Nano tank stocking: 5g

[gabysapha]

I know 5gs are small, but I love the challenge of nano tanks!

Any stocking suggestions?

I have RCS right now, if their colony gets too big I could move them there.
It could be a fry tank- I currently keep fry in breeder boxes. Is it better for them to be in their own tank? I would think it would be harder for them to find the food I drop in.
Or a betta.
Or sparkling gouramis and pygmy cories.
Or a breeding tank for my mystery snails.

Other than that, I can't think of suitable options.

 

[siva]

Fry would definitely grow faster in their own 5 gal.

I think sparkling gouramis and pygmy cories are better suited to a 10 gal.

A 5 gal is also very small for apple/mystery snails. They create some massive poop so without good filtration you could easily overstock.

Boraras briggitae would be great, also called mosquito or chili rasbora. They are so tiny you could easily have 12 in a 5 gal. Or 6 ember tetras would work well. Either fish looks gorgeous in a planted tank. You could mix either with a couple dario dario aka scarlet badis or some dwarf cray like CPO's or cambarellus shufeldtii. Or you could do a few hara jardoni (mini moth catfish) if you do a soft substrate like sand and plan on keeping the temp pretty cool. Small killies like normans lampeye or least killifish would work well also at lower temps.

 

[kindafishy]

Have a look at this, there are some ideas for a 5g nano :

Stocking 5, 10 and 20 Gallon FW Aquariums

 

[KatieJ]

I'm considering nano-fish as well. I tested the waters with my betta and RCS and, even after moving all the plants and rocks around so his territory was screwed up AND feeding him, he still immediately ate a shrimp. He's in a separate tank, needless to say.

I'm thinking about chili rasboras - they're so darn cute. Would a school of half a dozen work with RCS in a 5g?

 

[siva]

You could easily do 10 -12 chili rasboras with RCS in a 5 gal. I'm not sure if you've seen them in person, but they are quite tiny. Full grown they are smaller than a RCS. The rasboras will appreciate a gentle filter flow and floating plants.

 

[Coursair]

Chili Rasboras should work with Shrimp. I have Celestial Pearl Danios in with mine. IF you get Scarlet Badis (Dario Dario) be aware they will eat shrimplets. But Cherry Shrimp breed fast, so that isn't a huge issue. S Badis leave adult Shrimp alone.

One of my CPDs

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My S Badis


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I tried a few Shrimp with my Betta. I managed to rescue one.


View attachment 53856

 

[Coursair]

Oh and I'm an evil person, as a test to see if I could make it work this is my 5g

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Before anyone freaks out and tells me how this can't work, I've had this tank up and running for over 2 years.

Assorted live plants, plain gravel, 1 screw in CFL 10w I did add root tabs this year.

2 Harlequin Rasboras
2 Cherry Barbs
4 Neons
2 Otos
3 Nerite Snails

I also had 1 more Cherry Barb but he passed away recently. Since my Barbs AND my Rasboras are over 5 years old, I'm not completely surprised to lose a fish.
My Neons have been in the tank for a year.

Tank size is not ideal. They are smaller than they'd be in a larger tank. But my Rasboras spawn when I do water changes. My Cherry Barb male wants to spawn.

I had a Fancy Guppy male, but he passed away at 2 years old. Overstocked, yes. But tank is stable and fish are healthy.

I worked at Petsmart. I wanted to see if I could do everything wrong and keep the fish alive and healthy. So I could give BETTER advice to my crazy customers. I think the PLANTS are the reason I succeeded so well.

 

[siva]

Oh and I'm an evil person, as a test to see if I could make it work this is my 5g

View attachment 53858

View attachment 53859

View attachment 53860

View attachment 53862

Before anyone freaks out and tells me how this can't work, I've had this tank up and running for over 2 years.

Assorted live plants, plain gravel, 1 screw in CFL 10w I did add root tabs this year.

2 Harlequin Rasboras
2 Cherry Barbs
4 Neons
2 Otos
3 Nerite Snails

I also had 1 more Cherry Barb but he passed away recently. Since my Barbs AND my Rasboras are over 5 years old, I'm not completely surprised to lose a fish.
My Neons have been in the tank for a year.

Tank size is not ideal. They are smaller than they'd be in a larger tank. But my Rasboras spawn when I do water changes. My Cherry Barb male wants to spawn.

I had a Fancy Guppy male, but he passed away at 2 years old. Overstocked, yes. But tank is stable and fish are healthy.

I worked at Petsmart. I wanted to see if I could do everything wrong and keep the fish alive and healthy. So I could give BETTER advice to my crazy customers. I think the PLANTS are the reason I succeeded so well.

I wouldn't say "it can't work" but I would say it's mean and unethical.

 

[Coursair]

I wouldn't say "it can't work" but I would say it's mean and unethical.

Thank you for fulfilling my expectations.

I hope you noticed I DID NOT recommend these fish for the OP's 5g. Once these fish pass I will not stock the same way. But they are over 5 yrs old and show no sign of slowing down.

 

[siva]

So maybe you should go ahead and just answer the OP instead of intentionally trolling for conflict. This is off topic and rude.

 

[Coursair]

I fell in love with Nano Fish this year. As a member of our local Aquatic Plant club I've gotten to talk to people who have these fish, which encouraged me to try them.

Prior my smallest fish were probably Neons or White Clouds.

So far I love my Scarlet Badis and will get more and hope to find some elusive females.

