New - stocking a 10 gal

[SMichele]

Hi, not long ago I took in two goldfish that were being extremely neglected (dirty tank, not fed, just basically forgotten) by a previous owner. The goldfish, regretfully, did not make it. They were very well loved and cared for in the week or so that they had in my care, at least -- and they started me on really wanting to keep fish.

So..
I am cycling a 10 gallon tank currently, and once that's done, I want to put something in it. Ideally more than one fish. Problem is, I don't know a lot of things about fish. So..help???

I'm not overly picky on coldwater or tropical fish, so long as the care is not overly complex. I'd like freshwater fish, as they're easier than saltwater (in my opinion). I do NOT want to have to put various chemicals in the tanks, nor do I want fish that are going to be aggressive towards one another.

I would also like fish that don't stress TOO easy.. What I mean is, fish that won't mind if I switch up their aquarium decor every month or so, as I like doing that.

So... these are the fish items currently in my possession:
[LIST]
* 10 Gallon Marineland Aquarium with cover
* API Freshwater Master Test Kit
* Penguin 100 Bio-Wheel Filter
* Fluorescent Above tank lighting
* Tetra Whisper Air Pump - 10 gallon.. and a volcano thingy for the air pump to go in (I am wondering though, is an air pump necessary? I've heard different things)
* 6-pack of replacement cartridges for the penguin filter
* Tetra 50 Watt submersible heater (pre-set.. came with the tank)
* Aqueon Water Conditioner
* Gravel Vacuum
* Decor (not all in the tank] - a sort of fake, wavy, soft orange coral (supposed to move with water flow, "relaxing" fish, according to the tag), small sunken pirate ship, 4 plastic plants, and one rock with two sections (like a bridge) where the fish can swim through
* Gravel the goldfish (now passed on) came with, Aqua Culture brand
* Gravel purchased by me - Top Fin brand.
* 2 buckets with covers (purchased new) for water changes.
* 2 nets
* 1 squishy sponge thing on a stick to clean the tank with.


One thing that I've noticed is with the filter AND air pump both running at the same time, the top of my tank gets..bubbly? Is this because one of the two is too strong? Or is this normal?

Anyway, I am willing to purchase additional items or replace items that I already have if they're not suitable. (For instance, the air pump, I was thinking of replacing with a bubble wall)


Anyway,
what sort of fish would be ideal for my 10 gallon?
What kind and how many?
And if a mix, how many of kind A, and how many of kind B?


I was considering guppies and mollies (one of the two, not both) but I've heard that guppies like to nip at one another, and that mollies aren't suitable for 10 gallons.


What do I need for the fish?? Where can I find out more information on them (websites, forums, etc..)? What kind of food is best for them?


Also, how are the items that I have??? Anything that's not good??


EDIT:
I do NOT want to breed them, so whatever fish I get, it would be either all females or all males.

[SMichele]

Oh, to add,
the ph levels of both my tank and tap water seem to stay right around 7.6..

[Rue]

Sounds like you've done great research! Congrats!

Guppies are always nice. You don't need females, you can have male only tank.

Celestial pearl danios, or any of the smaller species will do fine as well.

You don't need the air pump - but you can if you like.

I'd toss the goldfish gravel. Or if you want to keep it, bleach it, rinse it really well before using it in the new set-up.

I'm also not a fan of 'artifical' decor...but that's solely personal taste and up to you. Again, clean well before reusing.

[gm72]

You know, we really appreciate when new members arrive with research under their belts. Your post is informative and reflects a genuine caring for the fish you are planning to keep. Well done.

Guppy precaution: If you have males and females they will breed and you will quickly have more fish than you can handle.

A 10 gallon with some neon tetras, maybe 6 or 7 would be cool. You could also make a single male betta very happy. I would recommend you go to your local fish store and take a look. Look, DON'T BUY! See what you like then come back here and ask questions. That cute little 2" Oscar you see should grow into a 12"+ behemoth and is not a good choice!

Your equipment seems fine, no worries there.

Food: Hikari tropical staple or New Life Spectrum pellets are generally regarded as the top 2 fish foods. Please stay away from cheap brands like Wardley.

