armadillo

Hi guys/gals. We're nearly ready for setting up a 10G hex tank for my boyfriend. Any thoughts as to what could go in there? My boyfriend wants this dream list.

- bristlenose pleco
- guppies
- dojo loach
- borneo or butterfly type pleco / loach / catfish (lots of common names, but you get the gist. A algae eater with 'wing flaps' on its side)
- shrimps
- frog

Am aware the above-mentioned mix it's not possible, but would you have suggestions as to what could come close?

+ anything funny-looking, basically. Anything with a peculiar or interesting shape or colour. Basically, I think he wants as much originality as is possible yet easy maintenance, and small volume.

COBettaCouple

he could go with glass cats or upside-down cats.. the upside-down especially are funny-looking and interesting. that, some ADFs or the slightly more expensive blue guppies could work in a 10g hex. Also a tank with different shrimp, like ghost and cherry might be good. Dwarf puffers are unique but can have trouble playing nice with others.

armadillo

OK, I love where you're going with this (and so does he!). He really likes the upside down catfish suggestion (why didn't I think of that?). Thanks a lot for that.

How small are dwarf puffers? Aside from the aggressivity issue, wouldnt' they be really tight in a 10G? Do they need other puffers for company?

Ooooh, so you think the ghost shrimps might work? In the same tank as, say, guppies? That would make him really happy.

I think we're basically looking for weird looking fish (and other lifeforms) that he could realistically (relatively easily) keep. Bit of a disclaimer here: am a total science-snob so I kind of snub his whole weird-looking idea for my own tanks, but whatever makes him happy for his...

What's ADF?

Oh, he's just added that he likes the idea of many small (max 2cm) fish schooling. Any thoughts on small schooling fish (perhaps not neon, as that would shoot the whole originality concept out of the window)?

Any more thoughts on 'weird-looking' fish?

COBettaCouple

http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/intro3.htm - they get about an inch or so, and look to have the male/female ratio of livebearers. i think lots of hiding spaces and plants are good. they're cool little fish and i'd like to put a few in a small tank one day. some people have reported trouble with aggression and others have had no problems at all. it seems to be a 50/50 thing.

i think guppies and ghost shrimp could work. guppies and cherry shrimp might be a better combo. i kind of like cherry shrimp more due to the color and interesting appearance, plus they're smaller so less chance of problems with the male guppies. you'd get the most likely 'schooling' option here.

ADF - african dwarf frogs.. they're very interesting and entertaining to watch. they're small enough that i think 3 or 4 in that tank wouldn't be a problem.

the upside-down cats might be the easiest to make work and they are great little fish, but then so are the others. i think it would be a personal preference thing.

glass cats school, but are not as small as that.. maybe dwarf oto cats? they are quite small and have a bit of uniqueness to their looks and exhibit schooling behaviour.

armadillo

OK, great idea about the frogs. He seems to really like the idea. Any thoughts on the albino clawed frogs? His eyes really caught these in the shop.

He loooves the idea of the puffers, so definitely one worth thinking about - a lot. It will need careful planning for tank mates, but otos would work with no problem, according to the sources we've checked. The same sources advised to try ghost shrimp first if we wanted shrimp, and if it worked out, to bring in cherry shrimp. Would puffers be reasonable tank mates to albino clawed frogs?

We read that dwarf puffers are actually better off on their own (as in, without other dwarf puffers), but that seems a little miserable. We'll read more on that. Apparently, they're a little bit like bettas in terms of same species sharing.

So, to summarise, would something like this work in a 10G hex? 3 albino clawed frogs, 1 dwarf puffer, 5 or 6 otos, 2 or 3 ghost shrimps.

COBettaCouple

i think with the clawed you just have to keep an eye on accidental or intentional claw damage but i think they're alright. it's just personal preference that has me picking ADFs in the frog dept.

