Need suggestions - 10 gal stocking

[mandygvns]

I just converted my gravel in my 16gal to sand and in the process bought a 10gal....Im thinking about setting it up and dont know if I should do a cichlid tank, another community tank or a beta tank! Any suggestions?

 

[Aquarium1]

well unless you do neolamprologus multifasciatus you can't really keep any cichlids (as far as I know anyway) in a 10g. I would do a community, betta or maybe even a betta sorority group in that size tank. although if you want to do a sorority, might wanna let someone else chime in on if you could do one in a 10g or not hehe since I don't really have experience with those.

 

[mandygvns]

Yeha i was thinking of doing a betta community because they are my favorite fish and I think they are underappreciated!! but thanks for the tip about cichlids, I dont know anything about them =(

 

[Aquarium1]

lol np. Just remember if you do a betta group, it needs to be all females

 

[mandygvns]

yeah haha I remember that! I use to have a small tank with a make betta and a red tip shark and they really liked eachother after like a day...

 

[HN1]

A pair of apistos (let's not forget that there are SA cichlids ) does great in a planted 10 IME. Badis badis, puffers, or gudgeons also do great in them.

 

[mandygvns]

Cool thanks for the advice...I really like the look of cichlids, its like having saltwater fish without all the hardship, I'd like to learn more about them!

 

[Aquarium1]

Yes there are. But I had African cichlids on the brain so I didn't think about new worlds lol.

 

[mfdrookie516]

you mean they're ? Haha jk. Yes they are. I had African cichlids on the brain so I didn't think about new worlds.

no, he wasnt referring to them, he was saying not to forget that there are such things as sa/ca cichlids (sorry, im super ocd about using their, there, and they're incorrectly )

I happen to love multis, they have so much personality, they're just not as colorful as alot of the africans you see that people commonly compare to sw fish in terms of color.

 

[Aquarium1]

Another case of reading a post wrong on my part. Doh!!! Thought he was specifically talking bout the apistos. Fixed it tho

 

[BigJim]

lol np. Just remember if you do a betta group, it needs to be all females

I'll have to respectfully disagree here. You could do a one male, one female group or a one male, three female group. I have a male/female pair in my 29g community and I've had the one male, three female betta group before. For some reason, two females will gang up on a male, but one or three will be ok. In a 10g, providing plants to hide in will curb a lot of aggression.

 

[mandygvns]

^really...thats awesome If I could do a 1male 3 female group....bettas are my favorite and Id love to have a tank with just plants and bettas!! Thanks so much for the advice I think thats what Ill do!!
Quick question, If I buy them all at once and introduce them at the same time will that lessen the chance of having territory issues??

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

I'll have to respectfully disagree here. You could do a one male, one female group or a one male, three female group. I have a male/female pair in my 29g community and I've had the one male, three female betta group before. For some reason, two females will gang up on a male, but one or three will be ok. In a 10g, providing plants to hide in will curb a lot of aggression.

Wow! Really?!?! I've never heard of this working successfully. I even bought a female that turned out to be mis marked and it was a male, he got worked by the females in the tank. Must just be dependent on the fish personality.

 

[BigJim]

Quick question, If I buy them all at once and introduce them at the same time will that lessen the chance of having territory issues??

You'll have better luck if you can get them all at the same time and get very small females. Small males are better too, if you can find them. Introduce them all at the same time to a well-planted tank and let them grow together.

 

[puhlfly]

I once hade a 10G planted with Bolivian Rams. Best fish ever!!! Not demanding and beautiful. tThey are great with plants as well

 

[mandygvns]

You'll have better luck if you can get them all at the same time and get very small females. Small males are better too, if you can find them. Introduce them all at the same time to a well-planted tank and let them grow together.

Yeah thats what I was thinking of doing, getting the tank established with plants and lots of hiding places and then getting the fish!
Thanks for the advice!

 

[mandygvns]

I once hade a 10G planted with Bolivian Rams. Best fish ever!!! Not demanding and beautiful. tThey are great with plants as well

Cool, Ill look into those, thanks!

 

[TCool]

A pair of apistos (let's not forget that there are SA cichlids ) does great in a planted 10 IME. Badis badis, puffers, or gudgeons also do great in them.

What type of puffers are you talking about?

I have a 15 gallon, and I've read conflicting things about whether or not this is big enough for a green spotted puffer. So, I'm unsure if I should get one for that tank. I've read figure 8 puffers stay smaller, but I can only seem to find the green spotted puffer around here.

 

[HN1]

Dwarf puffers. Dwarf Puffers : Home

You could also do many of the killies. If you go with bettas, avoid betta "splendens" and find one of the other species. They'll do better in a "community".

10G will be too small IMO for rams.

 

[TCool]

Dwarf puffers. Dwarf Puffers : Home

Cool, I'll have to look around for these guys.