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What fish can make a home in my tank?

2K views 19 replies 5 participants last post by  Sylverclaws 
#1 ·
Hello everybody, I'm new here! Well, not completely new, I've looked at other forums here throughout the last 6 months and its helped me a lot! I recently relocated my Double Tale Betta-Liverpool-to a 10 gallon tank because:
A. He's quite the swimmer
B. His 5.5 gallon tank sprung a leak and the 10 gallon was on sale, so he got an upgrade!
He's pretty darn happy in that big tank all by himself!
Anyway, I had the 5.5 Gallon tank fixed, and I've got an unused heater and filter sitting around as well, and I am thinking about setting up the 5.5 gallon tank, and cycling it and adding another tank to my quickly growing collection.
I'm wondering what kind of fish (whether it be 1 or more) could be HAPPILY kept in a heated 5.5 gallon tank? I've already got 6 Black and Gold Skirt Tetras in a bigger tank, and I am well aware they can't be kept in such a small tank, so I've ruled them out. Plus, I'd like to switch things up a bit. I'd be happy to get another Betta if that were my only option, they're easy to take care of and have great personalities. But, I'd like to know what my other options are, if there are any. If I were to rescue another Betta (those cups they come in are horrid,) I'd have to invest in a different filter. The one I have sitting around came in the tank and has a flow that was too strong for Liverpool's fins so it would probably bother a different Betta as well. Thanks for your suggestions ahead of time :-D
 
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#2 ·
Welcome to the TFK forums!

Hmm, the powerful filter makes it problematic for anything if it's too much for a betta. If you can tone it down you could get another betta. You can do that by putting a sponge on it, that should help.

Shrimp! Cherry shrimp, ghost shrimp, amano shrimp, crystal shrimp or those neon yellow shrimp...with the cherry and crystal shrimp especially you could get a nice colony in there of ten or so and see if they breed, there'd be room for maybe a few more and you can sell the kids. With a sponge on the filter toning it down, it will also make some food for them on it.

A group of four or five male N-Class endlers livebearers would fit. The little black bar endlers are lovely things, they're very small...Uhhh, yeah that tank would be a MINIMUM size for them though, you may not want to, they do like some more space, fit or not. The males get 1/2 inch to 3/4 an inch if you get ones that aren't guppy hybrids(N-class endlers are the real non-mixed ones), in rare cases hit the inch mark, females are bigger and wont be happy in there.

Could turn it into a little snail tank for ramshorns of your color choice, or nerite snails of your color choice since they can't breed unless the eggs are kept in brackish water(they can lay eggs, they just wont hatch), or other small snails. Nerites are nice because of their inability to over-populate if not kept in brackish settings. They come in some nice colors and marking types too. =) Or even a pair or trio of mystery snails.
 
#4 ·
If you can find a dwarf puffer he could live in there. :)
They are a little harder to keep (need live snails to eat) but if you don't mind the challenge and want something new they work. :D
 
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#5 ·
o.o My five gallon has a gold, blue and a purple mystery snail living in there alone. Was I wrong about that?! I haven't had any problems but that obviously doesn't mean I wont if I shouldn't have them in there, I've never heard they couldn't be in there, just have to watch out for eggs.


Ouh...a dwarf puffer. I know they're small, really small(one inch!), but I heard they still needed to be kept in a 30 gallon tank minimum since they're so territorial(I have heard of people keeping them in ten gallons though, but eh...I wouldn't). I would love one in my big tank though...too bad that wouldn't work out for my other fish since they're so aggressive, and I have mollies who like salt. lol Puffers are so freakin cute!
 
#6 ·
It's all about bioload, sylverclaws. Snails, especailly larger Mystery Snails are ammonia MACHINES. I wouldn't keep one in less than 20 gallons. That's just me personally, though. If you keep up with your water changes, you should be fine but I wouldn't suggest it for a newcomer.
 
#8 ·
Ah. Well, I had done that when I was newer to the hobby. I have the API Master Freshwater Test kit and I test the water every three days and change 25-30% of the water once per week. I haven't had an ammonia spike in there yet. I initially had a betta with them too, but I moved him to a ten gallon tank about six months later. I suppose I was lucky then, eh? lol I don't have them anymore, but I'll certainly keep the info in mind. Especially since we're about to re-stock the five gallon.
 
#10 ·
Are you confusing them with Apple snails? .-. They only get about the size of golf balls, maybe a tad smaller. Well, I suppose that's pretty big for a snail too. lol Yeah, I also have this habit of attacking any extra food or poo I see with a turkey baster and sucking it out of my tanks, so that probably helped a bit too.
 
#13 ·
Good luck Liverpool. I just got a new betta myself for my five gallon last night. x) I got a youngster that was bright and active, and very much a little tyrant betta as it should be...And have been in excitement-mode since. lol I think I'll name it Tyrant. >>; It was immediately, not shy at all like they usually are upon purchase. xD
 
#17 ·
Indeed, keeping the tank stable and the water clean is one of the biggest things for betta. They can tough it through the worst, but it does take a toll on them and shorten their lives. One of the reasons I got a youngster. I almost got an adult cobalt blue veiltail(he was the bluest betta I've ever seen in my life! Dark blue with a black head), but half his tail was gone. Sure, it will fix, I got betta like that before. Usually get fixer-uppers, but I wanted a young and healthy baby for once. lol It's kinda...it grates on your heart after a while of rescuing. Rescues rarely live more than another year or two, being already a year or two old when you get them if they're purchased as adults. Some live longer if they weren't too trashed growing up.

Ah, photos...I will take some now, but you likely wont see them for a while unless I can get permission to upload from my grandpa. He's kinda a stickler for making the silliest rules and hasn't let me upload...I'm going to sneak next time I catch his area still on, he doesn't log off. >>; Usually I don't, but my camera is full, and I really do want to show everyone my new baby. =) Had friends asking me about my rescue pleco who is now perfect too.

Pick well for that betta, Liverpool! Be sure you have meds in your cupboard just in case too. =)
 
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