# Ten gallon tank challenge



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Sometime in the near-ish future my fiance and I might be getting a new pet to go in our empty ten gallon tank. The only problem is we have no idea what we should get, since we have quite a few restrictions (all of which were determined by us). So I thought I would see if any of you guys could come up with anything (if there IS anything) that would work. The following are the guidelines we have set for ourselves:

NO live food
NO snakes
NO rodents
Captive bred
Non aquatic (although this one can change if we find the right pet)
Nothing aggressive
Reasonable maintenance 

Now that we've pretty much ruled out everything, is there anything at all you guys can think of? There is a good chance we can upgrade tank size in the future, if that helps at all. Thanks for any suggestions!


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

The only thing I could think of was a Bearded Dragon but I think they need more than a 10 gallon....and live food I think, but I've never owned one.

No fish at all?


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Yea, they will eventually need a forty gallon breeder tank, and eat LOTS of bugs when they are young. Although they are cute and friendly! Well, if we did get a fish, I would prefer that it was solitary (I'm weird and like to just have one animal per cage/tank, since I feel like I can get to know them better that way). And I know that also limits my choices.


----------



## Riverotter (May 15, 2013)

LOL, well, you did rule out just about everything! 
You could do hermit crabs.
I had a couple as a kid, they don't pinch and are cute to watch, they are easy care a weekly bath and sand rinse. I just kept 2 batches of sand. I'd empty the tank into a bucket, stick a hose in it to clean it, and grab last weeks bucket and dump it in the tank. LOL, _little_ buckets, kid's sand-pail size. Kept them under the bathroom sink.

And please, please, unless it's naturally a very solitary or territorial critter - give your pets some company. Even if you spend a solid hour a say with them, that's still 23 hours that they're all alone.

You'll get to know them just fine. Actually better, as they won't be lonely and depressed. Our 2 mice, Linny and Peaches, are dashing and playing tag all around their cage across the room. As soon as they stop, they'll groom each other and cuddle. They are both just as personable and tame as they'd be alone, and far more entertaining and happy. Linny likes to tease the cats


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

I was actually almost totally set on hermit crabs until I found out they are all collected in the wild. :/ And when they get big they need BIG tanks!

I totally hear you on the company thing, and I agree. That's why we only get naturally solitary animals, like our Bettas, Pacman Frog, and Uromastyx (and I know wild Bettas aren't solitary). Any animals we have that like company, such as our African Dwarf Frogs, always have a buddy or two. That's one of the reasons rodents are out of the picture.


----------



## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

lilnaugrim said:


> The only thing I could think of was a Bearded Dragon but I think they need more than a 10 gallon....and live food I think, but I've never owned one.
> 
> No fish at all?


Yea, They need 40 gallon minimum and eat bugs. They are fun pets though.


I think ADF is the only non fish I can figure out for the 10 gallon.


----------



## Riverotter (May 15, 2013)

There are a couple of folks who breed them, but I don't think they have websites. But I do know, from living in FL, very often the places they are collected from are sites that are being developed. It's better that they get collected then buldozed. 
You can ask if they are sustainably harvested or farmed where you buy them. If they say they don't know, nag them to ask their supplier.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

We have two African Dwarf Frogs already, and they are quite comical little guys. 

Oh really? I have never heard of anyone breeding them. The only problem with asking the pet stores is that I don't trust their answer, because sometimes they will say what they think you want to hear. And also like I said before they need quite a bit of space when they get to be full sized. Although that takes a very long time, I'm not too sure I want a fifty five gallon tank.  Oh, and I would always be terrified of them dying while they're down there molting, since that is when A LOT of deaths occur.


----------



## JellOh (Mar 13, 2013)

Know this kinda breaks the "nothing aquatic" rule, but what about a paludarium? It's a tank with water and land, usually its stuffed full of plants. It's just an idea, but I've always wanted to set one up


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

My fiance has actually wanted to do that for a while now, and plans to do one in the future.  But right now we would like to have an actual pet (although I'm sure there are things that could live happily in that setup). 

Man, I feel like I'm just shooting everyone down. :/ I really do appreciate all your input! 

Maybe I should throw out the non aquatic rule?


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

So ruling out any shrimp communities or snail communities? I know you said solitary but figured I'd throw it out anyway


----------



## BettaNubRandyLove (Apr 8, 2013)

Hmmmm. What about frozen foods? If so I would get a newt.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

We used to have a tank of Mystery Snails (now down to one) that we thoroughly enjoyed. It's something we may do again, but are interested in trying something new. As for shrimp, they're very cute, but reproduce so much that you wouldn't really be able to get to know them as individuals.

Frozen foods are something we would consider, especially if it wasn't an every day thing. I have looked into newts and think they are adorable! Are they difficult to care for? From what I've seen they look a bit challenging. But I could be wrong. Have you/do you own(ed) one?


