Couple Of Queries - One Stock For A Small Tank, One Which Tank

[Arimus]

Right two quickies...

1. The wife wants some suggestions for a very small (about 5gl) tank - I did suggest a single betta but she wants more than one fish (she thinks)... I'm not at all good at working out what would be happy in a tank that small - would a shoal of neon's?

2. I'm suffering from the onset of MTS and noticed an Aquaone regal 80 for a very good price today with all the kit and at another store a really nice tank with a lovely solid wooden lid (which is needed in a house full of kitties) - 30x15x18 (wxdxh) for the tank. The latter is £255 but I'll need to get a filter and heater as well - can't decide which one - my aim for stocking is something big enough to have a couple of nice cat fish (thinking bristlenose plecs) and then undecided. Anyone have any experience with Aquaone tanks (espc. the regal 80) and the kit they come with?

 

[LisaLQ]

I dont think there's anything that shoals that could go in a 5g tank. Maybe microrasbora? Although I doubt that even. Really, 5g tanks are betta tanks. Or shrimp tanks. There's not much more they're good for, I'm afraid. I know - a solution to both your queries - why not get the tank upgrade for her, then she can have a couple of shoals of nice fish

 

[Arimus]

The tank needs to be something for her to look at while she's working in the office @ home - would shrimp (thinking japonica (sp?)) get along with a Betta?

 

[dwarfgourami]

I don't think there would be a problem with putting microrasboras in a 5 gallon, but avoid the fahsionable galaxy rasboras as there are already overfishing problems. Ember tetras should be fine, too. Or even pseudomugil gertrudae if you can find them. Or heterandria formosa. These are all truly titchy fish.

 

[Tessla]

I've seen microrasbora shoals done, but with quite a bit of maintainence. I've got a betta in with an amano shrimp in a ten gallon at the moment, heavily planted so there are lots of hiding places for the shrimp. Mine has been fine for a while now, but it depends on your particular betta. Mine happens to be afraid of the shrimp, but some will eat them.

One that hasn't been mentioned yet is a single dwarf puffer, it isn't a group of fish but they are awfully interesting fish. Have heard of them getting along with a few otos, though they can be very violent.