View Full Version : help with 5 gal tank and what kinds and number of fish
wwinorth
06-30-2003, 10:09 AM
Hello!
I just purchased a 5.5 gallon tank, and set it up. Now it is time to pick fish and start adding. But, I don't want to overcrowd, and I don't know what fish work well together. I don't have a problem just keeping a few fish, I just need to know which ones.
Thanks!
Mel
Have you cycled the tank yet?
Oh yeah, welcome to Aquaria Central!! This is the greatest place to learn everything you want to know about fishkeeping!
wwinorth
06-30-2003, 10:15 AM
ummmmm...no?
help! :D
Hi
Try this:
fishless cycling thread (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=5927)
Also check out the thread about cycling with fish if you've already started to give you an idea of how much it should be avoided if poss.
You did the right thing and asked first - I didn't and lost fish despite putting in a lot of effort (water changes etc).
HTH
wwinorth
06-30-2003, 11:23 AM
okay, this seems like a lot of work for a 5 gallon tank, can I just let it do it on it's own? If so, how long should it take? :confused:
thanks!
Mel
stoopid
06-30-2003, 12:46 PM
Originally posted by wwinorth
okay, this seems like a lot of work for a 5 gallon tank, can I just let it do it on it's own? If so, how long should it take? :confused:
thanks!
Mel
Cycling is critical for the tank, it's worth the time/effort, regardless of size... but you can cycle with fish, but don't expect them to live unless you take special care to ensure a clean tank environment and watch the ammonia/nitrate levels. until the tank cycles it has a hard time processing excess mitrates and ammonia, and an excess of either can kill the fish.
pinballqueen
06-30-2003, 4:38 PM
Fishkeeping isn't the easiest hobby there is. There is a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work involved. The cycling process will not happen on its own by letting an empty tank sit there for weeks on end and doing nothing. You have to either seed the tank with gravel/deco from an established tank, or provide an ammonia source, be it from a bottle or the business end of a fish.
Given an ammonia source and a tank of water, yes it will happen all by itself, eventually.
However, going into the game with the knowledge of the chemistry involved will help you soooooooo much.
As for the types of fish suitable for a 5.5, I kept a chinese sucker and a betta in mine when I had one that small.
A pair of dwarf gouramis would also work, as would a few white cloud mountain minnows. Maybe even a pair of shell-dwelling dwarf cichlids, but you would need to ask on the cichlid forum about them, as they are a special-needs fish.
Options are fairly limited in a tank of that size, but there are a few species that would be fine. Get the cycling thing over with first, though.
wwinorth
06-30-2003, 5:59 PM
okay, thanks for the advice!
Mel
:p