*If you're looking for setup ideas for a 20-gallon aquarium, check out this video: **kzfaq.info/get/bejne/brVodpiUqKvDlX0.html*

“Your first 10 gallon aquarium” *Yes, my first*

I got my first fish tank in the 1950's. So I've raised fish for almost 70 years now. Back in the past tank backgrounds were very popular. You got scenes printed on glossy paper to look like water, plants, and gravel. I've made backgrounds from other materials like slate. On one tank I used mirrored window film which made the tank look twice as deep and it looked like I had twice as many fish in the tank. At one time a large fish store in my area sold a crystal paint. You painted the back of the tank with it and as it dried it had the appearance of large crystal swirls in colored paint. I've tried several colors for the background including blacks and blues. I finally found my favorite. Krylon x-metals in blue. When you spray it on glass it has an almost transparent look. You can build up multiple coats making it a darker but brilliant blue but it will always have some transparency that creates the effect of looking through a good distance of water behind the tank. So you don't see it as a flat back to the tank but rather a look off into the distance. It makes the best background I've ever seen. Lighting. I started with a metal reflector with a 15 watt incandescent bulb. Over time florescents, then on to metal halides, and now all my tanks have led's. I use full spectrum aquarium lights that I can adjust the intensity. Filters. I've tried many different types. Small box filters, undergravel filter, power filters, canister filters, sponge filters. They all have their place and can work well in the right situation. Now days all my large tanks are reef ready marine tanks with a large sump below in the stand. That allows me to filter using filter socks that can be rinsed off and reused over and over. Room in the sumps for heaters, deep sand beds, ato's and any chemical treatments you care to add. The water pouring down into the sump aerates the water very well and also maintains a set water level in the main tank all the time. Covers. I got away from glass tops unless breeding betta's. Wood hoods are beautiful but can be a pain to deal with in many cases. Now days for a tank that I want to keep fish from jumping out I use aluminum window screen frames. I cut them to size to fit the top of the tank, install fiberglass screening and set it on tip of the tank. You can't see it unless looking down from above. It lets light and air pass through and yet keeps the fish in.

I thank my dear Grandma who left us 4 years ago for giving me my first aquarium at age 8. I’m 40 now and I have loved the hobby since day one.

P.S. I've had some people ask why I recommended Glofish. To give a little background, I personally have never owned Glofish, but I had a friend who did. This friend was not a fish enthusiast and just got a 10-gallon tank for her kids. Despite any beginner mistakes she may have made in their husbandry, the Glofish were bulletproof and never got sick or died. I see Glofish (as well as betta fish) as a kind of a gateway drug for getting more people into the hobby. Because of her Glofish, my young son became fascinated with her aquarium. Then my friend offered to buy him a betta fish for his birthday. I didn't own any fish at the time, so I did some research on betta fish and decided I wanted to buy a bigger tank than the one my friend was offering. From there, we got our first aquarium, I became a complete fish nerd, and I eventually started a KZfaq channel. So theoretically, if it weren't for Glofish, there would be no Girl Talks Fish. :)

My favorite Nano fish are Alligator Gar and redtail catfish. They quickly outgrow your tank giving you a great excuse to buy a 500gallon tank.

You are honestly the most underrated youtuber. Thank you for spending so much time making your amazing videos

1 Honey Gourami + 15 Neon Tetra + Cherry Shrimp is my all time favorite low maintenance 20 gal tank! Recipe: Plant with lots of moss, frogbit, and a few swords. Add some nerites and trumpets it becomes self cleaning. Wipe down the glass once a month. No water changes needed after 6 weeks. Produces so many cherry shrimp that I give them away.

A note of caution about the African dwarf clawed frogs: They can get really old for such a small animal. As a child, I got 3 of them. 2 died pretty soon (not sure why, maybe they were already sick), but the third one hung on for 10 years and outlived all the fish in that aquarium. It needed to be fed with tweezers every day because its eyes weren't very good.

