5 gallon planted tank

[delmore]

I'd have the following lying around that I'd like to use.

5 gallon aga tank
20 watt florescent bulb/clamp on light with timer
glass canopy
AQ mini filter with sponge
red flourite mixed with gravel
no added co2

I'll add a single paradise fish

Would floating water sprite and java fern be a good choice?

Too much water movement with the AQ mini?

Thanks!

 

[Tim Bo]

Are you sure you want to add a paradise fish? How bout a ghost shrimp or a small betta?

http://www.aquariacentral.com/fishinfo/fresh/paradise.htm
http://userpages.umbc.edu/~rrhudy1/parad.htm
http://www.petfish.net/pdise.htm

To answer your question, I would personally go with the Java fern.

 

[delmore]

See http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/old/index.html under labarinth fishes

"I had one male (paradise fish) who lived solo for a long while in a rectangular gallon glass vase with only a single small potted Anubias and some Water Sprite at the surface, with half an inch of gravel to encourage bacterial nitrification..."

What kind of plants do you recommend? I'm concerned that the filter might cause too much water movement.

 

[TKOS]

I have a 5 gallon planted tank that works well. It has a bubble box filter and a 13 watt screw in flourescent light with a single betta and some rams horn snails. I grow some sort of floating lily pad plant and water sprite and it all works great.

 

[djlen]

As to the AC Mini...it would be a good choice for that tank. They can be regulated up or down for water flow depending on the circumstance.
You might want to consider the Sprite for shade as a floater as well as planted. You're probably going to need some shade with that wattage. Another great shader and nutrient hog is Salvinia.
Len

 

[tricksterpup]

A paradise fish should do wonderfully in this tank. I have one in a Regent starfish, 2.5 gallons. He is extremely active and very curious of his surroundings. When you keep him. stay on the water changes but you should be ok. You should be ok with your choice of plants too. Another plant you could try is hornwort. It makes a nice floating plant just below the surface.
jim

 

[TKOS]

If you use floating plants (and you should as they are great for swimming around in) make sure to keep the water level up as in my tank the plants quickly grow to the bottom and take away a lot of swimming room. Not so important for the betta but probably more so for the paradise fish.

 

[delmore]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to set up the tank this weekend + will post pics in a few weeks.