View Full Version : 10 Gal aquarium at work
DarthV
03-20-2003, 9:01 AM
I just received the green light to have a small aquarium in my office...and I've found a 10gal with a used Aquaclear 150 + heater + fluorescent hood...with local delivery $40CAD. Now the fun part is to figure out what I should put in it for fish!
It is already planted and has a pleco... and should be already cycled.
I'd love to house a couple dwarf cichlids, but I think a 10gal would be too small. An old roomie had some danios and tiger barbs...which were nice active fish.
Any ideas?
Faramir
03-20-2003, 9:16 AM
I think a 10 would be an ideal home for a pair of dwarf cichlids, as long as there's plenty of cover.
pinballqueen
03-20-2003, 9:26 AM
be prepared to drop the pleco before too long. They are too big and too messy for a 10 gallon.
It would depend on which species of dwarf cichlid you pick as to their ability to thrive in 10 gallons. You might try asking in the cichlids forum also, so you get a well-informed and complete answer to your questions.
I would personally put a school of 3 or 4 cory cats in, but that's my taste...
tricksterpup
03-20-2003, 4:40 PM
If you can find them, I would try some Endler's livebearers. They would add color and breed like crazy. :) And people at the work place do get a kick out of watching the fry.
My work tanks.
I have a 6 gallon filled with guppy fry, this summer to be endlers or least killies,
1 gallon with 1 betta
2.5 with a paradise fish.
jim
DarthV
03-20-2003, 5:23 PM
I work as a systems analyst/admin... I'd rather show my coworkers something of my nasty side :D I don't think I'll go with cichlids...even though a pair of rams would look mighty nice. I'm going to check out some dwarf gouramis at the LFS on Saturday afternoon and see if anything else catches my eye. I'll probably also have to get some sort of cover for the aquarium since my office has a set of lights that are on all the time :(
Hebdizzle
03-20-2003, 5:48 PM
i like these gouramis the best :) I am so proud of them, I'm posting their pic everywhere :) male fire red dwarf
If you can try to get females
http://www.boomspeed.com/amheberer87/gourami.jpg
nvision
03-20-2003, 7:58 PM
how about a classic, small school of neons?
my 5g office tank. (http://www.jaudesign.com/aquaria/office_tank.jpg)
nvision--I like your office tank! What kind of plants to your have in there? More details please! I would love to do something like that. I am a teacher in an elementary school and I think my kids would love something like that in the classroom. :D
Slappy*McFish
03-20-2003, 8:44 PM
looks like anubias nana and a bamboo stalk...and I agree, nice little tank...the bamboo is a nice touch.
nvision
03-21-2003, 1:34 AM
yeah, basically a few nice bunches of anubias and a lucky bamboo. there's also a bit of scattered java moss for a more natural touch. i've had this tank in the office for about 3 years. that bamboo was bought when only 9" tall with its three shoots just beginning to come out. i got before pics also, but i'd need to dig'em up somewhere.
the tank is super easy maintenance. a rio50 pump with sponge add-on at the rear, and a regular water change every few days (with a cup, typically done along the way to the bathroom down the hall :D ). an open tank that size will promote a lot of water loss though, but i just refill it when water changing. no biggie.
DarthV
03-21-2003, 7:37 AM
Well I just received the aquarium this morning... he left a couple inches of water in the bottom to keep the catfish and plants wet...the filter was only off for 10-15mins... so I've filled it up with some dechlorinated water and turned on the heater and filter. There isn't a whole lot of plant cover, so I might add something to it next week.
I'll have to checkout planetcatfish to try to identify the catfish...and then decide on what to do with it if is going to be a problem.
I'm hoping that the LFS will have some bolivian rams for me to oggle this weekend. If not, I think I'll start off with a few danios or cardinal/neon tetras.
DarthV
03-21-2003, 10:47 AM
Well trying to find a rust colored catfish on planetcatfish.com was a pretty futile exercise... luckily I found a picture in a post on predatoryfish.net's forums. So it looks like this guy is a Chocolate albino pleco, 'Liposarcus pardalis'. The fish is almost 2 years old and only about 1.5" long, so I don't think it will outgrow the tank in the near future.
Once I get some fish added to the tank, I'll post some pics... I should also post some of my goldfish as well.
DarthV
03-25-2003, 1:28 PM
A friend and I went to the LFS and picked up 6 small tiger barbs each. I never could make up my mind on what to buy and they had a special on for the barbs... 5 smalls for $6CAD...and the woman working put 6 into our bags. They should work out well for the aquarium. One has its colors washed out, so I'm not sure it will make it...