Top 7 Colorful Fish for a 10-Gallon Aquarium
10-gallon aquariums are so popular because of their small footprint and low cost, so what kind of fish can you put in them? In continuation to our article about 7 fish tank ideas that will fit into a 10-gallon aquarium, we have more suggestions for you to choose the most colorful fish to brighten your 10-gallon set-up.
1. The Killifish Aquarium
Killifish are an underrated, colorful fish that can be kept at temperatures below 78°F (26°C) in unheated tanks. There are many species to choose from. However, a 10-gallon tank can only accommodate a few fish. For example, a steel-blue killifish (Fundulopanchax Gardneri), an orange lyretail killer (Aphyosemion australe), or a red-striped killifish. They are notorious jumpers, so keep a tight lid on the tank to prevent escape. Some killifish can be aggressive and will swallow small fish. To minimize aggression, keep a tank that is species-only and has a breeding pair or trio of males and females. Killifish are fond of meaty foods, including brine shrimps and bloodworms.
Red-striped killifish (Aphyosemion striatum)
2. The Betta Fish Tank
You might consider upgrading your betta fish tank from a tiny one to a 10-gallon paradise. Betta splendens, despite their territorial nature, can be kept in a community aquarium provided they have enough space and the right tank mates. To contrast your red Betta with a peaceful, schooling fish, such as a green neon tetra, or to compliment a blue betta with orange-colored, ember tetras, you can choose one of two options: go with a smaller, more calm, gentler fish, such as a green neon tetra, or with a larger, more active fish, such as a green neon tetra. For cleaning up food that has escaped from your betta fish, bottom dwellers such as snails, corydoras and kuhli loaches are useful. Your betta may like floating, protein-rich foods such as blood worms or brine shrimps, but micro pellets are best for schooling fish, and sinking wafers to feed the bottom dwellers.
A red betta fish stands out more when placed among green aquarium plants and complementary-colored tank mates.
3. The Nano Rainbowfish Aquarium
Rainbowfish are a very colorful species of fish, and they can be difficult to keep in a 10 gallon aquarium. Pseudomugil Rainbowfish can grow to less than two inches (5cm) in length. Check with your local fish shop to find out if they stock P. luminatus, P. furcata (forktail-blue-eye rainbowfish), and P. gertrudae. They prefer pH over 7.0 and hard water with minerals. However, they can survive in many water conditions.
Due to their high energy, a 10-gallon tank can accommodate 3-5 rainbowfish (of a single species), along with some bottom dwellers like corydoras or smaller kuhli loaches. Feed these nano fish tiny foods such as daphnia, cyclops, and Easy Fry and Small Fish Food. They have a very short life span of about 2 years. However, they are easy to breed. You should get more males than females to ensure that they show their best dancing and breeding colors. Provide plenty of dense aquarium plants and spawning mops to the females for them to lay their eggs. For more details, read our forktail rainbowfish care guide.
Forktail rainbowfish (Pseudomugil furcata)
4. The Apistogramma Breeding Tank
These South American dwarf cichlids have a reputation for being vibrantly colored and their interesting breeding behaviour. The easiest ones to breed include the Apistogramma cacatuoides and A. agassizii, and both species come in many stunning color variations. Set up a cozy environment with a pH of 6.5-7.2 and warmer temperature between 82-84degF (28-29degC). Add a boy and a girl, and provide an apisto cave or coconut hut with a small hole that the male can barely fit inside. You should feed an omnivore well-balanced diet of frozen bloodworms. After the male fertilizes eggs, the female takes parental care of the eggs and protects the fry after they hatch. For more information about apistogrammas, read our full care guide.
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides)
5. The Fancy Guppy Aquarium
Poecilia redicolora is a lively, beautiful livebearer. It comes in nearly every color of the rainbow. A trio of one male, two females is a good starting point for beginners. They will produce more babies quickly than a trio. Guppies love hard water and high GH. To increase the aquarium’s minerals, you can use Wonder Shell, crushed coral, or Seachem Equilibrium. They also eat almost any fish food, whether it is Fancy Guppy pellets, flakes, or frozen foods. You can make a lot of guppies to sell at your local fish shop or friends. To do this, you will need shelter or plants such as dwarf water lettuce, java moss and Pogostemon. stellatus “octopus” You can remove any cover or hiding places from the aquarium if you have too many fry. The adults will then help to control the population. You can read our complete care guide for guppies to find out more.
Male fancy guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
6. The Cherry Shrimp Tank
Neocaridina davidi can be bred as an ornamental shrimp. This species is very rewarding and easy to reproduce. They come in amazing colors such as fire red, orange sakura, yellow golden back, green jade, blue velvet, chocolate, black rose, and more. You can easily start with 10-20 shrimp, and they will quickly grow into a colony of 100-200 shrimp in a matter of months. Cherry shrimp are not predated on their offspring. However, for the best survival rate, you should not add any other species to your tank. To keep baby shrimp healthy, you can add powdered foods, algae and catappa leaves to the water. When you stop seeing as many new babies being produced, reduce the population by selling some to your local fish store and use the money to fund your newfound shrimp addiction. Read this article to learn more about freshwater seafood.
Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)
7. The Dwarf-Platy Aquarium
Most platy fish grow to 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) in size, but the dwarf platy only reaches a little over 1 inch (2.5 cm) and can live in a smaller tank. The most commonly available varieties are solid red or red wag, but more colors will likely be produced in the future. For a 10-gallon aquarium, we recommend getting a trio of teacup platys with one male and two females. The males will be eager to breed so it is a good idea to have more females and cover. Platies are always hungry and will eat any crumbs of fish food or tufts of algae they find, so no need to get any clean-up crew members for them. These livebearers also are capable of eating their own offspring, so provide tof dense aquarium plants like water sprite and moss for the babies to hide in. For more information on caring for platy fish, please refer to our care guide.
Dwarf red coral platy fish
If you liked this article and would like to see more stocking ideas, please visit our blog post on the 7 Best Fish Tank Tips for a 10-Gallon Aquarium. Good luck with your fish tank. Enjoy nature everyday.