Small tank ideas

[DJ-don]

Hey guys,
At the start of the year I moved to Melbourne for university and just recently decided to get back into the hobby (been out of the hobby for about 2 years or so but getting back into it!) and due to space constraints I figured a small tank would be great to get back into the groove of things before I find my own place next year.
Like any university student, I impulse bought a small fish tank. It's about 8-10 gallons and I was wondering what I could do with it?
It's an AR-380 (38cmx25cmx45cm) and I've never really dealt with tanks this small before so I'm a little unsure what to do.
The tank is cycling at the moment and I plant to let it do so for another month before I get anything so I have heaps of time to figure out what to get!
I'm not too keen on a Betta set up but if I can, want to develop a really vibrant community tank but space constraints being an issue, I have no idea what I can really do with this

So far the fish I definitely want to get are Corydoras Pygmaeus. From what I can tell, they are the only bottom dwelling fish or catfish I can keep in the tank.
I have also gotten suggestions for Boraras Brigattae and Rasbora Maculata's to fill in the upper and middle collumn. Celestial Danios I hear are also are an option as well.
Shrimp is a definite as well

But any suggestions for stocking, plants or set up would be much appreciated!!

 

[YAL05T]

Unless you want to be a purist for biotype. I would consider a sand bottom, with a small planted piece of driftwood, maybe some anubias and mosses.

The pygmaeus are not a typical cory type catfish, they will shoal and swim mid water and also spend a decent amount of time resting. I have a shoal of unknown numbers now, started with 10, it's at least doubled through by breeding and they are often cruising about with rummy nose tetras.
I would suggest a small shoal of pygmaeus, some ottocinclus (once the tank has matured a bit) and either ember/gold tetras if you want to keep the fish amazon based or some of the small rasboras or danios you have already mentioned.you could also add shrimp as a clean up crew, just be aware that some of them will breed like rabbits and in a small tank you will have to be very cognisant of water quality issues if you overstock (not recommended)

 

[YAL05T]

I hope that makes sense, it's actually 0620 and I'm in Perth so I'm a little fried in the melon.

 

[DJ-don]

I hope that makes sense, it's actually 0620 and I'm in Perth so I'm a little fried in the melon.

Haha don't worry I understood everything. Is it possible to keep Oto's and and pygmy in such a small tank??

 

[YAL05T]

I did for near on 18 months, granted I only started with three ottos, once they started breeding and increasing in numbers I moved them into a bigger tank.

My stock was 10 C.pygmaeus, 3 O.vittatus, and two (male) CRS in an AR-380 ;-)

 

[YAL05T]

But remember the ottos generally do poorly in a fresh (unseasoned) tank. Everything that went into mine except for the substrate came out of other tanks including the water.