# Ideas for a ten gallon???



## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

I got a new ten gallon recently and finished leak testing this morning (all good except for a chip, should I be worried? It didn't leak but I put silicone over it just to be safe). But I can't decide what to do with it! Here are some ideas I thought about. Endlers and RCS. Pair of rams and some other small fish like guppies. DG and 4 of some small tetra. All of these would have tons of plants too. I just can't decide. I'm open to any further suggestions. Thanks!


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

maxw47 said:


> I got a new ten gallon recently and finished leak testing this morning (all good except for a chip, should I be worried? It didn't leak but I put silicone over it just to be safe). But I can't decide what to do with it! Here are some ideas I thought about. Endlers and RCS. Pair of rams and some other small fish like guppies. DG and 4 of some small tetra. All of these would have tons of plants too. I just can't decide. I'm open to any further suggestions. Thanks!


I personally wouldn't worry too much about a problem with a 10 gallon, especially since you put some silicone (aquarium safe, I hope) on it.

I think Endlers and RCS would be nice, but RCS will not breed in a higher ph, which is what Endlers need, so there are some compatibility issues there.

What about a few sparkling gourami's and dwarf cories? Check out the profiles.

Or you could do a dwarf puffer tank, with 3-4 of them. They are really cute.

I don't think 10 gallons is big enough for a pair of rams, IMO.

Gwen


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

Good ideas! I had come up with another idea (sort of a mix). 4-5 endlers, 5 celestial pearl danios, and 1-2 sparkling gouramis (are they aggresive towards each other like DG's?), RCS, and it would be heavily planted. Would a ph of 7 work? My ph is naturally 8.2, so I mix RO water and equilibrium. But I can mix in some of my water to make the ph around 7.5, would that work? Thanks!


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I think you've got the right idea looking at nano fish. A 10 gallon is as small as it gets for a community tank, so the fish ought to be small too. And not very active.

I would pass on the rams and the DG - too big.


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

maxw47 said:


> Good ideas! I had come up with another idea (sort of a mix). 4-5 endlers, 5 celestial pearl danios, and 1-2 sparkling gouramis (are they aggresive towards each other like DG's?), RCS, and it would be heavily planted. Would a ph of 7 work? My ph is naturally 8.2, so I mix RO water and equilibrium. But I can mix in some of my water to make the ph around 7.5, would that work? Thanks!


From what I read here on this forum, the Sparkling gouramis are not aggressive like their counterparts, and prefer to be in a group, no less than 3. RCS will breed maybe in 7.5, but 7.2 would be better, with 7.0 being best. Also, Sparkling gouramis love heavily planted tanks, as that is in there natural environment. 

Gwen


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

A betta sorority is an option. There so beautiful and you have pretty much unlimited coulor options.


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## Absntmind (Apr 26, 2012)

Another vote for a Dwarf Puffer tank. Maybe not as colorful, but they seem to have a lot of character. Plus just a cute fish...


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

Lot's of great ideas! So how about three sparkling gouramis, but how many endlers and CPD's can I have? I like dwarf puffers a ton! I kept some a long time ago and they were adorable. I also like bettas, but I already have some. I think I'll stick with these smaller community fish. How low could my pH be for the other fish? I'm thinking 7.2 will work. What about GH? Maybe 6-7? Thanks guys!


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

maxw47 said:


> Lot's of great ideas! So how about three sparkling gouramis, but how many endlers and CPD's can I have? I like dwarf puffers a ton! I kept some a long time ago and they were adorable. I also like bettas, but I already have some. I think I'll stick with these smaller community fish. How low could my pH be for the other fish? I'm thinking 7.2 will work. What about GH? Maybe 6-7? Thanks guys!


The sparkling Gourami and endlers have different water requirements, (I think. I'm going to check now), so I'd say no on them together. Check out the profiles, they'll give you that info, so you can make a good decision.

Yep, they do  Also, you should look at availablity of these fish in your area. I don't think I've ever seen a sparkling Gourami where I live. 

Gwen


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

Wait, yep they do what? Have different water requirements? Sorry if I misunderstood you. Thanks!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

You can check the water parameters in our profiles, second tab from the left in the blue bar across the top of the page. If the name in the profile is used identically in a post, it will shade and you can click on that for the profile, example Sparkling Grouami or Celestial Pearl Danio or Endlers Livebearer.

Aside from the water, there are other issues with the mentioned fish that make them non-compatible. That too is explained in the respective profile. Plus, there isnot sufficient space in a 10g for more than one option.

Byron.


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## Udra120 (Jul 11, 2012)

I had three female platys and five neon tetras in my ten gallon tank. Neons are a great addition to tanks as they are so bright and colorful, however you want to make sure you get them from a good store. Chain pet stores tend to have unhealthy fish.


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

IMO neons need more space for swimming room and they need friends. Thanks Byron, I'll check out the profiles (probably should have done that earlier).


