First planted tank and livestock

[ImUncleJerry]

So In July I started my third tank, other aquariums are for Multi shell dwellers and the other has 3 African dwarf frogs. I wanted to do a low tech 10 gallon planted tank and like how its looking after only a few months but I'm still wondering about what fish would be best for it. Right now I have 2 Otto catfish, 2 Amano shrimp, and some hitchhiker rams horn snails. I took a dither fish, cobra guppy, out of my shell dweller tank to help with the cycle, also pulled biomax from the same tank to help seed the beneficial bacteria and all water test have been great. I bought 5 rummy nose tetras but I'm not to happy with their activity. They stay hidden either under the driftwood/java moss shadow or back behind the driftwood. Their coloring looks amazing so I don't think the water quality is bad. About the only movement in the tank is from the guppy. I was under the impression that the tetras schooled together and would be all over the place. But that just doesn't seem to be happening.
Should I take them back to my LFS and try something else? I like the celestial pearl danios since they are small and full of color. Could maybe do a small school of them. I love German Blue Rams (and most of the dwarf cichlids) but not sure about putting one or two in a 10 gallon. Was even wondering about a couple of little Pea Puffers. Also love the look and color of Endlers.
What do you guys think?
Plants include java moss and small java fern, Anubias, corkscrew val, dwarf hair grass, horn wart, and a small umbrella plant. Also have a mossball that I opened up and tied to a flat rock.
Any other plants you think might look good mixed in and in what area to put them?
Lighting is a single 18" flora max bulb and filter is actually a ZooMed turtle canister with spray bar. Didn't want to use a hang on the back filter or in the tank filter. Wanted to keep it nice and clean on the inside. I treat new water with Prime and Flourish plant fert and every other day I put in a little API CO2 booster in.
Any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[GJMattingly]

I have no suggestions really. I just wanted to tell you it's a beautiful tank and I like your aqua scape. Maybe try neon or cardinal tetras. My brother has some and the red looks good against the blue background and the whole fish makes the plant color pop.

 

[Khuligirl93]

I love your tank! The background really makes it look nice. Maybe replace the hornwort in the back left corner with something that grows more bushy- something that would do that in low light that comes to mind is water wisteria.
I think all your ideas for fish sound like they could work- except I believe a 10g is too small for any rams.
A fish I recently discovered (but have never kept) is clown killies, they stay very small and occupy the top 1/3 of the tank, I find their color very attractive for such a small fish.
I have never kept CPDs either, but I've read they can be quite shy so I'm not sure if your experience with those would be much different than the rummy noses.
Also, have you considered red cherry shrimp? They are cute, bright colorful little guys that I find very amusing to watch. I don't believe they would be a problem with the Amanos.. But someone more experienced might be able to correct me there.

Just thought if another thing: if you added some red to the tank it would create some nice color variation. Maybe some red crypts?

 

[Rivercats]

Do you have another name for the Umbrella plant or can you get a shot of just that and post it? If it's what I think it is and can't tell from the picture it's not fully aquatic. Also your lighting won't work for the DHG. DHG needs high light, CO2 or liquid carbon, and good regime of macro and micro nutrients as ferts.

A 10g is too small for the Rummy-nose. Rummy-nose like to be in larger schools and need at least a 20g long for swimming room. I keep a school of 25 in my heavily planted 220g. CPD's are shy and would not do well with Rummy's. Clown killi's would also be too small for keeping with them. I have a 55g nano fish tank and if you took back the Rummy's you could do CPD's with Cherry shrimp. Or other suitable nano fish would be Clown killifish, Scarlet Badis, Chili Rasbora's, and several other species of nano fish.

 

[ImUncleJerry]

Thanks y'all! I love shrimp so I'll keep them in mind. Their red color would really pop with all the green plants and blue background. And the neon tetras have always been in the back of my mind to add too.
I've also been looking for a redish plant so I'll keep an eye out for the crypt.
Thanks!

 

[ImUncleJerry]

Do you have another name for the Umbrella plant or can you get a shot of just that and post it? If it's what I think it is and can't tell from the picture it's not fully aquatic. Also your lighting won't work for the DHG. DHG needs high light, CO2 or liquid carbon, and good regime of macro and micro nutrients as ferts.
A 10g is too small for the Rummy-nose. .

The umbrella plant was bought from Petsmart out of one of those hang on the rack boxes. Have seen very little if any growth from it. I'll attach a picture of it. I like the lighter green color it has but am not that impressed with the plant itself.
I figured the rummy nose fish might not do we'll with a 10 gallon but the guy working at the mom and pop pet store I got them said 5 would do ok... Guess he just wanted to make the sale...
So what would be a good carpeting plant for the low light that I have? The DHG has a few runners popping up but at this rate it will take forever just to cover than corner of the tank.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Most carpeting plants need high light. You could attempt it with moss. Or dwarf sag I have found does well in low light, but it's not a thick tight carpet look.

 

[Rivercats]

That looks like a Spathiphyllum which is also called Umbrella plant or Peace Lily. It is not an aquatic plant.

For low light you can use 4 Leaf Clover, Marsilea quadrifolia or Dwarf Chain Swords as carpeting plants in lower light tanks.

 

[ImUncleJerry]

Khuligirl93 Ive seen some moss matts that look really nice when they fill out.

Rivercats I like the Marsilea minuta when it fills in and gets thick.