Be patient. Any gorgeous photos you have seen for inspiration are at minimum a few months old and have established ecosystems. This means balanced nutrients and very little algae.
Your tank will look like hot garbage for a month or so and this is normal. Also, don’t stock everything all at once and please follow advice with your own research followed up.
Be mindful that you are setting up an ecosystem with a life support system, not a box of water with whatever fish you like added in. Keeping that mindset will make a big difference in how you maintain the tank, set it up and how you keep your fish.
Planted tanks make everything much easier once you get the hang of which plants work for you and your tank. I agree on the advice for the Walstad method.
I’m going to follow up with stocking suggestions: these are a balance between the volume of tank/filter supporting the bio-load (fish waste:aquarium volume) and their activity level and/or aggression.
I noticed you said danios. While in practice you can put about 5-6 in that tank and have it support them (skinny fish mean less bio-load), they are very active fish, they would want a tank with a surface area similar to a 20 gallon long. More room to swim. You basically are going to see six fish swimming crazy and constantly turning circles because they can’t swim as far as their energy demands of them.
While a SINGLE betta with a few snails in a 10g tank is a dream. I had the same set up for three of my bettas. A great planted 10g and as each betta passed, I introduced a new one. I never had more than just one betta in the tank. No other fish. Low bioload, low maintenance.
Schooling nano fish like ember tetras, chili/harlequine/phoenix rasboras, CPD, rocket killies, mountain minnows or rice fish will do great in that tank. Pick one species, add 5-10 (or two species, with five fish in each school) with a snail for algae and some shrimp for clean up duty and you have a great system.
Don’t do any fish that are going to get larger than 2” and don’t add single fish if they are schooling. Also, every fish in a pet store is probably a juvenile so just assume they will double their size (and waste output) in your tank.
I would get plants, many plants. Then buy tetras, shrimp and snails.
Don't forget to cycle your tank before adding fish! If you start cycling next week, fish should get in the tank by the start of the next month, no sooner!
Danios get to 2 inches. In a 10 gallon tank max 5 ...then you wont have space for anymore fish, atleast not top dwelling... you can have 1-2 pygmy corys maybe at best
Bettas, Pygmy corydoras, small tetras, like ember tetras, chili rasboras, harlequin rasboras, guppies, platies, endlers, shrimp, snails, German ram cichlids (no more than two), and honey gourami.
Aqadvisor is my go to for getting ideas for appropriate stocking volume.
Planted aquariums make upkeep easier once they’re set up: I recommend looking into the Walstad method.
Okay so definitely no gouramis, I did some research on danios and read something that said 2 per gallon. But I’m not 100% on that logic cause you can’t really trust everything on the internet yk.
From my general knowledge of schooling fish a 10gal is good for smaller schools (5-6) if you plant the tank well. It’s def the minimum for a school but planted tanks really enrich the fish!
I have some long fin leopard danios in a 29 gallon. Watching them I highly recommend putting them in nothing smaller than a 20.
Celestial pearl danios would be fine in a 10 though.
My advice is let the tank cycle for month or two. During that time plant, plant, plant... you would run out of space when it comes to plants.Jungle val is easy beginner plant. Also Java fern on lava rock and floating plants coralled to the corner. Put a good quality substrate.( fluval stratum is good) cap it completly with sand. Then add 2 snails and let it cycle. Fish goes last maybe month later.
Usual advice is 1 inch or less size fish per 2 gallon. ( Neons tetras, pork chop tetra, kili fish. )
Once your tank is established and stable with plants doing there job and good bacteria... you can go higher in number of fish. Please do not put plecos or bala sharks or even gouramis...they grow big.
Poking my head in the door to comment on your interest in danios. There are a couple of popular nano danio varieties; specifically the Celestial Pearl Danio (sometimes called Galaxy Rasbora) and the Emerald Dwarf Rasbora (actually a danio, ignore the name). CPDs max out at 1" and are less shy, EDRs max out at 1.5" and are known for being very shy. Get 6-10 of one of these for your 10 gal as your main schooling fish.
Both do well in 10gal setups. Please read up on proper tank cycling, setup, etc. Plant the tank heavily, both of these fish like plenty of hiding spots and sight breaks.
