Ideas for a desktop aquarium

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BrettRox

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Jul 15, 2004
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I have a small 5.5 gallon tank (my first) that has just been sitting around in my shed for the last couple years. I have a prime spot on my desk in my home office (of sorts) and I'm thinking of bringing the tank back to life. So the question I pose to you all is, "What kinds of fish should I consider for this smaller aquarium?"

I know I can't fit much in there, but I'd like to put something enjoyable. Any ideas on what fish stay small enough for this tank that I could put 2, 3 or more? I'd like to avoid guppies... What about cory cats? Also keep in mind, I don't have a heater for the tank but I do live in Louisiana. I look forward to your responses/recommendations.
 
Here are a few ideas (4 male guppies was the first idea that popped into my head, lol!)...

Main fish:
1 betta
-or- 4 neon tetras
-or- 1 platy

and :
some ghost shrimps
-or- 3 pygmy cory cats
-or- a few snails

If I were setting this up, I'd probably do a betta and pygmy cories...

Have fun!!!

~Tara
 
AFG has a point... I suggest neons because of their small size, and I've kept a school of 5 successfully. But their water has to be as close to perfect as you can get it...

~Tara
 
First a suggestion. Set that tank on the kitchen counter, fill it and let it sit for a week or so before putting it on anything of value, and then finding out it doesn't hold water after sitting for a good length of time.

Depending on filtration, you could put 4 - 6 small fish in it with no problem.
A Pygmy Cory. is definitely a good suggestion, for one.
Small tetras generally don't take up a lot of room and are fairly active and amiable in tight quarters.

Len
 
To my biased opionin the Least Killie or Dwarf livebearer, Heterandria Formosa , is the coolest fish for this style of tank. It is a tiny livebearer that is found in ditches, small streams and shallows of ponds in Florida. The male is about a 1/4 of an inch and females can reach up to 1 inch. If you a little cp light and place in some plants, it would make a nice pretty little setup. I have a few 5's and 2.5 tanks with these guys (in one 5 gallon i have about 20). They are very sturdy little fish and active too. It is neat to see the males chase each other through the plants. :)

jim
 
If you aren't set on fish-only, I've kept tanks like that with a betta and a couple African dwarf frogs (not the big African clawed frogs). It works out well to keep the dwarf frogs in a small tank with a slow-moving fish like a betta, since they don't do as well when they have to swim very far to get to the surface or with a fast-eating tank mate. The smaller tank also seems to make it easier for them to find their food... they are neat to watch but apparently not that perceptive about the exact location of a tasty morsel, it takes them a few tries to find it. In a small tank they seem to have an easy time being fat and happy.
 
I have six tetras (three neons, three glo-lites) in an established five gallon tank along with one veil tail betta. So far everyone is getting along fine, and my water params are great. AFG is right, though neons need almost perfect water conditions to stay healthy, and I personally believe neons to be the most sensitive of all tetras.

As for stocking ideas...

1 betta (male or female)
6 small tetras
2 ghost shrimp

-OR-

1 betta (male or female)
4 pgymy cories
2 ghost shrimp

-OR-

1 neon blue dwarf gourami
6 small tetras
 
I have asingle betta, some snails and amano shrimp in a planted 5 gallon tank. I like it as it is low maintenance. It has an internal sponge filter and I do a 50% water change each week. With no heater (they are cheap though) I would stay away from tetras. Bettas seem best at handling the occasional temp change.
 
im setting up a eclipse (6 gallon) with a pair of apistogramma cacatoides"double red" they will go nicely in their and with a high demand in these ATM i will hopfully make a small fortune :D
 
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