[taralm13]

Guppies are great....I redecorate my tank all the time (sometimes cuz I want to but mostly due to problems that have arisen that messed it up) and they don't get upset at all by it...in fact I think they actually love me...whenever I go near the tank they all come to see me and they never run from my hand in the tank either (I wish they would cuz I don't like them touching me). But since you do not want babies (which I kind of like to see the whole cycle of life thing happening) then the celestial pearl danios would prob suit you nicely. I have only seen them on aquabid.com so far (but I don't have any good LFS near me) and I plan on getting them for my next tank. They look so pretty and small. You might want to try some live plants too if you like to decorate...and redecorate...they will grow and change the look of your tank a lot more IMO. Plus they will be helpful in other ways...makes the fish happy and help in cleaning the water. I am new to aquariums....just started last October...I did tons of research to decide what kind of tank and found that a freshwater planted tank would eventually be the best (I say eventually because it does take some time to get established and start working together the way it should). I think my tank just hit that stage...no algae! I wish you luck...this is an awesome hobby!!!! (and you have found the best forum by far to come to for help....these guys here are the best for helping especially in an emergency :ssmile: )

[Lab_Rat]

If you want simple and easy, a school of 6 skirt tetras or serpae tetras would be nice in a 10g. They're both quite hardy tetra species. Just do one or the other though.

[gm72]

Oh completely agreed with the live plants. Can be much easier than you think. Low light plants like java moss/java fern are super easy and really add to the health and appearance of the tank!

[SpyderSpy6]

Sounds like you are on the right track. I would recommend only using New Life Spectrum foods or Ocean nutrition foods. Most foods on the market are high in ash content and also have alot of other fillers in them. Ocean nutrition makes a quality food, but the best is definitely NLS.

With ten gallons keep it minimal just so that your tank is clean and happy :)

[travism76]

Small schooling fish are pretty Hardy guys. Tetras are a good place to start. I have just started getting into rasboras. I have Harlequin rasboras (5) and a Betta in my 12 gal tank right now and they are all doing really well. The betta gets along fine with the others. Probably because I added him later.

And as for the extra air...you probably wont need to pump extra air into that 10 gal. Your filter system will create enough.

Guppies are also a good fish to begin with, but I grew bored of them quickly...and if you have females with males they will reproduce quickly as stated before.

[Yourkisa]

Heya there, seems that everyones got most of the important stuff taken care of there, just one thing you meantioned about adding chemicals to the water. I did see on your list that you had some 'Aqueon Water Conditioner' just make sure that it does removed "chlorine and chloramines" that will be in your tap water, and that the conditioner is not just some water clarifier :-) (I know that you said your cycling your tank, just wanted to make really really sure ! )

But apart from that, welcome aboard and dont forget to send us all pics too !

[SMichele]

I took a look at the Pet Store today, and am still incredibly fond of the guppies and mollies.. But I will look at other fish next time (was in a rush this time)

Three fish that really stood out at me:
Balloon Belly Mollies,
Silver Lyretail Mollies
and
Cremecicle Lyretail Mollies..

Any of these suitable for a 10 gallon?
Easy to care for, or too much for a beginner?

[SMichele]

Still looking for thoughts on the Mollies, as no one has replied to my last question....




I do have another question though,
how do you pick healthy fish from the pet store? I mean, how do you know if they're healthy? The only two places I know to buy fish are Pet Co and Pet Smart. I walked through Pet Co here not long ago, and it was just awful... Dirty, dirty tanks...

Walked through Pet Smart today, and while it's usually not bad, today I saw a dead fish floating on top of the water with another one nipping at it, a few fish who looked to be dead or dying near the bottom of the water, and one that was dead stuck on the filter.. As well as a dead frog in a tank full of fish.. So I am apprehensive of buying from there. I mean, I know these things might just happen. Fish do die, and truthfully most of the fish appeared to be doing okay, but the ones that weren't put me off.. Trouble is, if it's the only option, well... it's the only option. (Other than a fish store 45 minutes away, but a 45 minute drive with fish in a bag seems like too much). And, well, honestly, the fish at Pet Smart certainly do deserve a nice life where they're well taken care of, don't they? But.. I want healthy ones.



I did see some LARGE pretty fish at the store though. A few goldfish that were nearly as large as my palm, and a couple other sorts... Never saw fish that large in a tank before! Sort of wish I had a bigger tank!

[Sursion]

Tetra's and Danio's could fit in that tank, and they're very hardy. No complex care needed. Careful if you get Neon's though, they have a high mortality rate. Most people get Cardinal Tetra's as substitute neons. A dwarf gourami could also go in there, they have cute personalities.

