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? We’ve added more ideas to the article about the 7 best fish tanks ideas for a 10-gallon tank.

1. The Killifish Aquarium

Killifish is a colorful and underrated fish. They can survive in an aquarium that’s not heated, at temperatures below 80F (26C). There are hundreds to choose from. To fit into a 10-gallon aquarium, pick a fish that is 3-4 inches or less in length. To prevent them from jumping, keep the tank covered. 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 love meaty foods and will eat bloodworms, brine shrimp, or krill flakes.

Red-striped killifish (Aphyosemion striatum)

2. The Betta Fish Tank

What about upgrading your betta fish’s tank from a small bowl to a 10-gallon paradise. Despite their territorial personalities, Betta splendens can live in a community aquarium if given enough space and the right kind of 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. Although your betta may love floating protein-rich foods, such as brine shrimp and bloodworms, micro pellets can be used for the schooling fish. Sinking wafers can be used for 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

Naturally, rainbowfish rank as one of the most colorful fish in the freshwater hobby, but most of them are too big for 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. Although they do prefer pH above 7.7 and harder water with mineral, they are very hardy and can be found in all water conditions.

Because of their high energy level, a 10-gallon fish tank can hold a group of 3-5 rainbowfish (of the same species), as well as some bottom dwellers like smaller corydoras or kuhli loaches. Feed these nano fish tiny foods such as daphnia, cyclops, and Easy Fry and Small Fish Food. Dwarf rainbowfish have relatively short life spans around 2-3 years long, but thankfully they are easy to breed. You should get more males than females to ensure that they show their best dancing and breeding colors. Then provide lots of dense aquarium plants or spawning mops for the females to lay their eggs on. For more details, read our forktail rainbowfish care guide.

Forktail rainbowfish (Pseudomugil furcata)

4. The Apistogramma Breeding Tank

These South American dwarfs are well-known for their vibrant colors and unusual breeding behaviors. The Apistogramma agassizii is the easiest to breed, while A. cacatuoides is more difficult. Both species are available in a variety of stunning colors. Create a warm environment with a pH of 6.5 to 7.2 and temperatures between 82-84degF (28-30degC). A girl and a boy can be added to an apisto cave. A balanced omnivore diet includes frozen bloodworms and brine shrimps, Repashy gel foods, sinking pellets, and Repashy food. After the male fertilizes eggs, the female takes parental care of the eggs and protects the fry after they hatch. You can read the full care guide for more information on apistogrammas.

Cockatoo dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides)

5. The Fancy Guppy Aquarium

Poecilia reticulata is a beautiful, energetic livebearer that comes in almost every color of the rainbow. For beginners, you can start with one male and two women. They will soon produce more babies. Guppies prefer high GH or harder water, so if you have soft tap water, use crushed coral, Wonder Shell, or Seachem Equilibrium to boost the aquarium’s mineral content. Guppies will eat any type of fish food, including Fancy Guppy pellets and flakes. 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” If you are overrun with fry, simply remove some of the cover and hiding spots in the aquarium, and the adults will help with population control. For more information, please refer to our complete care for guppies.

Male fancy guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

6. The Cherry Shrimp Tank

If you’re looking for another incredibly rewarding species to breed, Neocaridina davidi is a stunning ornamental shrimp that readily reproduces and always seems to be in demand. They are available in amazing colors, including fire red, orange saura, yellow gold back, green jade and blue velvet. Because of their 1-inch (2.5 cm) size and small waste load, you can start with 10 to 20 shrimp and easily grow to a colony of 100 to 200 within a few 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. Keep baby shrimp well-groomed by providing them with powdered food, algae, catappa leaf, and minerals. If you don’t see as many babies being born, sell some of them to your local fish shop and make the money go towards your new shrimp obsession. Learn more about freshwater shrimp in this detailed article.

Cherry shrimp

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. We recommend three teacup plates with one male and two women for a 10-gallon aquarium. Males are always looking for mates, so having more females as well as plenty of cover can help keep their attention. Platies are hungry all the time and will eat anything they find. These livebearers can also eat their offspring so make sure to provide water sprite or moss to the babies. See our platy fish care guide for more details on their care requirements.

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. Best of luck with your fish tank, and enjoy nature daily.