Help me decide what to put in my 10 gallon

[MissCap]

I have a dilemma. I can’t decide what to put in my 10g. It currently houses a nerite snail and ONE cherry shrimp. This shrimp has been alive for 5 months and all my other ones die. I give up.

So here are a few stocking ideas. Also, please give me your own ideas. I am so torn on what to do.

Option 1

Betta
6 harlequin rasbora

Option 2

Betta
5 pygmy cory

Option 3

Something without a betta, but I can’t decide!!! Help!! This is the tank that will be used. It is fully cycled with a sponge filter.

No platy, guppy or molly. I have those in my community tank.

 

[FishBoy101]

That looks like a perfect shrimp tank Personally just get 9 more RCS and just let the shrimp breed! I got 10 shrimp from an online dealer, and I now have a town of shrimp! I highly suggest to invest more time into shrimp, as the reward is amazing!

 

[Megaanemp]

I personally feel that a 10 gallon is much too small for harlequin rasboras. They actually get quite large as they get old and are very active fast swimmers, I have mine in a 75 gallon. Some people believe Pygmy Corys are not temp compatible with bettas I’m no expert maybe someone else can weigh in. Pygmy Corys also usually need a school closer to 10 to feel safe they are quite skittish. Ember tetras could possibly work. Just have a back up plan because some bettas just don’t like tankmates.

 

[dMog]

cherry shrimp need a well aged aquarium.... you could try them again but first look up the basics of keeping them.... they are hardy and robust but die easily if you change water parameters too much during any large water changes.... or sudden ph swings or if water is way too hard.

 

[MissCap]

cherry shrimp need a well aged aquarium.... you could try them again but first look up the basics of keeping them.... they are hardy and robust but die easily if you change water parameters too much during any large water changes.... or sudden ph swings or if water is way too hard.

I put them in an established tank and have tried for 5 months. They do good and then all die off except for the one that keeps surviving. They are too expensive to keep buying so I am giving up.

 

[FishBoy101]

they are hardy and robust but die easily

Um.....?

Yes I do agree that cherry shrimp require specific conditions, but are quite hardy once those specific conditions are reached.

I personally feel that a 10 gallon is much too small for harlequin rasboras. They actually get quite large as they get old and are very active fast swimmers, I have mine in a 75 gallon. Some people believe Pygmy Corys are not temp compatible with bettas I’m no expert maybe someone else can weigh in. Pygmy Corys also usually need a school closer to 10 to feel safe they are quite skittish. Ember tetras could possibly work. Just have a back up plan because some bettas just don’t like tankmates.

I do agree that a 10 gallon is small for harlequins, they can get 2-3 inches and a full school would be large for the tank.

 

[OiFisho]

I have a dilemma. I can’t decide what to put in my 10g. It currently houses a nerite snail and ONE cherry shrimp. This shrimp has been alive for 5 months and all my other ones die. I give up.

So here are a few stocking ideas. Also, please give me your own ideas. I am so torn on what to do.

Option 1

Betta
6 harlequin rasbora

Option 2

Betta
5 pygmy cory

Option 3

Something without a betta, but I can’t decide!!! Help!! This is the tank that will be used. It is fully cycled with a sponge filter.

No platy, guppy or molly. I have those in my community tank.

African dwarf frogs, snails, and some oto or cory cats might be a good option! The otocinclus will eat algae, African dwarf frogs eat brine shrimp but won't bother the cherry shrimp, snails will clean up the bottom of the tank and sometimes the glass(Nerite or mystery snails might be your best bet)

Also, the frogs don't need land!

 

[MissCap]

That looks like a perfect shrimp tank Personally just get 9 more RCS and just let the shrimp breed! I got 10 shrimp from an online dealer, and I now have a town of shrimp! I highly suggest to invest more time into shrimp, as the reward is amazing!

I’ve tried for 5 months now and bought over 20 shrimp. Even the babies have all died. I only have one shrimp left. All parameters are good, but my ph is high. I am giving up on the shrimp.

