Seeking Advice For Fish For Nephews

For gifts for my 2 nephews this year I bought them each their own 10 gallon tank, with everything need. One wants a beta, but also wants frogs, the other one wants something a little more complicated. After picking out some panda corydoras for my tank he has decided he wants some for his as well. I am however worried that they might be a little to sensitive for a young hobbyist, any ideas on other fish that would catch his eye the way the pandas are but at the same time be more practical for a 10 gallon and a little more hardy.

 

How old is he?

 

How old is he?

He's 10 years old.

 

I wouldn't do any cories in a ten gallon tank. The ones that are small enough to keep the bioload in check are too active and need too large of schools to really make it work well.

Maybe he would like some peacock gudgeons? They are kind of bottom dwellers, they are gorgeous, and a pair would do well in a 10.

 

I wouldn't do any cories in a ten gallon tank. The ones that are small enough to keep the bioload in check are too active and need too large of schools to really make it work well.

Maybe he would like some peacock gudgeons? They are kind of bottom dwellers, they are gorgeous, and a pair would do well in a 10.

Are they fairly hardy? I'm going to helping them a bit with water changes for the first month or two until they get a handle on it. He is also doing a sand substrate.

 

Yep, gudgeons are pretty hardy (wouldn't suggest them for a kid otherwise haha). Sand would be best for them as they do spend a fair amount of time at the bottom. They also appreciate live plants, but they're not necessary.

 

Yep, gudgeons are pretty hardy (wouldn't suggest them for a kid otherwise haha). Sand would be best for them as they do spend a fair amount of time at the bottom. They also appreciate live plants, but they're not necessary.

I plan on doing moss some low maintenance plants that don't grow to big for both tanks, I figured they would be easier to maintain than fake plants, and add extra filtration. I checked them out they are really pretty. Wish I would have known about them for my tank before I stocked it, maybe when I move my pandas to my 38 in spring .

 

Tie some java ferns to the hardscape too, and be sure to give them a few caves. They are really cool fish and very interesting to watch, especially in a well-planned environment.

Oh and a thought just occurred to me. Your nephews are young, so make sure they know how to properly use dechlorinator before you stop helping them with the tanks

 

Tie some java ferns to the hardscape too, and be sure to give them a few caves. They are really cool fish and very interesting to watch, especially in a well-planned environment.

Oh and a thought just occurred to me. Your nephews are young, so make sure they know how to properly use dechlorinator before you stop helping them with the tanks

Oh I will I plan on providing them with prime as well. And also showing them how to do a gravel vac, but will be giving them one with a siphon one, but I won't stop helping them until I know they have it completely down. Especially when preparing the water and adding the prime.

I bought them some caves for both tanks, as well, I plan on buying some floating plants for the betta so he will swim around more.

 

What about Everglades pygmy sunfish? They are superhardy, but they need live food and in winter they do not like it too warm - 59F would be ok. These lower winter temperatures are crucial for them. In a 10 gallon you couldn't keep more than 1 male they are very territorial. But supercute.


You, he could keep them with other fish that display modest behavior and would not outcompete them for food.

I had them in an 8 gal as a single pair.

 

What about Everglades pygmy sunfish? They are superhardy, but they need live food and in winter they do not like it too warm - 59F would be ok. These lower winter temperatures are crucial for them. In a 10 gallon you couldn't keep more than 1 male they are very territorial. But supercute.
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You, he could keep them with other fish that display modest behavior and would not outcompete them for food.View attachment 384083
I had them in an 8 gal as a single pair.

I really like them very adorable, I could see him liking those.

 

I would do either bettas or frogs, but not both together, personally. Bettas are pigs and it might be hard for the frog(s) to get food, assuming there isn't aggression issues between them as well. Maybe a snail would work better.

Maybe a few male endlers in the other tank? Stocking 10 gallons is kind of challenging because so many fish do better in schools, making it inadvisable to put them in a small aquarium. I've actually had good luck keeping 3 male guppies in a 10.