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Back to the Shrimp, if you get some of the less common shrimp you could do it. Just get two of one species, two of another. Just an idea 

Newts would be adorable though!


----------



## BettaNubRandyLove (Apr 8, 2013)

I personally haven't owned one but in the summer I work at a nature center and Im in charge of feeding. they have a single newt in a ten gallon. as far as Im concerned feeding is pretty easy. the only thing is newts don't have good eye sight so you have to either drop it in front of him and hope he eats it, or feed him with long tweezers.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Do different shrimp species get along? Or is it only certain ones? Also, I assume they have very short lifespans. We had quite the disastrous year in terms of fish dying (mostly with my fiance's tropical tank) and would like to have whatever we decide on stick around for a while.

What type of newt is it? I don't know if all newts have the same basic care or not.


----------



## BettaNubRandyLove (Apr 8, 2013)

He is a fire beliied newt.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Pretty much all shrimp get along, I personally wouldn't put Ghost shrimp in with any others because they are among the only ones to have claws. And as far as I'm aware they can live to be about 1-2 years old. Granted that's not super long. But I would get some of the more ornamental ones like Tigers, any of the Crystal ones are pretty, Cardinal shrimp.

Here's a site that lists a bunch of them, none of the pictures are showing up for me but if you hover of the names on the list at the left, it shows you a picture so you can at least see and then look up that particular shrimp. 

But of course the Newt idea seems much cooler than shrimp haha.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Oh ok, that's good to know! The link for the website isn't there...? And I think shrimp are cool too. I always love watching them move their little legs and pick at stuff in tanks.  

Fire Bellied Newts are SUPER cute! That was one of the species I have been looking at. My only concern is that I've seen they prefer densely planted tanks, and I am certainly not good at plants, aquatic or not. Haha. The animal I REALLY wanted was a Tiger Salamander, but they eat worms and are pretty much only wild caught. :/


----------



## helms97 (Sep 21, 2011)

I was going to say you should get two fire bellied news or fire bellied frogs.. They're both fun.. But aquatic.. Heres a link for ordering them inline if you're interested http://www.backwaterreptiles.com/newts/fire-bellied-newt-for-sale.html


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Lol, I'm silly! Sorry about that. Here's the link: http://www.planetinverts.com/shrimp_from_sulawesi.html


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

I actually had Fire Bellied Toads when I was little! The only reason I'm ruling them out is because they eat crickets, and I can't deal with that. :/ Thanks for the link! Have you owned the newts before?

Haha it's ok.  Thank you!


----------



## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

hermit crabs really easy to take care of they eat just about anything and are pretty fun


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Yes, those were recommended earlier and I had wanted them, but I couldn't accommodate the full grown tank size, and they are taken from the wild. Also from what I've read they don't sound terribly easy to care for. Thanks though!


----------



## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

What about setting up a carnivorous plant terrarium?


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Are those easy to care for? And wouldn't they violate the "No live food" rule? I seriously can't keep plants alive. Haha.


----------



## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

I just fed my venus flytrap bugs I found around the house and that was about once every month.

http://greenhouse.iab.uaf.edu/education/venusflytrap.php


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Hmm... I don't know about doing that with bugs. I'm one of the people who catches them and puts them outside.


----------



## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Hm...What about a pet rock? :lol:


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Yea, pretty much. Haha. A Fire Bellied Newt is a possibility, and my fiance also brought up an Axolotl (which I had wanted for a while, but was trying to stay away from aquatic things). So pretty much, I'm going to end up with nothing or something that lives in water. Hahaha.


----------



## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

this is a bit out of your restrictions but a single crested gecko would be able to live in a 20g tank (or equivalent terrarium). they're arboreal and love plant cover and branches to climb/hide. they do require 50-90% humitity cycle every 1-2 days. they dont need any special needs as far as other reptiles/geckoes go. plant/branch cover, 22-28c maximum temp range, no heating pad/lamp required. dusted crickets are optional as you can just feed rephashy meal repacement powder. 15minutes contact every 1-3 days (though 15 minutes a day is preferable) and they're nocturnal geckoes.

a 10g tank can be good for a young crested gecko thoughan adult would need 20g equivalent (some suggest 29g but 20g is fine). i have a 18 inch cube terrarium (around 25g) and it doesnt take up too much space given i dont plan on getting any more than 1 at any time. i do beleive gargoyle geckoes have similar setups though they need higher temps and a heat lamp.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

A while ago we actually went to check some out, as they pretty much were everything I wanted. My only two problems with them are I'm afraid of being bitten (I'm seriously a HUGE wimp), and they are jumpy, which not only makes me nervous but I have a dog who would be very interested in a little gecko on the ground. I see in your signature that you own one. Am I being silly, or are those some valid concerns?


