When I am done my fishless cycle for my 10 Gallon tank, I am going to do a 80% water change and test the water 24 hours before I go out to get fish. But I want to start early in picking out what kind of fish I want so that I don't have to spend many hours picking out a fish at a LFS. Any good ideas of fish that work well in 10 gallons? I was thinking Hillsteam loaches but I read up on them and the information on them said that they like rocks in the tank which I don't have along with Algea that isn't introduced in my tank yet also a tank with well aeration where I don't have any airstones. I don't know if a good filter is enough for their oxygen alone. Would Corys work good in a 10 gallon? I can use any suggestions, please.
10 Gallon Fish Stock
- Thread starter Mako_
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BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
Don't wait too long after finishing the cycle to stock. Your bacteria will starve. If you're confident that your cycle is completed, don't hesitate to lightly stock your tank after your water change. I'd do the big PWC, go pick some new friends at the LFS, and test the tank when I got home, just for a last sanity check.
Hillstream loaches are coldwater fish that like a lot of current in the tank. Good work reading before buying.
There really isn't a need for airstones in the tank, unless you're running a UGF or sponge filter. A properly-sized filter that provides surface agitation aerates a tank well.
Cories would work. You could put a school of six in a 10g if you get one of the smaller varieties. Pandas and skunks stay in the 1.5"-2" range.
Male bettas are good community fish for small tanks. I've heard that they'll chase any long-finned fish, but I haven't had any real issues with male bettas and male guppies. Red-eye tetras, neons, glow-light tetras, basically any small tetras are good options.
Hillstream loaches are coldwater fish that like a lot of current in the tank. Good work reading before buying.
There really isn't a need for airstones in the tank, unless you're running a UGF or sponge filter. A properly-sized filter that provides surface agitation aerates a tank well.
Cories would work. You could put a school of six in a 10g if you get one of the smaller varieties. Pandas and skunks stay in the 1.5"-2" range.
Male bettas are good community fish for small tanks. I've heard that they'll chase any long-finned fish, but I haven't had any real issues with male bettas and male guppies. Red-eye tetras, neons, glow-light tetras, basically any small tetras are good options.
CA_BroncoFan
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1 on the tetras, if you want to add some real plants then thatll really pop the colors of the tetras.
I googled on what fish I should add in a 10 gallon and how many of them. This is the site I am looking at now.
Stocking a 10 Gallon Tank - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki
This site is giving me a combo list of fish but I don't know how accurate it is. I like the one combo, 1 Honey Gourami, 6 dwarf rasboros, and 4 pygmy corys but I know that this part can't be that accurate because that seems like too many fish for a 10 gallon so I was thinking if this would work, I would like some opinions on this too. 1 Honey Gourami with 3-4 Corys.
Stocking a 10 Gallon Tank - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki
This site is giving me a combo list of fish but I don't know how accurate it is. I like the one combo, 1 Honey Gourami, 6 dwarf rasboros, and 4 pygmy corys but I know that this part can't be that accurate because that seems like too many fish for a 10 gallon so I was thinking if this would work, I would like some opinions on this too. 1 Honey Gourami with 3-4 Corys.
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think either of your chosen combos would work. If you get cories, try to get six. They like bigger groups.
I just started recently thinking about getting break-in fish for the cycle. What hardy fish can I get for a 10 gallon that will go good with Cory catfish when I get the cory fish in the future. Are Cory catfish hardy enough for the break-in cycle?
CA_BroncoFan
Aquarium Advice Addict
i would suggest a fishless cycle but if you choose to go with fish then I would suggest danios for your break in period and then return them as they need longer area to swim. strongly suggest the fishless cycle though
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
I too would go with a fishless cycle. It's less work and less stress. Cories get along well with anything that won't try to eat them.
Lowryder
Aquarium Advice Addict
Also, if you go with cories, you want a sand substrate. They like to sift through the substrate and if it is course they wull damage their barbels which will lead to infection.
mattrox
Aquarium Advice Addict
If it is round gravel you will be fine with cories. You don't want crushed quartz or the like with sharp edges.
Well
Zebra Danios are good for a 10 gallon I have 3.
Neon tetras are good too.
Also remember not to add all your fish at once.
Thats good I would have gotten three because that could be too much waste build up since there isnt allot of bacteria in your tan,but make sure you do allot of water changes
I said this already,but the petco I go to has lots of cories in a 10 gallon tank with gravel substrate.
CA_BroncoFan
Aquarium Advice Addict
Danios like the length of tanks to swim, having them in a 10 gal isn't going to harm them per se but it won't allow them to reach their full potential. Having 4 danios in a 10 gal won't really give you a whole lot of bio load, not like a pleco or anything.
As far as the corys and gravel, petco can get away with gravel because of the quick turnover of fish, meaning the corys are not there long enough to really see any bad effects from it but they do like the sand. You could always get a little sand, wash it and then make a sandy area in your tank so it would have gravel meet the sand. That's what I did and it looks pretty cool.
Since we're discussing putting sand in the tank when it already set up, is there a certain way to do it other than washing it and putting it in? You can pour it in when fish are in the tank? And can you always add more gravel later on too?
I would do a big water change and take the fish out for a bit in some of the tank water, then put the sand in. The less water it has to go to the bottom, the better I would think. Then as the sand settles gently pour water back in, make sure the temperature in the tank is right, then put the fish back in.
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