 

I would do either bettas or frogs, but not both together, personally. Bettas are pigs and it might be hard for the frog(s) to get food, assuming there isn't aggression issues between them as well. Maybe a snail would work better.

Maybe a few male endlers in the other tank? Stocking 10 gallons is kind of challenging because so many fish do better in schools, making it inadvisable to put them in a small aquarium. I've actually had good luck keeping 3 male guppies in a 10.

I do actually have some endler fry that will be ready for him to pick out. I love them they have such fun personalities too.

I think my other nephew wants a dumbo ear betta more than frogs. I might need to take them to my lfs a few more times to figure out what he likes better. I plan on having the tanks all ready to go and then the day or 2 after let them pick out their fish or frogs etc, but only have them get one or 2 of one and then in 4 to 6 weeks let them pick out something else depending on what each goes with.

 

Be aware, that if your nephew(s) pick a betta, that's pretty much all you can put in a 10 gallon with them except for snails. If he decides on just ADFs (they really should be kept in a species only tank), he could probably do several in a 10 gallon.

I would not just let your nephews pick out any fish they want. Be sure to guide them to something that's appropriate for their tank size. It isn't a pleasant experience to have fish that are stressed or become ill and die because of improper fishkeeping.

 

As far as hardiness goes: Everglades pygmy sunfish/Elassoma evergladeI and their cousins - there are currently 7 known species, Elassoma gilbertI is even more colorful - can take considerable and sudden temperature changes. I guess temperature changes are common in the shallow waters where they come from in East North America (Everglades). The shallowness of the water is probably why they can take temperatures from 41F to 86F.
Most likely your nephew will like the characteristic little dance the male does all the time to attract the attention of females.
If you & your nephew decide to take them, try to buy (at least) 2 females.
They like a densely planted aquarium. Coontail/hornwort/Ceratophyllum demersum is their natural spawning substrate /"baby room". Fortunately a very fast growing plant species. They also like Java moss and crystalwort/Riccia fluitans is an ally for their offspring.
If you want to raise fry, generally they spawn in March, make sure to feed the parents enough (live) food. The breeder in Germany from whom I bought mine told me to feed enough Brine shrimp. Be careful though not to overfeed: the females do not stop eating (very much like Blue Gularis females).
Oh yes, and when you do a water change, please be very careful: that's how I lost my female.
I find them very interesting, because they give the impression that they are intelligent fish. That may have to do with their size: they rarely grow much larger than an inch. In order to survive they must be clever.
They become shy when there is boisterous behavior outside the tank. But a heavily planted setup can buffer that.



When the light was out the young would leave their hiding places. The little fish in the first picture was much larger than the others. Strangely my fish spawned all winter through, at least once a month. He came from an earlier litter/nest. I always had the impression he was teaching his little siblings how to go (swim) through life..

 

Be aware, that if your nephew(s) pick a betta, that's pretty much all you can put in a 10 gallon with them except for snails. If he decides on just ADFs (they really should be kept in a species only tank), he could probably do several in a 10 gallon.

I would not just let your nephews pick out any fish they want. Be sure to guide them to something that's appropriate for their tank size. It isn't a pleasant experience to have fish that are stressed or become ill and die because of improper fishkeeping.

I plan on taking them to my lfs, where I will tell them what size of tank they have etc, and they are great at recommending appropriate fish . They have some great nano species, like espeI rasboras, dwarf gouramis etc, I'm sure they will have hardy fish that are appropriate from a 10 gallon tank.

 

Hopefully so. Dwarf gouramis aren't really a good choice for a 10 gallon, just an FYI, so I would steer clear of them.

 

Hopefully so. Dwarf gouramis aren't really a good choice for a 10 gallon, just an FYI, so I would steer clear of them.

I think they also have a sparkling gourami as well, that are very size appropriate.