[Q&A] ~5G planted tank need fish suggestión

[mcmillant]

Hi, i have a cubic 30cm tank and fill up with about 5~6 gallons, i current had a sula snail (~3cm long shell) and 3 shrimps in it. I wonder which kind of fishes i add to my tank now to make them feel comfortable.
I really love Betta but some source says the space is a bit tight. I find another available option is Guppies (may be 2 guppies) (but i still love betta so badly ).
Can you give some avides pls ? ty so much
Here is my tank

 

[BBradbury]

Your Tank

Hi, i have a cubic 30cm tank and fill up with about 5~6 gallons, i current had a sula snail (~3cm long shell) and 3 shrimps in it. I wonder which kind of fishes i add to my tank now to make them feel comfortable.
I really love Betta but some source says the space is a bit tight. I find another available option is Guppies (may be 2 guppies) (but i still love betta so badly ).
Can you give some avides pls ? ty so much
Here is my tank

Hello mc...

Before you get the fish, have you figured out your tank maintenance routine? Very small tanks are difficult to keep. The main challenge is keeping the tank water livable for the fish.

B

 

[mcmillant]

Hello mc...

Before you get the fish, have you figured out your tank maintenance routine? Very small tanks are difficult to keep. The main challenge is keeping the tank water livable for the fish.

B

Hi, thank you for supa quick reply
My tank is about 3weeks old, i change water follow guide i read on my ada
soil bag (just stretch the schedule a little!! ), i added shrimps and seem they are ok (they scraping my plant so hard ..).. and have many tiny bubble pump up from the soil (it smell nothing o_o ) so i think it's time for fish

 

[Lokilow]

Once the tank is fully cycled look into some rasboras. Some chili or least rasboras, about 3-5 would work fine. These might not be the first kind of fish you want to keep tho as they can be a bit picky with water quality and PH.

Two male guppies would be fine as well.

 

[mcmillant]

what about a Betta ??? i really love it

 

[Lokilow]

At the end of the day no one can stop you. I wouldnt put a betta in a tank that small but others have done it.

 

[okapizebra]

Since when is a 5 gallon tank too small for a betta?

I think this tank would be lovely for a betta if that was something you were interested in.

 

[libertybelle]

Agreed; 5-6 gallons should be fine for a betta. Bigger is nearly always better and I’ve adored having my bettas in larger community tanks, but a little planted scape like that would work fine for a betta. (Especially as they get older and don’t want to swim as much; I’ve actually had to move a betta out of a community tank not because of aggression but just because all the swimming and activity got a little much for him during the latter part of his life.

I have a tank that size myself and am strongly considering making it a betta tank.

The only thing I would recommend is some taller plants to give the betta more to explore since these cube tanks have less surface area to explore. A jungle of val or java fern or something would enrich the environment a lot!

 

[Lokilow]

The only thing I would recommend is some taller plants to give the betta more to explore since these cube tanks have less surface area to explore. A jungle of val or java fern or something would enrich the environment a lot!

Explore? No space to explore in a 5gal. I would never put a fish that size in a 5gal. My smallest would be a 7.5gal to a 10 gal.

But I do agree, with frequent water changes and a stable environment a 5 gal will support a betta life. Just what an awful life that must be.

 

[Ashyxiv]

Just add a betta with long fins (rose tail, halfmoon, crown tail etc..) they don't swim fast and 5G tank is decent for them. Keep in mind that more decorations means low water for the fish to swim. Use natural plants and a good light and you'll be happy with the outcome.

 

[libertybelle]

Well I suppose I have to respectfully disagree with you then, lokilow. Having had bettas in larger community tanks I agree it can be great but I have also experienced a betta perking up substantially after being moved to a five because with his long fins he had difficulty with the flow and depth of the larger tank. Like Ashyxiv noted, this has a lot to do with the variety. Some of the shorter fined bettas would likely do better in a larger/deeper tank than ones with heavier fins or older fish.

I do agree re: decor. Chunky decor takes up valuable swimming/ water space in a tank that small so sticking with natural plants they can swim through works much better.

 

[Yew Bush]

I think that for bettas, 2.5 gallons is the bare minimum and 10 gallons is when they are really happy and truly express their personality. I’d say you could put a betta in there.