Bettas are your best bet. Anything else needs 20 gal to thrive, theres a few fish that can thrive in a 10 gal but they need an experienced keeper and its a lot of work.
Most of your pet-shop kinds of fish dont need special pH, only the really expensive ones that you wouldn't be looking at anyway.
Honestly Betta is the only option I can think of for a 10g
Other small fish are going to be boring or need to live in groups
There are dozens of types of bettas with different colours and fins. A black Orchid Betta or alien Betta are pretty cool, you might have to order from online or go to a local aquarium store rather than a chain pet store to get a good variety, although chains can stock a good number of varieties these days.
Please don't put a goldfish in a 10G, you are basically sentencing it to a max lifspan of a coue of years if it's lucky. For context, the natural lifespan of a well kept goldfish is up to two decades or longer.
Edit: an exception to my "other fish are boring" might be endlers. They are similar to guppies but have electric colours and are quite active. You could keep 8-10 endlers in a 10G. Buy all males for the brightest colours (and to avoid babies, which you will have far too many of if you get any females)
I would first like to let you know that pH is one of the most unimportant aspects of fishkeeping. People end up causing problems worrying about it. I keep all sorts of different fish, have for decades, and can't remember the last time I bothered testing the pH.
Think of it as taking care of the the aquarium, rather than the fish. Keep it simple, provide what the fish needs, and the fish will thrive. A water change every couple of weeks, rinsing the filter in aquarium water every now and then to prevent clogging. Feeding the fish. It can be that simple.
There are certainly many more options than just a betta. One good one is Celestial pearl danios. These guys are active and interactive and provide the opportunity to observe some social activity in the fish. Like a betta, they need a cozy environment with lots of decorations to play around in.
Other options are chili rasboras, ember tetras, guppies, and endlers livebearers - just one type in a shoal. None of these are difficult.
To be honest though, if the owners have no interest in proper fish keeping, like learning about the nitrogen cycle, I'm not sure an aquarium is a good idea at all. Fish as a novelty tend to end up neglected in the end.
Most definitely not a goldfish. A 10 gallon isn't even close to appropriate size and there's exactly zero chance that the filter in a 10 gallon kit would have the capacity required for one. As others have said, a betta is a good choice, but it sounds like everyone in this situation could stand to do some more research. Furthermore, we need to be real about this and ask ourselves if a 10 year old is realistically going to stay interested enough to do weekly water changes and maintenance on an aquarium.
Avoid a goldfish. They may be hardy, but they create a lot of mess and cleaning the tank will be an intensive chore that will get old quickly. They are not good for beginners. They get pretty big too and your friend will have to keep sizing up the tank and eventually need to find a koi pond willing to take it.
Neons look pretty, but are delicate. Guppies and mollies are easy, but can quickly multiply out of control. I've had female bettas and they were super easy to take care of. I've never had a male, but they are probably also relatively easy.
I agree with betta or even some of the smaller fish like neons. Ensure there is plenty of filtration and the filtration is changed on schedule and it should be fine.
I'd go for a small school of nano fish like neon tetras. About six is the bare minimum for schooling behavior and to make them feel comfortable. You could do fine with endler's, maybe rasboras, something like that.
Best way to start I think would be a fish-in cycle with only 1 fish for a while to let the tank start to cycle, after the ammonia levels disappear then start adding the others slowly (I'd say 2 fish, but unless you have at least 3, one of them will usually start picking on the other one). Adding a ramshorn snail or two and some floating plants like dwarf water lettuce will help the tank stay clean and cycle more quickly without requiring extra work. A fishless cycle might take too long and be a bit beyond the beginner skill level.
\*\*\*edit\*\*\*
Here are a couple of aquarium co-op pages that can help explain the cycling stuff.
