Haven't Had A Fish Since I Was A Kid, Need Some Help

[masterown35]

So I haven't had a fish in almost 10 years, but have recently been interested in getting some lately. I've narrowed myself down to a 10 gallon tank because of space requirements(though I am open to any suggestions of something that is slightly bigger if anyone has any), and I'm having trouble figuring out what kind of fish to get. Part of me likes the idea of some neon tetras, but I know those require schools, and having 5 or 6 tetras in a 10 gallon tank would leave me no room at all to add anything in the future.

So I guess my overall question for this, is what kinds of fish can I get that would give me a nice variety of different looking fish while still being able to live comfortably together? As I mentioned too, I'm open on suggestions for something slightly bigger, maybe like a 15 gallon tank that would give me a little extra space(while hopefully not being too expensive as well). I thank you in advance, and I'm really looking forward to starting this "journey" if you could call it that lol.

 

[the loach]

Get the 15 or 20 gallon tank by all means.... the larger the water volume, the easier it is to keep water conditions stable. And if you take the 10 gal after some time you will regret not getting a 15. If money is the issue just look on Craigslist or somewhere local... the hobby isn't popular anymore. You can get used setups for cheap.
Ask about anything on this forum... there are many knowledgeable folks here ready to help you.
Having an aquarium isn't difficult or expensive at all if you start out right.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I would start with a 20g long tank. It's a 30"x12" footprint. Gives a lot more options than a 10g.

 

[masterown35]

I would start with a 20g long tank. It's a 30"x12" footprint. Gives a lot more options than a 10g.

The issue with that though like I said, is I don't have a ton of space in my room. A 15 is about the highest I could probably go. My bedroom isn't particularly the biggest so I'm pretty limited on what I can do

 

[masterown35]

Get the 15 or 20 gallon tank by all means.... the larger the water volume, the easier it is to keep water conditions stable. And if you take the 10 gal after some time you will regret not getting a 15. If money is the issue just look on Craigslist or somewhere local... the hobby isn't popular anymore. You can get used setups for cheap.
Ask about anything on this forum... there are many knowledgeable folks here ready to help you.
Having an aquarium isn't difficult or expensive at all if you start out right.

Would you be able to recommend any good 15 gallon tanks(preferably with a filter included) online? That's about the highest I could go without running into issues on space. Money isn't a huge issue as long as it's not crazy over-the-top expensive

 

[Tifftastic]

If a 15 gallon is the limit, then go for it. But I wouldn't get a kit one as the filters that come with them are often not the best quality. I would buy the filter and heater separate.

What kind of dimensions are you looking at getting?

 

[Zander2264]

So I haven't had a fish in almost 10 years, but have recently been interested in getting some lately. I've narrowed myself down to a 10 gallon tank because of space requirements(though I am open to any suggestions of something that is slightly bigger if anyone has any), and I'm having trouble figuring out what kind of fish to get. Part of me likes the idea of some neon tetras, but I know those require schools, and having 5 or 6 tetras in a 10 gallon tank would leave me no room at all to add anything in the future.

So I guess my overall question for this, is what kinds of fish can I get that would give me a nice variety of different looking fish while still being able to live comfortably together? As I mentioned too, I'm open on suggestions for something slightly bigger, maybe like a 15 gallon tank that would give me a little extra space(while hopefully not being too expensive as well). I thank you in advance, and I'm really looking forward to starting this "journey" if you could call it that lol.

There are many Different ways to set up a tank. I’ve found that it is less about the size of the tank and more about the filtration. Fish that stay small will always fit into a smaller aquarium. But no fish likes dirty water. A lot of fish can work together as well. Getting a combination of fish can feed off of each other’s scraps. For example in my tank, I have two angel fish as the main event per say then five panda Corydoras that scavenge spare food off the floor and a plecco that eats algae off of the walls and decor.
For outfitting a 10 gallon tank there are many different types of tetras that will school together. Another option is killifish they are small and bright fish that live well with each other. There are species of pleccos that won’t grow to be more than 3 or 4 inches that would also work in the tank.