10 Best Fish for a 10-Gallon Tank Setup (and 5 Worst)
10 Best Fish for a 10-Gallon Tank
A 10-gallon fish tank presents a wide array of possibilities for stocking pretty, vibrant fish. If you choose wisely, your aquarium will become a healthy ecosystem and your fish will live long and happy lives.
Unfortunately, with a tank this small, there is also the possibility of making some serious mistakes. If you don't completely understand the needs and temperaments of your fish you could end up with some aquarium inhabitants who have no business in your 10-gallon tank. This will lead to premature death for your fish, and heartache for you.
Don't rely on the staff at your local pet store to help you make the right choices here. Some are very knowledgeable, but others have no idea what they are talking about. Worse still, sometimes the little cards on the front of the display tanks that are supposed to give you information about a fish can be flat-out wrong.
So how are you supposed to know which fish to choose for your 10-gallon tank? You do your own research. Reading this article is a good start. Here you will find some information on good fish to stock, and others you ought to avoid.
But don't stop there. Learn as much as you can about your fish and aquarium care. It takes a little work, but it will make the hobby much more fun in the long run.
Also, keep in mind that just because some fish are appropriate for a 10-gallon aquarium doesn't necessarily mean they are easy to care for. If you are a newbie to fish keeping, you may want to check out this article on the Best Tropical Fish for Beginners.
Best Fish for Your 10-Gallon Tank
The following fish are good choices for your 10-gallon aquarium. Remember, when deciding how many to stock be sure to consider the other fish you plan to have in the tank.
Top 10 Fish for a 10-Gallon Tank
- Cory Catfish
- Neon Tetra
- Dwarf Gourami
- Fancy Guppy
- Betta Fish
- Zebra Danio
- Otoconclus
- Platy
- Swordtail
- Ghost Shrimp
Under ideal conditions, most of these fish ought to live peacefully with each other, but remember that no situation is typical. If you overstock your tank, or if it simply turns out two fish aren't getting along, you may need a backup plan.
Also, hopefully, it's clear that I'm not suggesting all of these fish should be in your tank together at the same time. Learn about the fish and decide how to mix and match your stock.
Read on to learn more about my 10 best recommendations, as well as five fish you ought to avoid. As always, make sure you thoroughly research the needs of a fish before purchasing.
Cory catfish are bottom-feeders who would be at home in a 10-gallon tank.
1. Corydoras (Cory Catfish)
Cories are spunky little bottom-feeding catfish that only grow to about 2-3 inches in length. They're peaceful, fun to watch, and best of all they serve as the "clean-up crew" for your tank.
Cories subsist on food that falls to the bottom of the tank. You may wish to provide them with sinking pellets to make sure they are getting the nutrients they need, but generally, they will scavenge anything edible that falls into their domain.
They are schooling fish, so they're happiest when there are at least six of them together.
Recommended
Neon tetras are a fun choice for a 10-gallon tank.
2. Neon Tetra
Neons are small, vibrant fish, and a school of them really make a tank pop. Like cories they prefer to be with more of their kind, so plan for a small school. However, if you intend to have a neon-only tank you can go up to 10 or so in a 10-gallon aquarium.
Make sure your water conditions are pristine and don't overcrowd them. Even though they are docile toward other fish species, they can get nippy at each other when stressed, and this leads to death in their ranks.
A pair of Dwarf Gouramis would look great in a 10-gallon tank!
3. Dwarf Gourami
These mini-gouramis have been bred to exhibit some beautiful colors, and you can find some amazing blues, reds, and oranges if you choose wisely. A pair of these in a planted 10-gallon tank would make for an amazing setup.
However, be aware that these guys are considered a semi-aggressive fish species, and there can be trouble if one decides to pick on the other. Be sure to include hiding spots and plenty of decorations in your tank in case one becomes dominant.
Fancy Guppies are colorful, active fish that can really liven up your tank.
4. Fancy Guppy
A guppy tank is lively, colorful, and a lot of fun to watch, and like neons, you can have a bunch of them in 10-gallons. Fancy guppies come in many different colors and you can really get creative when choosing your stock. They are active swimmers in the top third of the water column, so they don't require much in the way of hiding spots and decorations, especially if they are in a species-only tank.
Be careful when choosing tank mates for guppies. They can become lunch for bigger fish!
When cared for properly and paired with the right tank mates, betta fish are a joy.
5. Betta Fish
Contrary to their reputation as the kung-fu wrecking machines of the aquarium world, bettas can live in a community tank with other fish in certain situations. The key is understanding betta behavior, keeping a close eye on things, and having a backup plan if things don't go well.
That said, I do not think a 10-gallon tank is the right environment for keeping betta with other fish. But they may do well with certain critters such as Apple Snails or Ghost Shrimp.
A single betta in a planted 10-gallon is a great setup, for him and you. Of course, it should go without saying that you should never, ever, put two male betta fish in the same tank together.
If you want to learn more about keeping betta with other fish and critters, check out this post on betta in a community tank.
Zebra danios are hardy little fish.
6. Zebra Danio
Zebras are active fish and very hardy, which makes them a good choice for beginners. You can keep a small school in a 10-gallon tank along with a few other fish. Or, like neons, you can choose a “zebra only” tank and go with ten of these energetic little guys.