Need ideas for a new 10 or 20 gallon aquarium

[Haydeno]

I want to setup a third aquarium but I’m stuck on how to set it up. All I know is that I want to showcase a really cool and interesting species with a scape different from my current 2 tanks. Current thoughts is one of three; a 10g with a scarlet badis or a 20g with a black figure 8 puffer or a fire belly newt. Any ideas on scapes or cool freshwater stuff would be helpful.

 

[whyamihere]

Hey!

I have one 10 gallon aquarium, and I would recommend some sort or Dwarf Gourami. Honey DGs can live with smaller, weaker tetra schooling fish such as Green Neon Tetras and Chili rasboras, even other Honey DGs! On the other hand, they are less of a centerpiece fish with the lack or color (plain yellow). The classic DGs (Origional, Flame, Powder Blue, etc) Are a bit more aggresive and can live with larger schooling fish like Silvertip tetras and Glowlight tetras (I have the Flame DG and 4 Glowlights in my 10G)

 

[Haydeno]

Hey!

I have one 10 gallon aquarium, and I would recommend some sort or Dwarf Gourami. Honey DGs can live with smaller, weaker tetra schooling fish such as Green Neon Tetras and Chili rasboras, even other Honey DGs! On the other hand, they are less of a centerpiece fish with the lack or color (plain yellow). The classic DGs (Origional, Flame, Powder Blue, etc) Are a bit more aggresive and can live with larger schooling fish like Silvertip tetras and Glowlight tetras (I have the Flame DG and 4 Glowlights in my 10G)

I might have to give honey gourami a try. I’ve seen some red honeys that are really pretty but I currently keep a dwarf gourami in my 55 gallon.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Hey!

I have one 10 gallon aquarium, and I would recommend some sort or Dwarf Gourami. Honey DGs can live with smaller, weaker tetra schooling fish such as Green Neon Tetras and Chili rasboras, even other Honey DGs! On the other hand, they are less of a centerpiece fish with the lack or color (plain yellow). The classic DGs (Origional, Flame, Powder Blue, etc) Are a bit more aggresive and can live with larger schooling fish like Silvertip tetras and Glowlight tetras (I have the Flame DG and 4 Glowlights in my 10G)

A dwarf gourami and a school of tetra would really thrive in a 20 gallon. And you could keep a full school of 6 glolights, or even better a larger school of 8-9 glolights.

I might have to give honey gourami a try. I’ve seen some red honeys that are really pretty but I currently keep a dwarf gourami in my 55 gallon.

Honey gourami are schooling fish, you could keep maybe 8 in the 20-gallon tank. For a centerpiece fish you could keep a golden wonder killi fish, Florida flag killies, maybe a ram. Maybe an african butterfly fish. FYI, My African butterfly was extremely cool, but it would not eat anything other than live crickets. I hate feeding live crickets!, I have heard other keepers of this fish were fine with feeding it processed foods.

 

[MacZ]

a 20g with a black figure 8 puffer or a fire belly newt.

The tank is too small for either. Also the newts need a dry land part in a paludarium, which makes a 20 definitely too small.

Hey!

I have one 10 gallon aquarium, and I would recommend some sort or Dwarf Gourami. Honey DGs can live with smaller, weaker tetra schooling fish such as Green Neon Tetras and Chili rasboras, even other Honey DGs! On the other hand, they are less of a centerpiece fish with the lack or color (plain yellow). The classic DGs (Origional, Flame, Powder Blue, etc) Are a bit more aggresive and can live with larger schooling fish like Silvertip tetras and Glowlight tetras (I have the Flame DG and 4 Glowlights in my 10G)

Honey gourami (Trichogaster chuna) are a different species than Trichogaster lalius (the actual dwarf gourami). The latter are nowerdays the same category of "best kept single" as Bettas. T. chuna are actual gregarious fish that not only can be kept in groups but should preferrably kept in groups. A 10 gallon is too small for a trio though, due to space requirements. Otherwise it's likely stereotypies like glas surfing occur often.
I wouldn't keep that small group sizes of tetras btw.

maybe a ram.

Too much of a specilaist thing. They have certain requirements that better be met, otherwise they tend to kick the bucket quite soon.

Maybe an african butterfly fish. FYI, My African butterfly was extremely cool, but it would not eat anything other than live crickets. I hate feeding live crickets!, I have heard other keepers of this fish were fine with feeding it processed foods.

They can be fed a variety of other things, but they should be kept in at least 120cm tank length. Also I found dense surface vegetation and floating/hanging twigs very helpful so they wouldn't wither away.

 

[Haydeno]

A

I’ve looked into golden wonder killis before and love them so a 20 with one really might be the way.

 

[whyamihere]

Yes, I agree that my school of tetras is too small, and I am going to add 2 more someday to make them feel safer because according to a fish calculator, I am at 60% stocking (which I don't think is true) but I do believe I have room for 2 or 3 more tetras. Plus, my dwarf gourami is very peaceful and shy, he does not chase the tetras ever, he even swims with them every so often I got lucky! I am still looking for names though, he is a Flame DG

 

[Haydeno]

Everything I’ve read says a 20g tank with wood sticking out should be fine for a newt but more research is gonna be done before I get whatever. Right now the most I have is a spare 10g and ideas of buying a 20g instead so I need cool ideas.

 

[whyamihere]

Wait, so are you leaning more to a 20 or 10G??
If you do a 20 long, maybe a school of black skirt tetras mixed with white skirt tetras, I used 2 for fish in cycling, and they have great personalities! After they settled in, the two of them were swimming around all the time and appreciated the driftwood (I also added tannins for darker water) but they will come up to you and eat right out of you hand! They are super fun but don't recommend for anything smaller than 20G

 

[MacZ]

Everything I’ve read says a 20g tank with wood sticking out should be fine for a newt but more research is gonna be done before I get whatever.

For quarantine maybe and for sure with a lowered water line. They are not 100% aquatic, and some species spend parts of the year in hibernation and on dry land. Keep that in mind. It's also very important to make sure to have the species IDed right.