What can I put in a 5 gallon tank?

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pookiemct07

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Oct 11, 2004
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Before you start the lecture... Yes, I know... a 5 gallon tank is teeny. Here's the deal. I had a male betta in this tank for several years. I just couldn't see leaving him in one of those tiny little bowls they sell for bettas. Anyway, his name was Sebastian and he outlived the normal 2 - 3 year lifespan but died recently of old age.
My kids miss him and want another fish. We don't have the money for a 55 gallon tank right now but are planning on buying one with our tax refund next year. Until then, the kids want another fish or two. At first, we wanted a pair of bala sharks but recent reading has shown me they will not be happy in such a small tank. The goal here is to get two interesting fish that will be healthy in a small environment. My boys are 3 and 5 and really enjoyed having Sebastian around. We have a small pond in our backyard with goldfish in it so we don't really want more of the same indoors (plus I can only imagine what a mess a goldfish would make of such a small tank).
Anyone have any ideas?
Maybe our new fishies can move to the big tank when we get it. Thanks!!!
 
How about a dwarf puffer, Carinotetraodon travancoricus? One dwarf and a couple of Otocinclus catfish would not be overstocking, and very few fish have the personality of the DPs.

See: http://dwarfpuffers.com/ for all the info on the beasts,

and the forum there: http://dwarfpuffers.com/forum/ can answer any questions. There are lots of pictures of memebers DPs tanks in the photo gallery there as well.
 
paradise fish- hardy, personable, and tons of fun. they're every bit as tough as bettas, love human interaction, and are widely available. He'd do well in the 5g, and you could even get a dwarf corydoras or some other small catfish and some snails for tankmates- just introduce the tankmates to the tank before the paradise fish.
 
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Definitely research before getting any fish! Any fish that isn't allowed to reach it's potential growth and size is stunted, and this leads to a poor quality of life for the fish (and potentially for yourself too).
 
A trio of cherry barbs--2 females and 1 male--would do fine in that tank. They ar very active, and colorful. Provide a bit of cover and regular water changes, and they will thrive for you.
 
Hi,

Have you considered Zebra Danios?? I think they are really nice fish, and there very hardy.....

Also there are Platys, which IMO are really Gentle and won't attempt to nibble you when you go In the tank like Danios :D


Cheers
Dan
 
Dan - Those fish are all fish that prefer to live in groups (a school) of 6+. I do not think that would work in a 5 gallon. Danios are extremely active, or should be. Platies can get about 2.5 inches long, so 2 or so would max that tank out.

Perhaps some Endler's Livebearers would work? You could put 8 or 9 of them in that aquarium, and provided you have some nice green leafy plants in this tank, it could really look spectacular! :)
 
if you can find any, some killifish are excellent colorful fish for a 5 gallon. Endlers would also be a great choice but would quickly outbreed the tank so make sure you have an LFS or something to take all the fry off your hands. Most LFS's are more than willing to take endlers. Most any livebearers would be good for a 5 gallon, just not too many. You'd normally want a trio (1 male, 2 female) so that the male doesn't harass the female to death if you got a pair. As for the schooling fish, danio's might be a little too fast of a fish for a 5 depending on the dimensions of the tank. I'd go more for smaller, less active fish like small tetras. I know it's already been mentioned and will be again after I write this but tetras and the like are usually recommended in larger groups. I have found this depends a lot on the tank setup though. I have a 55 full of miscellaneous community fish, lots of plants and decorations and my schooling fish (tetras, danio's, rasboras, etc.) rarely are seen together in a group. If you give these fish lots of cover, you can get away with just a few. Another suggestion I'm sure I'll get an arguement over is threadfin rainbows. These would normally be recommended for larger tanks but I've found the threadfins rarely do much moving around and are content with a nicely planted area smaller than that. I have 6 threadfin males in my 65 gallon planted tank and they rarely leave an area the size of a 5 gallon the way it is. as stated, do a lot of research and make your own decisions. Kyle
 
Encouraging!

Thanks everyone! I am now armed with a decent-sized list to take to the store. I was really discouraged at first because I didn't think anything could thrive in so small a tank besides a single betta. Here's another question though: I did a total water change when Sebastian died and I changed out the gravel too since it was way too colorful (fish don't live in a disco, after all). I did not change the filter insert though and I'm wondering if it alone will have enough bacteria in it since the water and gravel are new? I've left the tank pump and filter running along with the heater so I'm hoping everything's ok. Think it's ok or should I get my water retested? If so, rather than running to get my water checked every week, what test kit should I buy to test the water myself? Am I looking for a nitrate kit? All I have now is an ammonia kit and a PH kit. Also, how come my betta's water never had an ammonia problem? Can I take credit for that or do they just not put out much ammonia?
 
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