# Stocking a 10 gallon Tank



## KuhliLover (Mar 30, 2012)

Hi I need help stocking my new 10 gallon tank. I am going to college soon and they have a 10 gallon tank limit so i bought one, it currently has 3 kuhli loaches and a dwarf gourami and 1 amano shrimp in it. It is filter at 200 gallons per hour. I also do weekly water changes. So really I'm trying to maximize the fish i can house in this tank. My current stock loves it in there and the gourami is actually being taught a few tricks. Any help is welcome.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Hey there! A fellow kuhli lover  Welcome to the forum. 

I can't imagine your gourami is enjoying that filter because they come from sedentary lakes and pools. Something that poweful would blow a fish like that around like mad. That's honestly the first thing I would change. A large filter doesn't necessary mean you can overstock the tank. Stocking is determined by a lot of things such as surface area (footprint) and swimming room. Even with a powerful filter on a small tank you wouldn't be able to keep something large that likes to swim like an oscar, danio, or some of the larger tetra. 

The second thing I would do is increase the number of _Pangio_ loaches. They're so much more active and adorable in larger groups. I've got 10 in my 24 gal and they are just adorable to watch play in the plants. ^-^ 

The third thing would be to give us some indicators of your water parameters at college and at home. In order to stock a tank we need to know the hardness and pH of the water supply. It's always best stock fish that come from water similar to your water supply.


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## KuhliLover (Mar 30, 2012)

Well to add some information to the filter I actually have the water returns covered with sponge so there is minimal current my gourami has no trouble swimming around, and I was thinking of getting a few more kuhlis I just didn't really know how many more I could get. I actually saw all my kuhlis out and about today due to an incoming storm lowering the barometric pressure they were just all over the tank even the little guy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Oh that is good. I can't even imagine my Aquaclear 70 (300gph) on a 10 gal tank. It blows large fish around the tank. I can't imagine what it would do to a tiny gourami lol 

Well here is the catch with adding 3 more kuhlis (which you really should; you'll see them more often), you're not going to be able to add much more. Even with a massive filter you're still getting close to the stocking limits on a 10 gal tank simply because there isn't much room in there for much more. Generally we stock small tanks with single tanks with one substrate species and one column swimmer (small schooling tetra, betta, or other small gourami). I'm sorry your dorm won't allow you much more (mine only allowed a 5 gal), but there really isn't too much to do with a small tank.


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## KuhliLover (Mar 30, 2012)

Yeah I knew there wasn't going to be much that I could add I was considering some micro rasboras possibly
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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Like the mosquito rasbora? I don't know if you've figured this out yet, but you can click on a shaded name to see our profile on them. I've never kept them; I opted for cardinal tetra instead as I like the blue colors. Adding 6 or more to your tank will certainly overstock it, but there are many members here who through planting and large weekly water changes are able to keep overstocked tanks. 

Do you plan on planting the tank?


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## KuhliLover (Mar 30, 2012)

I've always wanted to plant it but didn't know what would be required like co2 and other modifications and where planting is worth it if I'll be transporting my tank to and from college at least 4 times a year.
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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

You don't always need CO2 to have a good planted tank. Take a look at Byron's tanks. None of them use CO2 and they are all gorgeous even his 10 gal. There is a series of threads about low-tec planted tanks in the plants subforum. I never thought I could do a planted tank until I read that. Now all of my tanks including my goldfish tank are planted.


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## KuhliLover (Mar 30, 2012)

I may have to check that out it would look so nice and probably even help lower my maintenance
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