Stock Options For 5 Gallon

[mwood2]

well once again I cant decide on what to keep in my 5 Gallon. Its still in the cycle cycle (fish-less) and i keep changing my mind. So can anyone give me a list of good options?

My mind was set on dwarf puffers but seeing as all I have is a 5 gallon I could only have 1. I kinda want a small community in my tank that's fun to watch. Guppies came to mind but would 3-4 of them work in a 5 Gallon? Also tetras seemed cool but im not as into neon as much as other types. I open to hearing everyone's option.

I probably got 2 weeks left before my cycle is done anyways.

 

[OldMan47]

If you can find them, a small colony of Heterandria Formosa, least killifish, are nice. I have a small colony with some pygmy cories and they are great.

 

[LauraFrog]

^ Good idea, they are small livebearers and very active.

Pygmy corys are good for the bottom, you could have six in there with good filtration, ditto otocinclus, but if you want to see them swimming around maybe bottom dwellers aren't the best idea.

4 guppies would work, or 5 or 6 Endler's livebearers which are smaller and more colourful.

Ember tetras - less than an inch long, you could have six or eight with good filtration.

Micro rainbows - pseudomugil species. Unusual little fish and in a species tank you might find some of the eggs/fry... they always sell well. They are colourful, tiny Australian natives.

Bettas are an option - one male or five females.

Neon or glowlight tetras are probably small enough.

Paradise fish - less common than bettas.

African dwarf frogs - make sure they are DWARF not CLAWED or you will have issues.

Shrimp.

Celestial pearl danio or galaxy rasbora - same fish - STUNNING but can be hard to get.

 

[mwood2]

by otocinclus do you mean oto's? If i remember reading there index page it says they grow to 2in each and need a min of a 10 gallon. I would really like to have 2-3 of them but im not sure if they would fit.

Are there any catfish similar to oto's? I really like them since there cool when they stick to the glass. Also if I can get those would snails and shrimp go with them as well?

 

[LauraFrog]

Otos are the smallest loricariid catfish (the ones we usually know as plecs, you know the body shape I mean). Otocinclus is the main genus but there are others, some of the Parotocinclus are very nice. There are lots of different species and they are fine in a small tank if it is well decorated. They need plenty of wood to perch on and algae or algae tabs so if you can't feed them properly don't bother with them. They won't take flake or similar and will waste away and die. They do best on real algae, or failing that a mix of algae tabs/wafers and real vegetables. Some are as small as 1 inch.

Snails and shrimp will go with just about anything small enough to fit in a 5 gal tank. That would be ideal actually, snails shrimp and 4 otos.

 

[mwood2]

well I have a sand base for my tank and 2 amazon swords inside. I plan to have more inside as i cycle my tank still. Would the wood sold in the tanks at LFS work out well? And would I get away with just algae wafers and veggies? or would I just have to try it and find out for myself.

So would I introduce all the oto's at the same time or at separate and same for the snails/shrimp. Lastly what shrimp are best?

 

[bae1994]

well I have a sand base for my tank and 2 amazon swords inside. I plan to have more inside as i cycle my tank still. Would the wood sold in the tanks at LFS work out well? And would I get away with just algae wafers and veggies? or would I just have to try it and find out for myself.

So would I introduce all the oto's at the same time or at separate and same for the snails/shrimp. Lastly what shrimp are best?

i would suggest amano shrimp

 

[mwood2]

how many would you suggest with 4 oto's?

 

[bae1994]

how many would you suggest with 4 oto's?

sorrry not sure on numbers just know there a good shrimp versitile

 

[Ficious]

white clouds!!!!

 

[LauraFrog]

^ yeah forgot about those, they are very colourful and active.

If you've fishless cycled, I would introduce the shrimp first and then about a week later all the otos at once. It's a good idea to bring them home Friday afternoon and test ammonia and nitrate twice a day in case you get a mini cycle, doing water changes as required. The wood sold at the pet store is ideal, or you could use rock features. They just don't like to sit on bare sand or gravel all day, and they especially like to chew on bits of wood.

As long as you vary the diet and provide enough vegetable material you should be fine. They will eat things like cucumber, zucchini (courgette), scalded lettuce, beans, broccoli... cabbage is a bad idea though. If your vegies float, tie them to rocks or use weighted bulldog clips to sink them.

Algae wafers are expensive. Read the ingredients before you invest in a bottle. You will get a lot of things sold as algae wafers that are really fish meal, soy protein, wheat flour and alfalfa with green dye in them. These are no better for otos than flake and they will fail to thrive on it. Real algae wafers (made with real algae, and preferably enriched with spirulina algae) are designed to provide balanced nutrition for specialised bottom feeders that eat algae. They are not cheap, but if you store them in the freezer and keep a week's worth at a time in a plastic bag or airtight jar, they will last for years. If you're just keeping four otos, it shouldn't be that expensive and it will be worth it in the long run. Feeding nothing but vegetables might result in a mineral deficiency.

 

[mwood2]

still like the whole Oto Idea, Would it be possible to do 3 Oto's and 1-2 other fish? I would like something swiming in the middle but at the same time i like the whole bottom feeder thing.

Would Dwarf Frogs go well with Oto's? I have 2 with a Molly in my GF's tank.


Oh and an one last note, Is my gf's tank filled to the most? With a Molly and 2 Dwarf frogs, would anything else be able to fit? The ammonia and nitrite levels are fine and everyone seems to be doing fine but it still feels like it lacking. Suggestions there too?

 

[mwood2]

bump, still wondering about the questions

 

[jourdy288]

ADF should go well, but I must warn you, 5 female bettas won't go well in 5 gallons. I also think glowlight tetras are a good choice.

 

[Ficious]

i would also like to add that some live plants would really help your tank out since its so small. mine thrive on the waste that falls into the gravel and dont have to clean it as much. plus the fish and shrimp will feed on the small stuff. if you dont have a hood or its weak lighting, i use one of those new effecient light bulbs that last about 8 years. the light is very natural and it hangs in a lamp right over the tank, looks nice. heres my 3 gallon planted with 6 white clouds and 1 female cherry shrimp