Stocking a 10 gallon

serpaekeeper45

Its been a long while since i was last involved in setting up a new tank. Just before now, i had a 29 gallon that i really didnt need considering i only had 3 fish (1 black fin tetra and 2 yoyo loaches) all the rest of the small stock had since died off over a long time. Now, my mother wasnt too happy with all that space being taken up for 3 fish, so i just switched over to one of my old 10 gallon tank set-ups. This is working out alot better for me as it is MUCH easier to take care of. Last Sunday, however, i bought 2 neon blue dwarf gouramis. I observed that their behavior was neutral for their first day in the tank, but today one of them has been showing alot of aggression. He almost killed my black fin tetra (hes fine now after being quarintined in a net) and he repeatedly stalks and nips the fins of the other neon Blue Gourami. My LFS has a return policy, which i will find out soon as i am not too sure. I think that i am allowed to return these fish if they are showing too much aggression, and if that is an option, i will do that. SO, then i will be left with my 2 yoyo loaches and the one black fin.Im wondering if anyone knows if it would be suitable to get, lets say four more black fin tetras (making a total of five) in a ten gallon aquarium? Or, would it be better to leave the black fin alone and get a small school of zebra danios (or something simillar)? Is there any possibility that a small group (of about 3) black skirt tetras would get along with another small group of serpae tetras? If you have an answer to any of these questions, that would be greatly appreciated!
On a side note....Is Lupin still around here? Haha Its nice to be fishkeeping again after such a long break, and im anxious to reconnect to you all.

iamntbatman

Well, if you can convince your mom to let you set the 29g back up, I'd do this: get a couple more yo-yo's (they should really be in something even bigger than a 29g, though), up your tetras to about six and get rid of the one offending gourami. You'd still have room in the tank for a few more fish, perhaps a school of serpaes.

In the 10g? Well, yo-yo's really don't belong in a tank that small, but I'd say you're better off returning the gouramis and getting more black skirts.

serpaekeeper45

Thanks for the quick response iamntbatman! Theres no chance at this point that i can get my 29 back up :( . I have had the yoyo loaches for years and they have been just fine throughout all the tanks i have moved them to. As much as i would love to have a bigger tank, i just cant. I simply dont have the space. How many black skirts would you think would be suitable?

iamntbatman

The loaches don't really have a big bioload, it's just that they're somewhat long and very active. That said, I think you could get a total of 5-6 black skirts.

serpaekeeper45

Thanks for the advice, ill pick up those black skirts as soon as i get around to the LFS.

Lupin

I'm here, Justin. Waving airily from the meadows. Don't be TOO anxious.lol

serpaekeeper45

Hi Lupin!! havent talked to all of you in AGES! Dont worry, im not that anxious lol.
To continue this thread: the gouramis killed my black skirt so i went to the lfs and gave them back. They refunded me so i got 5 pristella tetras and a bamboo plant. I noticed the pristillas stay towards the botttom of the tank, is this temporary, or will they move higher up eventually?