----------



## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

LinkLover said:


> A while ago we actually went to check some out, as they pretty much were everything I wanted. My only two problems with them are I'm afraid of being bitten (I'm seriously a HUGE wimp), and they are jumpy, which not only makes me nervous but I have a dog who would be very interested in a little gecko on the ground. I see in your signature that you own one. Am I being silly, or are those some valid concerns?


those are plausible concerns for such pets though every animal companion is different. much like some cats are content to watch fish while others try to get at them in the tanks. cats (and presumably dogs) can cause infections if they bite a small gecko such as them. one member on Pangea forum had their cat jump on top of the tank and broke the mesh, the gecko was bitten but didnt survive in the end. given i have only fish and 1 gecko, i dont have time or space for dogs/cats much less risk such a thing. im a bit paranoid of "pet incompatability" issues such as this.

each animal does have its own personality. mine was a bit jumpy and agressive when 1 year old though hes now more calmer and less jumpy. sometimes he avoids me if he thinks i'll pick him up. they bite like a hard pinch, and cant draw blood. they can be quick to move when motivated. they make nice pets and can take care of themselves with the right conditions.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

My dog is always interested in other animals, although he never shows any signs of aggression. But, it only takes one time for something to go really wrong. At this point though, especially since I have a new baby, I wouldn't really be doing any handling unless necessary. Would that be harmful for them? And yea, I've been bitten by a young Gargoyle Gecko (I'm so in love with their look, but know they aren't as nice) and even that freaked me out pretty good. Like I said, huge wimp right here.


----------



## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

LinkLover said:


> My dog is always interested in other animals, although he never shows any signs of aggression. But, it only takes one time for something to go really wrong. At this point though, especially since I have a new baby, I wouldn't really be doing any handling unless necessary. Would that be harmful for them? And yea, I've been bitten by a young Gargoyle Gecko (I'm so in love with their look, but know they aren't as nice) and even that freaked me out pretty good. Like I said, huge wimp right here.


cresties are "cooler" as far as looks go, very distinctive. gargs on the other hand arent as nice looking but they have that dinosaur-like appearance which is very cool in its own way. i do love garg for thier ancient reptile appearance. theres something about "ugly" looking reptiles which makes you appreciate just how much like their dinosaur relatives. its like you own an actual miniature dinosaur.

as far as handling goes. minimize handling for minimum first 2 weeks when you put them in a new environment. they take time to get used to it and also may chose to stop eating (but not to the point of starvation) during the 2-3 week period. 

ive been bitten 4 times though each time was when i was preparing to give him crickets. it does give a good surprise but i know i wont lose a finger to it.

(im guessing this new baby your talking about is your child) congrats for your new baby, they're so cute when they are young.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

I suppose that's true. I think the surprise is the scariest part for me, since I've felt much more painful things than a nip from a gecko. There is a Crested Gecko at my local pet store who has been there, in the back, for almost TWO YEARS. I feel absolutely terrible for the poor guy. I held him once, when I was considering getting one, and he was obviously scared of people. I have debated getting him so many times, but I don't want to take him out of one bad situation just to put him in another.


----------



## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

LinkLover said:


> I suppose that's true. I think the surprise is the scariest part for me, since I've felt much more painful things than a nip from a gecko. There is a Crested Gecko at my local pet store who has been there, in the back, for almost TWO YEARS. I feel absolutely terrible for the poor guy. I held him once, when I was considering getting one, and he was obviously scared of people. I have debated getting him so many times, but I don't want to take him out of one bad situation just to put him in another.


im a bit surprised he's been around for 2 yrs. i did see a similar situation though he was pre-owned and put in the store display tank from previous owner/employee.

imo id feel safer having a dog/gecko combo than a cat/gecko combo as the cats are more agile. the dogs may be bigger and create other issues but im more worried about a pet resting on the top of the enclosure that from the sides. i leave the choice up to you regarding the 10g challenge though i can understand your worries with the dog's curiousities.

i can say i was rather weak as far as cresties resistance geso. i love their appearance and decided to get one as soon as i handled a gecko within 10 seconds.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Yea I'm shocked he's been there so long, but he has been kept way in the back where not many people would really go. My dog is little (Pug/Chihuahua mix), but he is fast and strong for his size. I actually had the same reaction with the Gargoyle! But as soon as he bit me that was all over. :/ My dog would only be a problem while handling, and that is something I wouldn't be doing much of. We do have a twenty gallon long in storage...


