5 gallon help!

[NinjaNomad196]

First off, I'm only 13, and I'm smart enough to know that "1 inch of fish per gallon" rule is bullcrap. I have 1 platy and he's doing PERFECTLY fine in a 1 gallon with only a filter and 2 plants. He used to live with another, but it died by now. But I want to know, I'm thinking of getting 2 guppies, 1 platy, 1 molly, and an algae eater for a 5 gal. Would that be safe? Could I add more? I KNOW I can at least do this much because I've seen people have more. I will do 10% water changes daily most likely by the way.

 

[Coyne]

Any chance you go with a 10 gallon instead? The cost is about the same.
Mollys, Platys and guppys are live bearers and have higher bio loads than similarly sized fish. Also, Mollys and Platys grow to about 4-5". Chinese algae eaters get even larger.

 

[Wolfsblood]

I see that you know the 1" per gallon rule is not a good rule to go by but I think you are mistaken and taking it the opposite way. As in it is perfectly acceptable to have more than 1" of fish per gallon of water. If this is what you are thinking you are completely wrong.

 

[Cloudhp8]

I had 2 mollies in a 15 gal with a couple of guppies and i thought that was too small for them....i put them in a 29 gal and they seem MUCH happier they love to swim around a lot.....like Coyne said try for a 10 gallon pricing is about the same and yes the Chinese Algae Eater will grow much to large for tanks that small.....and BTW a molly in a 1 gal is WAY too small of a tank....

Think of it in the sense you can only live in the bathroom the rest of your life food is sent to you through a hole in the wall and you can only flush the toilet once a week.....i don't know about you but i'd go insane in such a small space...same with a fish that get to 4 or so inches they will get stressed as well...a 10 gal would be a bit better .....

for a 5 gal if you are set on just that, maybe 1 platy OR molly and a guppy or two and thats really about it.....you will run into territory issues as well...specially if they are males...my molly liked to harass the guppies from time to time and now he will show my dwarf gourami that he is the boss...and the gourami likes to show it back...but i have the tank heavily planted with hiding spaces so it works fairly well

 

[NinjaNomad196]

I don't have the space for a 10 gallon. 5 is all I can do. But my platy is fine in 1 gallon, neighbors said they had guppies do great in 1 gallon each. Then 2 gallons for that molly. Also, I've seen people have more than this and have the fish thrive happily for a long time. Plus, I'll clean more than usual and not overfeed, would that work?

 

[NinjaNomad196]

@Cloudhp8, it wouldn't be weekly cleaning, I said daily 10 or 20% changes. Also, could I do all females, because I'm not doing 1 male guppy, 1 female molly, they can cross-breed, or so I read... well, can an ADF survive and thrive in a 1 gallon at least?

 

[misterpenguin4]

I don't have the space for a 10 gallon. 5 is all I can do. But my platy is fine in 1 gallon, neighbors said they had guppies do great in 1 gallon each. Then 2 gallons for that molly. Also, I've seen people have more than this and have the fish thrive happily for a long time. Plus, I'll clean more than usual and not overfeed, would that work?

A platy in 1 gallon is ridiculous. They need much more space than that to swim around and be happy. Just because he is alive doesn't mean he is happy and "thriving". I recommend you get a 10 gallon because it would be easier to take care of than a 5 gallon. Then put that poor platy in the 10 gallon.

 

[NinjaNomad196]

...

As I've said 2 or 3 times, I can't afford the SPACE for a 10 gallon... even though they're only $14 for the one I saw, I don't have space... so my platy will die?

 

[misterpenguin4]

As I've said 2 or 3 times, I can't afford the SPACE for a 10 gallon... even though they're only $14 for the one I saw, I don't have space... so my platy will die?

Well if you can take him back to the pet store that would probably be best. In a 5 gallon you could do a betta, dwarf puffer, african dwarf frogs, or a shrimp tank. Not all of them, Just one! You just would have to keep up on water changes and tank maintenance. If you have a test kit, I would test at least 2 times a week and if you dont have a test kit then you should get the API freshwater master test kit. I also recommend doing a lot of research on any fish before you buy them.

 

[NinjaNomad196]

@MisterPenguin4, is there any good chance the platy can survive with ONLY some shrimp in a 5 gallon? Because my platy is fully matured and adult and is probably close to the age of dying. I don't know how old he was when I got him, but now he is fully grown and has been living in the 1 gallon for a month and only got sick once, and that was when I accidentally overcrowded him with 2 other platy, which died, and since then, he's been happy and healthy.

 

[NinjaNomad196]

Also, I've seen people survive with a LOT of guppies and platy in 5 gallons. Watch this video of a five gallon, AND read the comment of the guppies, platy, and molly, 5 gallon:
5 Gallon mixed live bearing fish tank *Guppies, Platy, Molly, Snail* - YouTube
there's even an update video MONTHS later with fish still alive, none dead yet. I'm just mad at the video because it got my hopes up making me think this was safe for my fish...

