new 5 gallon

[ohbly]

Hi Im wanting opinions on what to put in a tiny 12"x12"x12 tank.
I have had much larger tanks in the past but I dont have the space for anything bigger at the moe.
Its well filtered through a home-made, wet-dry hydroponic biofilter with about 64 cubic inches of media (smashed terracotta pot) with a medium sized peace lily growing in it.
THe system has been cycling for a couple of weeks with the plant showing good growth already and theres a thriving population of dahnia that must have come in with the java moss.
anywho here are my choices-
1 small black moor (to be released into friends large pond when it gets too big)
1 paradise fish
a few danios or whiteclouds or guppys
1 freshwater crayfish and/or some freshwater shrimp
Iv owned all off the above in the past with success. I'd perfer a black moor but I feel the tank is too small and it would be cruel to keep it on its own.
Id appreciate your thoughts, cheers

 

[kveeti]

Paradise fish would be ok. I have one in a 5 gallon. He was supposed to go into a bigger tank but he's not nice to any new friends, so looks like he's staying there.

I think danios are too hyper for a 5 gallon.

Another thought (if you can find them) is Heterandria formosa. They are livebearers and quite tiny (males 3/4 inch, females 1 inch). I just recently got some from a local breeder and I love them. Not overly colourful but nice markings. As opposed to guppies, the males and females look the same (except for size and the fact the males have the gonopodium). Apparently, they don't even eat their young. I've just had mine a week, so I don't know about that yet.

 

[Roan Art]

A black moor needs a 20g tank at minimum, so not only would putting it in a 5g be cruel, but you would have to do water changes every day to keep the tank clean.

Goldfish stunt very easily and when they stunt, they die at an early age. In a proper environment they can live 20 years easily. In a small tank, 5 would be pushing it. Even if you moved him out when "he got too big" the damage has already been done to the fish.

Roan

 

[Ms.Bubbles]

The only fish I can imagine being really content in a 5 gallon is a betta. I know it's not one of your choices, but they're worth considering and pretty easy care & full of fish 'personality'...

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Dwarf puffer?

 

[TKOS]

Betta or paradise. Also consider adding soem freshwater shrimp to give some variety. Ghost shrimp are cheap and fun and if they get eaten won't be too great a loss.

 

[tricksterpup]

Paradise fish would be ok. I have one in a 5 gallon. He was supposed to go into a bigger tank but he's not nice to any new friends, so looks like he's staying there.

I think danios are too hyper for a 5 gallon.

Another thought (if you can find them) is Heterandria formosa. They are livebearers and quite tiny (males 3/4 inch, females 1 inch). I just recently got some from a local breeder and I love them. Not overly colourful but nice markings. As opposed to guppies, the males and females look the same (except for size and the fact the males have the gonopodium). Apparently, they don't even eat their young. I've just had mine a week, so I don't know about that yet.

Heterandria formosa is a great little fish to have for a tank this size. Yes, you can go with a Paradise fish or Betta for this tank but thats about it for one fish. But if you want a school of fish and many of them, then go with the Hets aka Least Killie for the tank. Just do a search on Heterandria formosa or my name and you should find them in a topic.

 

[ohbly]

thanks for the replies.
Turns out its 7.7 gallons not 5 (Im a metric man)
I ended up getting a young female paradise fish whos a real sweety, she seems really interested in everything around her, especially people looking at her. I'd like to get her a friend but Im afraid she'd hurt anything that wouldnt pick on her (like a randy male). From the nips she gives me I think she could easily take out a ghost shrimp, although I once had a big male paradise for years outside that peacefully shared his half barrel sized pot with many tiny waterboatmen...

thourght about betta but the ones at the fs were all too tatty.

I didnt go for the wee blackmoor -way to small a tank. Iv only kept goldfish in ponds b4 and bar 1 they're all still alive 15 years later, now in a friends pond that I built.

The filter is going great the peace liliy is growing so well that I wish I had put a 'different' type of plant in it

 

[ohbly]

heres a pic of the tank

and heres a closeup of the plant/filter

I think the filter may be overkill for one small fish but it looks good and will look better as the java moss grows over the basket.Plus it should filter toxins out of the air as a bonus.

 

[joephys]

I know you said you will release the moore when its gets too big for the tank, but it will never happen. It wont grow, it will just start to die a slow death. That is why most people don't realize how big gold fish get.