first tank for my little nephew.

[Smiles982]

My bother got one of our nephews his first fish tank. It's a small 5 gallon. I was thinking bout getting him some neons cause they are colorful and easy to take care. He likes bright colors, any suggestions?

 

[emerald76]

My bother got one of our nephews his first fish tank. It's a small 5 gallon. I was thinking bout getting him some neons cause they are colorful and easy to take care. He likes bright colors, any suggestions?

No neons in anything under 20 gals
2 guppies or scarlet badis and a school of CPDs

 

[Smiles982]

What's CPDs?

 

[josh7]

Celestial Pearl Danios are CPDs or you could get a Betta like a crowntail or half moon with a mystery snail.

 

[Smiles982]

Ok, I hope the store has some of these fish and I hope my nephew will like them.

 

[librarygirl]

5 gals are pretty limiting. Either a betta OR a small school (6) of nano fish like the CPDs, ember tetra (more common) or chili rasbora.

 

[Bettaluv]

No neons in anything under 20 gals
2 guppies or scarlet badis and a school of CPDs

If you want bright, colorful, and easy to care for go with a betta. They do EXCELLENT in 5 gallon tanks. They do not require(but do better with) filtration or a bubbler, and they are VERY easy to care for. Just feed them once a day, and fast(don't feed) them one day of the week. Do 50% water changes 1-2 times weekly, and your all set. You can purchase bettas in many color varieties, and they are an absolutely gorgeous fish, but you can only keep one male. Bettas do not cope well with others of their own kind, nor any other fish for that matter. You will probably want to stick with 1 male though as they have bigger "prettier" fins. Bettas live for 3-4 years, I had one old timer live to 6! They are great hardy first pets and can even be taught tricks. One of my bettas, Prince Charming, could jump through hoops

 

[Smiles982]

I used to have a betta in the past. It got along with my other fishes I had in the tank. Maybe cause it was the smallest fish in the tank, so maybe that is why it never messed with the others. I think it lived for bout 4 yrs. The water changes will be tough cause I know my sister and her b/f wont change it that much and if they lived in the same town as I did, I would help him out with that. Im going later today to get some fishes for his tank. I will see what the LFS has and see what he likes. Green is his favorite color and they have a big discus fish tank set up with some green discus in there. First thing Im going to tell him they are to big for your tank and they cost alot of money, well I hope he listens to that.

 

[CoryFan]

This is our 5.5 with glass beads, a big silk plant, and a half moon Betta.
The beads are harder to clean so probably not a good option for him at this point.
I thought the Betta picture might make him interested.
He dances to music and is so fun to look at!
I need to buy a tank hood and light... Just a glass top right now.

 

[CoryFan]

One more.

 

[Bettaluv]

View attachment 98806

This is our 5.5 with glass beads, a big silk plant, and a half moon Betta.
The beads are harder to clean so probably not a good option for him at this point.
I thought the Betta picture might make him interested.
He dances to music and is so fun to look at!
I need to buy a tank hood and light... Just a glass top right now.

That is a gorgeous betta!!! Is that the one you are going to train?! He is so pretty!
oh and good luck with you nephew!

 

[CoryFan]

That is a gorgeous betta!!! Is that the one you are going to train?! He is so pretty!
oh and good luck with you nephew!

Yes. I will message you a longer answer.

 

[Smiles982]

Very nice looking betta, now im thinking bout getting a small 2nd tank for my bedroom so I can get a betta again.

 

[Bettaluv]

Thats great! good luck and happy fish keeping!

 

[emerald76]

Even if he doesn't care that the discus get too big,don't get him any or let anyone get him any
You may have to explain stunting to him

 

[Bettaluv]

Even if he doesn't care that the discus get too big,don't get him any or let anyone get him any
You may have to explain stunting to him

Yeah, a discus wouldn't fit in the tank...so don't let him bully you into it! When I am stocking my tanks, my brother tags along sometimes (his wife wont let them get ANY pets) and he says every time "Get one of those plecos! It will fit fine in your 10 gallon!" and I just look at him like

 

[Smiles982]

I took him yesterday. He wanted a clown fish cause of finding nemo but told him it will die if we put in your tank. Then they have a koi pond and he was asking if we could get that instead. Got some small guppies or mollies, can't remember. They won't get any bigger than what they now.

 

[emerald76]

I took him yesterday. He wanted a clown fish cause of finding nemo but told him it will die if we put in your tank. Then they have a koi pond and he was asking if we could get that instead. Got some small guppies or mollies, can't remember. They won't get any bigger than what they now.

Guppies will be fine in that tank mollies wont

 

[Maxkolbe]

Another cool fish that would work in a 5 gallon is a dwarf puffer.

 

[Smiles982]

Puffers are kinda to hard to take care for my nephew. I had my two green spotted puffers die on me two weeks ago. Going to redo my tank a bit and get a figure 8 this time.