10 Gallon Advice

[Joshy]

Edited 8th October 10.00pm after considering TheMightyQueenPixie’s reply, I will be buying a heater:​

I feel like a bit a naive asking such a common question, but cut me some slack, I am fairly new to this.

I intend on purchasing a 10 gallon tank, for fresh water fish. I have been thoroughly reading through all the basics for 2 weeks now, and think I am ready.
But what I am stuck on is what fish to actually house, I have looked up what fish I could accommodate, but really I can not make up my mind. It gets confusing as to what species goes with who, without going into expert or scientific facts that throws me off.

The room the tank will be in is fairly dim and out of sunlight, and has a sink and a power supply both less than a meter away. So no worries there

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could keep that will not burn to much of a hole in my wallet?
I like bottom Feeders (not necessarily algae eaters), while a small school of fish takes to my liking also. And considering the room is fairly warm and dim most of the time. Maybe if anyone has a suggestion for a bottom feeder and small school of fish that get along and share the same habitat?

Thanks,
Joshy ​

 

[Satin and Tat]

White Clouds are nice coldwater schooling fish.

Depending on the temperature of your tank, some of the smaller corydoras might work. They tend to like slightly warmer temperatures than the white clouds, but if your tank stays above 68 or so they might work out, although I've never kept them in a tank under 75.

One thing with an unheated small tank is keeping the temperature from fluctuating too much, so just make sure to keep an eye on it...

 

[FreddytheFish]

you might want to post this in the coldwater forum, you'll probably get more hits there

 

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

Why limit yourself because of a heater? A decent fully submersible is less then 15 bucks http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=32355&category_id=1733&pcid1=3231
You could have a very flashy school of endlers or guppys, maybe an apple snail or a couple of corries...Small tanks can be fabulous...It is all in the way that you approach them. I dont think 15 bucks will break you and it will open endless possiblities....

 

[Joshy]

I have taken the TheMightyQueenPixie’s advice.
They are probably £20 in shops in the UK (hopefully)
I have edited the topic now, so the fish do not have to be coldwater.

Do not know what i was thinking when i said i probably would not invest in a heater

So what kind of corries and guppys get along etc?

 

[Emg]

Here's a 15gallon black and white themed tank I set up...just for some ideas for you. This tank has all fake plants and driftwood decorations with reef sand for substrate...(safe for freshwater tanks)...This tank houses 2 panda cories and a group of halfblack pastel guppies...very nice color match for my tank....it's one of my favorite and I can stare at it all day if I had the time..lol..

Guppies are a nice fish as they are always out and about without being too zippy...like danios...(I'll never get those again..lol)...

For bottom feeders you could go with cories. They are a very pleasant, cute little fish. But go with the smaller breeds, like the pandas. You will need to have more than one..some say at least 3, but I tried that with mine and one of them kept disappearing.....they seem satisfied as a pair so I keep them that way.

Gouramis are colorful and fun to watch as well. You could get a trio of the smaller dwarf species I would think...or maybe just 1 or 2 if you have a group of cories too. But then you said you'd like a schooling fish. I'm not sure what type of those you could put in a 10 where you would have enough of them to form a decent school...perhaps the smaller endlers, which are a small guppy type fish. They're pretty colorful.

I guess those are some of my ideas for you to toss around. Enjoy the process and show us some pics if you can !

 

[Joshy]

That is a fantastic set up, and exactly what I had in find. As I said it will be in a fairly dim room out of sunlight, so the black and white theme do wonders there.

I was hoping to use one of these 3 accommodating options:

Option 1
X3 Salt and Pepper Catfish
X5 Black Tetra, Neon Tetra.

Option 2
X2 Skunk Cory
X5 Black Tetra, Neon Tetra

Option 3
X3 Panda Catfish, Panda Cory
X5 Black Tetra, Neon Tetra


Does anyone disagree with any of them options? I calculated that each option would fit in the 10 gall I propose to buy.

And that brings me to my next question, cost. I have put a fair amount of money away, but still do not have even a rough overall price. My shopping list includes:
-10 gallon tank + hood.
-A filter (no idea which)
-A heater
-Fine rounded gravel/sand
-6 or 7 fake plants
-1 or 2 pieces of bog wood
I do intend on ringing the nearest aquarium store (which I have been recommended), but they are not open for the next week. Does any UK residence have a rough idea of my final bill, after the fish?

Thanks,
Joshy