# Good starter fish for 10G for responsible child



## Harry Muscle (Mar 21, 2007)

I'm gonna be helping a friend of mine this weekend to setup a 10G that he purchased. It's for his son, who's about 10 and is very responsible for his age. Apparently he'd prefer one or two large fish instead of a handfull of small ones. So I was curious to hear some suggestions. I'm hoping to recommend something with presonality so that it keeps his son entertained, instead of just looking pretty and he looses interest after a few days.

I was thinking of maybe Angelfish, but I'm not sure if a 10G would be big enough and I can't remember if they prefer company or if they are OK on their own (since I doubt a 10G would be big enough for two Angelfish). Any other good fish that would work? 

Thanks,
Harry


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Mollies are great - they will breed too, which the little guy will find interesting I'm sure. They can get decently large too.

I'd say a 10g is too small for angels though.

He could also likely keep a dwarf puffer too, which are kinda neat.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

I agree with chris puffers are really neat, and mollies are pritty sweet to start with also considering they have babies like once a month and the males have a large neat "Sail" that they showoff all the time.


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## FishyCracker (Feb 5, 2009)

A young angelfish or two is fine in a 10g for a while but when they start getting bigger it is way too small. I had a pair of Angels in a 10g, it was fine for a few months but as they grew it just wasn't enough room for them. My kids love their puffer tank.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

I would get him a couple of swords or mollys and a couple of bamboo shrimp they are very intresting to watch and big enough the fish wont pick on them. I have some with my mollys.


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## Ashley (Apr 5, 2009)

some platys, some corys, and some cherry shrimp are nice!


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## Shattered (Feb 13, 2008)

I agree with the suggestions above; Platys are always breeding...


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Ashley said:


> some platys, some corys, and some cherry shrimp are nice!


Normally, I'd be all over this with suggesting Corys but in a 10 gal with other fish all you could add is 1 or 2 and I just can't see doing that to them. They really like to be in schools of 5 or more.

The platys are a good idea and so are guppies. Or how about a school of 6 zebra danios? They look great darting around in a 10 gal (I speak from experience). They are also really cheap at Pet Smart.; something like $0.79 each.

The cherry shrimp is not such a good idea. They would end up being finger food for the platys, guppies, etc.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Cherry shrimp should be ok with platies and guppies.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Chris S said:


> Cherry shrimp should be ok with platies and guppies.


That's not what Katalyst told me; she warned me about guppies. Especially in a 10 gallon. So, words to the wise.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Shrug. Mine have been fine with rams, platies, cories, pleco's, and cardinals. I'm unsure why guppies would be worse than platies, or rams for that matter.

I even have a small colony living with a pair of apisto's.

For breeding purposes, I wouldn't put them with anything else. But then again, it isn't like it is difficult to create a colony of them =D I have hundreds in my community tank. I'm sure most of the little ones get eaten up, but enough survive to keep a huge colony going.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Chris S said:


> Shrug. Mine have been fine with rams, platies, cories, pleco's, and cardinals. I'm unsure why guppies would be worse than platies, or rams for that matter.
> 
> I even have a small colony living with a pair of apisto's.
> 
> For breeding purposes, I wouldn't put them with anything else. But then again, it isn't like it is difficult to create a colony of them =D I have hundreds in my community tank. I'm sure most of the little ones get eaten up, but enough survive to keep a huge colony going.


Point taken but I do know guppies are very inquisitive and love to snoop around the undergrowth, at least mine do. My platies will too but because they are bigger they don't get into all the nooks and crannies like the guppies.

I suspect, as you say, the larger cherry shrimp would be safe but certainly the small ones would be finger food.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Probably has a lot to do with how healthy some of my fish have been too. Live food...yum!


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## XbrandonX (Nov 22, 2007)

-Couple nice pieces of live rock & 1 Mantis Shrimp!

let the party begin


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## Forgotmynamesorry (Apr 11, 2009)

I'd have to say put some live rock, and if you're doing something freshwater, I wouldn't suggest Koi. They get to be very large.


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## Billy Fisher (Apr 16, 2009)

Sailfin Mollies are great - big and colourful, with a large Dorsal fin. I have kept them, and it's best to keep them with a few midwater dithering fish, that "mind their own business", and are not too insistant and greedy at feeding time, because they - especially the larger males - can be quite territorial. If you are keeping this lot though - make sure that the midwater ditherers can withstand a little salt, because Sailfin Mollies relish a little salt, as they are freshwater - brackish water fishes.


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## Shattered (Feb 13, 2008)

XbrandonX said:


> -Couple nice pieces of live rock & 1 Mantis Shrimp!
> 
> let the party begin


I second the motion.

A 10 year old no matter how responsible will probably lose interest after a while so freshwater might be a good route as it's easy and inexpensive to change the livestock.

Ie: going from Platy's -> mollies -> ghost shrimp etc...


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## Platypus (Jun 2, 2009)

*Mantis Shrimp*

Are you serious about the shrimp? I dont know much about them but aren't they pretty big? Where would you find them? They aren't in the BA. Also are they legal?


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## Platypus (Jun 2, 2009)

Platys are breed quickly but so do guppies. Platies are not the most beautiful swimmers. I say guppies since the males have very nice tails.


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