Restocking a 5.5 Gallon Tank

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CanadianFish

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
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Hi everyone, Im a long time onlooker but first time poster.
so a few months ago I got a 5.5 Gallon tank and had about 6 Red Minor Tetras, ! male Betta, and 1 cory Catfish (I now know cories a schooling fish and should not be kept on their own, I was frankly misguided when doing research that they can be kept as singles). I know this was way overstocked but I did about 3 water changes a week and frequently tested the water (All the levels were always safe except ammonia and for that I used an AquaClear ammonia cartridge and API Ammo-Lock). So since Im in university I had a long Christmas break and I couldn't take my fish home and didn't want to pay a ridiculous price for a decent automatic feeder when I could just sell the fish and restart. So I've been debating for a month on what to stock my 'new' aquarium with. I love the idea of a dwarf puffer but I go to school in a small city where dwarf puffers in stores are a bit of a rare site and I don't want to wait for weeks before I can get one. I like the idea of having a better with some other schooling fish.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I could put in my tank. I don't mind doing the frequent water changes especially if it means I can have the extra fish or two.

Thanks in advance!
 
Hey man, for a nano tank like that there are many cool options. If u were looking to go peaceful and planted u could easily go with celestial pearl danios and cherry shrimp, they make a fintastic combo.

If u were looking for more predatory those mini puffers are always cool and have great personality and in my opinion would be worth the wait if u were looking for predatory fish, it all comes down to what you want but those would be the two options that I immediately look at.

Personally the idea of a high tech smaller tank is awesome


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I have a dwarf orange crayfish in one of my planted fish bowls and he's doing well. They are adorable and look like a tiny colorful lobster. You could also a school of dwarf rasboras and dwarf pygmy cories depending on what kinds of fish you have available in your local fish store. Or a shrimp only tank is always fun. Please don't put bigger tetras in a tank that small, they will suffer. 5 gallons was way too small for 6 red minors, a betta and a cory. The reason everything else was fine except ammonia readings was because your tank never cycled in the first place. Since you're restarting your tank, make sure to add fish slowly and add a bacteria supplement to ensure you start your cycle right.
 
Red ruby tetras would look cool but I've heard that they can be skittish.

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Lots of nano fish available that would work in that size tank. And of course shrimp!!!! (I'm an addict lol)

This is my 5g RCS tank:
 

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Most Nano fish still need at least 10g IMHO.

Some of the tiniest micro Rasboras would be ok.

Or just Shrimp.

Or just a Betta and maybe Ghost Shrimp.

Tetras all need more room, even Ember/Ruby Reds.

Chili Rasbora are great. http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/boraras-brigittae/

Happy fish try to breed. They need room to escape other males.


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