Help Choosing Two Fish For A 3-gallon Tank

[Kendalyn]

A Betta in a 3 gallon that is heated to the right temperature would be very active. I have one in a 6 gallon and he swims around constantly. He's very pretty to watch. You'll be surprised at the change you will see from that half dead looking fish in the store.

You absolutely cannot put goldfish in this tank. Your options are very limited and have been listed a couple times. They are good options though.

I would go with a female Betta and 2-4 shrimp (depending on size). That'll look really good.

 

[Corleone]

if i'm not mistaken goldfish need a MINIMUM of 10 gal for the 1st fish and 5 gal for each additional one after that. i am not 100% sure, but goldfish can grow to 12" and a 3 gal is nowhere near big enough. this is just another case of an employee at a lfs giving horrible advice.

Double this - 20 for the first, 10 for each additional. They're not only big, they're high bioload. Only applies to fancy goldfish, common goldfish and others that don't have the fat round body grow too long for any but the biggest tanks.


Don't worry too much about jumpers. All but a very few fish can jump, and many are strong jumpers, but not very many will jump without provocation. Poor water quality can do it, but a fishless cycle will bypass that that. Bullying can do it, too, especially with active jumpers like hatchetfish. I had a beautiful shoal of marbled hatchetfish, and one day during feeding my bristlenose shot up to the surface after an algae tablet and the hatchets spooked and scattered through the room. So, yeah, no hatchetfish.

 

[LauraFrog]

Have you considered ember tetras? With good filtration and very good water changes, you could have up to six in that tank (which is still staying just below the absolute max of 2 inches/gal - AND counting the tail fin.) Do not try to have less because they will be unhappy without a school. A bigger tank is better - a six gal is ideal because you can have quite a nice little school (that's what I'm using) but if you want to use the tank you have and you want more than one fish, that's what I'd recommend.

 

[OldMan47]

Other than the already mentioned betta, I think your only option would be a few very small fish. Since most small fish are schooling types that need large numbers, that almost puts that out of the question. If you don't need a male / female pair you could go with a couple of male endlers or male guppies but at that point you would be fully stocked. Do not put any female livebearers of any kind in a tank that small because they will quickly overpopulate it.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I rather think the issue would have been resolved in some form after, oooh, two and a half years?

 

[OldMan47]

Right you are Oohfishy. I missed the resurrection.

 

[umlaut31]

I don't know, but could you not put 2 cherry barbs in there?

They're lovely - have great colour in breeding times, and they kind of 'shoal' but also head off by themselves quite often. They also grow to like 2" (I think) so would fit nicely!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

I don't know, but could you not put 2 cherry barbs in there?

They're lovely - have great colour in breeding times, and they kind of 'shoal' but also head off by themselves quite often. They also grow to like 2" (I think) so would fit nicely!

wow resurrected twice, that is impressive, did you not notice the previous comments about the age of the thread, and they were a few months ago now as well!