stocking 10 gallon

[ikantor]

First off I would like to introduce myself to you all. My name is Ian, and I live in phoenix, AZ. This will be my first aquarium, so please bear with me. Ill try my best to not ask questions that have already been answered.

With that said, I am in the process of setting up my tank. It is a 10 gallon with 2 5-15 power filters and heater. I originally wanted to set up a tank for a betta and maybe something else. well the other day a green spotted puffer caught my eye, and thats all I can think about now. The lady told me they were fresh water, but my research says they are brackish. I dont know what to do. I didnt want to do sw yet, but am really interested in puffers. If anyone could lend any advice whether I should go puffers, or stay with the betta and friends.

I looked all over this site and a puffer site, and havent found a answer yet. any advice would be great!

O ya...If you have any other unique fw fish ideas please throw them at me. I want some really unique fish.

thanks a ton,
Ian

[Cichlid-Man]

Welcome to MFT! Don't worry, the more questions the more to talk about!

Dwarf Puffers and Figure 8 puffers are full freshwater i believe. F8fan here on the forum is probably our resident puffer woman. haha I can't say because i've never kept them. Don't know they stocking limits, feeding, etc.

[Whiskers]

Hi Ian. Welcome to the tank. First of all ask any question you want whether or not it has been asked before and answered you need answers and if you can't find them, well thats what the good ppl here are for.
The one thing about puffers that have heard before, over and over again is that they are a species only tank and i'm not even sure you can have more than one in a tank as small as a 10 gal. And don't worry if some of my info is off a little someone here with more experence than me will correct me.
The first question most will ask is if you know how to do a fishless cycle of your tank to season it. If you do great but if not you should read missfishy's how to site. Just look for any post by missfishy and in her signature there is a link. The info is straight forward, easy to read and really benifical for you and your tank to be.
If you haven't yet purchesed a test kit that tests your ph, nitrite, nitrates and so on it would be a good thing to do that way if your having problems with your tank, with that info, ppl here can be a better help (one of the questions you will be asked). I hope someone who has smaller tanks replies with ideas for you. Most of my tanks are a lot larger with bigger fish than a 10 gal can handle but there are a lot of small fishes and shrimp that would work good in a 10 gal tank. Have you decided what type of subtrate you are gonna use ? Will your tank be planted or just decorated ? Just a couple more things to think about. Well anyway good luck to you Ian on what ever you decide for fish and I hope you have a good experence with your tank and hopefully a lot of responses. It really can be a joy.

[ikantor]

Thank you both for your replies. It is nice to finally find a forum where the members dont criticize you on every detail, and are actually nice. I will try to find some posts that F8fan has posted for info in puffers. I have been reading some posts on tank cycling. I think I have a basic knowledge, but will still probably refer to the site many more times once I am actually doing it. I am waiting until the end of July to start since I am moving. I dont want to have to move a tank. I am going to pick up a test kit tomorrow when I go to a local fish store to see their fish inventory. As far as substrate goes im not sure what I am going to use. I was originally going to use gravel, but I came across some small gravel that almost looks like sand, but a little larger. I know if I am going to do live plants I need a certain substrate, but I think I am going to just go fake at first. It is going to be a task in itself just to keep a healthy tank. I dont want to complicate things.

Once again thanks for the info, and I will keep you posted on any progress, or question.

[FishGeek]

There are other posts on here besides Miss Fishies. There is a sticky I do believe on how to cycle your tank, might be easier to find.

If youve never kept a tank before then I do advise making it easy on yourself. You will soon find yourself looking at getting a bigger tank, and trust me that will be sooner that you think With that said, yes Puffers are great! They have tons of personality and make for a neat pet. In a 10G tank I would only advise getting one Figure 8 Puffer but you could get a few Dwarf Puffers. Im not sure that you said which one it was that you were looking at.

This should help you get the idea of a brackish tank: Brackish Tanks: A Guide To

[greensp]

figue 8 puffers cant go in a 10 gal dwaf puffers can they only get about 1 inlon u could probubly put 3 in it a good site for dwarf puffers is Dwarf Puffers : Home
dwarf puffers r also called pea puffers

[greensp]

dwarfpuffers.com is the web site

[jo3olous]

i like the dwarf puffer idea for your tank. you're doing a good job by researching first. I'm not sure how much puffers cost but mae sure you do the fishless cycle first, I don't think they're hardy enough to be cycle-fish for a tank. BTW, j/w howcome only a 10G tank? From my experience and others we end up getting addicted and keep buying bigger and bigger, then end up with many tanks lol. MTS (multiple tank syndrome) they like to call it~

[mistercoffee]

I agree... honestly you might as well spend the extra 10 or so bucks for even a 20g... might as well go for a 55g at that rate though.

I already regret getting a 10g, a 20g would of been much better... biggest that could fit in my space right now.

For stocking a 10g though, I really recommend Swordtail fish. I think mine were supposed to get to 5in, so you could get 2. They really are nice fish in the sense that they get along with others.

[TAL]

A 10 gallon is a coffee mug.

A 20 gallon is a couple of coffee cans.

Go for at least a 38 or really go at least a 55.

The fun doesnt really start until at least a 30g.