 

[LHAquatics]

Option 2 is good

 

[MissCap]

I personally feel that a 10 gallon is much too small for harlequin rasboras. They actually get quite large as they get old and are very active fast swimmers, I have mine in a 75 gallon. Some people believe Pygmy Corys are not temp compatible with bettas I’m no expert maybe someone else can weigh in. Pygmy Corys also usually need a school closer to 10 to feel safe they are quite skittish. Ember tetras could possibly work. Just have a back up plan because some bettas just don’t like tankmates.

Thank you. I have had harlequin rasboras in my 55g. I still have one that has been around for 4 years and he is still quite small, but would probably seem big in a 10g. I may go for a smaller tetra then. Thanks!

 

[OiFisho]

I personally feel that a 10 gallon is much too small for harlequin rasboras. They actually get quite large as they get old and are very active fast swimmers, I have mine in a 75 gallon. Some people believe Pygmy Corys are not temp compatible with bettas I’m no expert maybe someone else can weigh in. Pygmy Corys also usually need a school closer to 10 to feel safe they are quite skittish. Ember tetras could possibly work. Just have a back up plan because some bettas just don’t like tankmates.

Pygmy Cory Catfish are actually great tank mates for a betta! And its about 1 per gallon so I think he'd be fine with the schooling part! They only need 6-10 to feel safe, so 8 would be good without overstocking the tank but, beware of breeding.

Sorry, 4-8 to feel safe, and 1 per 2 gallons!

 

[Megaanemp]

Pygmy Cory Catfish are actually great tank mates for a betta! And its about 1 per gallon so I think he'd be fine with the schooling part! They only need 6-10 to feel safe, so 8 would be good without overstocking the tank but, beware of breeding.

Ok I wasn’t sure because my local mom and pop shop warned against it as did some people on this forum when I was picking tank mates for my betta. they told my Pygmy Corys should be 77F max and I find that bettas do best at 79F-80F. So I just though the OP should be aware of the fact that people have different opinions on the matter.

 

[BettaBoi23]

Perhaps you could put in a school of 3 or 4 otos? I've heard that they make the perfect sanitation crew! (They eat algae)

 

[MissCap]

Perhaps you could put in a school of 3 or 4 otos? I've heard that they make the perfect sanitation crew! (They eat algae)

otos are cute! I forgot about them!!

 

[Megaanemp]

Ya good could work! Just don’t add them for a few months until the tank is matured they are very sensitive. Keep in mind you will have to supplement their diet with veggies

 

[MissCap]

I got a beautiful black orchcid male betta today!!!! He is gorgeous. I saw some lemon tetras, so I am leaning towards those. I will do research first.

 

[Megaanemp]

Just make sure if you choose a tetra that you have room for a decent size school of them or they are liable to be fin nippers.

 

[FishSupreme]

You could move your one shrimp and nerite to your community tank. Get a group of pea puffers. 4 to 3. One male and the rest are female. You would have to spend time sexing them as they grow older in your aquarium. Once you notice more then one male you can take it out and sell it back to the store until and exchange for another one. If you can sex in the store that's great. They will fight if you have more then one male. You could also try to get freshwater Bumblebee Gobys. Some breeders sell them.

 

[MissCap]

This is the guy I got!!

 

[OiFisho]

I got a beautiful black orchcid male betta today!!!! He is gorgeous. I saw some lemon tetras, so I am leaning towards those. I will do research first.

If you're looking for friends for the betta, I love African dwarf frogs, I love these and I tell almost everyone to get them because they are so great. Now, because bettas are unpredictable, I'd put some shrimp or something dumb in there to see if they're aggressive towards it. If they are, then I wouldn't put anything with it because it will be attacked.

Oh and ADFs don't need land.

 

[BettaBoi23]

This is the guy I got!!

Oh my gosh, he's beautiful!