Can Someone Give Me A Bit Of Help Please!

[snazy]

A 36 litre tank is 9.5 gallon tank and the original poster has 9 fairly small fish in it. Depending on tank dimensions and biologically wise like fishyfriend2 said this is not overstocked(depending on filtration) but just about fully stocked. Now on another note the danios of course are not suitable for a tank this size and won't be too happy.

The question is can he/she put a betta in it. He probably can if the filtration is sufficient, if there are plants and hiding places, etc... But if it were me I would rehome the danios instead, get a betta and more of the clouds.

On another note fish in any understocked tank would be happier in general. It's like having a dog in a farm or having a dog in a small backyard. Neither will die but guess which one will be happier.

As for schooling fish needing at least 6 in a group to be happy that is sometimes not entirely true. When I got my corys there were only 4 in the shop so I had no choice. I kept reading they need to be at least 6. I got another two and guess what, no change of behaviour. In fact the corys were happy and spawning while there were only 4 of them and it made no difference. Whether you get 6 or 4 don't matter that much. If you want a school, get 12+

 

[Tizer]

I would not consider this tank over stocked in any way bio load wise. With the possibility it is more so a tank with fish that aren't best suited for that environment, as stating this tank to as being over stocked would be like saying keeping a Cory in a group of 1 is overstocked. Man Of fish. I don't know your definition for over stocking but mine would be more so along the lines of having to many surface, bottom, mid dwelling fish, having too many fish, having to many territorial fish, etc. not ones ability to swim a long ways.

Now to the original question
With your tank you are already encountering problems referring to the stocking. As danios, as well with those types of minnows. They are both schooling fish, which means they can live in smaller groups as small where you have them yet they won't be as secure and you won't see there full potential keeping them confined to lower numbers. You also have another problem with the danios, they are very active fish for there size. And won't be as happy in anything short of a 3 foot tank due to there activity and group preference.
If you could ideally find a better home for the danios you could easily purchase a male Betta, assuming you have no flashy fish, and no plastic plants. And you are willing to get another minnow

Also
From expecting experiences a Betta can survive in unaceptable conditions such as keeping them in confined spaces with minimal water changes, but mark my word. They Survive, ideally with all fish you want them to thrive which is why a tank upwards of 2.5 gallons would be ideal, more so of a tank around 5 gallons would be much better, and you'll see the full potential in the fish regarding to behaviour, and personality

i agree with you on this

The 36l tank is grossly overstocked and unsuitable stocked.
Leave your "drinking cup" 5l for a thirst quencher on a summers day.

i just want to say in a serious tone that you choice of words are a little rude i guess to say the least. . i would never tell any one that their tank is "grossly overstocked". if some one said that to me i would fell quite offended! and thought it might be a joke, i dont like how you describe a 5l as a thirst quencher- i have 3 tanks around that size and i have had many different happy fish in there including bettas.

so what i am saying, friend to friend, is to use more 'helpful' word and not words that sound more like insults.

I'd hardly says that's rude, unless you've lived a sheltered life smothered in cotton wool.

I also agree with NotG, 5 litres is pathetic for any fish to call home.

 

[comocrayfish5]

I would not consider this tank over stocked in any way bio load wise. With the possibility it is more so a tank with fish that aren't best suited for that environment, as stating this tank to as being over stocked would be like saying keeping a Cory in a group of 1 is overstocked. Man Of fish. I don't know your definition for over stocking but mine would be more so along the lines of having to many surface, bottom, mid dwelling fish, having too many fish, having to many territorial fish, etc. not ones ability to swim a long ways.

Now to the original question
With your tank you are already encountering problems referring to the stocking. As danios, as well with those types of minnows. They are both schooling fish, which means they can live in smaller groups as small where you have them yet they won't be as secure and you won't see there full potential keeping them confined to lower numbers. You also have another problem with the danios, they are very active fish for there size. And won't be as happy in anything short of a 3 foot tank due to there activity and group preference.
If you could ideally find a better home for the danios you could easily purchase a male Betta, assuming you have no flashy fish, and no plastic plants. And you are willing to get another minnow

Also
From expecting experiences a Betta can survive in unaceptable conditions such as keeping them in confined spaces with minimal water changes, but mark my word. They Survive, ideally with all fish you want them to thrive which is why a tank upwards of 2.5 gallons would be ideal, more so of a tank around 5 gallons would be much better, and you'll see the full potential in the fish regarding to behaviour, and personality

i agree with you on this

The 36l tank is grossly overstocked and unsuitable stocked.
Leave your "drinking cup" 5l for a thirst quencher on a summers day.

i just want to say in a serious tone that you choice of words are a little rude i guess to say the least. . i would never tell any one that their tank is "grossly overstocked". if some one said that to me i would fell quite offended! and thought it might be a joke, i dont like how you describe a 5l as a thirst quencher- i have 3 tanks around that size and i have had many different happy fish in there including bettas.

so what i am saying, friend to friend, is to use more 'helpful' word and not words that sound more like insults.

I'd hardly says that's rude, unless you've lived a sheltered life smothered in cotton wool.

I also agree with NotG, 5 litres is pathetic for any fish to call home.

whatever....

 

[littlenemo]

Tizer. Your my hero.

 

[comocrayfish5]

Tizer. Your my hero.

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to our forum Liz.
I like to think that we are here to support you. You have a very small tank, but even in that size you have a few options. I suspect that you could easily maintain a Betta splendens in your tank along with its present stocking. It is not that you have a light stocking, you don't, but instead that if you are willing to do frequent large water changes you can control any nitrogen additions to your tank. Your tank is marginally heavy on stocking levels after adding the betta and it will mean careful attention to water changes on your tank. If you are willing to do those water changes, you can indeed add that betta.