designing a 10-gallon long tank: stocking and aquascaping ideas

[IslingtonBoy]

Hey everyone, I'm planning to set up my empty 10-gallon tank, but I'm not in a hurry. I'd love to hear some ideas on stocking and aquascaping. Here are my thoughts so far:

For stocking, I'm considering:

1. A betta with some Asian Stone Catfish for company.

2. A mix of African Dwarf Frogs and Killifish.

3. A pair of Pea Puffers - I think they're really cool.

4. A shrimp-only tank - I've never had one before.

5. A Rasbora and shrimp combo - I like the idea of a community tank.

As for aquascaping, I'm thinking of:

Asian-inspired setups:

1. Using Dragon Stone, sand, and soil, with some short grass-like plants like Dwarf hair grass.

2. A bonsai tree with seriyu stone and moss - it sounds really neat.

For a South American, Australian, or African theme:

1. Driftwood with Smooth Cobbles, soil, and sand - I like the natural look.

2. Driftwood with plants like Anubias, floating plants, soil, and sand - it's a classic.

Any suggestions on stocking or design would be great. I'd also appreciate recommendations for stands, lights, lids, and soil. Thanks in advance for your help!

[Clack]

I was looking into pea puffers a while back, and from what I recall, they seem to do better in larger groups - but I'm no expert, so take that for what it's worth.

I've got some experience with ADF's, though, and I think they're fantastic. You could easily keep a nice little group of them in a 10-gallon tank. However, I'm not sure about mixing them with killifish - I've never seen it done before, so I did some quick research. Most people seem to think the frogs would see the killifish as a snack. My own frogs coexist peacefully with cories, but I know that's not always the case. I always keep a backup tank on hand, just in case compatibility issues arise. You might consider a frog-only tank, to be on the safe side - they'd love your driftwood setup, and the more floating plants, the better. They really seem to enjoy relaxing on those.

As for the soil, I wouldn't bother with it - it can leach into the water and then need replacing after a few months, once the nutrients are depleted. A sand substrate with root tabs should work just fine, and you can always add some liquid fertiliser during your water changes.

[jaguar]

To better assist with your stocking, it'd be helpful to know your water parameters. Your aquascaping ideas, though, sound really promising.

[graye]

I'm having a bit of trouble finding a 'long' 10-gallon tank in stores around here - what are the dimensions on those, by the way?

[IslingtonBoy]

My water parameters are pretty neutral - hardness is at 8, with zero nitrates, ammonia, and nitrites.

When I refer to a "long" tank, I'm talking about a standard rectangular one - not a bowfront or cube.

The dimensions of my 10-gallon are 20 inches in length, 10 inches in width, and 12 inches in height.

[Beastie]

Here's the thing, I've been reading a lot about these fish lately.

Bettas are generally a no-go for community tanks. I mean, sure, you'll find some stories of peaceful bettas, but there are way more accounts of them terrorizing other fish. And stone catfish are just too shy and finicky for that. What I think would work is an Asian catfish in a high-leaf-litter tank with some chilli rasboras. But that's a 40-liter tank at the very least.

African Dwarf Frogs shouldn't be kept with fish, period. They're almost blind, super slow, and will eat sleeping fish. Plus, the fish will just harass them all the time.

Pea Puffers need a large school in a big tank. It's just how they are.

Shrimp-only tanks can be a bit dull, if you ask me.

But a Rasbora and shrimp tank? That's a great choice. Chilli rasboras and other micro rasboras (except kubotai, which isn't actually a rasbora) are perfect for small tanks. They love low lighting, floating plants, and are just really inquisitive fish.

I've got a 54-liter tank with pseudomugil luminatus and some rabbit snails (not ideal tankmates, I know), and it's working out great. I also have a 40-liter tank with clown killifish, and they're just so much fun to watch.

I actually made a 10-gallon stocking list a while back, and I posted some pictures of my clown killifish in my journal recently. Maybe that'll give you some inspiration.

[IslingtonBoy]

Hey y'all, I've been thinking some more about my tank and I wanted to see if these options might be better:

1. A single betta - I know some people keep them with others, but I'm thinking of just going solo.

2. African Dwarf Frogs - I've heard they're really cool and I like the idea of a frog-only tank.

3. Clown Killifish - I've been reading about these guys and they seem like a lot of fun.

4. Shrimp and Snail tank - I think this could be a really interesting and low-maintenance option.

5. Rasbora Tank - I've been looking at different types of rasboras and I think they could be a great choice for a small tank.