10 Gallons?

**tori.lock** · 06-29-2009, 06:15 AM

I'm moving into a dorm in August and I'm already planning what fish I want so that I can prepare myself. (what for, I don't know.) I can only have a 10g tank, and was thinking of getting a few albino cories and a school of fish, or a betta. Is there any dwarf cichlid that would work with a few cories in a 10g?

**rangur1** · 06-29-2009, 10:31 AM

the only ones that might work are either apistogrammas or bolivan rams.
both of these cichlids hang at the bottom and a 10 gal is really small to put them in with cories. i would consider EITHER a ram and school of small tetras
or maybe a dwarf gourami and 4 corys. good luck

**NickFish** · 06-29-2009, 10:44 AM

If you get a betta, dwarf cichlids would be ruled out immediatly.
Cories would crowd the bottom of the tank.
If you get some smaller tetras though, you could keep a single dwarf cichlid.

A smaller apisto like apistogramma borellii would work in that tank size.
However would not advise keeping rams in that tank.
Keeping German Blue Rams in a tank that size is a controversial subject. The fact of the matter is, GBRs can be kept in 10 gallons, but they won't be as happy as personable as they are in larger tanks.
You could keep a Scarlet Badis, dario dario, in a tank that size. They are very sensitive fish, not recommended for beginners. They can also be very difficult to locate. But they are the smallest cichlids around, and would be very happy in a 10 gallon with a few small tetras. You could even keep two of them in a 10g.

Bolivian rams and other apistogramma (besides the borellii) should not be kept in a 10 gallon tank, in my opinion.

**brianyu** · 06-29-2009, 12:11 PM

get somme otocinclus, they will clean the tanks if u try to have plant.

**robflanker** · 06-29-2009, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by rangur1

or maybe a dwarf gourami and 4 corys. good luck

Corys need to be kept in 6+

**cer** · 06-29-2009, 03:08 PM

How about scarlet jem badis? They get 1 inch long and look great. You could have 2-3.

**tori.lock** · 06-29-2009, 07:22 PM

Ahhh, so much mixed information. I'll keep the borelli in mind and do a bit more research on care and compatibility, but I think I might stick to my gourami or female betta idea. I'd hate to stuff a fish in a small tank.

**NickFish** · 06-29-2009, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by tori.lock

Ahhh, so much mixed information. I'll keep the borelli in mind and do a bit more research on care and compatibility, but I think I might stick to my gourami or female betta idea. I'd hate to stuff a fish in a small tank.

Bettas, even females shouldn't be kept with long-finned fish.

I'd suggest either a female betta, or a gourami, but not both. There's a very good chance the betta will nip at the gourami's fins, leaving it stressed and prone to infection.

**Kaz** · 06-29-2009, 10:04 PM

Almost all ten gallon tanks have two types of fish: Filler fish and the centerpiece fish.

Filler fish. Centerpiece fish
-Neon tetras -Dwarf gourami
-Dwarf cories -Betta
-Dwarf cichlid.

Basically you pick one from each collum and you have a good 10g tank.

At least, that's what I think.

**HeatherB** · 06-29-2009, 11:12 PM

I love my betta's having a whole 10 gallons to themselves. I have had really great results with that, my bettas are much more active, and their fins are beautiful. I think they are much healthier too. I have sucessfully kept bettas with platys, mollies, neons, gold mystery snails, ghost shrimp, swordfish and plecos(but do not get a pleco for a ten gallon tank!!)

What about a betta and a couple platys or swordfish?