Fish people! :) I need help

[tweetyflights]

a school of about 7 neons would be good with a couple shrimp ( yes you can mix) or if no shrimp otos (about 3), gourami (dwarf), I wouldn't suggest cories only because you don't want to overstock. Many fish that others have mentioned will work good (except some loaches etc.) too. As for the plants if you want and can locate some beginner plants like java moss/fern, some swords i've found i just can't kill also. It really depends on what type of theme you want ( fun/bright, natural, rainbow etc.) .

 

[MonkeyZero]

Wow! You guys are great! Thanks for all the replies!

Alright So here's my plan. Please add input.

Alright, so as you know, this is a 10 gallon tank
The water was tested earlier, and was in perfect condition
Of course, I'll be doing the change next month.
I still have guppy fry who need more growing til I give them away

So, I will do a small school of neon - About 8(just incase a few may die). i dont want other fish since we love neons here(of course, my goldfish are amazing as well, but they stay outdoors).
I might consider black neons, or even glologhts, but will they school with the neons? or on their own
And then I'll do about 10 ghost shrimp(grantted, i may lose a few as well).

I might consider a corydora, but will they co exsist with the shrimp and neons well?

Instead of keeping my under gravel filter, I will get a new hang on back filter, thats rated for 15-20 gallon tanks.
I will keep my gravel, and add some goop from my other tank filter media. This should keep the params stable.
I will probably add one java moss ball, and 2-3 more fake plants( I have 2 already).
I will also keep my large bubbler..

Sounds good? Bad?


Ps.
My gravel is black, and the backround is a dark blue color that blends with the gravel.
So , im looking for the everything to sorta POP out at you(the bright neons, and translucent ghost shrimp and green plants.)


Thanks

 

[patandchickens]

For a 10, I would go with *either* neons *or* glowlight tets *or* black neons*, not mix n match, it's already a small enough number of fish to "barely" make a school.

I have not had problems keeping smaller corys (e.g. pandas) with shrimp, but I know others who have had trouble, so <shrug>

10 shrimp is maybe kind of a lot... what about more like 4?

java moss plus plastic plants sounds good. Should be a nice looking tank

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[MonkeyZero]

Alright. So Ill just stick to the neons and shrimp.
Maybe a cory, or two.

Really, 4?
I was told that ghost shrimp barely scratch the bio load, even in a small tank with little filtration.

 

[Akane]

Cories are usually fine with shrimp but they are a schooling fish so would need a group of 5 or more. 2 schools in a 10g is really pushing things if not blatant overstocking.

 

[MonkeyZero]

Drats! Cories are sooo cute!

Alright, I'll keep it neons and the ghosties.

 

[patandchickens]

I dunno, it's one of those things like "how many chickens can I put in my coop"

and personally I'd never keep just one cory, but I've had groups of 3 pretty often over the years and they seemed quite happy.

My suggestion for reducing #shrimp was not based on bioload -- although once they *die* they are significant load on your filter and ifyou have 10 you can't expect to be counting them every day -- but rather on how often a few corys and 10 shrimp are going to be bumping into each other in a 10g tank. Most critters don't do real happily when playing bumper-cars all the time

(I've had larger corys get nippy with shrimp, btw; but pandas have coexisted well with them for me, or there's another small cory that is mostly-freckled whose name escapes me)

Actually you know what else makes a GREAT 10g tank subject if you can find any (at best you can expect them "occasionally" at the fish store) -- the dwarf loach, Botia sidthimunki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_loach - the picture there does not do them justice tho). They are just the coolest thing, one of my very very favorite aquarium fish, and a group of 6 or 10 is wonderful in a 10, alone or with a few shrimp or a couple kuhli loaches. They are smart and very personable and fun to watch.

Or, what about 6 neons and 6 panda corys or other not-too-large corys, with the benefit that you might well have the corys breed successfully there (they do best with temperature/water changes to get them to breed but are perfectly capable of doing it on their own in a normal community tank if they feel like it)

Anyhow have fun

Pat, waiting til the kids are a bit older and more responsible before setting up a tank again (they put a big leaky crack in my little unheated 5 that had a few white clouds in it, sigh)

 

[MonkeyZero]

Hmmm
Gosh! This is such a dilemma.

Ok, Here is my final thing, and I'll stick to it

Well I'll keep the same aquarium settings as I stated above.

At the local pet-store, the more common fish are kept in the back row or the fish room. Neons are in the far corner. SO, I'll get my neons first(Ill get 7 just incase one dies(hey, you never know)).
And then ill walk towards the exit. Which ever comes first, between the ghost shrimp( I think these are kept near the entranceway, by the division of salt water and fresh) or corydoras(I think cories come first), I will purchase them.
That should work, right?

 

[Pinky]

IMHO, I would get more than 4 ghost shrimp. They hide pretty good in a well planted tank, and you never know if a couple will pass on.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I don't know how your local store works, but most fish stores I'm familiar with have different pricing for 1 fish than for pairs/trios/half-dozens/whatever, so you may want to reevaluate your numbers based on the number that it makes most sense to purchase?

And then ill walk towards the exit. Which ever comes first, between the ghost shrimp( I think these are kept near the entranceway, by the division of salt water and fresh) or corydoras(I think cories come first), I will purchase them.

LOL, that's certainly a novel approach

Can I suggest an alternative, which is to look at what small corys they have and look at what shrimp they have and pick whichever seems *healthiest* (both the animals in particular, and the tank in general)

Either way, good luck, have fun

,

Pat​