-4 and my fish do just fine.

 

[MattS99]

The plan sounds a bit overstocked to me, to be honest. The danios would like more room to swim, and I think the gourami would too. I've also seen a dwarf gourami kill some guppies, so I can't suggest keeping them together. Corydoras are a schooling fish so they need groups of 5-6 at a minimum (and are found in groups of thousands in the wild). They'll also need a bigger tank, a 20 high or long depending on how big the particular species get. Guppies are fine though.

 

[smallfry53]

I agree with others on the dwarf gourami. It might be ok with guppies in a 55g, but in a 10g IMO there just isn't enough space and it will likely show aggression towards them. Unfortunately a 10g is pretty limiting. As someone else said, you would really open up your options with something like a 20 long (not to say there aren't some really cool nano fish and whatnot that would work in a 10g).