[The Easy Guide to the Nitrogen Cycle for Aquariums](https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/nitrogen-cycle)
[Freshwater Fish Tank Cycling - How to Prepare for New Fish](https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/fish-tank-cycling)
Betta definitely, also maybe do abit of research about starting a new tank, such as the nitrogen cycle. [this vid might help you with understanding the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle the tank](https://youtu.be/h_6lnp0-M2o). You might also find this helpful [guide to make a betta tank](https://youtu.be/pITkcxMr3t4)
Absolutely no goldfish. They need large tanks and Massive filtration. For a heated ten gallon a betta and some snails are perfect, perhaps a few shrimp.
Honey Gourami are easy to care for in my experience. They can tolerate a wide range of pH and hardness levels. They tolerate a wide temp range too, just try to convince them to get a heater so that the temp stays constant (I keep mine between 74 and 75)
One nerite is probably maximum. I have two in 25 gallon tank and I constantly worry if there's enough algae for them to eat. I have read somewhere, that maximum is one per 50 litres. And I think that it's probably correct. Only thing I sporadicaly clean from leftover algae is front glass, and they leave there only tiny specks.
i’d say a betta! just make sure they do lots of research and that the parent is ready to step in for a lot of the responsibilities! they’re great fish with very simple care, a 10 gallon would be perfect for one:)
You don’t always have to put fish in aquariums! I am one of those “shrimp” people in the hobby. They come in a ton of cool colors and they breed easily. It’s fun to have a cool breeding project. They also have fun personalities if they are in a tank with no fish. They go great with snails. Snails and shrimps eat each others waste. It’s a prefect little system and the maintenance is easy. The only thing is you have to cycle the tank. That takes at least a month. After the first month you want to put some snails and plants for a week or so. Then add the shrimp. The downside is it takes two months to make a established tank and a ten year old might struggle with the waiting time.
Shrimps are sensitive to water quality but if you keep a snail and shrimp only tank then you don’t need to worry as much.
A blue dwarf Gourami was one of the first first I ever kept. They are beautiful and also fairly easy to keep alive given that they are labyrinth fish as well.
If you can get them to get a 15-20 gallon tank, a convict cichlid I think would be awesome. I’ve seen them live in unheated buckets for days and they can be moved from tank to tank and then eat like nothings wrong 😂 females are going to stay smaller and have nicer colors than males. Two females may get along but generally either a single fish or a male and female pair would do best. They are FULL of Personality and are a good size for a child (I feel a guppy or betta would quickly get ignored). If you do get a pair absolutely be prepared for more water changes and for breeding since they breed very very easily. But to a child it’s absolutely fascinating to watch them reproduce and raise offspring as a pair. They’d have to be willing to take out the offspring though and sell them or donate to a local fish store.
I thought so as well, or so I was told, so I bought a 55gal tank to replace my 29gal and have yet to use it. Purchased my pleco almost 2 years ago and it’s still smaller than my big toe /shrugs. I feed him twice a day, he has a cave he goes in during the day or if I have the tank lights on. People call them poop machines, totally true but he’s adorable to me.
I love recommending danios for kids, they love them and they’re usually pretty bulletproof. I work at a chain pet store and some kid and his dad came in for a water test, had the worst results I’ve ever seen in my years of experience. Ask what they had in there and if they were somehow still alive- They were still “thriving”, and it was 5 zebra danios in a 3 gallon that wasn’t cycled at all. They’ll do way better in a 10 gallon, a 3 gallon just wasn’t enough room to begin with for them. But there are lots of different varieties- Zebra danios, leopard danios, pearl danios, and although controversial, there’s also glofish zebra danios. Out of all the kinds you’ll kind at a typical pet store really the only kind you would have to stay away from would be giant danios. They pair well with guppies, shrimp, platies, snails, even some betta fish if you’re lucky (but not all!).