For anyone considering Mystery Snails in a 10-gallon tank (or larger), these snails are by no means a "clean-up crew". Honestly, there isn't really a "clean-up crew" that you can add to your aquarium. They need high protein, high calcium diets for proper shell growth and development. Look up snello recipes to provide your snails with the most nutritious foods!

There are a ton of your videos that I never got around to watching and this is one of them. It's such a good one! Well thought out and well presented, and now I wish I could have a bunch more 10 gallon tanks to try out all these combos. 😁

Such a great video! Thank you for this. I hardly see such detailed videos for 10 gallon tanks.

Perfect calming fish-related video to enjoy my morning coffee with🥰 love you Irene!!

Finally somone who shows different ideas awesome

Ugh! The little baby Corydora are just soooooooooo cute!!

I got a 10 gallon tank for free and was wondering what to put in it. After some research I think a good combo for a beginner like me would be - 1 Honey Gourami - 6-7 Celestial Pearl Danios OR some sort of tetra OR some chili rasboras - 1 mystery snail Thoughts?

I love mystery snails, they have way more personality than i was expecting from a snail. Ive got six in my 45 and its neat to watch them crawl all over the place.

Love this video! So helpful💗💗💗

This video is insanely helpful for a super beginner like me! Thank you!

I love your vids. You give us so much information in a short amount of time that's easy to understand. You should have so many more subscribers than yoy do. You deserve them. Thanks Irene, you're awesome! 👍😎✌🍄

Great ideas. One thing about nerites: I love them and they are a great clean up crew but most, except the smaller olive nerites, love to go on walkabout. I have found them in my filter but have also found them in my kitchen sink and dishwasher (the tank was on the counter between kitchen and dining room).

Thanks for doing this list

Really your every video is so good

Thank you so much for you videos there amazing!💖🐠🐟🦐

You are great!!! This helped me soooo much !! Keep going pls!

your channel is my favourite by far i hope you have an amazing year and get lots of subscribers !

Great video, Irene! I'll actually be buying a 10 gallon tank in a few weeks after I move. Want to step up from my 2 nano tanks. I haven't had one in years. This video has given me some good ideas. Thanks. Love your channel, by the way. 👍🍄✌😃

Another great video. Thank you

Look at those metalic blue Betta 😍

Please can you make a test on fine sand vs gravel for growing plants? I’m deciding which substrate to use. I am considering sand because it’s cheap. (Please like if you want that video)

Amazing video!!

Thanks for the video ! very informative and interesting, I like the way you present your Love for Fish, will watch more 😍👍

the cory babies are adorable

I really appreciate your content

Your the only person that makes sense when talking about fish and fish tanks thanks

Great video, I have a betta in with neons and peppered Cory's. Thanks for sharing

I love my African Dwarf frog and my Mystery snail they are so cool and have great personalities

Thanks for this

I would add white cloud minnows to the mix. They're hardy, peaceful, active and colorful.

Ty!!!

My Daughter just got a gold fish from the Fair.... great vid... it will help us with getting a larger tank. thanks

NEW VIDEOO YESS!!

I have loaches a bit too small.But they seem doing well.

awesome video and lots of efforts being put into your video cheers :D "D lots of super good fish details there with good tips there cheers awesome vid "D 😃👏🤗

I love your videos, i just got a sponge filter for my 10 gallon and I have no idea how to set up the sponge filter, have you made a video about it? Please

Good video 😊

Good job 😎❤

Damn! Spoiling us with all this new content!! YIPPEEEEEEEEEE

Man! all these fish and I only want a nerite snail to be with my betta in my 15 gallon tank lol. Great video tho! Thank you! 😊

I personally disagree with cories for a 10 gallon, unless it is the Pygmy peppered Cory. The other Pygmys require too many numbers and are too active for a ten gal and most others get too large.

I love your videos, they have been so helpful with starting my first fish tank. I have a 18 gallon tank (23x11x15) I wanted to have 1 betta, 6/8 neon tetras and 4 panda corys? Is that too many? I'm worried about over stocking?

