5 gallon stocking options

[jossswonk]

I currently have a planted 5 gallon with some cherry shrimp. Are there any nano fish that would be suitable for my tank and wouldn't harm the shrimp? I've done a little bit of research online but I'd rather hear from multiple sources and people's real life experiences. Any day recommendations will be greatly appreciated!

 

[gwand]

In my experience and opinion a 5 gallon tank is good for neocaridina, plants and perhaps a betta. I think nano fish like CPDs, Chili Rasbora, Phoenix rasbora, dwarf emeralds, etc deserve at least a 10 gallon tank. Nano fish should be kept in large groups of 10 or more thus making a 5 gallon tank not suitable.

 

[Back in the fold]

You hear people mention the Chili Rasbora ( Boraras brigittae ) a lot here on The Great TFF Forum and I didn’t know much about them until I got my newest Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine ( July / August 2025 # 767 ) in the mail last week . There is an in depth article about them that tells everything you might want to know and they sound like the perfect small aquarium fish to me with the added bonus of being very beautiful . Another fish you may want to look at is also written up in the new TFH , the Orange Hatchet Danio ( Neochela dadiburjori ) . Not as brightly colored but an active top dweller that would look nice in a smaller aquarium .