Best fish for 5 gallon aquarium?

[wingspantt]

I think my betta is about to kick the bucket. He is quite old but he's not doing too well with no obvious signs of disease.

If I HAVE to replace him, what should I put? It's a 5g eclipse corner, with sand and lightly planted.

3-4 danios?

mollies?

Small gourami + something?

 

[theotheragentm]

I would say no on Mollies, even a single one. There isn't enough swimming room. The Dwarf Gourami might work out well.

 

[blazeyreef]

no danios either...

 

[wingspantt]

How about a gourami and some shrimp? like 4?

 

[mom2reds]

I would say the dawarf gouramis and the shrimp like cherry red shrimp they are very pretty in a planted tank IMO

 

[bra_van_drakh]

i'd suggest a crayfish. . .but it'll manage to nip upon your plant, but they're never boring. . .anyhow, how light planted is it ??? i thought that gouramis will take a snack upon ur shrimps ??? shrimp only tank wouldnt be boring though. . .

 

[wingspantt]

It has 3 Java ferns

 

[Phoenixphire55]

I'd say dont get a crayfish. 5 gallons is definitely too small for a crayfish, especially because they're very curious and like to explore. Plus they get quite big. I dont know much about red cherry shrimp but that sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Purrbox]

Ideally you'd want a 10 gallon aquarium for a breeding colony of Cherry Red Shrimp, but a 5 gallon will do in a pinch. They like lots of plants and good water quality. I wouldn't recommend keeping them with a Betta or a Gourami, as they would likely become fish food.

 

[thinksincode]

I have a 5.5 gallon aquarium in my cubicle at work. Right now it's inhabited by a Betta and an Emerald Green Cory. They get along nicely, and the Cory likes to nibble at algae growing on my aquarium wall.

 

[JustOneMore20]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[squawkbert]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.