10 Gallon Tank Comets goldfish or Rosy Red Minnows?

[oodelally]

I’m setting up an outdoor 10g with a sponge filter and a lot of plants for the summer. Once the temperature drops I plan of bringing it inside but I want to be able to enjoy it while I spend time on my porch since I’ve set up a nice area.

I can’t choose between a school of rosy red minnows or a couple of comet goldfish. I know that the comets will get bigger eventually but I’m hoping to upgrade in the future.

Anyone have any insight on these two so I can narrow it down?

 

[fishnerd1111]

you might try doing both

I mean getting maybe one comet goldfish or a smaller variety(not sure which I'm not very good with goldfish Bettas are my thing) with a few minnows but you'll have to do lots of water changes because I think that this tank or tub or whatever it is, might be too small for goldfish. if you decide not to do goldfish maybe do guppies all males or all females if you don''t want them to breed, just a suggestion.

 

[Fishfur]

you might try doing both

I mean getting maybe one comet goldfish or a smaller variety(not sure which I'm not very good with goldfish Bettas are my thing) with a few minnows but you'll have to do lots of water changes because I think that this tank or tub or whatever it is, might be too small for goldfish. if you decide not to do goldfish maybe do guppies all males or all females if you don''t want them to breed, just a suggestion.

Do the comets a big favour and just forget about them for any 10g. They naturally grow at warp speed in their first year and lack of space in that year leads to stunting. It’s not a kindness to the fish to make them live in 10g until whenever you might upgrade, which despite your very best intentions might never happen because life has this annoying habit of not going according to plans.

The minnows are a bit better suited but in fact even smaller fish would be a LOT better - one of the ricefish or white cloud mountain minnows would be good.
Either would be a far better choice than rosy red fatheads that will still get a little too big for a ten.
The fatheads get to about 3-4” long so that school you have in mind couldn’t have many fish in it.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

I suggest that you stick to a few minnows. even small Gold fish will out compete the minnows for food, goldfish need a much larger tank and they grow fast, If you do not curranty have a home for the 12-18 inch comets, its just not a good plan.

 

[oodelally]

you might try doing both

I mean getting maybe one comet goldfish or a smaller variety(not sure which I'm not very good with goldfish Bettas are my thing) with a few minnows but you'll have to do lots of water changes because I think that this tank or tub or whatever it is, might be too small for goldfish. if you decide not to do goldfish maybe do guppies all males or all females if you don''t want them to breed, just a suggestion.

Do the comets a big favour and just forget about them for any 10g. They naturally grow at warp speed in their first year and lack of space in that year leads to stunting. It’s not a kindness to the fish to make them live in 10g until whenever you might upgrade, which despite your very best intentions might never happen because life has this annoying habit of not going according to plans.

The minnows are a bit better suited but in fact even smaller fish would be a LOT better - one of the ricefish or white cloud mountain minnows would be good.

Either would be a far better choice than rosy red fatheads that will still get a little too big for a ten.

The fatheads get to about 3-4” long so that school you have in mind couldn’t have many fish in it.

It’s going to be my spare 10g with pond plants so it has an outdoorsy feel. The plan is to next year make something that is more like an actual pond. It no longer has a lid but I want plants that are tall anyway.

I did consider getting a betta and then not putting it in the pond next year, but I’m afraid with no lid it'll jump out.

I was thinking around 6 minnows in just the 10g. Will they have the same issue as the comets if they are in a 10g till winter, then a 15g for that season and then a 20-40g pond? (I’m not sure the size yet.) I’m not sure if they have rice fish where I’m going to be getting them, but they might have white clouds.

Water changes won’t really be an issue since it’ll be in my garden and I can just water the plants. But I would like it to be as low maintenance as possible.

 

[Anabantiformes]

If your planning on doing a 20-40 gallon pond it would still be to small for comets. I think minnows would probally be although It depends how cold your area gets during winter,you might need to invest in a heater for the outdoor tank.

 

[Chiz]

I love white clouds, but I wouldn't recommend them in an outdoor or porch situation in the summer (even in Oregon). They are a great fish for unheated aquariums as they prefer much cooler temps, upper 60's to around 72F is ideal. Maybe something like ember tetras? They are colorful and small enough for a good group in a planted 10g, while enjoying water up to 84F.

 

[oodelally]

If your planning on doing a 20-40 gallon pond it would still be to small for comets. I think minnows would probally be although It depends how cold your area gets during winter,you might need to invest in a heater for the outdoor tank.

Well the tank isn’t going to be outside in the winter. I already have a heater and filter for that tank anyway because it’s my spare but I don’t expect it to kick on any time soon. When I see it happening I’ll probably use that as my cue to bring them inside.

I love white clouds, but I wouldn't recommend them in an outdoor or porch situation in the summer (even in Oregon). They are a great fish for unheated aquariums as they prefer much cooler temps, upper 60's to around 72F is ideal. Maybe something like ember tetras? They are colorful and small enough for a good group in a planted 10g, while enjoying water up to 84F.

I LOOVE ember tetras, and I’ve had them before. But I feel like I would worry about them too much out there and then bring them in a lot sooner than otherwise. And like a betta I would probably not transfer them to the planned pond next summer.

One of the reasons I was leaning towards “feeder fish” is because as a kid we would get them for our ponds so I have more experience with those as “outdoor” fish.

The tank will be in the shade, but I don’t know how hot it’ll get.

 

[Fishfur]

If the fatheads start breeding, which is likely, then the males get pretty territorial. They each want to set up a nest site with a few rocks or under something and lure willing females to spawn in their nest. Then they fertilize those eggs & defend that nest.

Though two males won’t normally harm each other ( they like to head ram each other) they WILL chase all fish away from a nest and that would be very stressful for all the other fish. Pretty stressful for other males too, because I am not at all sure that a ten would have enough length to allow for multiple nests.

If you could be sure of having all females or all males then maybe it would be ok.

But it is another reason why I think that white clouds would be a much better choice or ricefish if you can find some.

 

[oodelally]

If the fatheads start breeding, which is likely, then the males get pretty territorial. They each want to set up a nest site with a few rocks or under something and lure willing females to spawn in their nest. Then they fertilize those eggs & defend that nest.

Though two males won’t normally harm each other ( they like to head ram each other) they WILL chase all fish away from a nest and that would be very stressful for all the other fish. Pretty stressful for other males too, because I am not at all sure that a ten would have enough length to allow for multiple nests.

If you could be sure of having all females or all males then maybe it would be ok.

But it is another reason why I think that white clouds would be a much better choice or ricefish if you can find some.

I don’t think I’ll be able to get rice fish, and someone else said it might get too hot for white clouds. Do white clouds not behave the same way when breeding?