Friend needs help - Freshwater

So my friend in Orlando contacted me the other day saying her boyfriend is wanting to start a tank and thought I might be able to help him navigate the intro. I can definitely help him with some aspects, but my knowledge on freshwater fish is limited. Can you guys help me reccommend which fish will not kill each other and will be decent for a beginner?

After a short talk I found out: When he was little, he had a goldfish in a bowl. He doesn't want anything so "boring" so he's looking to get a tank to put some interesting, colorful fish in.
By his estimation of tank dimensions, he's probably looking for a 10 gallon.
He says he's bored and he thinks if he had something to take care of, he would probably take good care of it. I've heard his girlfriend complain about how disasterous his apartment is, so Im thinking a low maintenance start up would be best, just so he can see what all it really takes, and then he can get more interesting things later if he wants.
I asked if he wanted plants, and he wasnt sure. If you guys know of any super easy plants or a substitute just so his fish have more than a lighthouse deco, any suggestions are welcome.
I expect it would have a large pebble-y/gravel in the bottom.

I tried to explain to him that his tank size will mostly determine what fish and how many fish he can have. And after that, what fish he has will determine what other fish he can have. He said he didn't even think about problems with fish combinations.

I've been scouting on liveaquaria, and comments are encouraged as well as reccommendation on other fish/animals I didnt mention.
Boesemani Rainbow (Melanotaenia boesemani) supposedly a schooling fish and needs 30 gallons, but could he just own one? Or does it still need 30 gallons
Green Cobra Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) 20 gal. reccommended "very tolerant of changing tank conditions"
Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) very colorful, very small, 10 gallon reccommendation, likes to school.
Endler's Livebearer (Poecilia sp.) 20 gal. reccommended "very tolerant of changing conditions"
Golden Dream Panchax Killifish (Pachypanchax playfairi) 20 gal. reccommended "ideal for community aquariums" "vibrant color" "not demanding and can adapt to a cariety of water conditions"
Glofish - obviously colorful, small and able to school in a 10 gallon
Dwarf Puffer - Dan's was really cute, but I don't know if they are easy or hard. Supposedly, they can be mean?
Dan, do you think he could do those little cherry shrimps easily enough?
A cleaning fish, like a pleco or something? Just in case he's busier than he thought?

Thanks guys, any help is much appreciated!

ive got a 10 gallon u want it ill give it to you for 5 if you want ashley

Well I live in pensacola (in the Fl panhandle by Alabama) but he lives in Orlando. Maybe we can arange something?

ok works just pm me and we ca work out something

Hey Ashley,

I am SO glad I did the dwarf puffer, their personalities are just awesome. They will be aggressive to most other fish though. It will get along with cherry shrimps as long as they are big enough. My cherry shrimps have also been really cool, they control their own population which makes them super easy.

If he wants to do puffers my recommendation would be 2 for 10g, some cherry shrimps, some algae eaters (mine's been fine with otocinclus) plants or decorations of some kind. You may be able to get away with 3 puffers if the tank is planted enough.

Some easy plants might be anubias, java moss, or dwarf sagitarrius. I also really like the "parsley plant" I have in my pico, that's grown really well and I can always spare some extra.

that the way to do that kind of tank

I have some fast growers but they may not be so great for a 10 gallon unless they want a forest

I wish I hadn't just given away the bulk of my plants a week or so ago