Stocking a 3 gal tank

[Gamehound]

So, I want to get a small 3 gallon tank to put on my desk. What would be a good fish to keep in it? I know I'd only be able to have one in there, MAYBE 2 if they were small enough. I was considering having 2 female guppies, but I don't think they would have much room, and from my understanding they like to be kept in larger groups anyway. So any suggestions on what I should keep in a 3 gal?

 

[Pam is here]

Betta you may like

 

[Gamehound]

I'm a bit iffy with bettas, I've never had much luck with them.

 

[jetajockey]

You are kinda limited with that tank size, but there are a few things that work. A colony of dwarf shrimp is really cool, do a nice planted aquascape and it'll make a nice display piece.

For fish, Betta maybe, or possibly some other tiny nano fish like pygmy killifish, least killifish, or pygmy sunfish would work. All 3 of those are US native fish though so you may have trouble sourcing them.

 

[Gamehound]

Hm, I might go the shrimp route. How many can be together in that small of an area?

 

[Bettafanatic]

For a tank that small some shrimp would work. I like red cherry shrimp or amano shrimp. There aren't many fish you can have. Bettas need 5 gallons as a bare minimum so don't get one of those. Jetajockey's suggestions could work, but I don't know much about those fish.

 

[jetajockey]

I'm in the camp that thinks bettas are perfectly fine in smaller tanks. I'd stock them in a 2.5 or up myself.

As far as stocking dwarf shrimp goes, the common target density is about 10 per gallon.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Which 3 gallon tank are you thinking of? The JBJ Picotope? You can consider some 4 gallon options, i know an additional gallon wouldn't make that much difference in size but would at least give you extra volume. There's the Schuber Wright 4g or even an ADA mini S. With an additional gallon to that, there'sthe Fluval Spec 5g.

Anyway, with all those options (even the 3), you can do the shrimp or even some micro fish like chili or mosquito rasbora. Maybe even a scarlet badis (Dario Dario).