My 10 gallon is going to have 6 guppies, 3 kuhli loaches, and 1 apistogramm. I have the guppies currently but kuhlis have been SUPER hard to get a hold of and I want to add the apisto past so he doesnt get territorial

I really love your videos. You are so enthusiastic and the information is really great. Could I put endlers with a femme betta? She is pretty chill.

personally i really like mixed corydoras. in my experience they will school with each other and it makes a really interesting tank.

Great video! What is the black substrate you have the corydoras on?

Hi! I have a couple questions, my first one is where do you buy lids for your tanks? I've been looking everywhere but can't really find one. My second question is what size sponge filter would you suggest for a 10 gallon betta tank? By the way, I love your videos!

Thank you for inspiring me.yo get my first tank it looks really nice and it has 3 different plants and has 1: black mystery snail , 1: ivory mystery snail, 7: neon tetras , and 1:half moon betta(fm)

For a 15 gallon planted tank how many neon tetras would you recommend if you also had a honey gourami and some ottocinclus catfish

Not new to the hobby but was wondering what u thought about my stocking on my 10 gal, have 7 ember tetras, 7 Pygmy Cory's, 5 Otos, a betta, and assorted shrimp. Tanks is planted with Pygmy chain swords, glosso, dwarf hair grass, anubius, and java fern. Tuning an oase filtosmart 100 for filtration.

Nice vid! I rehomed my 4 goldfish to a guy with a 75 gallon, when he wasnt home his gf cleaned the tank with soap and 2 died, my orandas passed away my pearlscale and fantail made it. Im keeping them now so i guess im not keeping tropicals for a while.

I recommend African clawed frogs Very easy and cool pets

I used to have a 55 gallon and 120 gallon tank and thought keeping fish was fun and relatively easy... 10 year's later I got my daughter's a 3 gallon then a 10 gallon tank and have had nothing but problems! We lost our fancy goldfish in a 10 gallon tank to what I think was fin fungus 3 days after starting treatment and a week after developing symptoms 😢

Befor i even watch thank you so much incase my fish now dont work out platys for like nine months now

My #1: ANY livebearer (Mollies, platies, swordtails, guppies, and endler's).

Can you add the catfish from the first tank to the second tank as well ? And can you add snails to the second tank ?

Wish I had seen your video soon before picking up some fishes. Went for some Glofish and Harlequin Rasboras and the dainos are really nuts about food while the Rasboras are quite reserved on it, and eventually adding some aquarium plant and substrate, which I am quite enjoying it. What will be your recommended numbers of fish in a 10 gallon tanks? Had 6 Dainos, 4 Rasboras and 3 Cory, which I think it's quite overpopulated?

Great video! Do you think a honey gourami, some neon tetras and some Pygmy corydoras would do well? Or am I overstocking😂

In my opinion, an adequate number of albino corydoras (AKA 6+) are gonna be too large for a 10 gallon. It’s up to personal preference, but I’ve seen the difference between (in my case, panda) Cories in a 10 vs a 20 and it’s insane.

How many narite snails with the 6 Endler’s? These videos are super helpful!

is gravel fine for planting plants

My tank was 5 mutt guppies that were part endler so smaller guppies but still had the vibrant colors 6-10 cherry shrimp 6 ramshorn snails

what kind of substrate is used at 2:35? i’m looking for a darker substrate that will be safe for my corydoras😁

I was wondering if you could mix some of the tanks. For example the betta fish tank and corydoras with some shrimp and snails and maybe a couple tetras. Or is that going to be to many for a ten gallon?

Nice vid. It’s a shame the odd sizes like 15, 20L, and 40 regular(48x13x16) don’t get more coverage

Can I do a betta and a few tetras in a ten gallon?

I really like your Betta Tank idea! However, I was wondering as to how will I avoid overfeeding my betta if I will put some tank mates with him?

