5 Gallon Tank - What Fish to Purchase?

[TripleB67]

My wife has set the limit to my new 'family' aquarium to a 5 gallon corner tank for our desk in the kitchen

Since that is the max size I will be getting for a while, I have a couple questions:

1) What is a colorful fish (other than a Guppy or a Betta) that would do well in a 5 gallon aquarium? (I assume 1 would be the max number in this size of tank, correct?)

In just looking around a local pet store, I like the looks of the dwarf gourami and several of the cichlids.

2) What else could I put in the aquarium (snail/shrimp/algae eater/loach/knifefish/catfish/etc) that wouldn't be bothered by the fish I put in it?

Thank you for any and all help!

TripleB67

 

[Nimo]

5 gallons is not enough for even one cichlid, maybe 1 platy or a couple neon tetras 5 gallons is really limited. If you could talk her in to a 10 gal you could have a nice little community small but would allow you more than 1 fish. I don't even think you can do a gold fish in a tank that small

 

[Samzter]

Chilli Rasboras / CPD . Lease killifish? Cherry shrimp,

 

[tamtam]

5 gallons is not enough for even one cichlid, maybe 1 platy or a couple neon tetras 5 gallons is really limited. If you could talk her in to a 10 gal you could have a nice little community small but would allow you more than 1 fish. I don't even think you can do a gold fish in a tank that small

gold fish need far larger than 5 gal. I believe it's recommended that you start off with a min of 20 gal for a goldfish, maybe even 30, than an additional 10 for each goldie after.

I would also stay away from neons. They are really active and although very small need more space than 5 gal. Also need to be kept with at least 5 of them.

 

[Samzter]

I have to agree with tam-tam here. The only school of fish which is small and isn't that active is chilli Rasboras

 

[Nimo]

Thanks for the corrections on there, I was throwing out ideas I knew you guys would help. The only fish I was certain of was the cichlids can't be housed that small, I have 60 gallon cichlid tank

 

[TripleB67]

Chilli Rasboras Cherry shrimp,

Don't remember seeing a Chili Rasboras, but in looking at some pics they look pretty sweet. Would I just get one for the 5 gallon tank or could I get more than one?

Were you saying the cherry shrimp would work with th CR? Would others work with the CR as well (ie: snail/algae eater/loach/knifefish/catfish/etc) ?

I would have loved to put a dwarf gourami, but obviously 5 gallons is too small for one of them.

Thanks for all the input so far!!!

TripleB67

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

Also galaxy rasboras but with these rasbora species you need a well planted tank to house them in but you could probably keep 3-4 of them in a tank that size if done right. Have you looked into cycling of a tank? Will this be your first?

 

[TripleB67]

Have you looked into cycling of a tank? Will this be your first?

I have recycled one tank previously (several years ago) and everything seemed to go as it was supposed to. I'll probably need to read over the process again though.

TripleB67

 

[emerald76]

You could have-
5 chili Rasbora
5 galaxy Rasbora/ celestial pearl Danio
Shrimp
Or
One scarlet badis
Five galaxy or chili Rasbora
Shrimp

 

[absolutangel04]

In addition to the fish mentioned, there are also dwarf spot rasboras and ember tetras. Also, a sparkling gourami or 2.
Another direction is pygmy sunfish with least killifish and red cherry shrimp. A nerite snail would also be a good addition to a tank that size.