finished cycle- help with decor.

[xzionx]

i have a 10g, i am planning to stock with corys, harlequins, and cherry shrimp.
i dont know what to use as my decor, so far i only have 2 rocks with holes in the middle. I want to get driftwood so it can lower the ph of the water, it's currently @ 8.0.
1. How many of corys, harlequins, and cherry shrimp could i get each? im thinking 4 corys, 6 harlequins, and for the cherry shrimp i really don't know.
2. i dont know whether i should get plants or not, and also not sure what kind of decor to buy. anyone has suggestions?

 

[OldMan1947]

The rasboras and cories both like to have lots of their own kind for company. In a 10, you won't be able to go that far but I would suggest that 3 of each would be a full load. Not sure about the shrimp because its something I've never had personally.
Plants are always nice to have whether real or silk. To keep real plants will require more light than you would likely have unless you have already started to upgrade the light. You could get away with java ferns if you have at least 15w of flourescent lighting. I used a 13w spiral screwed into a hood made for incandescent lights and it was barely enough.
Do not plant java ferns or anubias, just tie the roots down to one of your rocks. The little enlarged root at the base of the plant needs to be above the surface or the plant will die. This is a warning nobody gave me and I lost all but the one that I messed up and didn't get planted right. That one survived and thrived with lots of new younger plants being formed.

 

[xzionx]

thank you

 

[kimmisc]

Get plants, and not just a couple. Shrimp are much happier with plenty of plant cover, and they also like some taller plants so they can perch on them near the water surface for grabbing food and depositing their babies. It's important for them. When I removed the plants from my 10g with ghost shrimp and a betta, my ghost shrimp stressed out and died.