Stocking a 5.5g

[SpaceBison]

I just set up a 5.5g and it's cycling but i was wondering what kid of fish i should get. Please give me some ideas.........thanks

:16:

[Sharkman]

with 5.5g you are pretty limited. A betta would be nice with some plants and rocks. You could get some pygmy cories by themselves, but 5g really isn't much space for many fish.

[TorqueWorks]

I agree with Sharkman. You are really limited to what could be put into that size of a tank. You might be able to put a few tetras in it.

[concretephil]

5.5 is pretty small and often you'll find that fish that are small enough to comfortably fit in that size tank prefer to be kept in schools, which again in that size tank can't be comfortably done. if you just like having the small tanks, i would suggest doing a 20 long. they don't cost that much to outfit,it's small enough to fit on a decently sturdy night stand, it'll be easy to manage your water, and you'll have more options as to what you can put in it. IMO a betta, or maybe some fancy guppies is the only thing that would do very well in a tank that size, unless you REALLY know what you're doing.

[SpaceBison]

I was going to put some neon tetras and some cherry shrimp but my filter might suck up the cherry shrimp. So I'm probably going to get like 2-3 live plants, some tetras, and some corycats. :c2:

[AABatteries]

I'd say 5 neons and 3 cories.

[OscarFan]

neons and cories wont be comfortable in their. I would just do a Beta/shrimp tank, A crawdad might also work

[Red]

yeah i agree with oscar on this one... a betta shrimp tank would be better...

[Northernguy]

How come betas and corys don't go together??

[Red]

they do but not in that small of tank....

[Gayle]

Agree Betta/Shrimp

[AABatteries]

Shrimp would be a no-go because Space is too cheap to buy a sponge filter and pump. The HOB would suck up any shrimp fry.

[Northernguy]

oooops! Sorry I forgot it was a 5.5. Man thats a tough one.:19:

[teach]

Also when i had shrip with my betta they kept disappearing. :hmm3grin2orange:

[Raziel]

Bettas are fed with shrimp when they hatch, and when the shrimp molt, bettas often find them a tasty treat.

It would either be a betta, or a dwarf puffer, or a couple of endlers.

[fins_n_fur]

For a great list of fish suitable for nano tanks, check out Jess's blog by clicking here ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.]).

[SpaceBison]

Ok cool I just looked at some of those fish on the page and they look pretty cool I might get a few. :19:

[SpaceBison]

In my 5.5g would a pleco be good or would it get to big? because in my 10g I have a pleco and it really hasn't grown much and I've had for like a year.

[Sharkman]

A pleco in a 5.5g is not a good idea. I don't really think it is a good idea in a 10g either. You might have stunted the plecos growth in the 10g but im not sure.

[FordForever]

I agree a pleco would get to large. I am afraid to put a pleco in my 29G...If you want something similar, consider an otto maybe?

[Gayle]

Plecos will get to big.

[terrapin24h]

we have a 6 gal with 1 ADF and 1 Dwarf gourami. Levels are 0-0-10. The gourami seems happy, leaves the frog alone and chases his reflection in the glass. His color is fantastic, because he often eats the blood worms we feed the frog with.

--chris

[gourami*girl]

For a great list of fish suitable for nano tanks, check out Jess's blog by clicking here ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.]).

This is an awesome list, but maybe it could be a little more manageable by including common names and marking those which are readily available at fish stores. I'm going to have to take some time to sit down and go through this list at some point.