 

[Oscar98]

Also, I've seen people survive with a LOT of guppies and platy in 5 gallons. Watch this video of a five gallon, AND read the comment of the guppies, platy, and molly, 5 gallon:
5 Gallon mixed live bearing fish tank *Guppies, Platy, Molly, Snail* - YouTube
there's even an update video MONTHS later with fish still alive, none dead yet. I'm just mad at the video because it got my hopes up making me think this was safe for my fish...

Yea ONE MAYBE TWO platy can live in a 5g with some shrimp

 

[NinjaNomad196]

 

[Dyl1234]

For a 5 gallon I would suggest a couple of mystery snails for algae eaters. They might breed but they lay eggs out if water so you can easily remove them!

 

[NinjaNomad196]

Alright, tanks for all the help. (<-- see what I did there). I'll be sure to "filter out" all rude comments. Hehe... puns what would I do without you?

 

[Khuligirl93]

Keep in mind all of these fish you are talking about (platys, mollies, guppies, algae eaters, etc) have a lifespan of 2 years or more if they are healthy. They may be "just fine" for now, but probably not much longer.

 

[Cloudhp8]

Just because you have seen it doesn't mean it is right...as you said you are 13 years old....which to me means you don't have a full knowledge of how things work....you shove a fish in a small place it looks fully mature but in reality you can't stunt the growth...this does not mean just in length of the outside...but it's internal organs as well.

you came here asking a question and everyone is trying to answer it and give you really good advice......please don't act like you can school everyone here when most of them have been doing this much longer than you have been alive. hear their advice and use the newly found information. yes a molly/platy can grow in a 1 gallon...BUT i have to stress it they need room to swim just like as a child you need room to run and play..otherwise you will end up fat lazy sitting on a couch and dying of organ failure from who knows what illness diabetes, liver failure, high cholesterol, kidney failure etc....

even with daily water changes it won't stop the stunted growth. like i mentioned before you should put that platy in the 5 gal maybe 1 or 2 guppies and call that good for now.

OH by the way platys mollies and guppies won't cross breed....where ever you got that info is wrong....otherwise i along with many others would have hybrids all over the place....different species can't breed, the genetic make up says so.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Just because you have seen it doesn't mean it is right...as you said you are 13 years old....which to me means you don't have a full knowledge of how things work....you shove a fish in a small place it looks fully mature but in reality you can't stunt the growth...this does not mean just in length of the outside...but it's internal organs as well.

you came here asking a question and everyone is trying to answer it and give you really good advice......please don't act like you can school everyone here when most of them have been doing this much longer than you have been alive. hear their advice and use the newly found information. yes a molly/platy can grow in a 1 gallon...BUT i have to stress it they need room to swim just like as a child you need room to run and play..otherwise you will end up fat lazy sitting on a couch and dying of organ failure from who knows what illness diabetes, liver failure, high cholesterol, kidney failure etc....

even with daily water changes it won't stop the stunted growth. like i mentioned before you should put that platy in the 5 gal maybe 1 or 2 guppies and call that good for now.

OH by the way platys mollies and guppies won't cross breed....where ever you got that info is wrong....otherwise i along with many others would have hybrids all over the place....different species can't breed, the genetic make up says so.

Exactly what I was going to say. Bowls are for soup, not fish

 

[Oohitsae]

Just because you have seen it doesn't mean it is right...as you said you are 13 years old....which to me means you don't have a full knowledge of how things work....you shove a fish in a small place it looks fully mature but in reality you can't stunt the growth...this does not mean just in length of the outside...but it's internal organs as well.

you came here asking a question and everyone is trying to answer it and give you really good advice......please don't act like you can school everyone here when most of them have been doing this much longer than you have been alive. hear their advice and use the newly found information. yes a molly/platy can grow in a 1 gallon...BUT i have to stress it they need room to swim just like as a child you need room to run and play..otherwise you will end up fat lazy sitting on a couch and dying of organ failure from who knows what illness diabetes, liver failure, high cholesterol, kidney failure etc....

even with daily water changes it won't stop the stunted growth. like i mentioned before you should put that platy in the 5 gal maybe 1 or 2 guppies and call that good for now.

OH by the way platys mollies and guppies won't cross breed....where ever you got that info is wrong....otherwise i along with many others would have hybrids all over the place....different species can't breed, the genetic make up says so.

+10000!!
I couldnt have said this better myself.

Please, please, PLEASE! Only add your current platy and maybe another one or a guppy or two. Do not try to over stock it just because you have seen it done.
As is 5 gallons isnt near enough space for a platy, they need room to stretch their fins just like humans need room to stretch their legs and should technically have 20+ gallons, but a 5 is do-able if you are set in your ways of wanting to keep him.

 

[NinjaNomad196]

...

I've done research the past week and I've learned a lot, thanks guys! When I first bought fish, I thought "Eh, let's give him this little tank and let's get 3 of these (platy) and they have enough space to swim a bit and they have water.

P.S. I made a mistake, I get that, but you guys don't be jerks about it. Geez.