My CPDs are wonderful to watch.

Others I've looked at:
Ember Tetras
Gold Ring Danio
Sparkling Gourami
Killi fish

I also like my Nerite snails. I have Zebra, Ruby and Horned Nerites. Awesome algae eaters.

I'm over my limit on pics.

Once you have more Shrimp experience, perhaps try CRS.

 

[gabysapha]

I fell in love with Nano Fish this year. As a member of our local Aquatic Plant club I've gotten to talk to people who have these fish, which encouraged me to try them.

Prior my smallest fish were probably Neons or White Clouds.

So far I love my Scarlet Badis and will get more and hope to find some elusive females.

My CPDs are wonderful to watch.

Others I've looked at:
Ember Tetras
Gold Ring Danio
Sparkling Gourami
Killi fish

I also like my Nerite snails. I have Zebra, Ruby and Horned Nerites. Awesome algae eaters.

I'm over my limit on pics.

Once you have more Shrimp experience, perhaps try CRS.

I would love to try CRS but all the prices I have seen online are quite out of my budget! i do have a few blue pearl shrimp, perhaps I should start a colony of them.

Yes, it seems that nano fish are a growing fad! I've heard a lot of talk about CPRs this year! They must be worth trying

Question: if I use a 5g and only the hood/light it came with, would the light level be considered low light or med light?

Thanks to everyone for the posts!

 

[jetajockey]

Pygmy killifish and least killifsh are two great nano fish. Least killies are the smallest fish species in the US, and are in the same genus as guppies and mollies, which means they are livebearers as well.
Both species can be stocked heavily into small tanks, a group of 4 or 5 of each into a 5g would still afford room for other additions.

least killi on left pygmy killi on right.

 

[siva]

I would love to try CRS but all the prices I have seen online are quite out of my budget! i do have a few blue pearl shrimp, perhaps I should start a colony of them.

Yes, it seems that nano fish are a growing fad! I've heard a lot of talk about CPRs this year! They must be worth trying

Question: if I use a 5g and only the hood/light it came with, would the light level be considered low light or med light?

Thanks to everyone for the posts!

CPD's are beautiful and often quite expensive. The best deals I've seen on them as of yet are on aquabid or bobstropicalplants.com.

On your 5 gal just swap the bulb it came with for a regular household CFL. In mine I think I use 13 watt 6700k and I can grow all med light plants no problem.

 

[Coursair]

I would love to try CRS but all the prices I have seen online are quite out of my budget! i do have a few blue pearl shrimp, perhaps I should start a colony of them.

Yes, it seems that nano fish are a growing fad! I've heard a lot of talk about CPRs this year! They must be worth trying

Question: if I use a 5g and only the hood/light it came with, would the light level be considered low light or med light?

Thanks to everyone for the posts!

Best way to get Shrimp or plants would be from another hobbyist. Try shopping here or The Planted Tank or seek out a local club. You can post a Looking For thread.

Much cheaper to free. My CRS were a RAOK from my club member.

As far as light, it would be Low Light. If you want better growth you can try a screw in compact fluorescent. Try to get near 6500k.

There are many low light plants. My tanks are all Low to Low/Med Light AFAIK. I'll be checking with a PAR meter soon.

 

[siva]

I fell in love with Nano Fish this year. As a member of our local Aquatic Plant club I've gotten to talk to people who have these fish, which encouraged me to try them.

Prior my smallest fish were probably Neons or White Clouds.

So far I love my Scarlet Badis and will get more and hope to find some elusive females.

My CPDs are wonderful to watch.

Others I've looked at:
Ember Tetras
Gold Ring Danio
Sparkling Gourami
Killi fish

I also like my Nerite snails. I have Zebra, Ruby and Horned Nerites. Awesome algae eaters.

I'm over my limit on pics.

Once you have more Shrimp experience, perhaps try CRS.

I got one of those elusive females and it died about a month later. I was SO disappointed.

 

[gabysapha]

CPD's are beautiful and often quite expensive. The best deals I've seen on them as of yet are on aquabid or bobstropicalplants.com.

On your 5 gal just swap the bulb it came with for a regular household CFL. In mine I think I use 13 watt 6700k and I can grow all med light plants no problem.

Ah! I didn't know I could use household CFLs!!! That's such a great and cheap idea! All of my tanks are low light, so I wanted to try some higher light plants in the 5g is possible. I'm so excited!

 

[gabysapha]

Are there any coldwater options for nano tanks or nonnano tanks in general, besidea goldfish and WCMMs? My 5g will be close to the floor- inconvenient but it's the only place for it. Are there any stocking options for nonheated tanks? I think the temp would be 65-70 F.

Just curious! This tank will probably be a fry tank then maybe a shrimp colony or a dwarf crayfish tank. Scarlet badis, CPDs and rasboras will be a little too expensive for this experimental tank

 

[jetajockey]

The ones I posted earlier in this thread can work in lower temps. You could also do gambusia or possibly pygmy sunfishes. I've never tried it since my room temps are always around mid 70s or so, but the range on these fish are pretty big and varied.
I'm not sure about tropicals but I'd think that any naturally caught in a temperate climate or subtropical climate would have a potential to work.

 

[siva]

I keep CPD's, hara jardoni, various killies, pygmy sunfish, shrimp, and crays at room temp, but it doesn't drop below 70. Shrimp and crays would be fine at 65. The only fish I have experience with that I know for sure will thrive at that temp is Luciana goodei.