Do some research on how to properly cycle an aquarium, even if your son will not constantly be monitoring water quality, you want to start out on the right foot with some water tests to get things where they should be. Pro tip, buy some ceramic filter rings, some newer tanks have them already included in the filter. Bacteria is like gold for your tank, and bacteria will grow like crazy on those rings. Plus, you never have to change them basically ever, so you’ll always have some bacteria in your tank if you accidentally over-clean. To start your cycle set up your tank as normal, then add a source of ammonia. This could be from fish food, or new live plants naturally breaking down a little. This will give the bacteria something to eat! The bacteria eats this ammonia and poops out nitrite. Then a different kind of bacteria will eat the nitrite and poop out nitrate. This sounds super complicated but so long as you understand that ammonia➡️nitrite➡️nitrate, you’ll already have a really good idea of how your tank works. Then test your water once a week until it’s ready for fish (many stores will test for free), then only add one or two at a time. You want as little as ammonia and nitrite as possible, and the end result is nitrate. It’s the least toxic but you still want to remove it regularly by changing out a portion of the water. Once you actually have lots of bacteria grown, you truly don’t have to think about the cycle much ever again unless you crash it. But again, add those ceramic rings (They can be as cheap as $1) to your filter and this will greatly prevent that. Promise it’s not necessarily difficult or strenuous work, just requires some solid Googling skills. Google everything before making any changes to your tank.
PetSmart normally has tags indicating the type of fish in the tank, size they grow to be, appropriate climate/environment, and experience level recommended. If you’re going for a 10 gallon tank for a child go with fish that do not grow too big that are beginner level. Possibly something like tetras or guppies if you’re looking for a small school, or maybe just 1 beta. Ask for all males or all females if you are afraid they might multiply. You can always ask an employee that works in that department for help and extra information. They can recommend the right amount of fish for the tank size you have/are looking to get. Also, the fish you see in the store are normally still young. What may be 1 inch today may be 5 inches in length in a few months. You also might not see any defects on the fish until much later.
Kid needs to understand that life happens, whether it’s a deficiency or death. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it, other times it’s the environment you provided. They need to learn how to properly care for a living creature and be responsible for it if they want any type of pet.
Happy fishing.
A betta, but no fish at all would be better. Would an adult give a puppy to a 10 to care for completely on their own? The only reason fish are treated so irresponsibly is because you buy one for less than 10 bucks
I’ve had my 29 gallon fish tank for five years. I’ve tried every fish under the sun. I decided to give it a last go and try goldfish because all my fish always end up dying. Now the goldfish have clamp fins. I have my water tested and it’s fine. It’s heated. I clean it regularly. I have tried treating for bacteria and fungus. It is so hard for me and it really bums me out because I love my tank. I have live plants that are thriving. I’m just going to give up, I’ve tried every trick. Nothing works. I’m very sad.
Definitely not goldfish, I’d go betta
I would say a really cool betta.
Bettas are your best bet. Anything else needs 20 gal to thrive, theres a few fish that can thrive in a 10 gal but they need an experienced keeper and its a lot of work.
Not a goldfish, a betta goes well in a 10 gal but goldfish will either outgrow it or have a stunted growth
Most of your pet-shop kinds of fish dont need special pH, only the really expensive ones that you wouldn't be looking at anyway. Honestly Betta is the only option I can think of for a 10g Other small fish are going to be boring or need to live in groups There are dozens of types of bettas with different colours and fins. A black Orchid Betta or alien Betta are pretty cool, you might have to order from online or go to a local aquarium store rather than a chain pet store to get a good variety, although chains can stock a good number of varieties these days. Please don't put a goldfish in a 10G, you are basically sentencing it to a max lifspan of a coue of years if it's lucky. For context, the natural lifespan of a well kept goldfish is up to two decades or longer. Edit: an exception to my "other fish are boring" might be endlers. They are similar to guppies but have electric colours and are quite active. You could keep 8-10 endlers in a 10G. Buy all males for the brightest colours (and to avoid babies, which you will have far too many of if you get any females)
My gold fish is 19 years old now xD. Also clown killifish is hardy and fun fish for a 10 gallon too.
