New 5.5 gallon-what fish to get

[Julie0228]

Hi! New to this blog and I just set up my 5.5 gallon tank yesterday with water conditioner. I was planning on letting it run for a week before adding fish. Wondering about the cycling process with and without fish. Can I use a beta to cycle the tank? Was going to wait a week before adding anything. I would like to have some variety and not just a beta if possible. I've grown up with betas and also had a 10 gallon in high school. But I would still say I'm a beginner since its been awhile since I've had a tank. I was really hoping to be able to get gourami's. Thanks for the advice!


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[FWFishTanks]

endlers or ember tetras

 

[azmodan]

Hi! New to this blog and I just set up my 5.5 gallon tank yesterday with water conditioner. I was planning on letting it run for a week before adding fish. Wondering about the cycling process with and without fish. Can I use a beta to cycle the tank? Was going to wait a week before adding anything. I would like to have some variety and not just a beta if possible. I've grown up with betas and also had a 10 gallon in high school. But I would still say I'm a beginner since its been awhile since I've had a tank. I was really hoping to be able to get gourami's. Thanks for the advice!


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Hi! Here's a good place to get started: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154837

You can definitely use a betta to cycle your tank but as those articles will explain you can expect the cycling process to easily take 5-6 weeks unless you get some seeded material. Fish-in cycles usually entail daily or 2x a day 50% water changes. The first thing you should do is order yourself a API freshwater master test kit (~$20 on Amazon).

Unfortunately a 5.5 does not allow for much in terms of stocking. A pair of sparkling gourami would work but there aren't many community fish that can fit in a tank that small. You could look into dwarf shrimp like red cherry shrimp or micro fish like chili rasboras and scarlet badis. A betta of course would probably be your best option but they're very hit or miss with tankmates.


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[Julie0228]

What about a dwarf frog? I heard those can be ok in small tanks?


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[FWFishTanks]

You could do a pair of ADFs in a 5.5 gallon

 

[Fish king]

ADF's have a one frog per gallon rule m but the frogs will need 50% water changes 2 times a week or possibly more if you can and make sure you clean the left over food on the bottom of the tank they leave a lot of leftovers when you feed them guppies have the same rule but they don't need that much water changes maybe 20% a week if you keep them to together then make sure the the frogs get some food because the guppies will eat all of it if you don't


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[cherokeeluvr]

You could do a dwarf gourami! I think they are much prettier and they stay smaller! I had two, one died, but I still have the other guy! I really love him!! And maybe a snail or two, and a Cory. My gourami gets along with everything I have put him with so I wouldn't worry about that. He is a pretty chill little guy. And maybe a ghost fish. They look super cool!! I have two of those. Or if you don't want that you could try a fancy guppy or two!


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[cherokeeluvr]

sorry they are blurry.. But here is the dwarf gourami and the ghost fish


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[Julie0228]

Yeah I was thinking maybe 3 male guppies and some ghost shrimp or a betta and some ghost shrimp. What is the care for ghost shrimp? Or can I just add them to the tank and let them do their thing?


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[Julie0228]

I love gourami's too!


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[cherokeeluvr]

Make of female beta? And I haven't had ghost shrimp.. I think put them in and they eat algae and food that falls down.


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[trennamw]

Ghost shrimp mostly scavenge for missed food, and pick through fish poo for anything that didn't get digested. Very helpful little guys, even if their diet makes you not want to eat shrimp anymore.


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