oddball fish for ten gallon?

in looking for a oddball fish for a ten gallon.I do culture live foods and am looking for something funky/cool.

 

What about a couple of dwarf puffers?

 

that's on my list.any more?

 

If you like color, peacock gudgeons are really pretty. They have colors similar to Killifish. I currently have 1 m and 2 f in my 10g. They like live foods, but do not require them.

 

If you like color, peacock gudgeons are really pretty. They have colors similar to Killifish. I currently have 1 m and 2 f in my 10g. They like live foods, but do not require them.

And on that note, dozens of species of killifish and oddball livebearers (all poeciliads so I group them together) would be suitable to the tank size, and are not commonly kept in aquaria.

 

Bumblebee goby? They are super cute and look cool.

 

Scarlet badis?

 

I like eels,glass cats,knife fish and others on that line,but I can find anything like that that works in a ten gallon tank. great ideas guys keep them coming.

 

Yeah, unfortunately none of those will work

I'd like to also second the Indian Dwarf Puffer! Solely freshwater, adorable, and needs snails and live or frozen foods. Quite cute and definitely an oddball!

 

id love those but they do eat shrimp and my shrimp I just got I don't feel like killing

 

Yeah, if they're in the same tank, they'll likely become a meal!

 

DISCLAIMER: these can be hard to find, expensive, and some difficult to care for

*FW dwarf pipefish. I am not a pro on these by any means but I believe there is a small species. Some get too big for a 10G though. I only suggest these because of your live food options.

*fancy dwarf shrimp, ex-crystals, tigers (OEBT - my fav!), etc. Plus you can breed them, and even sell them.

*ADFs - African Dwarf Frogs. Yea, so not uncommon, and not fish. But they are super fun.

*FW gobies - various species

Not all together btw, just individual ideas

 

@MJDutI by dwarf pipefish, do you mean armored sticklebacks? Indostomus spp? Like pipefish, they require a nearly constant supply of live food. But there is at least one species that would be fine in a 10 gallon live food culture.

id love those but they do eat shrimp and my shrimp I just got I don't feel like killing

This thread may be moot. Almost all fish will eat shrimp.

 

Woah, I've never heard or seen of armored sticklebacks before! Interesting fish. By pipefish I mean like the ones for SW, just for FW.

 

Woah, I've never heard or seen of armored sticklebacks before! Interesting fish. By pipefish I mean like the ones for SW, just for FW.

There is only one pipefish smaller than 6". That wouldn't be suitable for a 10 gallon, as they are ridonkulously sensitive. Pretty as heck, though.

I will probably be getting some armored sticklebacks soon, mostly because I don't have a tank available for the one small species of true pipefish. However, this may be what you're thinking of anyway, as a big trade name for indostomus spp. is "dwarf pipefish" or some similar thing.

Actually indostomus may be worth consideration. I can't say for sure as I don't have any yet, but I'm pretty sure their mouths are too small to eat adult shrimp, though they'd certainly pick off any babies they came across.

 

There is only one pipefish smaller than 6". That wouldn't be suitable for a 10 gallon, as they are ridonkulously sensitive. Pretty as heck, though.

I will probably be getting some armored sticklebacks soon, mostly because I don't have a tank available for the one small species of true pipefish. However, this may be what you're thinking of anyway, as a big trade name for indostomus spp. is "dwarf pipefish" or some similar thing.

Actually indostomus may be worth consideration. I can't say for sure as I don't have any yet, but I'm pretty sure their mouths are too small to eat adult shrimp, though they'd certainly pick off any babies they came across.

Let me know when you get the Indostomus, as I have them on my wish list. Over the next few years, I am reducing my tanks in number, but changing the size. One of the display tanks will be a 6' nano/blue eye tank.

 

I can get a 5 gallon or something for the shrimp if I have too.it seems the Indostomus do best in groups of 5-6 of the resurch I did.is that too many for a 10 gal?the pipe fish (are you talking about the short tailed river pipefish?)does best in brackish I think and unless its really something I want I don't want to mess with brackish.

 

No, that's not too many Indostomus for a 10g, imo. They are tiny fish.

How about Parosphromenus sp. gouramis? Licorice gouramis.....

 

I kinda like the Indostomus.
whats the water parameters on these?

 

+1 for the scarlet badis! I feed mine daphnia and micro worms along with some flakes! The are rally eye catching! And may u add a micro rasbora?


Currently breeding: h/b purple guppies

 

I'm not really into scarlet badis.what pipe fish did you mean MJdutI or did you mean the Indostomus when you said pipe fish?more info on Indostomus would be helpful.anyother fish that will work in a ten gallon that we missed?