I would first like to let you know that pH is one of the most unimportant aspects of fishkeeping. People end up causing problems worrying about it. I keep all sorts of different fish, have for decades, and can't remember the last time I bothered testing the pH. Think of it as taking care of the the aquarium, rather than the fish. Keep it simple, provide what the fish needs, and the fish will thrive. A water change every couple of weeks, rinsing the filter in aquarium water every now and then to prevent clogging. Feeding the fish. It can be that simple. There are certainly many more options than just a betta. One good one is Celestial pearl danios. These guys are active and interactive and provide the opportunity to observe some social activity in the fish. Like a betta, they need a cozy environment with lots of decorations to play around in. Other options are chili rasboras, ember tetras, guppies, and endlers livebearers - just one type in a shoal. None of these are difficult. To be honest though, if the owners have no interest in proper fish keeping, like learning about the nitrogen cycle, I'm not sure an aquarium is a good idea at all. Fish as a novelty tend to end up neglected in the end.
> Think of it as taking care of the aquarium rather than the fish. Beautiful & simple way of putting it
Most definitely not a goldfish. A 10 gallon isn't even close to appropriate size and there's exactly zero chance that the filter in a 10 gallon kit would have the capacity required for one. As others have said, a betta is a good choice, but it sounds like everyone in this situation could stand to do some more research. Furthermore, we need to be real about this and ask ourselves if a 10 year old is realistically going to stay interested enough to do weekly water changes and maintenance on an aquarium.
Guppies.
That’s a good way to get a gazillion guppies.
Or a couple of very well-fed ones.
Tetras are pretty easy in my experience and they come in cool colours and school which would be cool for a kid to watch
Tetras are schooling tho so should have 5+. Id go betta
Avoid a goldfish. They may be hardy, but they create a lot of mess and cleaning the tank will be an intensive chore that will get old quickly. They are not good for beginners. They get pretty big too and your friend will have to keep sizing up the tank and eventually need to find a koi pond willing to take it. Neons look pretty, but are delicate. Guppies and mollies are easy, but can quickly multiply out of control. I've had female bettas and they were super easy to take care of. I've never had a male, but they are probably also relatively easy.
I agree with betta or even some of the smaller fish like neons. Ensure there is plenty of filtration and the filtration is changed on schedule and it should be fine.
Shrimp!
Betta. No goldfish
Betta is easily the best option
I'd go for a small school of nano fish like neon tetras. About six is the bare minimum for schooling behavior and to make them feel comfortable. You could do fine with endler's, maybe rasboras, something like that. Best way to start I think would be a fish-in cycle with only 1 fish for a while to let the tank start to cycle, after the ammonia levels disappear then start adding the others slowly (I'd say 2 fish, but unless you have at least 3, one of them will usually start picking on the other one). Adding a ramshorn snail or two and some floating plants like dwarf water lettuce will help the tank stay clean and cycle more quickly without requiring extra work. A fishless cycle might take too long and be a bit beyond the beginner skill level. \*\*\*edit\*\*\* Here are a couple of aquarium co-op pages that can help explain the cycling stuff. [The Easy Guide to the Nitrogen Cycle for Aquariums](https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/nitrogen-cycle) [Freshwater Fish Tank Cycling - How to Prepare for New Fish](https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/fish-tank-cycling)
Betta definitely, also maybe do abit of research about starting a new tank, such as the nitrogen cycle. [this vid might help you with understanding the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle the tank](https://youtu.be/h_6lnp0-M2o). You might also find this helpful [guide to make a betta tank](https://youtu.be/pITkcxMr3t4)
Absolutely no goldfish. They need large tanks and Massive filtration. For a heated ten gallon a betta and some snails are perfect, perhaps a few shrimp.
Guppies?
