So I am planning a 10g heavily planted tank. I've always loved the betta, angelfish, and dwarf gourami, but obviously those don't combine well. I would like to have the stocking list bellow (numbers and fish type are still flexible) but would like some more prominent display fish in there with the betta. Any suggestions?
5+ Galaxy Rasboras
3 Zebra Oto
X Blue Pearl Shrimp
X Yellow Shrimp
1 Betta (hopefully halfmoon or double delta)
I forseethe betta snacking on the rasboras... my guy loved to pick off endlers, all the while maintaining all the apprearence of complete lack of interest in them when I was observing! Same for the shrimp.
Have you considered a honey gourami or a sparking gourami?
I think it all depends on the betta's personality. I think I have the most docile betta on the face of the planet as I keep him with otos and cherry reds. He could easily snack on the shrimp but choses not to. The tank is very heavily planted so the shrimp have lots of cover. My betta pays no attention to the otos.
Kelly's experience is probably more typical of bettas. Honeys and sparkling gouramis are a very pretty fish, either would make a nice center piece fish in a 10gl.
Since the tank is going to be heavily planted if it was me (and it's not) I'd risk your stocking plan, adding the betta last so he's less apt to be territorial than if he were introduced first. I prefer bettas over gouramis so that's why I'd risk it. Lots of plants gives lots of places for shrimp and rasboros places to "run and hide".
With the possible exception of the betta (bearing in mind the comments from kelly and kymmie) you have a good list. No mention is made of water parameters; what you have there is suited to slightly basic moderately hard water, something that would not suit sparkling gourami which are soft acidic water fish and should be in a group though there would be room for 5 of them in a 10g well planted.
If your water is slightly acidic and soft, instead of the galaxy rasbora (which is actually a danio, not a rasbora, now known as Celestial Pearl Danio, scientifically Celestichthys margaritatus), a similar true rasbora fish would be some of the dwarf rasbora species in the genus Boraras; they are very small, very colourful, and well suited to a thickly-planted aquarium with soft acidic water. And a quintet of pygmy sparkling gourami would fit in. The shrimp might have a problem though, as they need harder water for their exoskeletons.
Thought you might be interested in this stocking calculator. I plugged in the fish you have planned, I didn't know what filter to add since you don't mention that in your post, so I added an Aquaclear 30 which would be adequate for your set up. I only added one shrimp each:
I see, I had worried about the possibility of the betta being a troublesome addition. I was hoping that the amount of plants would keep the peace as Kimmy mentioned. If I do try the betta I will be sure to introduce a young male after everything else. Would there be a good way to time the introduction? For instance, give the other fish a month or two before introduction of the betta.
As far as tank parameters. It is difficult to say exactly what they are being that the tank is not set up yet. However I do know that the pH of tap water in my area is fairly alkaline. I tested the water with a liquid kit and the results from the test show a pH of 7.4.
Tap water was what I was thinking of, unless of course you had plans to adjust the water either way. Your tap water should be fine for the fish on the list as mentioned.
I agree that the betta might snack on the CPD's and possibly the shrimp. CPD's can run you about $10 a piece, so that would be a very expensive snack! I would consider something slightly smaller and more suited to your alkaline water (which would be great for the CPD's and shrimp) than a betta.
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