kjm2270

I am currently cycling a new 10 gal. tank (fishless). Once fully cycled, I plant to transfer one platy and one snail from their current 5 gal. tank. I would like to add some schooling fish--my children want fancy tail guppies--and an oto or a cory to help the snail with algae cleanup and perhaps a ghost shrimp, but I DO NOT want to overstock.

I'm not particularly attached to the snail and would be willing to let him go, if someone could recommend a more efficient method of dealing with algae in such a small tank, as I understand a pleco would grow to be too large. What I am hoping for is a well stocked, active tank with an efficiently balanced bio load. Is that too much to ask for a 10 gal. tank? Thanks!

PS: I would also welcome recommendations on live plants vs. artificial. Thanks!

AlyeskaGirl

Hi!

Corys don't eat algae. As for Otos they need to be in groups of 3 or more to be happy as well as Corys.

http://www.fishlore.com/profiles_otocinclus.htm

Butters

Well, in a small tank like that you could try and find some Amano shrimp... they pick algae off of leaves. Or you could just clean the algae yourself, I don't think people should get fish and any other animal just for cleaning... that's the tank owners job.
What kind of a snail is it? There are lots of different sizes of snails, and some are good and some are bad.
You could probably get 3 male guppies... I would just watch out for any aggression between them. If they start getting nippy I would take them back and get some other kind of fish.

kjm2270

I don't mind cleaning tanks, in fact I have to do regularly to maintain my 5 gal. tank. I'm just hoping to find a good blend of creatures that will co-exist well together without creating an excessive bio load. I don't know much about bottom feeder and algae eaters, but it seems wise incorporate them with the flashier swimmers in order to have a healthy tank.

I don't know what kind of snail it is. It may be a pond snail. I got it at the LFS.

Jonah

10 gals is not really a lot to work with but lets try to answer your questions

You could put 3 fancy tail guppies in the tank but please make sure you get all males they are more colourful and you wont end up with a baby explosion.

As Aleskya says you really need to add corys and otos in min of 3 and you do not have space for them with the guppies and the platty

Shrimp have almost no bioload so you could put 3 or 4 in there as well and the will scavange the bottom of the tank to clean up food that makes it past the guppies.

There is no problem at all with asking your pets to do a bit in return for all their care and attention my tanks all have clean up crews based on the size of the tanks and my dogs despite being 'house pets' are expected to do what terriers are supposed to do as well.

Your CUC will have to be shrimps though.

As for plants you will need light in your tank for them to grow properly but they will certainly help keep your tank in balance if given the right conditions and and they will help with your tank cycle as well

kjm2270

Thank you, Jonah! Will 3 fancy tail guppies be enough for proper schooling, or will they be stressed by their relatively small number? Do you have any specific recommendations for shrimp and plants (my tank does have lighting) and do you have any thoughts on zebra danios as a possible alternative to the fancy tail guppies? Oh, and what about the snail...is he worth the space he requires? Sorry so many questions, but I want to do this right...thanks!

Jonah

Bear with me and I will link you to some simple plants that will grow in any lighted tank.

Guppies do not school so 3 is fine. There may be an occasional bit of chasing goes on but nothing dramatic and with plants all the fish will have somewhere to hide when they feel the need. There is another valid reason for having only male guppies by the way, they are smaller than the girls so they have less of a bioload on the tank.

I am not a shrimp expert Alyeska has recommended armano and i would not doubt her, ghost shrimps & cherry shrimps are possible alternatives

I was diplomatic and tried to ignore the snail lol to me they are pests. BUT that is only my opinion.

Zebras are a no, they need to be in groups of 6 or mor eand you do not have a big enough tank either in term of gallons or more importantly swim room

Plants

Amongst other I use this site http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.u...section=plants to give me ideas on plants and aquascaping ideas. Please though do not start to worry about CO2 injection systems in your tank if you stick t simple plants like Java Fern, Java Moss, hygrophila and Anubias

kjm2270

Thank you so much, Jonah, for the great link and the advice! As for the snail...sigh...my kids have named him "Gary" after the snail on "Sponge Bob Square Pants" so I'm afraid he'll be staying!

Butters

If the snail isn't a mystery snail or apple snail... pretty soon you will have more than one Gary, that's for sure. But IMO, snails are good to have around.

agabr123

three guppies and three corycats OR three otos would be perfect for a 10 gallon tank i have three guppies, three corycats, some shrimp and snails and a balloon mollie in a 10 gallon tank, it's slightly overstocked and needs small water changes 2X a week instead of once a week, but otherwise it's perfectly fine

kjm2270

I don't know what kind of snail Gary is. He may be a pond snail. We've had him for quite some time, and he has yet to reproduce, so so far so good!