Advise on a small tank for a new member?

[jazzybell]

Hello Everyone!

I'm new to keeping a tank even though I have grown up with them. My mom was quite accomplished at keeping a salt water tank and had a lovely pair of clownish through most of my childhood. I suppose I'm picking up the hobby now in her memory and to make where I'm living feel more like home.

I've done quite a bit of research online and I suppose I'm suffering from information overload. I would love to be able to have a fresh water dwarf puffer, but know that its impratical for such a delicate fish to be my first, also the tank isn't set up for it. (Used gravel instead of sand, and probably doesn't have enough movement) so with that dream on the back burner I wound up with a 10 gallon tank hand-me-down and purchased a new filter for it. The tank has been 'first fish ready' for a few days now and I'm stuck on what fish to get. I don't care for schooling fish, and know that I would really enjoy a cichlid. Maybe a young Oscar? My research online has said that a good rule of thumb is 1inch of fish per gallon and I've read that oscars average 10 inches fully grown... the woman at PETCO was so insistant that it wouldn't fit the tank that she refused to bag one though. Advise anyone? Am I missinformed on their average size?

What I'm really getting at is asking for a suggestion on what single fish is going to be a good match for this tank... I want something with a lot of personality that isn't insainly difficult to care for.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

First welcome to the forum!! You will be sure to get all the advice you need here.

Second you can throw everything you read about one inch per gallon out the window.

Third no Oscar, they are massive fish and extremely messy. IMO they require at least a 75 gallon tank. Putting him or any large fish in a 10 gallon will stunt their growth and kill them, you are going to need to go with small fish. Also IMO I don't think that there is any Cichlid that is a good fit for a beginner with a brand new 10 gallon tank.

With a 10 gallon it's not going to set you back far if you want to switch over to sand. I find sand some much better looking and it's not a nitrate factory like gravel which brings me to my next point, us your tank cycled? Cycling is a must. There are many good articles here about cycling a tank if you have not.

As for stocking, if you supply a puffer with everything he will need after cycling and adding everything before buying him. I think you could pull it off.

 

[jazzybell]

Wooh Replies!

First welcome to the forum!! You will be sure to get all the advice you need here.

Second you can throw everything you read about one inch per gallon out the window.

Third no Oscar, they are massive fish and extremely messy. IMO they require at least a 75 gallon tank. Putting him or any large fish in a 10 gallon will stunt their growth and kill them, you are going to need to go with small fish. Also IMO I don't think that there is any Cichlid that is a good fit for a beginner with a brand new 10 gallon tank.

With a 10 gallon it's not going to set you back far if you want to switch over to sand. I find sand some much better looking and it's not a nitrate factory like gravel which brings me to my next point, us your tank cycled? Cycling is a must. There are many good articles here about cycling a tank if you have not.

As for stocking, if you supply a puffer with everything he will need after cycling and adding everything before buying him. I think you could pull it off.

Thanks for the warm welcomes! So if you're throwing inches/gallon out the window how do you judge how to stock your tank effectively? I know that isn't the only factor. There's temperament and hiding places too, but how do you judge without knowing what the fish are going to like?

Yes the tank has cycled, I wound up having to wait close to 3 months to be fish ready because I started over at one point after being certain that the original filter that came with the tank was not going to cut it.

I'm pretty hesitant about the puffer... From what I've read they're pretty sensitive to their water, and they're messy fish by nature. I just don't know if i'll be able to keep it balanced well enough for one to survive and I would simply feel awful if it died.

 

[Slavo]

I would defintely not suggest getting a Oscar for this size of tank. I once housed a 1ft Albino Oscar in a 50G tank and after a while I realized the tank was too small, which inevitably led to his death.


So I would suggest small fish like: a Betta, Rasboras, Tetras, Guppies or Danios, or even micro fish like: White Clouds, Dario Darios, Sparkling Gourami, or Celestial Pearl Danios.

 

[Coyne]

IMO Mollys have lots of personality and they'll do ok by themselves. Also, lots of people seem to like the Cory catfish (I dont personally have any.... yet).

Maybe a Molly and a shoal of 5 or 6 Corys?