----------



## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

the cresties and gargs do prefer tanks that are higher than longer but its still possible to orient a tank the "wrong" way to provide more vertical climbing area. one person did use sealant, wood, mesh to take an ordinary fish tank and make a vertical terrium of it for a gecko. 

there are other thrifty ways of making enclosures but they dont look as esthetically pleasing and serve more muction than appearance. 

a 20g long would be good for a leopard gecko though it fails due to the live food requirement.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Oh yea I meant I would be turning it on it's side. Like I said we came VERY close to getting one of these guys. As in already had the tank set up. Hahaha. I guess my only serious worry is the biting. And there's the whole fiance agreeing to it thing. Haha. But I definitely don't want to take on more than I can handle since we do have quite a few pets already plus the new baby. GAH. It's so hard to say no to animals...


----------



## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I'm going to go ahead and say... Ground snails! Let's think outside of the box! Sure, you won't be able to get certain species (of course they are the coolest ones) but a nice little _Helix aspersa_ trio would be fun! I have a few ground snails (of one of the smaller species) and it is super easy to care for them... Give them a leaf every day and keep them moist. And, as you live in Washington, you might be able to grab some from your garden! They are awesome, underrated species that are surprisingly fun to watch. 

Remember that feeding crickets is no different then feeding a betta meat based foods, except that you don't have to deal with the animal.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Ooh, I didn't think about that! Snails are so cute. I'll have to look them up! Have you ever had one?

And yes, I do understand that. My pets that require animal products get them, but dealing with live foods is a pain and I don't like watching it. I can deal with pellets.


----------



## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I've never had one of the species I suggested, but I am currently keeping a species of ground snail and care is all basically the same.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Interesting. I've seen some that get pretty big! I think the African Land Snail or something? But what kind of leaves do you feed them?


----------



## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

GALS (giant african land snails) are banned so strictly in the USA, its not even funny! They seem like they would be fun to keep though, but apparently they are one of the more difficult species. _Helix_ species are a nice size and easy to get. What leaves do they eat? Pretty much anything you could eat lol. Dandelion, lettuce, apple slices, carrot, etc.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Oh ok, I will look into those. I do think snails are totally adorable, so maybe a terrestrial one would be interesting to have.


----------



## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Hey, it fits your (super restrictive) requirements. Hope I helped!


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

I know, right? That's why I'm debating ditching the "Non aquatic" rule. And yes, you and everyone else have been very helpful! I have so many options to consider.


----------



## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Sadly, most exotic terrestrial snail species, like the African Gaint Snail, are banned from import to the US. However, I have the perfect suggestion for ya, LinkLover. It is, however, an animal that is a tad on the creepy crawly side of things. 

Its a Giant African Millipede. They require moderate care, but otherwise are fun to keep! They don't bite, are non venomous, and feed on vegetation, rather than live animals. They do excrete a mild irritant that will stain your fingers purple, but that is the extent of their weirdness, and can be calmed down to not do so with regular handling. 

They are pretty neat and will fufill your list of requirements to a T. Here is what they look like.


----------



## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Those would be awesome as well!m

_Helix_ species are legal to import in some states, Washington included (I think).


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

TheCrabbyTabby said:


> Sadly, most exotic terrestrial snail species, like the African Gaint Snail, are banned from import to the US.


_Helix_ species aren't banned in the US, they're the family of snails that are used in Escargot. I've been thinking about getting some eventually, but that's another project for when we move.

African Giants are banned because they're highly invasive, eat stucco houses, and can blow out a car tire if they're run over.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

When I was younger I actually saw one of those millipedes at Petco and desperately wanted one for some reason... Haha. You sure those things don't bite? They look a little scary. I don't know if I'd want to have one in my house. I mean, I'm not necessarily scared of bugs (unless it's a spider, then I'm a nutcase), but that's a pretty big bug right there.


----------



## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

I am sure millipedes don't bite.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Well that's good. Otherwise I'm sure they wouldn't be very popular. Do you happen to own one?


----------



## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

No. Unfortunately not.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

Ah ok. While I was just researching them I saw that they are pretty hard to find here. I wonder why that is? Cause honestly those guys might be a front runner for my next pet!


----------



## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Well, according to my research, and I have researched getting one, there are mites that live on some of the millipedes that were imported and some people aren't too happy about that so they banned the importation of these species. However, millipedes already in the US are alright to own, so exotic breeders of these species (which it isn't too hard to breed them, actually) started to up there breeding to meet the demand for them. Their prices went up accordingly. 

However, if you go to the Ward Science website, they sell them relatively cheap at about 32 bucks a millipede.


----------



## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

32 bucks is a ton for a bug lol.


----------



## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Well, that price is certainly far better than Ken the Bug Guy's price at nearly $100 dollars for just one adult.


----------



## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

That makes sense. I looked at their website, and the ones they sell are wild caught. :/ Meh. I'll keep checking around and thinking about all my options.

And yea, you'd think so, but I saw some listed for over a hundred dollars!


----------