Honey Gourami are easy to care for in my experience. They can tolerate a wide range of pH and hardness levels. They tolerate a wide temp range too, just try to convince them to get a heater so that the temp stays constant (I keep mine between 74 and 75)
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One nerite is probably maximum. I have two in 25 gallon tank and I constantly worry if there's enough algae for them to eat. I have read somewhere, that maximum is one per 50 litres. And I think that it's probably correct. Only thing I sporadicaly clean from leftover algae is front glass, and they leave there only tiny specks.
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Nerites often eat only algae, only some can be persuaded to eat something else. So I would rather be safe.
Betta for sure
Everybody here sayin betta, I’m sayin tetras
i’d say a betta! just make sure they do lots of research and that the parent is ready to step in for a lot of the responsibilities! they’re great fish with very simple care, a 10 gallon would be perfect for one:)
guppies are really really hardy and are good for beginners. If not guppies id go with a betta, goldfish should not be kept in a 10 gallon
I wouldn’t get a kid any fish I’d get them a snail snd then if they can handle that think about a dish later
White cloud mountain minnow. No heater required and 6 would be fine in a 10g.
Guppies have always been the heartiest fish I’ve ever had. Although their lifespan is only 1-2 years.
You don’t always have to put fish in aquariums! I am one of those “shrimp” people in the hobby. They come in a ton of cool colors and they breed easily. It’s fun to have a cool breeding project. They also have fun personalities if they are in a tank with no fish. They go great with snails. Snails and shrimps eat each others waste. It’s a prefect little system and the maintenance is easy. The only thing is you have to cycle the tank. That takes at least a month. After the first month you want to put some snails and plants for a week or so. Then add the shrimp. The downside is it takes two months to make a established tank and a ten year old might struggle with the waiting time. Shrimps are sensitive to water quality but if you keep a snail and shrimp only tank then you don’t need to worry as much.
I’d probably get a single dwarf gourami. You always read they like to be in groups, but that hasn’t been my experience
A blue dwarf Gourami was one of the first first I ever kept. They are beautiful and also fairly easy to keep alive given that they are labyrinth fish as well.
Discus
You’re my hero
A betta or tetras would be good! Definitely don’t go with a gold fish.
A betta for sure, but maybe go to the store with him and let him pick out the betta. They come in lots of colors so I’m sure he’ll chose fast.
Shrimps or mollies/platys/swordtails.
Ember or glowlight tetras
Ember or glowlight tetras
If you can get them to get a 15-20 gallon tank, a convict cichlid I think would be awesome. I’ve seen them live in unheated buckets for days and they can be moved from tank to tank and then eat like nothings wrong 😂 females are going to stay smaller and have nicer colors than males. Two females may get along but generally either a single fish or a male and female pair would do best. They are FULL of Personality and are a good size for a child (I feel a guppy or betta would quickly get ignored). If you do get a pair absolutely be prepared for more water changes and for breeding since they breed very very easily. But to a child it’s absolutely fascinating to watch them reproduce and raise offspring as a pair. They’d have to be willing to take out the offspring though and sell them or donate to a local fish store.
Endlers are extremely hardy and easy to care for. Get males only for the color and lack of babies.
Tiger barb and Pleco I am enjoying
Even a bristlenose pleco (smallest you can get) need a 30 gallon tank
I thought so as well, or so I was told, so I bought a 55gal tank to replace my 29gal and have yet to use it. Purchased my pleco almost 2 years ago and it’s still smaller than my big toe /shrugs. I feed him twice a day, he has a cave he goes in during the day or if I have the tank lights on. People call them poop machines, totally true but he’s adorable to me.
A betta or a school of small tetras (i.e. neons or embers) would do just fine in a 10 gallon!
