Need a Centerpiece Fish for 3.7Gal Tank!

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
🐶 POTM Poll is Open! 🦎 Click here to Vote! 🐰

M!NK

New Member
Joined
May 24, 2019
Messages
44
Reaction score
10
Hi everyone!

I'm relatively new to the hobby and have only have/had a single 10 gallon tank. However, I've been wanting more and decided that a 3.7 Gallon tank would work best with the space that I have. I might upgrade to a 5 gal if the 3.7 is too little.

I originally decided to make it a shrimp tank, but I feel as though it really absolutely needs a small, ancient-looking fish or two, as I'm scaping this tank to be Ponyo-themed in honor of the late Hayao Miyazaki. Any suggestions for this fish I might add? It has to be able to get along with a female Betta (who will be my red Ponyo) I'm willing to do more frequent water changes as well if the fish requires it.

End aquascape will either be relatively rocky with a few plants or very planted depending on the end needs of the fish, though I'd prefer the rocky design so a fish that doesn't mind a more barren terrain would be terrific.

(Also one that won't eat my shrimp lol!)
 
Last edited:
Hi everyone!

I'm relatively new to the hobby and have only have/had a single 10 gallon tank. However, I've been wanting more and decided that a 3.7 Gallon tank would work best with the space that I have. I might upgrade to a 5 gal if the 3.7 is too little.

I originally decided to make it a shrimp tank, but I feel as though it really absolutely needs a small, ancient-looking fish or two, as I'm scaping this tank to be Ponyo-themed in honor of the late Hayao Miyazaki. Any suggestions for this fish I might add? It has to be able to get along with a female Betta (who will be my red Ponyo) I'm willing to do more frequent water changes as well if the fish requires it.

End aquascape will either be relatively rocky with a few plants or very planted depending on the end needs of the fish, though I'd prefer the rocky design so a fish that doesn't mind a more barren terrain would be terrific.

(Also one that won't eat my shrimp lol!)
Hi and welcome to the forum :hi:

There’s lots of nice knowledgable people here and lots to learn. I hope you enjoy it with us!

For a 3.7 gallon tank you’re quite limited with choice. A Betta would work though, as you state above.

I assume you will be doing a fish in cycle.

75% weekly water changes are recommended during the cycling process. Bettas love planted aquariums, so you are heading on the right track with this.

Adding a background to your tank can also make you fish feel a little more secure. Bettas are soft water species so therefore they require a slightly lower GH/PH.

Best of luck!
 
The bigger the tank, the better. Go for the 5 gallon but even that is limited to what you can have.
I agree with Colin. The bigger the tank the better.

Small tanks have a tendency of requiring more maintenance, as the parameters can change so quickly. 5 gallons are the recommended size for Bettas.

Best of luck!
 
Sorry, I know this doesn't have anything to do with your question but I am also a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki. (You said the late Hayao Miyazaki though, and he is not dead.) Anyway, I think a Ponyo tank is a really great idea!
Also, I agree with everyone else here. The bigger the tank, the better. You will also have more stocking options. :)
 
A 3.5 gallon or even a 5 gallon tank with a female betta is fully stocked as far as other fish are concerned. The only other creature you can have in a tank this size is shrimps (though a betta may well eat them) or a snail, preferably not an apple/mystery snail as their antennae look like worms to a betta. Nerite snails are fine with bettas.
 
Thank you all for your input!! I've decided to go with a slightly larger 6.8 gallon to work more in favor with the stocking ideas. @FishFinatic77 he isn't dead?? :00 I was lied to!! well at least it's good news he's still alive! Can't complain about that! But yeah, I'm really excited for this tank as well-- I'm probably just gonna wind up making it a mishmash of nods to most of Hayao Miyazaki's films

Anyways, here is my current stock plan:

1 Asian Stone Catfish

5 Thai Micro Crabs

1 red fish (probably still Betta, as with the larger tank size I feel as though it wouldn't be overstocked) OR 1 Scarlet Badis. I'm open to almost any relatively hardy red fish.
 
If you can go with a 10 gallon tank that would be even better. My well planted 10 gallon has 5 Harlequin Rasboras, 1 Nerite Snail, and one Rose Petal Betta as a centerpiece fish. It's the best the 10 gallon ever looked.. I used to have neons and harleys but the Betta makes the tank!
 
Last edited:
I would love to, but a nano tank is the only thing that will fit haha! I've only got a single room that would be a bit cramped if I added another 10 gal (I already have one that I'll be posting when it's finished C= ) and I would get rid of a lot of the things in the room, but I'm just not able to as life is right now. Definitely gonna get bigger tanks a few years down the line though, once I move!
 
So I wound up purchasing a 5.5 gallon to up the space a little bit! Here's my current stocking thoughts;

1 Betta

1-2 Hara Jerdoni (Asian Stone Catfish)

5 Chili Rasbora


Does it seem good? I'm going to be adding a lot of plants, so I feel as though this combination is balanced for a 5.5 gallon. Any thoughts or input?
 
I think it seems a little overstocked, but I'm not an expert. I just think all those fish would be a little crowded in there.
 
Hara jerdoni are not good tankmates for bettas. The catfish need cool water, 18 to 24 deg C (64 - 75 deg F) while bettas need water of 25 deg C minimum. The catfish also need to be in a group but that would severely overcrowd the tank. You need to take either the catfish or the betta back to the shop, and if you choose to keep the catfish, you need more of them.
 
@essjay I haven't purchased the fish yet as I haven't cycled the tank :)

Thanks for letting me know about the temp requirement! I completely forgot about that. I'll just forgo the catfish for now and get a bottom dweller later. I have some baby Kuhli loaches I'll keep in there temporarily until they're big enough for me to feel comfortable putting in the 10 gallon I've got, and get a bottom dweller a few years down the line-- or I'll get some otocinclus if I feel I really need em.

Do y'all know if Thai Micro Crabs would get along with Neocaridina shrimp?
 
I seem to have missed the word "thoughts" :oops:

But the rest of the post still stands :)
 
If you get a betta (pronounced to rhyme with Jetta), you will need to be sure to keep the water at an even temp of at least 80 degrees F. and very clean.
Bettas like live plants, tunnels, and other things to make swimming in such a small space interesting, but you have to be sure to not use up too much space because they also need at least 5 gallons to thrive, and they can live much longer than the 2 years or less they last for most people if they get an optimum environment. A 5 gallon tank is really not large enough for any other fish except the larger relative to the bettas: a gourami. But you can't put a gourami with a betta even if the tank is large enough, and 5 gallons isn't.

Hi everyone!

I'm relatively new to the hobby and have only have/had a single 10 gallon tank. However, I've been wanting more and decided that a 3.7 Gallon tank would work best with the space that I have. I might upgrade to a 5 gal if the 3.7 is too little.

I originally decided to make it a shrimp tank, but I feel as though it really absolutely needs a small, ancient-looking fish or two, as I'm scaping this tank to be Ponyo-themed in honor of the late Hayao Miyazaki. Any suggestions for this fish I might add? It has to be able to get along with a female Betta (who will be my red Ponyo) I'm willing to do more frequent water changes as well if the fish requires it.

End aquascape will either be relatively rocky with a few plants or very planted depending on the end needs of the fish, though I'd prefer the rocky design so a fish that doesn't mind a more barren terrain would be terrific.

(Also one that won't eat my shrimp lol!)
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Members online

Back
Top