Help Stocking Fish tank :)

[KevinZ]

Hello I am new at this forum.
I just wanted to ask about stocking fish tank.
So I have experienced to keep 10 gal tank, 20 gal and 55 gal tank
But I have never in my life stocking 5 gallons tank or less.
So my friend bought me a Mini Aquarium tank. And I think it's 5 gallons or even less! Haven't count the volume yet.
And I set it up with hardscape and plant from my other aquarium.
I fill it with some
Lava rock
Peacock moss
Anubias Nana
Anubias SP
Buchephalandra
With White soft sand

Idk what fish to get so that I can stock it.
I mean I appreciate that my friend bought me an aquarium but 5 gallons is too small IMO.
Any Living thing will suffer inside that world.
Any suggestion will help.

 

[Byron]

What are the water parameters, meaning GH and pH for your source water?

 

[TetraMan2007]

Welcome to the forum! In a 5 gallon, obviously depending on the parameters, you could keep one Betta. Or you could keep a couple male guppies. You could keep maybe a scarlet Badis, but I think they might thrive in a bigger tank. As far as community tanks, maybe some ember tetra and shrimp. Hope this helps.

 

[Meg0000]

I have 2 ideas but like Byron said we need GH and PH

 

[KevinZ]

The last time I test it out I got
7 PH
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Nitrite 8/10 ppm
The water hardiness is 125 ppm / 8 degrees I believe and with 8 DKh

 

[Byron]

The last time I test it out I got
7 PH
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Nitrite 8/10 ppm
The water hardiness is 125 ppm / 8 degrees I believe

OK, so that is soft water, on the upper end of "soft" but still not moderately hard. Livebearers (Endlers for example) will not do well, so that leaves soft water species. A single Betta as noted above. A group (8-9) of one of the dwarf rasbora species in Boraras, such as B. brigittae. Corydoras pygmaeus in a group of 8-9 for the substrate. With floating plants you could manage these.

 

[KevinZ]

Isn't keeping 8 corydoras is too many?
I heard that group of 6 corydoras need minimum 30 gallons tank.
But keeping Boraras sound like a good idea.

Edit : I just do some research and pygmaeus corys are smaller size's of corydoras species.
Thank you for your suggestion

 

[Byron]

Isn't keeping 8 corydoras is too many?
I heard that group of 6 corydoras need minimum 30 gallons tank.

No. First, we are talking Corydoras pygmaeus which is one of the "dwarf" cory species. These must be in larger numbers. This brings me to the second point to mention, that there is more to consider than fish numbers to water volume. Each species of fish has certain environmental needs. "Environmental" I use here to refer to every aspect of its requirements, from water parameters to aquaqscape to numbers to other fish species. The fish "expects" to be in a large group, so a large group must be provided or it will be under stress and this not only is bad for the fish's health, it impacts the tank's biological system more. A group of 8-9 is minimum for the "dwarf" cory species, and even in this small a tank they will be considerably healthier than would four of five or six.

The dimensions of an aquarium are usually of more importance than the water volume it holds. Fish need space to be themselves, and this varies with a species. C. pygmaeus tends to remain off the substrate more than some of the average-sized species, so it can do well with tanks that are not so long and wide (surface area) as would be needed for other species.

 

[KevinZ]

Oh.
That's really make sense. I never think it that way. I will try to look for the cory. And i'd like to keep a group of dwarf rasboras or maybe CPD/Galaxy Rasboras

 

[Byron]

Oh.
That's really make sense. I never think it that way. I will try to look for the cory. And i'd like to keep a group of dwarf rasboras or maybe CPD/Galaxy Rasboras

The CPD or Galaxy Rasbora need a much larger space, and a group of 20 or so. Not here.

The Boraras rasbora are fine as I said.

 

[KevinZ]

Oh okay. Thank you for the advise.
I am kinda a noob at small fish tank.
My first tank was 20 gallons long and it's really easy for me to set up with some research.
But for smaller tank like this. I didn't even find a suggestion by any website all they said was "5 gallons is too small for fish."
I really appreciate your help

 

[Byron]

Oh okay. Thank you for the advise.
I am kinda a noob at small fish tank.
My first tank was 20 gallons long and it's really easy for me to set up with some research.
But for smaller tank like this. I didn't even find a suggestion by any website all they said was "5 gallons is too small for fish."
I really appreciate your help

To be honest I would prefer a larger tank for these fish, but having said that, it is certainly possible to have these fish live very healthy lives. The floating plants are essential, for both shade and water quality. And regular (weekly) partial water changes of 50-70% of the tank water volume. I get so tired of continually saying "no" to fish in small tanks, so I try to be more positive when I can, as here. It is not risking the fish, not by any means, but it does take good husbandry from the aquarist.

 

[Meg0000]

I would suggest the killi clown, maybe a group of 3 (2 female 1 male)

 

[utahfish]

i wouldnt keep dwarf corydora in a 5 gallon, the smallest id go is a 10. Dwarf corydora swim around alot more than other corydora species as they will glass surface and also be seen swimming in groups mid tank. I had a group if 10 in a 55 and they were always swimming all over where as a had a group of 6 peppered cory and all they did is sit on the bottom the whole time.
The only fish suitable for a 5 gallon tank imho is a betta or maybe a couple nano species like pearl danio or galaxy rasbora or maybe a pair of sparkling gourami.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I agree, I wouldn’t keep DC’s in a 5g tank. It’s to small.

Have you thought of a shrimp only tank? You could have cherry shrimp, blue velvet shrimp, black crystal shrimp, the list goes on!

You could also do a single betta tank.