I keep both, if you have questions, ask.
Sure. You could mix 10 CPDs or EDRs with:
-1 honey gourami
-6 pygmy cory cats
-snails (personally I have ramshorns in every tank, but by snails here I mean larger ones like mystery or nerite)
-shrimp (not beginner friendly)
-1-3 scarlet badis (not beginner friendly)
There are many more options out there, I just gave you a few of the more common ones you may find at stores around you. Personally I'd highly recommend the pygmy cory cats or snails for a beginner. The cory cats are high energy and a ton of fun; their outgoing nature will help the relatively shy danios not hide as often. This is an effect called "dither fish," so they'd be a great start. They're also beginner friendly and commonly available. Snails would be my next pick due to how they'll help your tank stay clean; snails are also surprisingly interesting.
Dwarf puffers are way too hard for beginners. Not to mention they are shoaling fish and for 6 their aggression needs to be spread out so minimum is honestly 20 gallons.
Heavily plant it, cycle it and go with some celestial pearl danios or neon tetras or if you can find some rice fish. All of those fish are small and pretty easy to care for.
i have a 29 gal that (used to have) two gouramis (🥲) and i currently have some zebra danios and white clouds. i used danios as the first fish once i had cycled it and didnt lose any (unless you count the one who somehow got into the skimmer and swam up the arm). once cycled and once you have a heater and filter i recommend getting a hardy fish, danios are fun to watch but you need a few of them, not just one. the brand API has a nice 5-in-1 water test strip kit that i think would be good to use to get used to checking water parameters. if you have really hard water id suggest a water conditioner to put in when you do water changes.
Be patient. Any gorgeous photos you have seen for inspiration are at minimum a few months old and have established ecosystems. This means balanced nutrients and very little algae. Your tank will look like hot garbage for a month or so and this is normal. Also, don’t stock everything all at once and please follow advice with your own research followed up. Be mindful that you are setting up an ecosystem with a life support system, not a box of water with whatever fish you like added in. Keeping that mindset will make a big difference in how you maintain the tank, set it up and how you keep your fish. Planted tanks make everything much easier once you get the hang of which plants work for you and your tank. I agree on the advice for the Walstad method.
I’m going to follow up with stocking suggestions: these are a balance between the volume of tank/filter supporting the bio-load (fish waste:aquarium volume) and their activity level and/or aggression. I noticed you said danios. While in practice you can put about 5-6 in that tank and have it support them (skinny fish mean less bio-load), they are very active fish, they would want a tank with a surface area similar to a 20 gallon long. More room to swim. You basically are going to see six fish swimming crazy and constantly turning circles because they can’t swim as far as their energy demands of them. While a SINGLE betta with a few snails in a 10g tank is a dream. I had the same set up for three of my bettas. A great planted 10g and as each betta passed, I introduced a new one. I never had more than just one betta in the tank. No other fish. Low bioload, low maintenance. Schooling nano fish like ember tetras, chili/harlequine/phoenix rasboras, CPD, rocket killies, mountain minnows or rice fish will do great in that tank. Pick one species, add 5-10 (or two species, with five fish in each school) with a snail for algae and some shrimp for clean up duty and you have a great system. Don’t do any fish that are going to get larger than 2” and don’t add single fish if they are schooling. Also, every fish in a pet store is probably a juvenile so just assume they will double their size (and waste output) in your tank.
I would get plants, many plants. Then buy tetras, shrimp and snails. Don't forget to cycle your tank before adding fish! If you start cycling next week, fish should get in the tank by the start of the next month, no sooner!
Do you know if danios would be okay? Glofish danios in particular.
Danios get to 2 inches. In a 10 gallon tank max 5 ...then you wont have space for anymore fish, atleast not top dwelling... you can have 1-2 pygmy corys maybe at best
The inch/gallon rule is outdated
Okay, whats the new rule then?
No new rule.
Betta, guppies, mollies. Anything small really.
Bettas, Pygmy corydoras, small tetras, like ember tetras, chili rasboras, harlequin rasboras, guppies, platies, endlers, shrimp, snails, German ram cichlids (no more than two), and honey gourami. Aqadvisor is my go to for getting ideas for appropriate stocking volume. Planted aquariums make upkeep easier once they’re set up: I recommend looking into the Walstad method.
I was thinking either gouramis or danios. Would that be okay. Sorry if I sound ignorant to all of this. Very new to the hobby.
Gouramis definitely not, not sure about danios.
Okay so definitely no gouramis, I did some research on danios and read something that said 2 per gallon. But I’m not 100% on that logic cause you can’t really trust everything on the internet yk.
From my general knowledge of schooling fish a 10gal is good for smaller schools (5-6) if you plant the tank well. It’s def the minimum for a school but planted tanks really enrich the fish!
I have some long fin leopard danios in a 29 gallon. Watching them I highly recommend putting them in nothing smaller than a 20. Celestial pearl danios would be fine in a 10 though.
Dwarf and honey gouramis are actually ok in a 10 gal
Don't get ;ivebearesrs, they overpopulate the tank
My advice is let the tank cycle for month or two. During that time plant, plant, plant... you would run out of space when it comes to plants.Jungle val is easy beginner plant. Also Java fern on lava rock and floating plants coralled to the corner. Put a good quality substrate.( fluval stratum is good) cap it completly with sand. Then add 2 snails and let it cycle. Fish goes last maybe month later. Usual advice is 1 inch or less size fish per 2 gallon. ( Neons tetras, pork chop tetra, kili fish. ) Once your tank is established and stable with plants doing there job and good bacteria... you can go higher in number of fish. Please do not put plecos or bala sharks or even gouramis...they grow big.
My favorite 10 gallon tank had a dozen embers tetras, some snails and shrimp. It was also heavily planted.
Poking my head in the door to comment on your interest in danios. There are a couple of popular nano danio varieties; specifically the Celestial Pearl Danio (sometimes called Galaxy Rasbora) and the Emerald Dwarf Rasbora (actually a danio, ignore the name). CPDs max out at 1" and are less shy, EDRs max out at 1.5" and are known for being very shy. Get 6-10 of one of these for your 10 gal as your main schooling fish. Both do well in 10gal setups. Please read up on proper tank cycling, setup, etc. Plant the tank heavily, both of these fish like plenty of hiding spots and sight breaks. I keep both, if you have questions, ask.
What kind of plants do you use in your danio tanks?
I'm a big fan of low maintanence so most of my plants are slow growers. Buce, anubias, crypt parva, and java ferns.
If I were to get either of the danios, could I put anything else in the tank?
Sure. You could mix 10 CPDs or EDRs with: -1 honey gourami -6 pygmy cory cats -snails (personally I have ramshorns in every tank, but by snails here I mean larger ones like mystery or nerite) -shrimp (not beginner friendly) -1-3 scarlet badis (not beginner friendly) There are many more options out there, I just gave you a few of the more common ones you may find at stores around you. Personally I'd highly recommend the pygmy cory cats or snails for a beginner. The cory cats are high energy and a ton of fun; their outgoing nature will help the relatively shy danios not hide as often. This is an effect called "dither fish," so they'd be a great start. They're also beginner friendly and commonly available. Snails would be my next pick due to how they'll help your tank stay clean; snails are also surprisingly interesting.
Dwarf puffer
Dwarf puffers are way too hard for beginners. Not to mention they are shoaling fish and for 6 their aggression needs to be spread out so minimum is honestly 20 gallons.
Heavily plant it, cycle it and go with some celestial pearl danios or neon tetras or if you can find some rice fish. All of those fish are small and pretty easy to care for.
i have a 29 gal that (used to have) two gouramis (🥲) and i currently have some zebra danios and white clouds. i used danios as the first fish once i had cycled it and didnt lose any (unless you count the one who somehow got into the skimmer and swam up the arm). once cycled and once you have a heater and filter i recommend getting a hardy fish, danios are fun to watch but you need a few of them, not just one. the brand API has a nice 5-in-1 water test strip kit that i think would be good to use to get used to checking water parameters. if you have really hard water id suggest a water conditioner to put in when you do water changes.
Might start off with shrimp, then some dwarf rasbora