[SMichele]

Just to note ..
I have pretty much decided upon either Guppies or Mollies..

I just need to know which would be best suited for my tank, and if their are any varieties that should be avoided. And of course how many. I would only be getting ONE species, and only ONE gender (no breeding here).

If I got guppies, I'd like fancy guppies.
Though I admit I am slightly more partial to mollies.

[Sursion]

Well, if you want the easiest to care for out of those two, I'd say the guppies.

[SMichele]

How does the care for mollies and guppies differ, out of curiosity?

[Sursion]

Some mollies get to about 4 inches, which might be a little big for your tank. Guppies stay smaller, so you can keep more of them. Mollies also need a little bit of salt (this is debated, as they can survive in all three environments).

Guppies are generally easier, so long as you don't put a male and female together.

[troy]

Guppies are usually easier to care for than mollies. Guppies would do better in a 10g than mollies.I've gotten fish from a store about 45 minutes away before with no problems. Good luck with your fish.thumbs2:

[SMichele]

Guppies are usually easier to care for than mollies. Guppies would do better in a 10g than mollies.I've gotten fish from a store about 45 minutes away before with no problems. Good luck with your fish.thumbs2:

Okay, so guppies it is then.. Or seems to be, thus far -- still plenty of time to change my mind and research though.

Now, a few questions on guppies, if you all don't mind.. (Referring to Fancy Guppies)

1. Is one gender better than the other?
2. I've heard that guppies sometimes nip at each other, is this true???
3. What is the best food to feed guppies?
4. Do they need to be kept with a certain amount of other guppies, or is it okay to have say, just 2 or 3??
5. I've been told that 5 or so guppies should be okay in my tank. Is it okay to add them all at once, or is it better to do only say, 3 at a time? I've heard only 3 at a time, but then others have told me to add all of 'em once the tank cycles.
6. Do guppies have any serious health issues that I need to be concerned with?
7. What sort of environment prefer? (plants to hide behind? Tunnels/caves to swim in?)

[SMichele]

Two more questions...
What Temperature is most ideal for guppies?
Is a ph level at (or just around) 7.6 okay for them? I want them to live comfortably, and stressfree.

[dynara]

In answer to a few of your questions (I've done a bit of research on guppies but never actually kept them so anyone with more experience feel free to correct me if I've goofed):

1. Males are more colourful than females.
2. I've heard males can be a little nippy when establishing a pecking order but will settle down fairly quickly. If you keep both sexes you need to have at least 2 or 3 females to each male or the males will hassel the females no end - having more females spreads this around and gives the girls a chance to get away for a while.
4. They're not a schooling fish so probably don't need to be in large groups (not entirely sure about this) but a few more is probably better. And personally I think small tanks look better with more of one species rather than a few each of two or more species.
5. If you've done a fishless cycle you should have enough BB built up to handle all at once. I think 5 or 6 would be about right for a 10gal.

Can't help much on points 6 or 7 but I imagine plants and hiding places would always be appreciated (and plants just look good).

[Pleco380]

I've had a single guppy who was very happy so you are correct.

[FishGirl-Seattle]

For you questions # 6 and 7: I've kept Guppies for years and they have been very healthy. Most small fish like plants and hiding places - it makes it easier to avoid being eaten, so it's natural for them to feel safer with some plants for cover in a tank. IMHO I would go with plants and maybe something they can swim through. They are not cave dwellers the way some fish are, but mine do swim through my caves and when they are startled they dive under some plant cover - they definitely appreciate the security plants offer even though they swim most of the time in the open.

[Lab_Rat]

Just to note ..
I have pretty much decided upon either Guppies or Mollies..

I just need to know which would be best suited for my tank, and if their are any varieties that should be avoided. And of course how many. I would only be getting ONE species, and only ONE gender (no breeding here).

If I got guppies, I'd like fancy guppies.
Though I admit I am slightly more partial to mollies.

Mollies get too big for a 10g, if you like that look go with platies. Platies come in many color varieties.

An all male guppy tank would be good for a 10g, you could do 6 or so of them in there without issue.

[SMichele]

So upon thinking...
I'm not so sure guppies are right. LOL
I've heard that they aren't very hardy, and well.. I want hardy fish..

Sooo, help me out one more time if you will..
What fish is the hardiest that can be kept in a 10 gallon?
I do not want ones that are strictly schooling fish, as I don't want it to be absolutely neccesary for me to get 6+.