Puffers and shrimp pretty much equals dinner. It can work, but it's more likely to end in a meal but at least there is a good chance for shrimp. snails have 0% chance of making it with a puffer.

honestly, i'm not sure on the frog/puffer combo.. the aggresiveness of the puffers could be a problem and the claws on the frogs could be too. that would be an interesting combo to try and i'm not sure i've known anyone here to have tried it yet.

that summary would work if you left out the frogs (they'd make the tank overstocked) and mean dwarf otos, but i'd also leave out the puffer for aggression reasons although you could always watch them for signs of trouble or dwarf otos dying from fear (they're rather timid).

armadillo

Oh yeah, I"ll do the overcrowding check once we have narrowed down what sort of species he wants in there. I'd like to be able to convince him to undercrowd.

We've just read this pretty good articles on puffers' tank mates. http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/setup4.htm. In his experience, puffers and otos nearly always work. Less success with shrimp. He really loves the idea of a puffer, so I think we'll look into that more, although it's got its challenges. Great suggestion you made there.*

Yeah, I've seen really bad cases of fish bullying clawed frogs before. Really sounds like asking for trouble to have frogs in. I'll have a look in the frogs and the puffers section on the forum see if there is any info or success stories.

Am guessing the puffer would bully/eat the upside down cat. What do you reckon?

COBettaCouple

Otos do get bigger than dwarf otos so there'd be less of them that could fit into the tank at 2" each. Maybe 2 otos and 3-4 dwarf puffers?

You could do 1 puffer with a small school of upside down cats, i'm not sure what success it would have but maybe being outnumbered by bigger fish who left him alone would curb aggressiveness from the puffer.. i think you could fit a few upside-down cats in the 10g.

armadillo

Sorry, I meant dwarf otos.

How big do upside down cats get again? Because he'd really like that: a small school of upside down cats + 4 puffers (again, not at all looking at stocking levels yet).

I think he'd still really like either frog (preferred) or shrimp. Perhaps (to follow the suggestion on the puffer link I've just showed) start with a couple of ghost shrimp and see how it goes?

That would mean: small school of upside downs, 4 puffers + couple of ghost shrimps.

Sabi

Good luck with your "weird looking fish" hunt!! I also considered something like this and was looking for an african butterfly fish, but dunno if i can get it here...

armadillo

OK, just briefly read up on the african butterfly fish. It says they reach 10cm, are picky eaters, like soft and acidic water. Shame, it's a great looking fish! Any other weirdos and freaks you can think of? I"ll just look them up as they're suggested. None are too silly. (well, don't suggest a blue whale of course)!

armadillo

Oh, just came across Khuli loaches. Anyone has experience of khuli loaches with puffers, frogs or shrimps?

COBettaCouple

chinese algae eaters.. loaches.. not sure if those would be good for a 10g though.

Sabi

I love my dojo loach though maybe he's too big for the 10gal. Whe i had him in the 8gal, it was absolutely fun to watch him! Soon as he gets a whiff of food his all over the tank "sniffing"! I think the upside down catfish is cool too...

armadillo

Mmmm, so dojos would need a more roomy tank. Well that one's off the list, then.

How about bumble bee goby? Any thoughts/experiences as far as compatibility with dw. puffers go? The only thing is they're happiest with at least 4 or so tank mates. Could become a space issue again.

Looks like the dwarf african frogs would be more suitable than the clawed ones (we just checked that out too). So shortlist we're contemplating now has dwarf african frogs.

Sabi

What i meant was the dojos grow to about 6in so it'll only leave 4in free, unless the 1in p gal doesnt count for scavangers/algae eters

armadillo

No, you're right. We want to have only very small fish in there, so that we can have more fish.

COBettaCouple

the ADFs, a puffer and pygmy otos would give you what it sounds like you want - there is some risk involved, but it's also a good chance that the tank would be happy and cool. just put in plenty of plants and hiding spots throughout the tank to help improve the odds.