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

Ok, I read all of the profiles and did a little extra research, and I see what you mean byron. I really like the idea of sparkling gouramis, but I don't know If I can get the pH that low. Bucause the pH of RO water is 7, I can't really get below that very much. This tank will have driftwood, but if it isn't leaching tannins, will it lower pH much? I am sure that with all of those plants, fish, DW, and RO water, the pH will drop to around 6.5-6.8. Am I right? I will be using RO w/ seachem equilibrium, so I can get the GH right for sure. Should six sparkling gouramis work? It sayd 3 for 5 gallons would work, and they should be in groups of 6+, so it sounds good to me. These water params would be perfect for RCS right? I saw some cool neocaridina varieties on aquabid that I might have to try out. One more question, do the sparkling gourami's get really aggressive when they spawn like other species of gourami/betta? Because with 6 I will probably get M/F and they sound like they breed easy. Thanks!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

maxw47 said:


> Ok, I read all of the profiles and did a little extra research, and I see what you mean byron. I really like the idea of sparkling gouramis, but I don't know If I can get the pH that low. Bucause the pH of RO water is 7, I can't really get below that very much. This tank will have driftwood, but if it isn't leaching tannins, will it lower pH much? I am sure that with all of those plants, fish, DW, and RO water, the pH will drop to around 6.5-6.8. Am I right? I will be using RO w/ seachem equilibrium, so I can get the GH right for sure. Should six sparkling gouramis work? It sayd 3 for 5 gallons would work, and they should be in groups of 6+, so it sounds good to me. These water params would be perfect for RCS right? I saw some cool neocaridina varieties on aquabid that I might have to try out. One more question, do the sparkling gourami's get really aggressive when they spawn like other species of gourami/betta? Because with 6 I will probably get M/F and they sound like they breed easy. Thanks!


The aggressiveness of sparkling gourami depends upon the fish themselves and the other fish in the tank. I had my group in with hatchetfish, and when the males were guarding eggs they pecked the hatchets non-stop until I removed them. Then they went after any fish that came close, so the gourami got moved as i was not about to have my wild Nannostomus mortenthaleri harassed; they cost a fortune and are doing very well, spawning regularly and I now have mature fry in with the group.

On the water, the pH will usually lower due to natural biological processes, and yes, wood, dry leaves, moss helps a bit. If you start with all RO water and then add minerals, the pH should remain below 7 easily. Equilibrium does seem to raise the pH a bit. If you mix tap and RO instead of using Equilibrium, it will depend upon the KH and pH.


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

Aggresion between the gouramis is fine though, right? They will most likely be the only ones in the tank besides shrimp. My water at home has a ph of 8.2 and a kh of 10. I will probably just add equilibrium to RO. That would be pretty cool if they spawned! Thanks!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

maxw47 said:


> Aggresion between the gouramis is fine though, right? They will most likely be the only ones in the tank besides shrimp. My water at home has a ph of 8.2 and a kh of 10. I will probably just add equilibrium to RO. That would be pretty cool if they spawned! Thanks!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yes. I am much less bothered by normal aggression within a species, as they are designed this way. But when we combine species in an aquarium that in the wild would never encounter each other, aggression to another species can cause severe stress.

Either way with the water will work. To save money, mixing tap and RO to obtain water with a suitable GH would be my first choice. But if that doesn't reduce the KH sufficiently to allow the pH to lower at least below 7, then RO solely with Equilibrium to raise the GH to maybe 4 dGH (only needed for plants) is fine.

In soft acidic water this species will readily spawn. It spawns in more basic water too. Lots of floating plants, they remain close to the surface and a thick cover of floating plants is good. Lower plants that require minimal light work best under this, say crypts, Java Fern, Java Moss on wood.

Byron.


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

Ok first, thanks a ton for all of your help! So would 6 sparkling gouramis be fine in the ten gallon with some Neocaridina Heteropoda shrimps of some color variant? Six just sort of seems like a lot, but I might be wrong. I will make sure and have ample floating plants. I'm getting really exited for this tank!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

maxw47 said:


> Ok first, thanks a ton for all of your help! So would 6 sparkling gouramis be fine in the ten gallon with some Neocaridina Heteropoda shrimps of some color variant? Six just sort of seems like a lot, but I might be wrong. I will make sure and have ample floating plants. I'm getting really exited for this tank!


I would probably limit them to 5, 2 males and 3 females being best, but as the small size they are usually seen in stores just get 5. I had five in my 33g, which is 3-feet length, and the males (2) got in each other's way regularly, but with all that space they were not damaged.


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

Ok, sounds good. I am sort of new to keeping gouramis, so I am a little unsure about sexing them. Do males have a pointed dorsal fin and females are rounded? Thanks!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

maxw47 said:


> Ok, sounds good. I am sort of new to keeping gouramis, so I am a little unsure about sexing them. Do males have a pointed dorsal fin and females are rounded? Thanks!


Yes, the dorsal on the male is a bit longer and more pointed. They are often so small in stores that this is hard to determine.


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

I was just doing a little more research on these guys and found out that a lot of people have trouble keeping RCS with them. I guess they can get really aggressive towards them and will kill/destroy even the adults! That is kind of a bummer because I really like the idea of shrimp.


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

maxw47 said:


> I was just doing a little more research on these guys and found out that a lot of people have trouble keeping RCS with them. I guess they can get really aggressive towards them and will kill/destroy even the adults! That is kind of a bummer because I really like the idea of shrimp.


I went to my lfs yesterday, and sure enough, they do have the Sparkling G's. Never noticed them, I guess. Now, I'm glad I decided to hold off. I too have lots of RCS, and not sure I went them all decimated. 

A few weeks ago, when I bought Ghost shrimp, I got a stowaway in my "bag" (a tiny, tiny feeder guppy). I put him in the tank with the RCS, so technically I have a fish in there now. 

What about keeping a male fancy guppy with RCS? I was looking at them in the fish store. The fancy guppies are kind of pretty.

Gwen


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

I might end up going with guppies or endlers, just so that I could have shrimp. Sparkling gouramis seem really cool and all, but I think I will save them for another tank.


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## grannyfish (Jul 14, 2012)

will someone tell me what RCS stands for??


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## maxw47 (Jan 22, 2012)

red cherry shrimp.


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