New Additions?...Tetra/Cory Compatibility Questions

[Sara]

After going through a bad bout of *something* (still don't know what), we've lost quite a few fish in our tank. Whatever the problem was, it seems to have passed and everyone is thriving. The tank, however, is a little bare.

We are hoping to pick up a few additions to our 10 gal, currently housing:
- 5 Neon Tetras
- 1 lonely Black Phantom Tetra
- 1 even lonelier Panda Cory

We'll definitely be picking up 1-2 more Black Phantoms and probably 2 more Panda Cories, but would like to add something more interesting into the tank... With all of this discussion on shrimp, this is definitely a possibility. We were also looking at getting a Ramshorn (or some other sort of) snail. Also maybe one more fish of some kind. I know this would be pushing the bio-load on the high side, but we're good with our water changes and it shouldn't be a problem.

The tank is generally between 76-78 degrees, pH 7.6, water parameters are stable with generally no readings of anything. We've had it set up since December, and added Bio-Spira and fish at the end of January.

So my questions are:
(1) Would a shrimp work in our aquarium? Recommendations on species?
(2) Would a snail work in our aquarium? Recommendations on species?
(3) Any ideas for a single, relatively small fish that would do well?

TIA! I'm going to a fish auction tomorrow and want to have some idea of what I want so I don't impulse buy everything in sight!

 

[Allivymar]

You'll need to be really on top of water husbandry; with the extra tetras and corys you will be overstocked for a 10g. That being said, I have 9 cardinals, 2 dwarf gouramis, 2 (i think...haven't seen one recently) and a bunch of shrimp in my planted 10g. I do water changes weekly tho, despite the fact its planted, to keep in top of water parameters.

Shrimp would be a great addition. They are easy on the tanks bioload, and fun to watch. Your fish should be fine with them as well. Ghost shrimp are inexpensive, and make great scavengers. Amano shrimp are THE algae eating shrimp but more expensive. Cherrys also eat algae, and are really cute n red and run around the same price as amanos. I wouldn't put amanos or cherrys in an unplanted tank tho. 6 would do you fine I think.

I'd look at malaysian trumpet snails, or maybe ramshorn. The MTS won't overpopulate your tank, the ramshorns might.

 

[Sara]

I'd look at malaysian trumpet snails, or maybe ramshorn. The MTS won't overpopulate your tank, the ramshorns might.

What sort of population boom might I be expecting with snails? I wouldn't mind having a few, but any more than that and I wouldn't know what to do with them. I'm not one who would be able to, uh...get rid of them if there got to be too many.

 

[Allivymar]

Mwaaahahaha snails can be the bane of fishkeeping. I had pond snails that came in on some plants when I first started out. We could count 20 or so on the tank walls, would kill them and the next day there would be 20 more. I finally have fish that eat snails, and haven't had a population explosion since. Good thing too; I loathe em.

I have one large pond snail in my planted 10g which is so big I'm letting him live LOL but the gouramis eat all the lil ones so its not an issue. I have a few ramshorns in my planted 15g, but the rams chow on the babies in there, as well as the small ones when the snails went in, so again, no probs with too many snails.

 

[Sara]

Thanks for your help, Allivymar!

Well, then it looks like snails have been booted off my possibilities list. I'm such a wimp that I have to make someone else kill the spiders and other uninvited visitors in my apartment. :?

Any suggestions for a small, single fish that could work in our tank?

 

[Allivymar]

Depends on whether you get the other tetras and corys; that alone is overstocking your tank. If you decide to maybe add the corys, and find a new home for your lonely tetra, a dwarf gourami would work well with that crew.

 

[Christmasfish]

Do you mean in ADDITION to the planned
3 black phantoms
3 cories and
5 neons
as total in a 10 gallon?
and possibly 6 small shrimp?(which are STILL Bioload)
... even a well kept with 3 changes a week, ,the space can be an issue with semi-aggressives. If you really keep on the water maybe 3 regular neons to add flash to the black neon shoal?

And are black phantoms fin nippers sometimes? If they are not bad fin nippers a betta could work. Tetras are too fast for them to seriously bully should he feel testy.
For certain, most little fish do not like to be without 2 or more others of their kind.
Most gourami feel annoyed by the busy bodies in the small area. Semi aggressive may decide to act on that. A dwarf gourami with an attitude is just fast enough in that small a space to have little floating bodies on a daily basis.
Hatchetfish are small and dwell on a separate level if you have a lid and you really keep zeroes across the board. You could maybe put 3-4. As Alli said if you dump the single tetra you can add something else.
Then you can have hatchets on top level, tetras on mid level and cories at the bottom. the hatchets will be your visible movement at pretty much most the day.
I cannot in concious really suggest any fish to add to that that list you originally gave which is already waaay overstocked even with frequents changes that already is too much , but at least has compatible small fish.
And you had a mystery illness which could have been a spike in parameters because of the number of fish at that time. Unless you test daily a spike can wipe out your weakest fish quick and leave you scratching your head when the tests come up good.

Is a larger tank in your immediate future? Like at the fish auction?
Otherwise, as Alli said, if you unstock the single tetra you can add something else.
Then you can have hatchets on top level, tetras on mid level and cories at the bottom. the hatchets will be your visible movement at pretty much most the day. Gourami inhabit any level that particular fish chooses. But they are large enough you can only add one (you have to add only one or more than two..or they will tear each other up) becauase you can't support three or more. Peaceful gourami species are too big for a 10 gallon.

EDIT: Alli posted as I was doin it. I changed a portion.

 

[Sara]

It would have to be either:

(1) the additional Black Phantom and Cories, or
(2) a new single fish.

I agree both (1) and (2) would be a bio-load overkill.

As for the shimp, I think I'd max out at no more than three...

I'm looking at getting a heater and filter in my 5.5 gal betta tank, and was considering putting the cories in there.

And are black phantoms fin nippers sometimes?

I was always told that they weren't, but our has been pretty aggresive since he lost his buddies. Half the time he schools with the Neons, the rest of the time he tried to push them around.

Is a larger tank in your immediate future?

Likely this summer...