The reason why a 10-gallon fish tank is a must-buy for any fish enthusiast is that it presents such a wide array of possibilities.

There are so many pretty and vibrant fish that can be shown off in a tank that size. When you make your choices wisely, you can be sure your tank will develop into a very healthy ecosystem. This will also mean that your fish live long and will be happy all their lives.

There is no doubt, however, a tank this size is small. That means you are at risk of making serious mistakes if you are not careful. What you have to do is understand the temperaments and needs of the fish you choose. Otherwise, you may find you have some aquarium inhabitants that should not be incarcerated in a 10-gallon tank. It’s not funny because it can likely lead to premature deaths of fish and a lot of heartache for you.

The way to know which fish to buy for your 10-gallon tank is to do your research. There are good fish to stock, and others that you ought to be avoiding. It also helps if you can learn the maximum that you can about both fish and aquarium care. A good place to start is to go to this site.

With a little work, you will find that you can make your hobby a lot more fun in the long term. Just because a particular fish is appropriate for your 10-gallon aquarium, it doesn't mean that that fish is going to be easy to care for.

How Many Fish?

The idea of stocking one inch of fish per gallon of water rule is probably the closest you are going to get to find a simple answer to the question about what is the right number of fish for any size tank. The way to decide how many fish you should put in a 10-gallon tank is by researching the fish and learning as much about them as possible.

By doing it this way you will get to know what their care requirements are and the amount of space that's going to be needed, and the temperaments of the fish.

Once you feel you know enough about the fish and tank care you need to consider what is available on the market.

10-gallon tanks vary in terms of dimensions. These depend on the shape of the fish tank. Typically you can expect a 1—gallon tank to measure around 20” x 10” x 12”.

They weigh about 11lb when they are empty, but can weigh as much as 110lb when filled with water.  This weight increases further when you add decorations and, of course, the fish that you have chosen to keep.

When you look around for a 10-gallon tank you will discover they come in two common materials: glass or acrylic. The tanks are marketed in general at novices and beginners. Indeed, they often come in kit form where the kit contains everything needed to set up a tank. This means they tend to come with the necessary filters and lights.

10-gallon tanks are also offered at lower prices. This enables newbies to cost-effectively try their hand at keeping fish, without having to spend lots of money.

All in all, there are many perfectly valid reasons for buying a tank of this size. But be prepared to move onto a bigger size that can take higher water volumes that make them easier to maintain, particularly in terms of water quality.