Best fish for 5 gallon aquarium? - Page 2 - Aquarium Advice

JustOneMore20 · 02-13-2008, 02:41 PM

Cories get too large for a 5g tank.

Emerald Cories especially will reach over 3.5" if they are Brochis splendens. Get that Cory a bigger tank or trade him in.

fishb0ne · 02-13-2008, 09:50 PM

I wouldn't get a dwarf gourami, personally. I had one in a 10 gallon and was so active, even THAT tank seemed small. I would get a honey gourami instead, they are smaller. My dwarf died and got a honey gourami which is smaller and seems to fit and fare much better in my 10 gallon.

Know that gouramis and shrimp are a gamble, but you have better chances of success than betta+shrimp. Mine never cared about their presence.
5 gallons is definitely too small for a crayfish.
Another fish I can think of that would do well in a 5g would be perhaps a dwarf puffer, but they can be hard to take care of. They need snails in their diet, for one

Later edit: I keep reading about sunset gouramis getting at the same size as a dwarf gourami. Somebody refresh my memory, what are the variations that are smaller?

blazeyreef · 02-13-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishb0ne

I wouldn't get a dwarf gourami, personally. I had one in a 10 gallon and was so active, even THAT tank seemed small. I would get a honey gourami instead, they are smaller. My dwarf died and got a honey gourami which is smaller and seems to fit and fare much better in my 10 gallon.

Know that gouramis and shrimp are a gamble, but you have better chances of success than betta+shrimp. Mine never cared about their presence.
5 gallons is definitely too small for a crayfish.
Another fish I can think of that would do well in a 5g would be perhaps a dwarf puffer, but they can be hard to take care of. They need snails in their diet, for one

Later edit: I keep reading about sunset gouramis getting at the same size as a dwarf gourami. Somebody refresh my memory, what are the variations that are smaller?

Pygmy Gourami... I cant place the scientific name on it off the top of my head... but they are beautiful! But they can be difficult to find...

Karackle · 02-13-2008, 11:14 PM

It might be the same thing as a pygmy, but Sparkling Gourami's are really pretty, and quite docile, Maybe a couple-few of them and a shrimpy or 2?

I asked this very same question not too long ago, and those were my two favorite options so i thought i'd share! For now though, i'm upgrading my Betta from his bowl to the 5 gallon, might add a couple shrimpies...I hear Bettas and Sparklers might not get along too well.

The honey gourami's are pretty though too, saw them for the first time at my LFS the other day!

**Purrbox** · 02-13-2008, 11:21 PM

Pygmy and Sparkling Gouramis are the same fish, although there are some different varieties.

squawkbert · 02-14-2008, 10:19 AM

IMO DGs and green Cories are too big - I'd suggest some shrimp and maybe 3-4 of the smaller Rasbora species or some Endlers.

blazeyreef · 02-14-2008, 10:55 AM

here is some info on some of the fish
Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Sparkling Gourami
Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Endler's Livebearer
Tropical Shrimp for Freshwater Aquariums: Red Crystal Shrimp
hth

fishb0ne · 02-14-2008, 12:59 PM

More than 1 male gourami in a small tank is a recipe for disaster. They will do just as good as 2 male bettas ...

mikeward500 · 03-27-2008, 12:42 AM

Personally I believe one pair of black mollies would do fine as long as there is lots of filtration, guppies would work or pair of platies. I know many will disagree but if there is lots of filtration and not many fish I belive they would be fine. although I would suggest getting a much larger tank, something even a 10gallon as said above would be better.

wingspantt · 03-27-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeward500

Personally I believe one pair of black mollies would do fine as long as there is lots of filtration, guppies would work or pair of platies. I know many will disagree but if there is lots of filtration and not many fish I belive they would be fine. although I would suggest getting a much larger tank, something even a 10gallon as said above would be better.

Thanks, though I can't get a bigger tank because this is my tank on my desk at work!

I have a 10g and 30g at home, though.

02-13-2008, 09:50 PM	#12
fishb0ne Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 175	I wouldn't get a dwarf gourami, personally. I had one in a 10 gallon and was so active, even THAT tank seemed small. I would get a honey gourami instead, they are smaller. My dwarf died and got a honey gourami which is smaller and seems to fit and fare much better in my 10 gallon. Know that gouramis and shrimp are a gamble, but you have better chances of success than betta+shrimp. Mine never cared about their presence. 5 gallons is definitely too small for a crayfish. Another fish I can think of that would do well in a 5g would be perhaps a dwarf puffer, but they can be hard to take care of. They need snails in their diet, for one Later edit: I keep reading about sunset gouramis getting at the same size as a dwarf gourami. Somebody refresh my memory, what are the variations that are smaller? __________________ My YouTube aquaria videos

02-13-2008, 11:14 PM	#14
Karackle Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 290	It might be the same thing as a pygmy, but Sparkling Gourami's are really pretty, and quite docile, Maybe a couple-few of them and a shrimpy or 2? I asked this very same question not too long ago, and those were my two favorite options so i thought i'd share! For now though, i'm upgrading my Betta from his bowl to the 5 gallon, might add a couple shrimpies...I hear Bettas and Sparklers might not get along too well. The honey gourami's are pretty though too, saw them for the first time at my LFS the other day! __________________ 20gH Planted tank, 5g Planted tank 1 Crested gecko who has a 60g Hex paludarium in the works 2 Dogs, Leo an 11 year old Bichon/poodle mix, and Cody, a 3 year old Poodle. I enjoy having a zoo to care for!

02-13-2008, 11:21 PM	#15
Purrbox Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Iowa USA Posts: 5,390	Pygmy and Sparkling Gouramis are the same fish, although there are some different varieties. __________________ ~Joy 10 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 5.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 2.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - Pico Planted Photo Log

02-14-2008, 10:19 AM	#16
squawkbert Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 256	IMO DGs and green Cories are too big - I'd suggest some shrimp and maybe 3-4 of the smaller Rasbora species or some Endlers. __________________ Thanks, Squawkbert WWIIOL Veteran Tanks:1MiniBow 5g, Coralife 10W Colormax, 3 Harlequin Rasboras, Amano shrimp, pond snails, Jungle Val, Bacopa, C. wendtii 46 bowfront: 3 Cardinals, 5 Black Neons, 4 Black Phantoms, 2 Serpae/Minor, 2 C. aeneus, C. trilineatus, 2 black Mollies, 4 Otos, 6 Pristellas, P. Scalare Cryptocoryne wendtii, Java Fern, Val, Bacopa caroliniana, Anubias, Bolbitis, A. reineckii rosefolia, 5g RCS tank 5g RCS/java moss, Najas guadalupensis... tank

02-14-2008, 10:55 AM	#17
blazeyreef Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Nashville TN Posts: 1,588 Images: 1	here is some info on some of the fish Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Sparkling Gourami Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Endler's Livebearer Tropical Shrimp for Freshwater Aquariums: Red Crystal Shrimp hth __________________ Houston "Face Trials with Smiles"-Porter Ellett *My aquariums-3gall betta, 5.5gall nanoreef, 10gall planted,* *29gall planted* *"We are nothing until we make ourselves somthing"* *CTR*

02-14-2008, 12:59 PM	#18
fishb0ne Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 175	More than 1 male gourami in a small tank is a recipe for disaster. They will do just as good as 2 male bettas ... __________________ My YouTube aquaria videos

03-27-2008, 12:42 AM	#19
mikeward500 Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Seaforth, Ontario Posts: 16	Personally I believe one pair of black mollies would do fine as long as there is lots of filtration, guppies would work or pair of platies. I know many will disagree but if there is lots of filtration and not many fish I belive they would be fine. although I would suggest getting a much larger tank, something even a 10gallon as said above would be better.

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