what should I get??!?!

S

shadow88

AC Members
Mar 11, 2008
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Hi all,
So...I just got a 5-gallong hexagon tank, and I have no idea what to put in it...but I'm not setting it up till may, theres no rush.

I already have a 5-gallon rectangle tank with some guppies, a platy and 2 cory cats. I know someone is going to tell me its overstocked, but its very clean, and the fish are very happy and active...the rectangle shape allows more room to swim I suppose.

ANYWAY.... I have some fish that I definately want to get, and I'm willing to move around the inhabitants of the 2 aquariums.
1. khuli loaches
2. oto cats
3. betta(s)
4. barbs or kilifish
I'm probably going to have to wait on the barbs till I get a bigger tank for more variety.

What I had in mind for the hexagon tank was:
-neutral colored rocks (not sand, but smaller than gravel if I can find it)
-3 plants
-some sort of cave decoration
-bubbler decoration
-3 loaches - thats what people tell me is the min#
-3 female bettas
-couple of pretty shrimp

I've been thinking of selling my cory cats and getting 3 oto cats for the other tank....they won't fit in the hexagon tank with the loaches.

Any ideas, comments, suggestions would be helpfull. I like colorfull fish, so if anyone knows of some that I don't that would work, I would be most greatful. Otherwise, I've always wanted a loach since I saw one my friend had like 10 yrs ago, so I want to try very hard to ba able to get some.

Thanks!! :)
 
Ok, I knew someone who had 3 bettas in a 1.5 and they were very happy and healthy. Do bettas have to be in a group of 3 or should I get 2?

Will 3 loaches (I read they get about 3") have anough room as long as they are the only bottom feeders besides 2 shrimp? I've been told that as long as the loaches have a hole to hide in, and the substrate is a neutral color, they won't burrow as much if at all.

Also, if I wanted to get a male betta, would he have to be the only fish, or could I do like 2 small fish as well? Would he work well with loaches? I always feel bad for male bettas - they look so lonely by themselves. And I don't want to breed anything if I can help it, so a male/female betta setup would not work for me.

Thanks for the reply! :)
 
shadow88 said:
Ok, I knew someone who had 3 bettas in a 1.5 and they were very happy and healthy. Do bettas have to be in a group of 3 or should I get 2?

Will 3 loaches (I read they get about 3") have anough room as long as they are the only bottom feeders besides 2 shrimp? I've been told that as long as the loaches have a hole to hide in, and the substrate is a neutral color, they won't burrow as much if at all.

Also, if I wanted to get a male betta, would he have to be the only fish, or could I do like 2 small fish as well? Would he work well with loaches? I always feel bad for male bettas - they look so lonely by themselves. And I don't want to breed anything if I can help it, so a male/female betta setup would not work for me.

Thanks for the reply! :)
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the tank will be too small for many fish. Best bet would be a single Betta OR a pair of small Killis. You can possibly add shrimp or snails (depending on the fish).

Definitely way too small for any loaches.
 
IMO none of the fish you have would work, save for the kilis. Corys need more room than that thing to bey happy, Betta sorority's need larger tanks in order to work, nothing less than a 10g tank IMO. Otos should not be added to tanks less than 6 months old because they need algae and are more fragile than other fish. No loach will fit that tank either.

Try this stocking instead
1 Male Betta (or female)
some cherry shrimp
a few mystery snails
plants.

After the tank has been running for 6-9 months, then if you want you can add otos. Oto's don't do much for algae, but they are fun to watch, lol.
 
well, I really don't want to get rid of my guppies...I love the colors I have.
the rectangle 5-gallon looks to me like a 10-gallon that I had when I was younger.

So....what if I moved the guppies and dwarf platy to the hexagon tank? I'm hoping someone will be able to buy the cory cats, I had to get something to clean the bottom of my tank and they were all the store had.

I don't think I should put a betta in the hexagon, since they need surface area to get air. I was thinking they would do well in the rectangle one. Also, do I have to have 3 or could I do 2?

I understand that everyone is telling me 1 fish per inch ro whatever, but I was told by a friend who has been keeping fish for longer than I've been alive that as long as they look happy, healthy and the tank is kept clean, then just do what looks right in the tank.

Plus, I don't have the money to get a big tank, so I want to make the most out of what I have...

Thanks again for everyone's help, it's greatly appreciated :)
 
I will keep that in mind, bionube.....if I get loaches, I will start with ghost shrimp - they're cheaper lol

Thanks so much everyone for your input, its helping me a lot with deciding what to do - I really want to make the most out of these two tanks, I won't have the money for bigger ones for a very long time... :) yay for college expenses(!)....not....lol
 
Forget ANY loach unless you already have a tank upwards of 55g, The posters saying no to loaches are saying that for a reason. There is not a single loach in existance that should be kept under 55g for various reasons.

Bettas will do fine in a hexagon tank, they only need to be able to reach the top of the water surface for air. Its the other fish that need the surface area for more gas exchange at the top, since they don't go up for air they need oxygen that is already in the water.
 
Well no need to jump on me....jeeze. I'm going by what I've been told about loaches here...

Ok so how about this for tanks:

5-gallon rectangular:
- 3 guppies
- 1 platy
- 3 oto cats later on
- shrimp
- plants/decorations

5-gallon hexagon tank:
EITHER 1 male betta
OR a couple killi fish
- shrimp
- plants/couple decoration

Now, I've bee told that bettas have to ahve something to rest on near the surface of the water, is it true? If so how do I do that with the hex tank? Also, will shrimp be enough to clean the hexagon tank or is there some type of cleaning fish that I could get one of and isnt big?

I will *cries* wait 'till I have a bigger tank if I have to for loaches.... :(
 
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