Tropical Fish Choices?

[addey411]

I have a friend who recently got into the fish hobby ( I guess I rubbed off on her a bit). But, she got a rather small tank, 1.5 gallons, and the only fish I know of that can live in that size are bettas, and that's still a pretty small tank. She's a bit picky with her fish and wants something original so I have not idea what to recommend. Are there any fish that can thrive in that small of a tank and are "original" ?
~Thanks

 

[bluesword23516]

An African dwarf frog or two would work. I would not do more than two. It would become way to crowded. You can use a plastic plant but rub your hand and if it feels sharp anywhere or pulls on your skin you could probably file it off. You can get a snail to go in the tank with them. They can live without a filter and obviously they don't need a bubbler because they swim to the surface for air.

I loved having my frogs and they are pretty unique.

 

[Baccus]

A 1.5 g tank is really a small container and even for a fighter/ betta it is going to severly limit its mobility.
Would your friend perhaps be interested in making the tank into a nano shrimp tank?
Depending on the temperatures surround the tank and the water your friend uses (hard/ soft/ acid/ alkaline) there are some beautiful shrimp available and not all of them cost the earth.

 

[bluesword23516]

Yeah I agree with the betta thing. Too small, betta are pretty big fish and they would be more comfortable in something like a 10 gallon really. The shrimp idea is cool, and prices usually aren't too bad.

 

[l_l_l]

Only thing that could work would be dwarf shrimp variety...
Even then..
 
Good luck in managing a 1.5 Gallon aquarium as the smaller, the harder it is to keep it stable!

 

[Baccus]

That is true about keeping a small tanks water parameters stable but the perfect beginner shrimp which is hardy and rather forgiving to mistakes is cherry shrimp. They are also dwarf and have little bio load.
Depending on the set up of the tank it could nearly be just heavily planted no filter and have the shrimp. BUT water tests would need to be an almost daily requirement and any excess food for the shrimp removed before it can foul the water.

 

[addey411]

I agree with the betta thing; I had mine housed in a ten gallon and sparsely planted. Thanks for the ideas for shrimp and dwarf frogs. They sound like really interesting pets to have in such a small tank. My friend has a phobia of frogs, though so I'll see what she thinks about the shrimp. Are there any stores that sell cherry shrimp or are they all online? The only stores she has available are petco and petsmart, and their selection isn't very broad.

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

I wouldnt do dwarf frogs, minimum for them is 2.5 gallons. Really only thing you could do is shrimp

 

[Baccus]

Some shops do sell cherry shrimp and other dwarf species of shrimp (also much larger macrobacium shrimp) or you can find the shrimp online.
Female cherry shrimp are the more colourful of the two sexes and its a good idea to get more females than males simply because the males will harass the females when they are ready to breed.