Help me set up my smallest tank

[delmore]

The common variety of paradise fish has similar coloring to some of the dwarf gourami's that I've seen - bands of blue and red, but with the long flowing fins. The fish is an agile swimmer, unlike a betta, and is not shy like like my pearl gouramis.

Here's my 5.5 gallon planted tank, with "spot" the fish:

http://www.wu7.net/users/photos/paradisefish02.jpg

here's another. He's "begging" for food:

http://www.wu7.net/users/photos/paradisefish01.jpg

 

[ChilDawg]

Oh, gosh, a 5g tank? Go to the Cichlids forum and search for "Shellie Links". That's got a lot of info on the beautiful shell-dwellers of Lake Tanganyika!

I wouldn't recommend many other dwarf cichlids for such a tank...I think a pair of Rams are best for a well-maintained 10g (but more water means more ability to make small errors!)

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

well I now work at my LFS so I will be learning at great deal more about cichlids. About that heater when the frist pay roles in I will grab me a small cheap filter and a 55W heater (smallest/cheapest we sell). I will be on the look out for some of those shellies but I don't think we sell any. That 5.5gal planted tank looks great!

Can't wait till I make my final desicion about what setup i'm am going to use!

thanks guys

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

internal canister filter? 400l/h would that go alright in my 5gal? or would it be better if I just kept my small world sponge filter that runs of an airator?

 

[ChilDawg]

400L/hr. works out to more than 100 gallons/hour. For a 5g tank, that is wayyy too much turnover, unless you're keeping something large and messy (which you can't in a 5g tank!) I'd recommend the sponge filter over the internal canister.

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

Well I've finally put a paradise fish into it, today. I've got that 400/H also inside. I've made it so I blows against the glass (width). Small and blue with other small river stream platy's (caught in a stream) So I might wip out the ol' Digi cam....when will its colour increase?