russ757

hi im new at keeping aquariums i have a ten gallon tank with plenty of nooks and crannies and i was wondering if 2cory cats 1dwarf gourami and a small school of fish would get along all help appreciated!

sirdarksol

One dwarf gourami and a couple of cories would pretty much fill a 10g tank.
Both kinds of fish are pretty susceptible to poor water conditions, and dwarf gourami have recently been going through an issue with a virus known as iridovirus. I don't know the status of the iridovirus pandemic, however.
Other than these two issues, a dwarf gourami and two cories is a decent setup, and wouldn't be terribly hard to keep going, as long as you cycle the tank beforehand and keep up with weekly water changes.

russ757

thanks for yopur help it is greatly appreciated

fishbum

[quote=sirdarksol;399076]One dwarf gourami and a couple of cories would pretty much fill a 10g tank.

One dwarf gourami,3 cories,and a small school of small tetras,like neons or glowlights would be fine and not overstocked.You might consider some panda cories,they are also dwarfs.

russ757

im con fused so which is the right answer?

Lucy

I agree with with sir, a dwarf gourami can get to 3" and the cories 2.5 a peice. That's 8", there's not room for a school of anything.

russ757

any other ideas for a colorful fish full of personality?

but is a gourami a good beginer fish

my filter turns my water over 8 times an hour

actually im thinking of putting in a pair of chiclids and nothing else would that be ok

Alessa

put NO more than one inch of fish per gallon and there is NO ROOM WHATSOEVER for a school of fish.

also ciclids need a larger tank, even if they are small.

I agree with sir and lucy. More fish on a 10 gallon, even if fully cycled and your fish will be soaking in dirty, nitrate-full water... every experienced aquarist knows that more than one inch of fish per gallon is UNHEALTHY for the tank inhabitants.


and Yes, dwarf gourami are a hardy and good beginner fish, very resistant to poor water conditions (not an excuse to put him in such, however) but yes, they are going trough a horrible virus known as iridovirus and most of the fish at the stores are already infected.

russ757

ok 1 the chiclids only get 4in ea. so would thse be ok?

Alessa

ok, the DG gets 3 inches and the 2 cories 5 gallons that would be 8'' of fish... plus the cichlid will be 12 inches which means 2'' overstocked. I wouldnt do it but it is up to you.

also, I wouldnt recommend the DG with the cichlid in such a small tank. They are both very territorial fish.

russ757

ok what im sayin is that instead of the DG idhave the pair of chiclids and 1or 2 corys would that be ok?

Alessa

yes, that would be ok. I guess, I have no experience with cichlids though.

russ757

okty

which do you think would be more intertaining and full of personality

do you have any other suggestions im open to all

Alessa

if the only thing in the tank was the school of tetras I'd say go for it. but he wants something else, and yes, the "1 inch per gallon" is not acurate... it only works for the smallest of fish like neons and guppies, when you have a cichlid, a dwarf gourami or cories things change since they are bigger, produce a heavier bioload, and have higher space requirements for such a small tank.

Your original suggestion was 1 DG 3 cories and 5 neons? wow... 20 inches of fish in a 10 gallon. I am sorry but I cannot be irresponsible enough to agree that 2 times the bioload of a 10 gallon is healthy for the tank inhabitants... and no, I might not have a lot of experience, but I am at the very least to be honest with a begginer seeking for advice, who might not be able to deal with the problems that such a heavily overstocked tank would carry for him.

russ757

any other suggestions for a newbie

Alessa

well, the neons are very pretty... what about instead of corys you get 2 otos? they are very pretty!

russ757

im kinda stuck on getting a chichlid at first i didnt know how to get to the secnd page but now i know the tetras are out so is the gourami so could ihave 2corys and a pair o cichlids

where do you find apisto ciclids

Lucy

You can have a small school of tetras like Alessa suggested before, say 6 neons, they're pretty, then you can add some ghost shrimp, they don't carry much of a bio load at all and are really fun to watch.

The only thing I can comment about the gourami is there wouldn't before enough room for that and a small school of tetras, I don't know enough about them. Same with the cichlads, I don't know about them either.

I'm so glad you're asking questions rather then just putting fish in your tank.

russ757

TY im posting non-stop trying to take a crash course on cichilids but here is how i would like my tank listen carefully.

