10 Gallon Tank
Sunday August 24, 2003
Starting up a new 10 gallon tank requires some skill. How many fish can safely be added to a new small aquarium?
Shirlie's Freshwater Aquariums Blog
By Shirlie Sharpe, About.com Guide to Freshwater Aquariums since 1998
Starting up a new 10 gallon tank requires some skill. How many fish can safely be added to a new small aquarium?Discuss
Readers Respond
What have you done to rid yourself of snails? Read Responses (4) | Add Your ResponseRecent Blog Posts
Explore Freshwater Aquariums
Must Reads
About.com Special Features
Home Allergy Center
Banish mess, reduce allergens, and maintain a clean, healthy home. More >
Home Improvements Made Easy
Inspirational ideas and expert tips to help you pull off your next DIY project. More >
©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.
All rights reserved.
Comments
I heard that about one inch long fish per gallon is pretty good. Goldfish require a bit more space, though. Fish love their space!
Never have 1 inch per gallon. Would you put a 10 inch parrot cichlid in a 10 gallon tank? If you want to be fair then NO! 1 inch to every 4 gallons is a more realisic estimate. We can’t stop you from overcrowding your aquarium though. just try to think of yourself as the fish.
An inch of fish per gallon is an okay guideline for freshwater fish, especially if you have a good filter with a bio wheel. However, there are more humane ways to cycle your tank. If you use a live fish to cycle the tank, it will be exposed to high levels of ammonia and nitrite, which is toxic to fish. Google “fishless cycling.” It’s easy, and you won’t have to harm the fish!
i have a koi fish, and 3 goldfish, all of which are just little guys my koi is probably 2” and my goldfish are all under 1”… i have them all in a fish b0owl, like the round one. im not totally sure if that is okay.
However, i do have a 10 gallon tank that i am going to use for some other fish, maybe tropical, like angels or somthing. im not sure. i dont really know much about fish and their living requierments, so if this gave anyone a red flag, or if you guys have any suggestions, pleasee comment back!!!
i think its 1 inch per gallon, but if you want your fish to have a little space then i would do 1 inches per 3 gallons
ummm well i’ve never had more than one fish i once put 3in a 10 gallon and they died. so dont over crowd it so i would say what 2-3 fish
i got a 10 gal. had 16 in there (1 died today) so 15 now. not too crowded. wide range. id cap it at 20 TOPS//
You guys are spouting some pretty ignorant information concerning fish and tank setups.. Angelfish in a 10gal tank? Uh, sorry.. Not even one Angel should be in a 10gal tank. You people realize that fish don’t stop growing in order to accomdate their living conditions.. They are externally stunted, yet their internal organs continue to grow until they die a painful death.. READ.
I am thinking about getting a 10 gallon tank and some swordtails or some guppies or mollies how many swordtails,gupies, or mollies can fit in the 10 gallon tank. i need to know this soon so i can get it and have fun with my fish
a 10 gallon tank is really only good as a breeding, hospital, or quarintine tank. And 1 inch per fish is not realistic at all, it’s just plain cruel the fish can’t even swim in that space.
Coming from a pet care specialist, the rule is one inch of adult size fish per gallon. So, if a fish adult size is 2″, then that’s 2 gallons needed. Angelfish need a minimum of 20 gallons. The best freshwater fish for a 10 gallon aquarium are tropical fish that grow no more than 3″. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a ten gallon tank. The main disadvantage is that you’re very limited in space, so choose wisely and ask for assistance at your local pet store!
Also, it’s best to start out with a small tank. Think of it as a practice tank, and once you get the hang of it you can go for an upgrade. Ten gallons are perfect for rooms with minimum surface area. Although the known rule I’ve been taught was “one inch of fish per gallon”, you have to remember that gravel, artificial plants and ornaments are taking up surface are as well! Cycling and tank maintenance is very important for beneficial bacteria to thrive. I recommend starting with a basic school of fish such as barbs and tetras that grow no more than an inch and probably no more than 5. Be careful not to overpopulate which can lead to various fungus and bacteria; not to mention destroying your tank’s delicate ecosystem!
The rule of 1″ per gallon means this:
10 1″ fish would work bioload-wise in a 10 gallon tank. A 5″ fish does not equal 5 1″ fish though. This is because weight is more important than length. A 5″ fish would be closer to 30″ of fish when you look at what kind of bioload the fish has. Under no circumstance should any fish be kept in a bowl. Fish really need a filter. Even bettas. They can breathe air but very rarely does anyone ever have enough time to change the water regularly enough to really make sure that the water quality is good enough.
i keep 10 zebra dainos, 7 neon tetras,3 ottiniculs,1 beta in a 10 gal so i gues it would be ok if they ar small fish but dont keep a angle fish unless in in a 50 gal
I currently have 2 Zebra Danio, 6 Scissor Tails, 2 Guppies and a scavenger catfish in my 10 gallon. They’re pretty small fish, so it’s fine. Never keep Angelfish in an aquarium smaller than 50 gallons, they get big and they need their space.
Cam you are absolutely right one five inch fish does not equal 5 one inch fish, the bio-load is much more. I must say a ten gallon tank is just fine, so long as the filters (both mechanical and biological) can keep up with the tank population rule of thumb- Filter should move twice the amount of water of the tank every hour meaning 10 gal tank filter flow 20 GPH (most are more than that always better safe)
Also a larger tank is best to start out with, while they are more expensive the benefits are twofold. 1 mistakes are more forgiving in a larger tank, one fish dying in a 55 gallon tank wont cause an ammonia spike high enough to kill off the rest of the tank however the same fish dying in a ten gallon tank with less water volume and smaller filter will be a toxic nightmare. 2 When you get the confidence boost to add more, you can just simply do as such, no need to run out and purchase another complete set up or waiting for the nitrogen cycle (to an extent) just food for thought.