In honor of my husband, I’ve set up my very first aquarium. He loved lying on the bed and watching the fish, but had a ginormous tank to do so. I, on the other hand, have a more manageable, itty bitty one of just 10 gallons. But I have a dilemma already… I need one more fishie. Ya see, I only have two neon Tetras and an Angel, and they all appear slightly lonely.* Therefore, in addition to getting an algae eater, I’d like something else too. What would y’all suggest that’s easy, hopefully fun and won’t get eaten for a beginner? Don’t need answers fast, but let’s not dawdle. We have emotions at stake here.
I thank you kindly for any help.
*For the humor impaired, yes, I’m play anthromorphizing. In reality, I’d say they’re more sad than lonely.
You’re in for quite an experience. Guppies and mollies are both very laid-back. If you didn’t have an angel, 'd have suggested a betta, as those generally get along with anything less flashy than themselves. A cory-cat is another option.
ETA: Barbs of any sort tend to be bullies, in my experience. Plecos swiftly grow to monumental sizes. African clawed frogs (the dwarf ones, fully aquatic, slightly larger than a quarter) are adorable and fun to watch, but you’ve got to make sure that they do not get out-competed by the swifter fish. A.c.fs also -will- eat anything big enough to fit into their mouths.
10 gallons isn’t that big but you do have room for another fish that gets along with the rest. Do you have plants and other structures in there? Real or plastic will do and your fish will be a little more active with a more complex environment. I didn’t spend that much time with freshwater so I can’t recall many good tankmate combos, but I think smaller Gouramis will work well with the what you have. I’ve seen various Goldfish get along in small tanks that aren’t overly crowded but I also hear about failures, they aren’t found naturally in the same environs as the tropicals you have.
Watch your water quality; I don’t know what angelfish you have but some can get rather large, and a 10 gallon tank is a pretty small tank.
Get more neon tetras; they are schooling fish so you really should have more than two. I would hold off on the algae eaters or additional fish until you have a good feel for how rapidly the current fish load impacts overall water quality, and how often you need to perform water changes. Performing water changes a few times a week because you have an overloaded tank gets old fast.
Seconding this. Small schools are a lot of fun to watch and if they’re happy, they’ll mate! I’ve never had any babies because my African Dwarf frogs would find and eat all of the yummy eggs but it’s fun to watch the Neon’s mating dance.
In my first tank, I bought three small angels and a few other assorted fish. Two angels started to pick on the third, and then there were two. Then one turned on the other, and then there was one. He grew huge and took over one side of the aquarium. I eventually gave my tank and fish away. Angels are pretty, but not for me.
I have larger tanks now, but I second Dinsdale’s recommendation. More neons - they like to school, and cories are cool little bottom feeders and there are some nice varieties available.
The general rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon – if you are knowledgeable and diligent in care you may be able to double that.
A pair of full grown angelfish need a 20 gallon tank. If you are concerned about your angelfish needing the company of its own kind, perhaps consider trying to find it a new home.
I suggest you try five or six neons and four or five cherry shrimp to get started. The cherry shrimp act as scavengers and algae eaters; they breed often, providing a treat of live food once in a while.
Once you are sure you have a stable tank and are enjoying the process of caring for it you can try adding something else.
I’m also a major fan of live plants. Even without high light, supplemental CO2 and ferts, you can find some crypts and possibly anubias that will be happy. In my office right now I’m looking at a 3 gallon that has no heater, and only a 4W bulb. Several Endler’s livebearers and cherry shrimp have been thriving and reproducing in it for well over a year, and the crypt balensae (sp?) are several years old.
+1 on this. As I understand it, anything less than 5-6 tetras will cause them to feel stressed, and I think aiming for 10-15 is probably best for their psychology.
The only reason I wouldn’t recommend tetras is my personal experience battling ich. I lost more tetras more times than I care to count and even the pet shop guys were perplexed that it kept coming back when they agreed that I was doing everything right.
Over time I’ve schooled several different tetras. Serpae tended to be hardiest - tho they can be fin nippers. Had several glowlights last quite long as well. But it seemed one school would last a long time - then crash. When I tried to replenish, they would not last as long. But then I’d try a different type, and have success. Until THEY crashed.
W/ aquarium fish, my motto has always been - buy what is cheap and common!
Neons are generally good (IMO) because they are common and cheap. You don’t want to have a school of head-and-tail lights or rummynoses, but when a couple die, not be able to replenish the school.
Concur with the others - more neons, to make a small school. Also as mentioned angels are kind of aggressive, so having buddies will help the neons survive where a couple will just get picked off at night.
One of those apple or mystery snails might be nice. They’re surprisingly fun to watch, esp. rasping their tongues on the glass. Pick a shell color the opposite of your gravel I.e. a dark brown or black snail if you have white gravel, for better visibility.
I’m not sure that a neon would fit in an angel’s mouth, but there is a large size discrepancy, and the angel will grow too large for a ten.
The only negative is that if they die, they will quickly pollute a ten gallon.
Petsmart and Petco both have bad reputations for the manner in which they care for fish, but they both have a “dollar a gallon” sale that you might check out.
My favorite setup was a 20 Long, heavily planted with Water Lettuce floating plants (think big Duckweed plants) they have long feathery roots, and are extremely efficient at absorbing fish waste, I had a single male Betta in the tank and he was in heaven…
It’s always better to understock the tank with fish than overstock, plus, bettas, given enough space (10 gallon minimum) are a very personable and interactive fish, far more than in those “death-cups” in the pet store or in horribly undersized “goldfish” bowls
You’re close to stocking limit now, add some hardy low light live plants, java moss and java fern are nearly impossible to kill, when the existing fish eventually die, try going with a betta, and perhaps three corydoras catfish or an apple snail, just keep the bioload light
10 gallons is small, so as everyone has mentioned (but I’m re-phrasing;)), you’ll want to look for fish that do not grow very large. Fancy guppies are fun for a tank that size. They will also breed, which is fun (or free food, depending on tank mates).
Several of the fish mentioned in thread will either grow too big for the tank (platys, plecostomases) or aren’t “community” fish. Thing number 2 to look for in your new fish is “will it eat the neighbors”. You’ve already got an Angel fish, which as many have noted is likely to be a problem for your other fish. Gouramis are generally not good community fish (with a few exceptions, but do your research). They can also grow quite large…
Avoid goldfish. A 10 gallon tank really can’t manage more than 1 long term. It will eventually get too big for the tank. They are also generally considered dirty fish - they produce more waste than other varieties, so it’s harder to take care of your tank.
Get some test strips and test water quality on a regular basis. Fewer fish are better for 1-2 MONTHS until your water quality has stabilized. Don’t add too many fish at once. A 10 gallon tank can fall out of balance quickly and is harder to keep stable than a larger tank. It’s a good starter size, not to worry, just don’t push things. Less is better.
For now, I would say actually don’t add anything with the possible exception of the shrimp and some live plants. It’s a new tank. Let it stabilize and get used to how the water readings are cycling. When things seem pretty even keeled, then I would think about adding a few more (small) fish.
Seriously consider re-homing the Angel. I think it will end badly.