Tank upgrade size?

[Guest14017]

So I had bought a 5 gallon tank for my BF because he liked my 55 gallon but didn't have the space. But I decided to get him a new lamp instead and ended up with the tank. I don't want any Betta fish... And I ended up with a lone Rasbora baby (the only survivor as the others all died instantly, sick from Petco) and now some random guppy fry.

What size tank would I need for them? I know this one is too small. I can't get anything too big on this table though.

 

[Fish4dawin]

I think you should go with a 10 gallon. The guppy's should be fine in there. What type of rasbora are they? Rasbora's are shoaling fish and need 6+ of them in a tank, so you might want to keep the guppies in one tank and have the rasbora in the other tank if you plan to keep two. But pick the fish you like the most though. Although you need to make sure the fish are suitable to your water parameters, so your General Hardness and your pH. @essjay is extremely good at navigating water hardness so should be able to determine fish. I'mm not an expert though I'm still learning

 

[mcordelia]

I would go for as big of a tank as you can possibly fit on your stand. Is the tank currently on a dresser? I would guess that you could probably fit a 20gallon there without much issue. The reason I'm recommending 20 gal is that the likelihood of water parameter shifts and as an extension fish illnesses decreases the more water you have. It also gives you a little more flexibility with your fish selections as well, though I would probably just stick with the fish you have now and just get the bigger tank. If the guppies start breeding as they grow up you will have to figure out how to deal with that as well lol

 

[Guest14017]

He's a Harlequin Rasbora. I had gotten 6 as starters but they quickly all fell ill with ich and some sort of fin rot/bacterial issue and only the one in there survived. Unwilling to go back and get more sick fish to go with him - I waited until he seemed healthy and got some nice healthy fry from a good seller online. Just wanted a bit more movement in the tank. I am only able to run one tank ATM as I have no space for another.

My 55 gallon contains a lone and sorta mean Blood Parrot that I wouldn't want around any smaller fish.

 

[Fish4dawin]

He's a Harlequin Rasbora. I had gotten 6 as starters but they quickly all fell ill with ich and some sort of fin rot/bacterial issue and only the one in there survived. Unwilling to go back and get more sick fish to go with him - I waited until he seemed healthy and got some nice healthy fry from a good seller online. Just wanted a bit more movement in the tank. I am only able to run one tank ATM as I have no space for another.

My 55 gallon contains a lone and sorta mean Blood Parrot that I wouldn't want around any smaller fish.

No going to lie that's what I thought he would be. I think you should try to find some harlequin rasboras online if you are unwilling to buy from Petsmart/Petco. I have 2 5 gallon tank both with guppies in them. They are doing great! I would go with a 20 gallon as @mcordelia said above and that'll give the rasboras a nice home. However, 6 harlequin rasboras is the minimum, you should aim for 8-10 provided they suit the parameters. You shou be able to keep the guppys in the 5 gallon, however uf there are a lot of them, maybbe consider moving them to the new tank that you get. I'm not an expert, and I'm still learning. These are my thoughts but you don't have to do what I say

 

[Guest14017]

I wasn't planning to go as large as 20 gallons for that spot - but I will see if I can in a few months. I am sure I can do 10 gallons on that table though, which will be better than 5 gallons.

 

[mcordelia]

Cost-wise, it will be nearly the same amount of money to set up a 20gal vs a 10 gal, so if it's only a couple months' wait it might be worth holding out for the 20, or trying to figure things out so that the 20 might be a workable option sooner. I would advise against paying full price for a small tank like that, either look for some kind of holiday sale or get a used one from Craigslist or Facebook marketplace. Looking at the aquarium classifieds in my area on FB marketplace, there are a ton of 10- and 20 gallon kits for $20-70 each just waiting for a buyer.