Imo albino corydoras are a little large and active for a 10 gallon, they get pretty beefy and with a healthy school of 6-8 that doesn't leave much footprint. 3-4 also isn't much of a "school"-- a larger group in a 20 long or so is great though! Otherwise a pretty cool list :)

Great choice for the betta tank! although i do keep pygmy corys instead of albinos

Just figured I’d ask but what do you think about my stocking for my 10 gallon -male beta -three snails -pleco I have never seen conflict and I love the setup I have with them

I have 2 otocinclus catfish in my 10gallon tank,,, is it ok to add 6neon or Cardinal Tetra and 6guppies along with 3 cory doras.? does that sound safe.? if i go ahead and add them, how often do i need to change water and how much.?

You can grow loaches in gravels?

Hi Girl Talks Fish I'm a new beginner fish keeper and have a betta and I'm trying to see what tank mates I need, and I'm getting suggested to get corydoras aka albino or shrimp like cherry shrimp but I want a fish not to aggressive nor fast swimmers and the same things as a betta fish wich would you suggest?? I have 10 gallon tank also I want a fish that eats algae and bottom eaters.

Do you think putting a female betta and 3-4 khuli loaches would work in a planted 10 gallon

Plz make a video on molly babies

Question, can corydoras and neon tetras live together in a 20?

I feel like green neon tetras would go better with the honey gouramis

I have rosey red minnows do you have any good advice what type of fish are able to live with them peacefully as I haven't had any luck when it comes to any info in on them as they are a beautiful schooling fish but I like to add other fish breeds but not for sure what can live with them peacefully any advice?

I just got a 10 gallon tank with all the equipment for my one beta fish. Are there any tips I should know? This is my first fish and tank. Also, I want more fish but I know betas aren't friendly. Thanks for reading!

Pls make more vids often

I would love to get a 10-gallon tank but I just bought a top fin 5.5-gallon tank with a hang on the back filter with the dial and a 50W heater. All I have in the tank is my betta fish Patriot. He is a stars and stripes betta I got from Petco and sadly I feel he might have fin rot. I only got him about 1 week ago and he had fin rot while I got him and his colors are slowly getting brighter but I feel he is not at his full potential he swims around loves to hide in the log and rocks I bought him eats well and I think I should wait a while longer to see if his fins regrow please fill me in on what I should do thanks :)

I actually have a 35 gallon with 1 gold fish and 2 guppy’s :p I’m getting for soon and I’m getting a new 10-20 gallon tank for another room I’m not sure XD

I know this is an older video but I want to know if i should get my betta first and then the tank mates or should i get tank mates and then the betta?

What was the name of the fish next to the betta when you began talking about them.

In regards to the first tank idea I was wondering if there was any other tank mates that would pair well with the betta other than the corys

HI! is a 10 gallon tank too small for molly fish? If so, what size do you recommend for thew best molly environment?

Can you do a video like this but for 15 gallons? :)

I would recommend peacock gudgeon, they are beautiful colorful fish. Get them in multiple pairs. I would also recommend borneo sucker, they have unique personality. I have some baby borneo sucker growing up with baby bristlenose, & they behave like bristlenose, eating, fighting, & chasing each other around the tank . I also have some adult borneo sucker I brought from the aquarium, & they'er nothing like bristlenose.

where can you buy a honey gourami? no petstores within 50 miles of me seem rto have them. petco and petsmart didn't have any online, but do they sometimes have them in store?

Hello there! I have some questions. I am going to start cycling a 20 gallon aquarium and plan on housing a Betta along with some of the tank mates you mentioned in your video about Betta fish tank mates. Q: Is it okay to use Imagatarium black sand substrate in this tank? I plan on having java fern, amazon sword, java moss and duckweed in it. I was thinking of adding a bottom layer of fluval plant and shrimp stratum and then placing the black sand on top of it so that way my amazon sword will be able to get a good root system going in the fluval substrate. Is this a good idea? If not what do you recommend? I just really want a black sand substrate because the way it looks and " Imagitarium black sand (20lb bag) " has some great reviews on amazon, but I am not sure if that is all my plants will need. Any tips? Thanks in advance

would 1 honey gourami three to four corydoras some shrimp and three merits snails be too much? i wanted to add a schooling fish like dannios or tetras but im not sure(i currently only have three merits snails and live plants in my tank im going to aquascape)