Suggestions for a 10G Tank

[xiaan]

Hey all
I am new here and I have just set up a 10G tank. It is near the end of its cycle (Ammonia is 0ppm and Nitrite just spiked yesterday) and I am looking to add more fish to the tank.
Right now I have a planted tank with 4 White Clouds in it. What I would like for my tank is a school of small fish, 1 or 2 larger fish and some sort of bottom feeder. I like a somewhat active tank and I am partial to Gourami and Kuhli Loaches. I also would not mind having shrimp ether.

[Zoe]

Loaches would not be suitable for a 10 gallon tank.  Most of the bottom feeders are either too big (ie plecos), or are schoolers (ie cories, loaches), so wouldn't work in your tank.
Are your four white clouds doing into the 10 gal?

Anyway, for your schoolers, a school of 6 small tetras or rasboras would be best. Neons, black neons, harlequin rasboras, glowlights... up to you

A nice centrepiece fish would be a male betta, or a couple female bettas, or a dwarf gourami.

Then you could compliment that with a few oto cats or some ghost shrimp.

[Fishnut]

A 10 gallon tank is quite limiting as far as the fish numbers and therefore, species you choose.  3 cory catfish would be a nice addition if you really like bottom feeders.  Just keep in mind that the more bottom feeders and shrimp you put in, the less fish you'll be able to add that swim in the middle or the surface.  Shrimp and bottom feeders are good at finding places to hang out that people can't see them.  You want 1" of full grown fish/shrimp for every 1 gallon of water.

Is there a heater in the tank? 

[xiaan]

My current setup is 20x10x12 (10G) Tank, It has an Aqua Clear Mini(20), heater, small air pump and bubbler and Perfect-A-Light 20" hood with a fluorescent light. I got most of the setup from my sister who had a tank a few years ago except for the heater witch comes from my old tank (I had a 20G when i was a kid and my mother gave it away). My sister also gave me a small 2G tank witch I am thinking of setting up with a beta and giving it to my GF for her classroom. I also just got a good test kit so I can test the water.

As for the plants I got 5 bunches of plants (actually about 20 or so plants) In the tank, a Amazon sword plant two different Bacopa,  Elodea. (From Big Al's Kanata) and a bunch of Corkscrew Val (Pet-Smart Merivale).

Yes I am planning on keeping the white clouds in my 10G. Right now I was thinking of getting 2 more White Clouds or 2 Cherry Barbs, Eather a Dwarf Gourami or a Honey Gourami, and a couple of small Cories or Ottos.

[beowulf]

I would stick with either 3 cories or 3 khulies at the bottom nothing more.  As for the middle 1 betta or gourami at most.

[PaleoFishGirl]

Anyone want to start placing bets as to when xiaan gets a bigger tank?

You might have problems keeping a gourami in a small tank, other fish (barbs especially, I would think) are notorious for picking on them and nipping their fins.  How about a pair of Apistogramma? They do well in smaller tanks.

[Laura]

I would add a couple more white clouds - don't add 2 of a different type of schooling/shoaling fish, they won't be as happy.
I would also go for a nice group of ghost shrimp or amanos as the cleaners - 10 gallons doesn't seem like much room to me for corys.

[xiaan]

Anyone want to start placing bets as to when xiaan gets a bigger tank?

LOL my GF is upgrading to a 25G tank from her 15G (lights no longer works and could not find a replacement that fits) and I am already eying the 55G and 40G tanks . But right now I don't really have the space in my house for tank that size.

[babblefish1960]

Sorry to be encouraging your grand ideas, but you would be absolutely amazed at how many tanks you can fit in your home, for instance, you don't really need that large of a couch!

[beowulf]

Sorry to be encouraging your grand ideas, but you would be absolutely amazed at how many tanks you can fit in your home, for instance, you don't really need that large of a couch!

Or might as well just rent an apartment....

[fischkopp]

How about a pair of Apistogramma? They do well in smaller tanks.

Apistos are nice habitants, but you have to be careful in a 10g. Just as a warning: without a lot of hiding places provided by wood or plants a pair might stress each other too much. This always depends on the individual apisto though, but sometimes even a 40g is too small. But you can keep them, especially if you get them in young and male and female are the same size. A peaceful species is A. cacatuoides. But only consider apistos with max. 5-7 schooling fish and ~3 bottom feeders.

[xiaan]

Yay, My tank finished cycling yesterday! I am probably headed out tomorrow to get some more fish for the tank. I have not decided what I am going to put in the tank but I have a good idea of what I can and can't put in it.
Also Last night my GF and I swapped over her 15G tank to a nice new 25G tank. Here platies look very happy now but the tank looks very barren I think it needs more plants.

[beowulf]

Yay, My tank finished cycling yesterday! I am probably headed out tomorrow to get some more fish for the tank. I have not decided what I am going to put in the tank but I have a good idea of what I can and can't put in it.
Also Last night my GF and I swapped over her 15G tank to a nice new 25G tank. Here platies look very happy now but the tank looks very barren I think it needs more plants.

Come by the forst OVAS meeting in a couple of weeks and there should be plenty of plants at the auction and normally for pretty cheap!!

[xiaan]

I got my OVAS membership card last night and went off to BA and got two Apistogramma cacatuoides for my tank. They look ether young males or females. So now my tank contains
4x White Clouds
2x Apistogramma cacatuoides

I am probably going to get one or two more small fish for the tank (probably about 2 weeks from now). One possibility is to add one or two more White Clouds. I also would not mind something that will clean up the tank (and eat my dead plant leaves).

[beowulf]

I would probably add 3 ottos as a cleanup crew or a few larger amano shrimp.

[fischkopp]

I got my OVAS membership card last night and went off to BA and got two Apistogramma cacatuoides for my tank. They look ether young males or females. So now my tank contains
4x White Clouds
2x Apistogramma cacatuoides

I am probably going to get one or two more small fish for the tank (probably about 2 weeks from now). One possibility is to add one or two more White Clouds. I also would not mind something that will clean up the tank (and eat my dead plant leaves).

Good choice! 

Adding 3 ottos will be fine, but they wont touch dead plant leaves (just leave them or remove them by hand). Amano shrimps will, the might get annoyed by the apistos if they start to push them around, but should do fine. If you go with shrimps make sure your 10g has a well closed lid: mine tend to leave the tank ...

[xiaan]

If you go with shrimps make sure your 10g has a well closed lid: mine tend to leave the tank ...

LOL  the only holes in my lid are where the filter and the heater are attached. If i get shrimp I might have to seal them off a little more.

[xiaan]

After some research I believe my fish are not A. cacatuoides but are A. bitaeniata I still do no know if I have two Males or a Male and Female
Here are some pictures of them:

this is the smaller one

This is the larger of the two I believe he is a male

[fischkopp]

Yes, you are right, these are A. bitaeniatas, BA Innes labeled them wrong. Unfortunately you got two males, the second one for sure, the first pic is a bit blurry to tell for sure but its most likely a male too. I havent seen many females at BA Innes, but at BA Kanata, they may change one of your guys to a female, just give them a call. Two guys in a 10 gallon is not really fun for one of them as you can see on the threatening pose in your second picture. They may fight with each other until one of them is dead.