Phishies Inn

10 gallons are so annoying to stock due to only being 10 gallons! So I've been trying to weigh this next tank carefully before I rush out and buy anything.

So far I have in mind that I don't want a school of fish, no matter how small - I'd rather have 1, 2, 3 at the most medium sized fish or so, though I just can't decide what ones.

Scenerio A)
I've always wanted a Blue Ram Cichlid...they seem so cute and pretty - or a Bolivian Ram, as they look similar and all.

So if I went off of the Blue Ram, what else could go in there? I don't want pairs - I don't want to deal with the aggression or breeding...so what other fish would go okay? Another small cichlid perhaps? I'm not familiar with the smaller breeds. "shellies" stay very small...but I don't know their temperament. Will they get along with the GBR? Any other tiny cichlids?

If other cichlids aren't an option, any other smaller fish?

Scenerio B)
Here's where it's just open for suggestions, hah. I don't care whether it's a couple of the same species or maybe a mixup (Mixup would be cool), but what are some other smaller sized fish for a 10 gallon?

Gouramis are cute I suppose. I've considered getting a few kuhli loaches but if they're anything like my 55 gallon loaches, they won't have enough room to party in a 10 gallon

Scenerio C)
I've considered going brackish, so if there are a couple fish you think would be cool in a brackish tank I'm open for suggestions. Puffers seemed nice, but I don't know much about them. Also, bumblebee gobies look cool. One combination I was looking at was a few bumblebee gobies and a smaller pufferfish - figure 8 or something

So yeah. Any help? Sorry for the long post >.< Just trying to narrow stuff down. Which of the 3 scenerios do you think would be best in the long run?

TFA101

Scenario A) Brevis Shell Dweller all the way!
Scenario B) Neon Tetra, Glo-light Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, Kuhli Loach, Dwarf Corydoras, Cherry Shrimps (or any shrimps), Sparkling Gourami, Brevis Shell Dweller, Celestial Pearl Danio, Dwarf Pencilfish, Endler's Livebearer. These are the best for a ten gallon tank, arrange in any order you wish as long as it doesn't exceed 10" of fish.
Scenario 3) Peacock or Bumblebee Gobies are good choices. A shoal of 3-4 is nice. Or a figue eight puffer.

For the fish I have listed, use this website to gain all info you can:

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/index.htm

Phishies Inn

Right now I'm leaning towards scenerio A I really want a GBR, and the Brevis seem very cute! How many do you think I could have with one GBR? Or would one GBR and one Brevis shell dweller be the limit for a 10 gallon? I want them to be comfortable I wouldn't mind more than one Brevis since they stay so small and all but once again, dealing with fry...eh...if the parents eat the fry if I leave them alone I might not mind, but otherwise I'll just stick with one to be safe.

Edit: I think I'm settling with 1 of each. So one German Blue Ram, and One Neolamprologus brevis...that's what, about 6 inches of fish? 5? If I wanted anything else it would need to be something that hangs out in higher levels of the tank than the two cichlids. So if anyone has a suggestion of a smaller one fish that hangs in higher areas I'm all ears - but if not, that stocking might be fine. A dwarf gourami or some kind of gourami might be cute but I think other than the dwarf they all get too big.

Edit 2: Just a side thing, but man, endler's livebearers look so cute. Too bad they're so rare, heh.

TFA101

I'd recommend keeping one or the other. Personally, the German Blue Rams are awesome. Keep a pair, or one male. If you're looking to put just one male, you could add 2 bronze or albino cories and a dwarf gourami (BE SURE TO ATTAIN THESE FROM LOCAL BREEDERS!!!!)

Phishies Inn

Well I emailed the place I order fish from and they said as long as I send an email after I play an order they will happily give me the gender I ask for - lovely! That makes me happy. With that info safely under my belt, is it safe to have 2 of the same gender? Either two males or two females (I'd imageine 2 females would get along better)? They stay small so I imagine they could each claim half of the tank in terms of territory, heh.

If not then that's okay, I'm fine with just one If I only get one I'll probably end up getting a dwarf gourami and a couple of smaller cories like you suggested. If I get two, I might just leave the tank with two GBRs...maybe some smaller upper-level fish, though I doubt it.

I wouldn't mind a pair, but I'm not sure what I'd do with the fry if they mated. I don't know if fish stores here locally will take them off my hands, free or not. It would be lovely if they did of course, I suppose I could call. Also, if I get a pair of GBRs I'm assuming there isn't much else than go in the tank lol, right? They'd get too aggressive.

On the other hand, panda cories are so adorable. Actually a lot of those species are very cute. I wouldn't mind having a couple. Ahhh soooo many choices

Lucy

Your're right it is hard to properly stock a 10g, so many fish, such little room.

