Lets see if you get any ideas from my suggestions:
to 10 gal tank I would put:
5-6 dwarf puffers
(link)
or
10 Pygmy corys
(link) or Corydoras habrosus
(link)
and
10 dwarf rasboras
(link)
or
5 crescent bettas
(link)
and
different kinds of shrimps as many as you want
(link)
or
5 liquorice gouramys
(link)
and
2 bamboo shrimps
(link)
All of these tanks would be planted of course. There's nothing hard in making tank planted. Maybe buy second lamp to tank and one of those small co2 bottles from sera or was it tetra. Then buy some ferts, buy plants that don't need miracles to grow and there it is. Some plants like anubias and african fern will live even without them all.
(link)