[huckleberry77]

I am thinking about possibly getting a 10 gallon tank for my office sometime in the next year. I am wondering what I could keep as a solo fish, or a pair of fish that would be really interesting that would be content in a 10 gal. Nothing that is likely to bite me please. Fun ideas? Preferably nothing that is already in my signature.

 

[GrimThePanda]

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I've been suggested to keep a pair of blue gularis kilifish in my 10g. They're a smaller species of kilifish so I guess they'd do alright in a 10g?

Other than that I'd say Betta but you already have those :lol:

 

[Sylverclaws]

The only thing I can think of besides bettas is a single sparkling gourami(AKA Dwarf Gourami). One male can go in there and they are pretty. I'd recommend the blue ones, either neon or powder...but the choice is fully yours if you go with that, they also come in red. There is also the honey gourami(not to be confused with the gold three-spot gourami). If you go there, you don't want more than one, and you wont want any other fish with them. Ten gallons is a minimum for those.

You could probably get a pair of African Dwarf Frogs in there too, if you wanted. =)

 

[GrimThePanda]

IMO Sylverclaw's idea is better than mine, I'd go with that.

 

[Sylverclaws]

IMO Sylverclaw's idea is better than mine, I'd go with that.

I have read that ten gallons is considered perfect for a breeding pair of blue gularis kilifish...however, I have no experience with them so I couldn't tell you either way. lol They're pretty, but if you go with that...be sure you do a ton of research first, and above all make sure your tank parameters are right for them. IF I am not mistaken, those are the ones that have very specific parameter requirements with -very- little stray, I could be wrong though.

 

[Tolak]

A pair of apistogramma cacatuoides will work in a 10, and are lookers if you get into the triple reds or some such. Plenty of people have bred apistos in a 10, though a 20 long is a better fit if you harem breed them.

 

[lilnaugrim]

Just a note, Sparkling Gouramis are vastly different from Dwarf Gouramis. There are Dwarf Gouramis (Powder Blues, Flame and Regular) and then there are Honey's which are completely different, smaller and much more passive than Dwarves (Color morphs are Wild type, Golden, Sunset) and then Sparkling and Croaking Gouramis are even small and also very peaceful. More sensitive are the Chocolate Gouramis and the Vaillanti (Samurai) Gourami.

Any of the Apisto's would be great for singles, pairs may be able to fit depending on the type. A single Bolivian Ram may also do.

Gobies would be interesting too.

Most Killifish work great in 10 gallons as well, pretty much any from the Aphyosemion, Epliplaty, or Fundulopanchax would work. Nothobrachius are good too but they are the annual killi's so they only last just about a year but you could get into hatching their eggs, it's pretty simple to do

 

[MattsBettas]

How's your water? Is it soft or hard? What's the pH? This could be an important factor, especially if you're looking at more sensitive species. There's plenty on nice fish for a 10g.

 

[Flint]

I have a pair of German Blue rams in my 10 gallon. I love them dearly and while they'll breed, they aren't good parents and have eaten every last batch of eggs so far within two days of laying them. A lot of people say they are sensitive but my tank is moderately planted and I do weekly 50% water changes and have had no issue. My water parameters are all out of their "range" as well. I have hard water.

 

[tankman12]

Pair of peacock gudgeons would be nice. Sorry if already mentioned.

Also on the side note, most of these fish almost require a planted to, show best color, natural behavior, and to be ultimately happy (IME and IMO).
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[lilnaugrim]

Planted tanks are never technically required but they certainly do help in the end.

 

[tankman12]

Ya that was just my opinion, for best color and all those things. Also it will help keep good chemistry, so yes in the long run and short run it definitely helps.
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[Sylverclaws]

Just a note, Sparkling Gouramis are vastly different from Dwarf Gouramis. There are Dwarf Gouramis (Powder Blues, Flame and Regular) and then there are Honey's which are completely different, smaller and much more passive than Dwarves (Color morphs are Wild type, Golden, Sunset) and then Sparkling and Croaking Gouramis are even small and also very peaceful. More sensitive are the Chocolate Gouramis and the Vaillanti (Samurai) Gourami.

WHOOPS! I totally messed that one up. Sorry. LOL Someone had argued it with me prior though, that they were the same, I knew otherwise. But they are smaller(the Sparkeling ones), but if I'm not mistaken like more space...Dwarf gourami's like the powder blue and red flame and neons will do. Again, as a minimum.


You could always go with a bunch of male Endlers. lol No breeding without females, small(smaller than other types of guppies, male endlers usually only reach 1/2 inch to one inch), easy, pretty, and much more peaceful than most guppy males doing way better in bachelor groups.

 

[lilnaugrim]

WHOOPS! I totally messed that one up. Sorry. LOL Someone had argued it with me prior though, that they were the same, I knew otherwise. But they are smaller(the Sparkeling ones), but if I'm not mistaken like more space...Dwarf gourami's like the powder blue and red flame and neons will do. Again, as a minimum.

No worries! I know it can be difficult to tell apart sometimes. It's crazy to think how many gourami types there are ^_^

Sparkling and Croaking will do just fine in smaller spaces, the Dwarfs prefer the larger space. My Sparkling Gouramis tend to stay in their own small territories in the 29 but I've had them in my 3 gallon without any issue, a pair would do just fine in the 10. They like to spar frequently but it's certainly not life threatening in anyway

 

[Sylverclaws]

I had mine in a 20 gallon and later a 55 gallon. I did at one point have him in my ten gallon(can't remember why, I had him in there for a couple weeks though). Capone, my Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami. =) He liked more space, but he was laid back so long as I stopped by to watch him he was a happy fish. lol

My Capone, I added him up for the photo contest a while back, hence the TFK logo link thing. lol
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/contests/10-2013-1381616542-146-40588-800.jpg

I'd go with a smaller fish than that type as well. =) But it is do-able...minimum size requirements are always that, minimums. =P Keep that in mind while you search for the fish you want, make sure you look into how active or territorial they are. Most territorial and/or active fish like more space even if they are smaller.

 

[huckleberry77]

How's your water? Is it soft or hard? What's the pH? This could be an important factor, especially if you're looking at more sensitive species. There's plenty on nice fish for a 10g.

I just moved to a new house and I thought I had moderately hard water at first... but now I am getting soft readings and low ph a month later... both out of the tap and in the tanks. We have had a lot of rain lately, so I don't know if that is affecting the water. I need to take a water sample to the LFS and find out from them.

 

[huckleberry77]

Thanks for all the great suggestions!! I love the idea of blue gularis kilifish, apistos, rams or other cichlid, or peacock gudgeon. Those little frogs freak me out, and as much as I love gouramis... I am drawn to try keeping a type of fish I don't already have. I won't go with endlers because I want something I can enjoy from a distance, and I think the endlers will be too tiny.

Any other ideas? This might be a good winter project for me

 

[lilnaugrim]

How about an American Flagfish?

For Killifish, Aphyosemion Australe Orange is one of my favorites, super easy, isn't an annual and very bright. Also much more peaceful than Gularis which are very aggressive.

Paradise Fish is another though it's basically like a cross of a Betta/Gourami (not actually but that's what it seems like to me lol)

 

[tankman12]

Ya you could do 1 male and 3-4 female flagfish. They are cool, but REALLY mean.
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[Flint]

That is waaay too many flags. :shock:
They require a 2' tank (which a 10 gallon is not) and get the size of dwarf gouarmi (2.5") so I wouldn't recommenced those at all for this tank.

I am still biased to my rams and they are soooo much fun to watch. My male gets sooo mad at my female when "she eats all the eggs" even though he contributes to the eating plenty, haha.