Complete newbie to aquariums

[Mangos]

Hello! I got myself a five gallon tank a few days ago and I'm getting it ready for some inhabitants. I'm still a bit confused about cycling, but I'm not gonna add anybody till its done! I want my new pets to be happy and healthy! Its mainly going to be a snail tank, cause I just really like snails for some reason. Once their population is high enough, I'm gonna add in something to keep them in control, like a loach or assassin snail or something. I've already been told that a five gallon is too small for anything but a betta, but I want animals that can be with others so I'm gonna get a bigger tank and keep the small one in case someone gets sick. I may also have some guppies and/or shrimp. Like the title says, I'm completly new! I am doing research on my own, but any advice would be appreciated!

Stock I plan on having (subject to change):

Pond snails
Mystery snails
Nitrite snails
Trumpet snails
Ramshorn snails
Assassin snails
Loachs
Guppies
Shrimp
Goldfish
Acochlidiums?
And, of course, Lots of plants

And someday, when I'm an expert, I want to have these animals!

Sea snails/slugs
Jellyfish
Puffers
Piranhas
Discus
Tangs
Filefish
Triggerfish
Eels?
And Plecostomus if/when I get a tank big enough for the adult size 8D

[William]

Hi and welcome to AC. We are happy to have you here!

[jacoste]

Hello and welcome to the AC!

[gadget228]

Welcome to the AC...

[madagascariensis]

Welcome to the forum. Just putting it out there but the acochlidium will be basically impossible to obtain through the trade. You also have a mix of saltwater and freshwater species jumbled through each other. You surely aren't planning on keeping the, all together right?

I've also never heard of nitrite snails, unless of course you mean nerites.

[Mangos]

Oh no, no, no of course not! I'm not that ignorant! Goodness, do people really do that??

And yeah, you caught my typo. xD

btw i like your neopet avatar <3

[Surfdog]

Welcome to the Forums, looking at your list I hope you have a huge place as your going to need some big Tanks! The jelly fish will pose a unique challenge and a special tank. Good luck and I can't think of a better place for you to be to get input on what your planning. At least Glarior and I can help you with the Eels... 😃

[imma24]

Welcome to the forum! Yes, there are people who combine really incompatible fish in one tank - and they often get mad at us when we tell them this : )

[steeler58]

Welcome to the AC

[Mangos]

Well, yeah, I can understand someone not knowing that one fish would eat another. But not putting freshwaters in saltwater or visa versa is such a big 'duh' for me, I can't imagine how someone would make that mistake.

Anyways! Yes, I'm gonna be starting out with a just a few on my list and working my way up to bigger tanks so I don't get overwhelmed. :)