 

I don't remember the species of pipefish, plus there is a lot of conflicting info on them. I've only seen them in person twice ever.

 

could I put dwarf puffers in a 5 gallon?

 

could I put dwarf puffers in a 5 gallon?

Yes, one.

 

could I put dwarf puffers in a 5 gallon?

If it's heavily planted maybe ​2.

 

would I female and one male work?how do I sex these

 

One male and one female will work in a 10g. MollyPalooza and MJDutI can help with DPs.

 

would I female and one male work?how do I sex these

Males have "wrinkles" around their eyes,they also have yellow bellies with a darker stripe down the middle of it and darker yellow and brown bodies with stripes.

Females have rounder bodies, are spotted rather than striped, and are more of a light yellow/green.

They are pretty easy to sex. And you should be able to have a male and female in a heavily planted 5 gallon.

 

I was looking up some info on DPs myself. Here are some good links:

 

oh do the dwarf puffer(s)! You will not be disappointed. You'll get a lot more info on this site now, especially now that more of us have them. What I want to add on top of everything else, and my only disclaimer with any puffer, is that these are very individualistic fish. DPs have a tendency to be more timid and docile than other species, however, they can still be killing machines. So ALWAYS have a plan B. Don't let their innocent cute faces fool you. But the reward for keeping them is well worth it just by their personalities alone. These are not as difficult to keep as some other sites make out to be, just require a little extra tlc.

 

oh do the dwarf puffer(s)! You will not be disappointed. You'll get a lot more info on this site now, especially now that more of us have them. What I want to add on top of everything else, and my only disclaimer with any puffer, is that these are very individualistic fish. DPs have a tendency to be more timid and docile than other species, however, they can still be killing machines. So ALWAYS have a plan B. Don't let their innocent cute faces fool you. But the reward for keeping them is well worth it just by their personalities alone. These are not as difficult to keep as some other sites make out to be, just require a little extra tlc.

That + always deworm them before putting them in the display tank. Silly little fish are SO susceptible to parasites, being mostly wild caught still.

 

how do I deworm them?

 

I use Prazipro, but there are other medications. Ideally you want to soak their food, but you can treat the water too.

 

I use Prazipro, but there are other medications. Ideally you want to soak their food, but you can treat the water too.

ok thanks.
I don't really want to start a new post so ill ask this here.if I get a fish from the pet store for quarantine should I just keep the fish in a dirrerent tank and watch it for signs of bad heal for awile or should I keep him in some sort med for awile to make so nothing bads gets into my main tank?

 

Prophylactic medication is generally not a good idea, except in the case of known issues, like with puffers and parasites. Anti-parasitic meds also generally don't affect the fish as severely as antibacterials, nor do parasites become med resistant as easily as bacteria do.

So, when you get a puffer, I would QT for a month with a dewormer treatment (just do one full treatment once you get them home) and spend the rest of that month watching for further signs of illness. If all is well, you're probably fine to put them in the tank.

 

would a pencilfish be considered rarely kept or oddball?

 

would a pencilfish be considered rarely kept or oddball?

IMO, yes - I've never seen them in any pet store, so I think they fit the description "rarely kept."
They can be found online however!

 

Yes, imo..... rarely kept....

 

I got 2 Nannostomus beckfordI pencilfish at petco I brought them home and
put them in the tank (ten gallon) I did a water change with distilled water to match the ph they where in and make the water softer.
after further resurch I found out they are schooling fish so ill probably be getting a few more.
the pet store said when they get them in they are bought really fast.
I think I got a pair as they where "dancing" at the pet store
now the one has found a place by the drift wood and keeps scaring the one away why is this?
I'm feeding them shrimp pellets at the moment.
any care or background info would help

 

Unfortunately, the species that you got is one of the more aggressive with their own kind in small numbers. You need at least 10 before they start shoaling instead of fighting. Males have red, females do not. Pencils are not a good choice for a 10. I set them to spawn in 20 long tanks, and the males can get pretty pushy toward the females if there aren't enough in there.

Usually "dancing" is a fight between two males. Females either run or follow, depending on whether they are in the mood.

Right now I have three species. My favorite is Nannostomus marilynae, the Green Stripe Pencil. They are smaller and school really well when you have a dozen or so. I also have some N. marginatus, but they initially had some health problems. I have bred both beckfordI and marilynae - the latter allowed fry to grow up in the tank with them! All three species were bought at a lfs in Grand Rapids, MI, area.