Please Critique My Stocking Template.

[MilitantBob]

I have a brand new 10g tank and wanted to put some fish in it (duh ) and wanted some more seasoned advice on the fish I am choosing:

4-5 cherry barbs
2-3 Corys
1 Ram

What do you guys think? Please, any and all advice is welcome.

[Menagerie]

[center:df62bc1354] Welcome to AA, MilitantBob! [/center:df62bc1354]
That's quite a handle you picked!
First, is the tank cycled? There is an article regarding the nitrogen cycle in the Articles section.
As for the fish--10 gals fill up way quicker than you would think--or like! Since I am not a barb person, I will let someone else handle that. Cory cats like to be in groups of 3 or more and the more, the merrier! Since barbs have a fin nipping reputation, I will advise against the ram, if you go with barbs. Check out www.liveaquaria.com for basic fish profiles. The more informed you are, the less headaches you will have and the healthier your fish will be!

[MilitantBob]

Ok, I was afraid of that.

I already know about the whole cycle thing, anmd it is being taken care of.

Now, about the stocking, if my template doesn't work (which I kinda figured it wouldn't) what would you suggest?

My only criteria is that I want a group of active mid/high level fish, a small group [acronym:e026ce60bd="Fish only"]fo[/acronym:e026ce60bd] corys, and a more solitary fish. What would you guys suggest?

PS: I really want hardy fish, the hardier the better.

[Menagerie]

I'm afraid in a tank that small that the active fish would annoy the solitary fish ([acronym:5758e7e96f="Just My Humble Opinion"]JMHO[/acronym:5758e7e96f]). White cloud minnow tetras are hardy, smallish and active and could live happily with the cories. Gouramis come to mind as possilbe solitary fish, but they have rules all of their own (not a fish I keep).
Seeing as it's Friday, it may be a slow night on AA. By the end of the weekend, I believe you will have one heck of a fish list. Just keep checking back with us

[MilitantBob]

Ok, how about this:

Some amount of zebra Danios (to be named by you guys, I suppose )
Some sort of Gouramis (once again, I need advice on what kind)
Some cory


Would that be any better?

[Cichlidguy]

[acronym:9b8d62d64e="In my opinion"]IMO[/acronym:9b8d62d64e] zebra danios are very boring fish and lack color. How about another small fish like a cardinal or my personal favourite, the black phantom tetra. And for gourami, I reccomend any type that doesn't get bigger than 4", but if you want dwarf gourami, then only get one male, because they don't like the company of other laberynth fish. Some other choices are chocolates, licorice, pearl, or paradise. And make sure you get at least three cories.

[krap101]

for the gourami id suggest moonlight. for the cory id suggest panda. for the tetra id suggest black skirt. but that wont prolly work. lets say the moonlight gets 3 inches. the skirt gets 3 inches. and the cory gets 2 inches. with only 1 of each you almost got 10 inches. but 1 inch per gallon isnt exactly the only choice. only the safest to make sure you dont overstock your tank.

question about the cycle. if you add fish little by little will the bacteria keep growing or will it stop when the tanks capicity constricts it. because i usually keep my tanks doubled because i dont only have top feeders but i spread it out around the tank

(i know someones gonna critique me on my methods 8p)

[Menagerie]

krap-bacteria will keep colonizing until there is no more room (as long as there is a food source).

because i usually keep my tanks doubled

I don't understand

[Christmasfish]

krap..why you would even suggest a 6-8 inch(in aquariums) semi schooling fish for a 10 gallon tank
baffles me completely
surely you have been here long enough to know better....!

The thing is BOB (looks like I am the militant one this week ^_6);
the only way to stock fish too large for a tank is; A) you KNOW you are getting a larger tank in the near future or B)if you are using the much disapproved of disposable pet method (now that my puppy is a dog..to the pound he goes is NOT the preferred attitude here nor a responsible one).
And the one fish inch per gallon is a loose rule that actually is meant to apply to small fish like guppies and tetras. larger fish and specialized fish NEED MUCH MORE.

Ideally a 10 gallon tank is not going to have more than 5-6 fish of any sort...
We humans can't stand that boring, empty looking space and try to fill it.
with very strict water quality one can get away with what works out to a whole fish per gallon as long as there are no aggressive qualities.
and tghen it becomes a big stressful juggling act...one drops the ball and the balls all go rolling. And fish will sicken as result.