Fish questions

[3muttsandaboston]

My friend gave me a tank she was no longer using. She gave me a heater, filter, gravel, decorations, and a thermometer. The tank is 10 gallons. I was just wondering what types of fish you recommend. I haven't owned fish in a long time. How many fish can I keep in a 10 gallon? I know I want a betta, what types of fish can be kept with betas? Thanks for any help in advance!

[Christmas_Hamster]

There are lots of choices even for a little 10 gallon!

If you want to go with a betta you will have to try and find a mellow one. Not all bettas get along with other fish. Three or four cory cats would do well with one betta. Or three or four Oto Fish. Oto fish are small algae eaters and cory cats are small bottom feeders. For way more information may I suggest www.petfish.net/forum

[IRescue452]

First you need to cycle the tank. Going through the cycle first will vastly reduce the deaths of any fish. You will need a liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. No dry test strips because the chemicals on the strips start to degrade as soon as the package is opened and the strips exposed to the air. This causes faulty tests. Here is a site about the cycle. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articl...q=2&fldAuto=21

Bettas can do well with several species. The problem is that most species like to nip fins, and the male betta's fins are exceptionally tantilizing. Possible tankmates include platies and swordtails, black skirt tetras, buenos aires tetras, diamond tetras, cories, kuhli loaches, and rasboras.

Most little fish are schooling fish. A well-stocked tank might be 3-4 livebearers or tetras + 3-4 cories or loaches + one betta. In such a small tank, stocking the fish all at once shouldn't throw off the cycle much once its established.

[3muttsandaboston]

What would your suggestion be then for a 10 gallon community tank without a betta?

[Alysser]

You can keep certain tetras. I have a 3 gallon tank and I kept 3 neon tetras in it. Cory's are wonderful bottom feeders and they are very good with other fish, very mellow. I have two cuties. You can also get 1 or two goldfish. 10 gallons has many options and it's a wonderfully sized tank.

[3muttsandaboston]

Thanks. I love cories I used to have 3 albino ones when I had my old tank. I had one with one eye who I named pirate. lol Cories are a definate for me I love them. I have also had tetras, danios, mollies, and many others in the past. I just can't decide right now what I want. What about shrimp, frogs and other small un fishlike species what types of animals can live with fish?

[Alasse]

Personally i would not keep goldfish in a 10gal...way too small for the dirty little beasties *L*

Cories, Khulis, Platys, Guppies, Swordtails, Dwarf Gouramis, Rams, Most of the smaller tetras would be suitable & Danios.

A planted shrimp tank would look awesome, there are some really beautiful shrimp available (not so much here in Aus though )

For a betta, the only thing i'd put with them is cories, bristlenose cats or khulis.