HatchetHaven

I wouldn't try blue rams in a 10gal. They are pure sensative - I've heard of people on this forum with amazingly maintained tanks - yet their Blue rams just died off! In a 10gal, where conditions change much easier, I would not recommend it at all. A good alternative is the Cockatoo apisto - both males and females are stunning and they are just about the hardiest South American Dwarf cichlids out there.

fishrule101

I think you should do wantever you want. If you really want to have GBRS then be sure to do lots of water changes. But if your detarmined you'll make it. Also try to look at some fish that are native to GBR waters since GBRS likes very soft water.

sirdarksol

Fishlore suggests no less than 20g for a single pair.
Water quality isn't the only thing to consider when thinking about size of a fish tank. Some fish need swimming space, some need to school, and some need to be away from others of their kind. No amount of diligence can overcome these kinds of needs.

sirdarksol

Fishlore suggests no less than 20g for a single pair.
Water quality isn't the only thing to consider when thinking about size of a fish tank. Some fish need swimming space, some need to school, and some need to be away from others of their kind. No amount of diligence can overcome these kinds of needs.

Phishies Inn

Well I've decided in any case that I'm only getting one GBR, most likely male (does anyone know if a single male or female would do better?)...and still haven't decided on the other fish in there. Probably just one other higher level swimming fish like a gourami or something, I dunno. I don't want anything else at the bottom though so my GBR can have the entire tank bottom as his own territory.

HatchetHaven

A GBR is a really bad idea in a 10gal, because they are the queen of sensitive FW fish, and in such a small water volume, parameters can change FAST! I have heard of incidents of rams just dyeing in some perfectly maintained tanks of about 55gals, imagain how volatile it would be in a 10gal?

Cockatoo apistos are a really good idea for a 10gal though. I male/ 1 female would be great - I'm currently QTing a male Panda apisto in my 7.5gal bedside table tank and he has so much personality! you see, Cockatoo apistos are much hardier - really the hardiest Dwarf cichlid out there.

Gouramis and cichlids are a bad mix, because both are territorial, especially in a small tank. 1 Dwarf cichlid would be all I would stock a 10gal with - because you get so much personality and beauty out of them you don't need any more fish! To be honest, they are not strict bottom dwellers and the apisto I'm QTing uses all the tank space, frequently swimming in the middle layers.

Phishies Inn

Well okay then since all of you seem to shoot down my ideas :P I'll try and find an apisto cichlid somewhere. Where did you get yours Hatchet, online vendor or someone local? I know the LFS here doesn't keep dwarf cichlids at all.

So if I go with one cockatoo dwarf cichlid - male hopefully - is that it for the 10 gallon? That's fine with me personally, no point in pushing the tank's bioload...they aren't especially shy, are they? I won't need any dither fish like I do my loaches?

eBay seems to have a lot for sale - but pairs, not singles. Would a pair be okay in the tank or would they need more room? If not I can just continue the hunt for a single male.

HatchetHaven

1 male Cockatoo apisto would be cool. I got my Panda apistos (Harder than cockatoos!) at an LFS - they pop up occasionally. They're not shy, by no means! They love coconut caves, (Get 2 or 3 going for him) here's a link to do that: http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects...oration/87.asp
They also really like aquatic plants. Since they spend most of their time near the substrate, Low growing ones are fine. Cryptocorynes, Dwarf hairgrass and Anubias are nice. This would be an ideal opportunity to get a planted tank going, if you have ever felt that urge! They like sand as their substrate, as they tend to enjoy sifting it through their gills looking for food.

angelfish220

Dwarf puffers would be cool! And in 10 galls you could easily have 3 or so. They are fun to watch and interact with. They require a heavily planted tank, plastic or live dosent matter much though.

HatchetHaven

You could have 3 Dwarf puffers in a tank... But they would be ripped to pieces!

Phishies Inn

I've considered the coconut cave but as you said, it'll drop the ph - and because of the driftwood in my tank and my "natural" water conditions, my ph is already low - I don't want to risk it dropping further. I think I'll use a decent sized terra cotta pot. I have a couple of tiny ones in the tank right now but I'll move them and put a bigger one in the back corner and scatter the others elsewhere.

The tank is already planted, though not too dense...I haven't gotten around to buying any new plants...sadly the LFS and Petco/Petsmart don't have a great selection, and buying online is expensive. I'll try and root around the local stores later though.

HatchetHaven

The Coconut doesn't drop your pH if you soak it until all the tannins are out of it. I've tried it - and it leaves your pH alone as long as you soak it in a bucket for a few weeks until ALL the tannins are out.