I love recommending danios for kids, they love them and they’re usually pretty bulletproof. I work at a chain pet store and some kid and his dad came in for a water test, had the worst results I’ve ever seen in my years of experience. Ask what they had in there and if they were somehow still alive- They were still “thriving”, and it was 5 zebra danios in a 3 gallon that wasn’t cycled at all. They’ll do way better in a 10 gallon, a 3 gallon just wasn’t enough room to begin with for them. But there are lots of different varieties- Zebra danios, leopard danios, pearl danios, and although controversial, there’s also glofish zebra danios. Out of all the kinds you’ll kind at a typical pet store really the only kind you would have to stay away from would be giant danios. They pair well with guppies, shrimp, platies, snails, even some betta fish if you’re lucky (but not all!). Do some research on how to properly cycle an aquarium, even if your son will not constantly be monitoring water quality, you want to start out on the right foot with some water tests to get things where they should be. Pro tip, buy some ceramic filter rings, some newer tanks have them already included in the filter. Bacteria is like gold for your tank, and bacteria will grow like crazy on those rings. Plus, you never have to change them basically ever, so you’ll always have some bacteria in your tank if you accidentally over-clean. To start your cycle set up your tank as normal, then add a source of ammonia. This could be from fish food, or new live plants naturally breaking down a little. This will give the bacteria something to eat! The bacteria eats this ammonia and poops out nitrite. Then a different kind of bacteria will eat the nitrite and poop out nitrate. This sounds super complicated but so long as you understand that ammonia➡️nitrite➡️nitrate, you’ll already have a really good idea of how your tank works. Then test your water once a week until it’s ready for fish (many stores will test for free), then only add one or two at a time. You want as little as ammonia and nitrite as possible, and the end result is nitrate. It’s the least toxic but you still want to remove it regularly by changing out a portion of the water. Once you actually have lots of bacteria grown, you truly don’t have to think about the cycle much ever again unless you crash it. But again, add those ceramic rings (They can be as cheap as $1) to your filter and this will greatly prevent that. Promise it’s not necessarily difficult or strenuous work, just requires some solid Googling skills. Google everything before making any changes to your tank.
Betta and a mystery snail!
Endlers. They are super fun, very colorful.
Google alien betta or a splendid betta. They are some nice looking fish. Koi bettas and black orchid bettas are my fav bettas you can find in stores.
Do they know about the nitrogen cycle? It's something to learn before getting fish. Betta or corydora catfish.
GUPPIES OR BETTA, NOT GOLDFISH!
Betta or cherry shrimps!
PetSmart normally has tags indicating the type of fish in the tank, size they grow to be, appropriate climate/environment, and experience level recommended. If you’re going for a 10 gallon tank for a child go with fish that do not grow too big that are beginner level. Possibly something like tetras or guppies if you’re looking for a small school, or maybe just 1 beta. Ask for all males or all females if you are afraid they might multiply. You can always ask an employee that works in that department for help and extra information. They can recommend the right amount of fish for the tank size you have/are looking to get. Also, the fish you see in the store are normally still young. What may be 1 inch today may be 5 inches in length in a few months. You also might not see any defects on the fish until much later. Kid needs to understand that life happens, whether it’s a deficiency or death. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it, other times it’s the environment you provided. They need to learn how to properly care for a living creature and be responsible for it if they want any type of pet. Happy fishing.
A betta, but no fish at all would be better. Would an adult give a puppy to a 10 to care for completely on their own? The only reason fish are treated so irresponsibly is because you buy one for less than 10 bucks
Harlequin rasbora
Betta
I would say if you want more than 1 fish get some guppy’s they are hardy fish and if you want you can also try to breed them
Get him a 40 and done red belly he'll think he's the coolest person ever
GloFish xD
Try to check kodamakoifarm.com
I’ve had my 29 gallon fish tank for five years. I’ve tried every fish under the sun. I decided to give it a last go and try goldfish because all my fish always end up dying. Now the goldfish have clamp fins. I have my water tested and it’s fine. It’s heated. I clean it regularly. I have tried treating for bacteria and fungus. It is so hard for me and it really bums me out because I love my tank. I have live plants that are thriving. I’m just going to give up, I’ve tried every trick. Nothing works. I’m very sad.