Small Room Temp. Tank With Shrimp

[AliasMcFakename]

Hi everyone!
 
I’m just starting to get interested in fishkeeping as a hobby and am considering starting with a small (probably 5 gallons?) tank kept at room temperature (about 75'F).  After little while of internet prowling I’ve become somewhat enamored with red cherry shrimp, however would like to keep some actual fish if possible.  I enjoy gardening so I think I’ll want to keep live plants instead of silk or plastic ones.
 
I’ve found a few small fish types that I’ve read will do well in a five gallon tank at the temperature I keep the room they’ll be housed in, but can’t find many resources about how they’ll do with the shrimp.  Do any of you have experience with housing neon tetras or rosy red minnows with red cherry shrimp?  Or, do you have any suggestions of what could work out or have suggestions for plant types that are easy to care for and will provide some shelter for the shrimp? 
 
As I am so new to all of this, any advice you have for newcomers would also be appreciated

 

[Essjay]

Unfortunately, neither of the fish you mention are suitable for 5 gall tanks. Rosy red minnows grow too big and neons need more swimming room than a 5 gall would give - they need a tank with a footprint of at least 60 x 30 cm (24 x 12 inches).
 
How cold will the room be at its coldest, ie night in the middle of winter? Cherry shrimps need 70 deg F as a minimum.
 
Before we can suggest fish, we need to know that hardness of your water supply. Unless you have well water, that into should be somewhere on you water supplier's website. Some fish prefer hard water, some prefer soft.
 
 
You will also need to cycle the tank before getting shrimps or fish. I suggest you read this, if you haven't already read it. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/ It explains what cycling is and how to do it.

 

[AliasMcFakename]

I live in an area with very mild winters, so the room will not be going below 72’F.
 
The hardness is 15 to 20 gpg.
 
Thank you!

 

[Essjay]

That is quite hard water. Your hardness converts to 14.5 degrees/256 ppm to 19 degrees/344 ppm for those who use those other units.
 
Unfortunately, the only fish I know that would fit in a 5 gall (~20 litre) tank prefer soft water. Hopefully someone else will be able to suggest something suitable.

 

[AliasMcFakename]

Okay, thank you for the help

 

[NickAu]

Maybe 3 Male Guppies
 
With hard water the shrimp will have trouble moulting and will die.

 

[AliasMcFakename]

Hm, that's unfortunate.  Has anyone had any success with water softening sponges?  The instructions I'm seeing on the one I've looked into (API Water Softener Pillow) need to be soaked in aquarium salt to "recharge" and shouldn't be rinsed afterward, would the salt in the sponge be a problem for fresh-water fish, or is there some more complicated chemistry going on that I shouldn't worry too much about?

 

[NickAu]

 You have hard water? You want shrimp? You could look into RO ( reverse osmosis ) water, you can buy the water cheap, My LFS sells 5 gallons for $12.99, And then add something to reconstitute the water with minerals.
 
Now onto the fun bit.
 
If you are using RO water, You could add 6 micro fish like Galaxy Rasboras, and you can keep shrimp with them, While they may eat the baby shrimp the adults should be fine.
 

 
I’m just starting to get interested in fishkeeping as a hobby and am considering starting with a small (probably 5 gallons?)

Might I suggest a 10 gallon tank,  Petco in the US often has dollar per gallon sales, A bigger tank is easier to maintain and a lot more forgiving in regards to water quality.  Trust me on this I have a 5 gallon cube while fun it can be a pain to look after.
or
One of these.

Glofish 10 Gallon Aquarium Kit
 
A bigger tank also means you have more options on some fish.
 
Now the bad news.
 
Shrimp should only be added to mature tanks, In my opinion mature tank means a tank that has been cycled and running for at least 3 months.
 
Heres how I would do it. Buy the 10  gallon tank, substrate, plants, filter, and set it all up, then cycle it, Then add fish, then in 3 months add shrimp,

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Just a mix of RO and the tap would work... Roughly 50/50 would work. Going the RO route is a bit more complicated than many newbie are interested in doing at first.

 

[AliasMcFakename]

I’m in a fairly rural area, so there doesn’t appear to be anywhere selling RO water within a reasonable distance
 
Okay, I’ve been leaning toward a ten gallon tank and will go that direction.
 
That cycling time is fine, I’m not in any great rush.