10 Gallon Stocking

[The Masked Shadow]

Hi guys, for Christmas, I am getting my 9 year old sister a 10 gallon unheated tank. She loves fish, btw. Thinking of “suggesting” something like 3 Teacup Platy’s, 5 White Cloud Mountain Minnows, and a Nerite snail. I don’t want anything like Pea Puffers, or Dwarf Lamprologus. She likes community tanks, and I don’t want to spend a ton of money.

Thanks!

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Other ideas I have are:

List #1:
5 Sunset Variatus Platy’s (she really loves Platy’s)

List #2:
2 Ghost Shrimp
3 Dwarf or Panda Corys
Moss ball

List #3
3-4 Hara Jerdoni
7-8 Mosquito Rasboras

List #4
2 Swordtails
A few Penguin Tetras

These lists are not thot through very well

 

[Chinnavar]

Go with a small group of ember tetras or a small staying rasbora species, some pygmy corys/otos and maybe some red shrimp

Platys are too big imo and makes the tank look even smaller than it really is

 

[Fishman Dave]

For unheated tank (Just in case it fluctuates) maybe stick to temperate fish so maybe four peppered Cory and a small group of leopard danio.

 

[Deadeye]

I was thinking a female betta, plague, and dwarf frogs. The betta should be mild mannered if a female, and it and the frogs will help with population control on the platies.

 

[tlindsey]

For unheated tank (Just in case it fluctuates) maybe stick to temperate fish so maybe four peppered Cory and a small group of leopard danio.

I agree with this. Remember the OP stated unheated aquarium. Also the White Cloud Mountain minnows could be considered.

 

[Rocksor]

Set her up for success and spend the money to get her a 20g long or 29g high that is understocked. Petco has a $1 gallon + tax at normal price right now. Call around and see which Petco's have the tank you want. Even better call Ron at Aquarium Fish Depot. It will give you the excuse to visit the store and see what you have been missing.

 

[Kelly_Aquatics]

ya agree with rocksor and then get some angle fish or somthing but they need heaters you are really limiting your options with the no heater

 

[Deadeye]

20-29 does open up a lot more options. Clawed frogs make good coldwater animals. A tad bit ugly, but it grows on you. Otherwise there are some cyprinids that work. There are some coldwater tolerant geos that can go in a 29 if I’m correct?
If you stick with 10, a community of minnows and danios would be entertaining. Maybe some cories as well.
Also hillstream loaches are awesome, basically a coldwater pleco, they just need high flow.

 

[Rocksor]

If you really want her to have a heaterless tank, find out what's the coldest that the room the tank will be in will get. I suspect it may not dip below 68F. There's a lot of small fish sold locally that will thrive 68f-84f.