1male and 1female apisto cichlid

2cory cats

Lucy

Just becareful, do you research and remember what we want in our tank isn't always what's the best for the fish.

Good luck.

russ757

i agree completely

okut can i puta cory in with them?

Lucy

It was not directed at you. As I said, he should do his research and I stated a fact.

I'm sorry you're choosing to take this personally.

fishbum

To all who think 1 DG,2 cory,and 5 tetra are too many for a 10 gallon tank,PLEASE read this.
http://fishlesscycling.com/forum/index.php?topic=894.0

Alessa

w/ever. Im done arguing, believe what you want to believe. I stated my position already and will not change it just becasue someone says "neons have little bioload and thats an excuse for heavily overstocking a tank"

COBettaCouple

russ757 - With a 10 gallon tank, you have limited cichlid options. I'd recommend a minimum of a 20 gallon tank. They need swimming room and are big enough fish to not fall under the "1 gallon per ADULT inch of fish" guideline.

Of all the fish mentioned so far in this thread, the best fish to be happy in that 10g tank would be 1 gourami (3") and 2-3 cory cats (2.5" each) OR a school of 6 neon tetras (1.5" each).

All fish produce waste and MUST be counted in the bioload.

angelfish220

russ the cichlid I mentioned earlier was Neolamprologus brevis I have no experiance, but I recommeded them because of a magazine article, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Feb 2008, article: Top 10 for the 10 Gallon. Page 92, "A good species for beginners is Neolamprologus brevis. Males are a mere 1.5 iches when fully grown, and females even smaller. Both are pinkish-brown with electric blue markings on the face and flanks. A 10-gallon tank will easily house a pair of these fish.

This Magazine is a very good aquarium mag, and I trust their judgment. That is why I mentioned cichlids.

Barbrella

For someone new to keeping fish, as the OP is, apistogrammas are not the best choice.

A dwarf gourami and 5 small tetras like Neons would be better and easier for someone to gain experience with. Overstocking a 10 gallon can be done, but a small tank is a challenge when it comes to keeping excellent water quality in those conditions. Gouramis and apistos in particular need pristine water.

UG filters are not really recommended. Over time, they tend to compact the substrate, suffocate the bacterial bed and just stop working. It's thought there is a connection between UG filters and HITH disease in cichlids.

Shawnie

I agree with CB and from experience, not what I read or others opinions, a DG in a 10 gal with anything but bottom dwellers, will result in major issues..and im not talking about bio load or overstocking im talking about agression...they are territorial and will chase the neons to no end...why put stress on ANY fish just because we want them? EVERYONE has a different opinion and thats what this forum is about...learning and making friends are another part of the forum...so either way, no matter what russ decides, its best for everyone to enjoy the site, or take it to pm...or use the "ignore" feature as its free!! just like our advice

angelfish220

Okay, does anyone around here have experiance with the cichlid I mentioned earlier?

I didnt mean to cause trouble, I just thought that they would be okay for a beginner and a 10, as was said in the article.

I just want to know why these are NOT for ten galls when the article said it was. I've never had any problem with TFH and I find all the info accurate, but if someone has first hand experiance with them and what would be bad.

I'm just afraid because I have mentioned that cichlid to several people, and I'm afraid I caused them to overstock their tank.

fishbum

Russ,keeping these fish in a 10 gallon would be fine.Tetras would make excellent small schooling fish for your tank.If these are what you decide on,I would add the tetra first,wait a week,add the gourami,wait another week,then add your cories.From what you posted earlier,you have adequate filtration for these fish in a 10 gallon tank.
As far as cichilds go.You could have a pair of dwarfs if that is what you really want.Your tank will need to be set up with lots of plants,caves,and or,driftwood to provide cover for them.Your filter for them should be fine also.Research what kind you want,making sure you select a species that does not grow over 3 inches.There are several types of apistos you could choose from,but getting them could be difficult,as not all LFS carry them.You can always ask them to order a pair of what ever species you want,they will usually do this,or order them on line.Keeping a pair of apistos can work,they are usually bred in 10 gallon tanks,but a 20 gallon would probably be best for them.
I have never had any problems keeping dwarf gourami with tetra.If this is something you decide you want to try,ask the store you are going to buy them at,if it is possible to return the fish if you have problems with fighting.
Remember to cycle your tank first.Fish less cycling is the easiest way to cycle IMO.
Good luck with whatever you decide!