5gallon options

[Skylar]

Neons need much more swimming space. I have a few stocking suggestions..

#1:

1x Dwarf Puffer
Maybe two?

#2:
3x Male Guppies

#3:
1x Male Betta (Tell her they are only boring because they are BORED.)
3x ADF

#4:
4/5x Pygmy Cories


Hm..Up it to a 10 gallon, and then we'll talk.

Skylar.

 

[neontetra05]

neon tetras
just a few goldies get pretty ones though

 

[Skylar]

Like I said, neon tetras need much more swimming space or so I have read. Goldfish need at least 20 gallons for the first goldie and 10 for each one after that.

 

[vantgE]

I already have a betta adf tank and it is boring
small tanks are easier to keep when you have one day to change already almost 200 gallons

Would cherry barbs as suggested work? I would like someone else to verify just cause there is already other conflicting advice thankyou

 

[Erised]

Personally I'd go for a very heavily planted tank (they're always nicer to look at) containing:

3 Corydoras habrosus or 3 corydoras pygmaeus
1 male guppy (I know you didnt want common livebearers, but thats all I can think of would go in a tank that small)
Perhaps a shrimp of some sort.

Also, a tank that small tends to need more water changes ... about 3 a week actually. I'd get a 10G and understock it. You'll have more choices for your mum, nicer fish, and an equal amount of water to change, cept that you can do it all in 1 day rather than spread out over 3.

 

[sinistral]

I can see my original post wasn't clear. I've had 3 cherry barbs in a 5.5g for months now, planted to break up sight lines, no problems. I had 6 ghost shrimp, but they died along the way. I accidentally got 2 males and 1 female-- I'd recommend 2 females and 1 male. They're active and happy. HTH~

 

[acetennis2002]

a great fish to get is a pristella tetra very beutiful and fun i only have 2 n they r doing great u could get proally up to 5 or 6 in your tank i think your mom would like them they r quite active

 

[guppygirl]

Pristella tetras get too big, and they need more room, a 5 gallon would be too small for them. I had a couple myself.
Thanks, sinistral! I do sometimes have great ideas despite my blondness.
Plus I couldn't resist endlers if I tried.

 

[eudielynn]

A lot of these posts have recommended bettas and ADF's. This again depends on the temperment of the betta. Five minutes after I put ADF's in Batista's tank he was trying to eat them. I had to get them out immediately and rehome them in my big tank. I do have other bettas that get along fine with ADF's but every betta is different. Don't try to put ANYTHING with them unless you have a backup plan.
Just MHO.

 

[Undawada]

There's not a lot you can do with 5 gallons.

The only stocking options I'd reccomend are a betta, a trio of male guppies or a dwarf puffer.

You could make a smashing coldwater fishless tank, heavily planted with river shrimp or a newt.

That's about all you can do with 5 gallons.

 

[sylvia]

Well I'm going to disagree - there's plenty you can do with a 5 gallon. It's just a matter of deciding what you like or don't like, what's available to you and then researching the fish endlessly until you are certain you can meet its requirements

You want more than one fish but don't want livebearers. That narrows it down a little.

What about spotted rasboras? Plenty of different killifish would work. Plant the tank well and you could even breed a couple of american-flag fish in there (they are killies). Some gobies would work though many are brackish. A few neon or rummynose tetras would work but they aren't the hardiest or most interesting of fish and, IMO, more suited to a slightly larger tank... Pygmy cories are nice. Honey gouramies would work. A single dwarf gourami with something else is also a possibility though not the very best of options. Are you deffinite you don't want any livebearers? You could combine a couple with something else and do a mini community. Maybe get a couple of pygmy cories, 1 honey gourami and 4 spotted rasboras or a couple of male endler's or just get a few extra cories or rasboras instead. It would be ever so slightly over-stocked but, especialy if you plant it, it should be fine. Maybe replace one species with shrimp or a dwarf frog... There's a lot you can do besides, guppies, a betta or a dwarf puffer. Should point out that a female betta community should consist of at least 4 individuals to disperse aggression so a 5 gallon would be too small for that anyway.