[Eileen]

I bought a 6 gal. tank from a yard sale. It has a pool filter sand for the botom of the tank. I have 3 Haraquein Rasboras, and 3 fancy guppies all males so that the small tank does not get overcrowded with babies, and 1 blk. mystery snail to control leftover food and algae. After I cycled my tank with Cycle double dose for 2 weeks then once a week 1 dose. I have a 5-15 gal. aqua- bio filter works great. I have not had any problems with those fish. I have had Mollies and platies before but rehomed them as they produce alot of waste in my tank as in poop. You might want to try endlers as they are smaller in size then the Fancy guppy. Try to pick the small size Fancy guppies at the LFS. Alot of people get rid of them for free on craigslist. Thats where I got mine. Remember females are always pregnant when you get them and the baby frys will take over your tank and can be overwhelming and you will have to invest in more tanks to raise them. I think that Fancy Guppy males are pretty and come in many different colors and they are a good choice for beginners. If you go with a community tank these are good fish. I have found that the Rasboras are very hardy and I have had mine for about 1 1/2 years without one dieing. Good luck!

[SpaceBison]

Ok I'll look for ottos instead of a pleco

[OscarFan]

Otos would work if its heavily planted(fake or live they like to hide) and with a substituted diet of blanched cucumbers and such. But a pleco gets to large for a 55g if its a common pleco. The smallest pleco I know will only fit in a 20g long. A school of 4 otos and a beta would be a good stocking

[SpaceBison]

Yeah I'm getting like 2-3 live plants in the tank and maybe some ottos, cories, and some neons. :4:

[Sasquatch]

Yeah I'm getting like 2-3 live plants in the tank and maybe some ottos, cories, and some neons. :4:

I'd shy away from cories, they're schooling fish and you just can't fit a big enough group in such a small tank. Even pigmy cories should be in larger tanks (min 10g).

If you're looking for a cleaning crew, look into shrimp. They're great for small tanks. With small varieties like cherry shrimp you can put 10-15 in a tank like yours with no problem.

[SpaceBison]

Yeah I know but if I get shrimp my filter will suck them up. :c2:

[Sasquatch]

Yeah I know but if I get shrimp my filter will suck them up. :c2:

What kind of filter is it? The suction on something for a 5g tank can't be that much.

We have an AC20 and put a sponge block over the intake to prevent this. Actually, the shrimp spend a lot of time on the sponge, picking of tidbits of food.

[SpaceBison]

It's a 10 whisper filter I got at my LPS for around $4

[Sasquatch]

Ahh ... well, you can buy sponges for Aquaclear AC20 filters and put them over the intake. Just cut an "X" shape into one of the long ends and push it over the intake tube.

Works fine and it'll eventually be colonized by algae and bacteria and blend into the tanks background.

[SpaceBison]

Ok so if I don't get a sponge will they get sucked up? If they would get sucked up I'll buy the sponge

[Sasquatch]

Ok so if I don't get a sponge will they get sucked up? If they would get sucked up I'll buy the sponge

They probably wouldn't get sucked in ... but why take the chance? A pack of sponges that'll last you years probably costs less than 1 or 2 cherry shrimp.

[AABatteries]

If there are shrimp fry, the fry might get sucked up.

[SpaceBison]

Ok I'll look for sponges because I'm going to the pet store tomorrow.
I also have another question..... how do you lower your ph? because mine is like 7.4 - 7.6 and I need to lower it before I get fish.

[Red]

a consistent ph is better then a lower but changing on..

[SpaceBison]

so should I leave my ph like that or not?

[Sasquatch]

so should I leave my ph like that or not?

Unless you get fish that absolutely need low pHs, you'll be fine where you are.

I have ornate tetras and a bumblebee catfish, both fish that like pHs on the acidic side. My pH is 7.7 and all the fish are perfectly fine.

As Red Severum said, having a steady pH is more important than the "right" one. Constantly fluctuating pH caused by trying to maintain a lower pH is a lot more stressful.

[SpaceBison]

Ok because I'm getting neons and shrimp later today....

[Sasquatch]

They should be fine. You should try to do a drip acclimation, it's a lot less stressful on the fish.

[SpaceBison]

Yeah I just got back from the LFS and got 3 more neons and 7 ghost shrimp. Now I have 5 neons and 7 ghost shrimp in the 5.5g. They are doing fine and the neons are already schooling. I'm so I'm happy! :19: