What Fish Can Live in a 5 Gallon Tank
Five-gallon aquariums create a beautiful focal point in a room once you add decorations, plants, and fish. And a small tank tin can be the perfect solution if you live in an apartment or modest home.
A 5-gallon tank is the smallest you tin can have for successful fishkeeping. The environment and water quality in very pocket-sized aquariums quickly become unstable, jeopardizing the wellness of your fish, and fifty-fifty the smallest fishes need space to swim effectually. Then, how many fish can yous keep in a v-gallon tank?
In this guide, we introduce the best fish for a v-gallon tank, and more!
What to Consider When Stocking a 5-gallon Tank
As well equally what fish species yous can keep, in that location are a few other things that y'all need to consider when stocking a 5-gallon tank.
A small aquarium is very appealing as the showtime tank for newbies to the hobby. Many pocket-sized tanks are attractively designed, will fit neatly onto a counter or desktop, and they're often much cheaper to buy than larger alternatives.
That said, a nano tank (more often than not divers as a freshwater aquarium with a capacity of less than 10 gallons) does profoundly limit your options. That's because only a few fish species will thrive and practice well in a very small tank. And I practise emphasize the word thrive here. There are undoubtedly quite a few species of fish that can survive in a nano tank, merely very few will be happy and healthy in a setup that pocket-size.
Filtration and Heater
No matter what size tank you cull, you must prepare information technology up with a filter system. A heater will also be required if you decide to keep tropical species, and before calculation fish or invertebrates to the tank, you lot will demand to run the setup through the nitrogen cycle.
All living creatures produce waste. That waste matter decomposes, and equally it breaks down, ammonia and nitrites are created. Both those substances are highly toxic to aquarium fish.
A filtration system works by circulating the water around the tank, passing the toxin-laden water through sponges or other types of filter media. The mechanical filter media removes large particles of waste from the h2o, and the bacteria contained in the biological filter media process and neutralize the toxins, keeping the h2o safe for your fish.
Size and Behavior of the Fish
Popular aquarium fish species vary considerably in their size and behavioral traits, which must be taken into consideration when choosing fish for a modest tank.
Fish grow quickly!
Most of the fish that are sold in fish stores and pet shops are juveniles. So, that cute little one-inch long fishy that looks so appealing will undoubtedly grow, oft very apace, into an adult that could measure a whopping 8 inches!
Safety in numbers?
Many fish are shoaling species that go very stressed if they are not kept in groups of at least six individuals. Tiny species are especially vulnerable to stress if kept solitary or in couples. In nature, a large shoal of nano fish feels like a much safer place to be than on your own or with just one companion, and information technology's the aforementioned in the captive environs.
On the other mitt, some fish tin exist aggressive and are happiest when kept solitary, making them more suited to a solo life in a small tank than equally members of a customs.
Some fish are extremely agile and need plenty of space in which to swim. For these species, a nano tank won't be suitable.
Bottom line: Research the fish yous're because before y'all buy them to brand sure that their size and behavior suits a 5-gallon tank.
Tank Shape
When stocking any tank, the shape of the aquarium is an important consideration. Square tanks, cube-shapes, and tall hexagonal aquariums are much more hard to stock and decorate than long, rectangular ones.
Fish Bowls and vases are not recommended for keeping fish. Both styles of containers accept very limited space and water expanse, meaning that the levels of dissolved oxygen in the h2o are typically low. That's bad news for anything living in the bowl. Likewise, information technology's extremely difficult to filter a basin properly, leading to poor water quality and a high fish bloodshed charge per unit.
So, I recommend that you choose a rectangular tank if yous have your heart set on a very modest aquarium.
How Many Fish Can You lot Put in a 5-gallon tank?
The general rule of thumb for stocking any fish tank is one inch of fish per one gallon of h2o in the aquarium.
All the same, you clearly can't put a vi-inch fish in a tiny five-gallon tank. And, equally mentioned above, y'all need to consider factors such as how much swimming infinite in that location is in the tank and the water quality. But you can still apply the 1 inch of fish per gallon dominion to pocket-size fish species, such equally betta fish and tetras.
The best policy is to add fish gradually and test the h2o parameters daily to make sure that the h2o is clean and sanitary for your fish.
What Are the All-time 5-gallon Tank Fish Combinations?
Mostly, a 5-gallon tank is non suitable for keeping multiple fishes, with the exception of micro-rasboras. That said, in that location are a few combos that you could try:
Mixed Customs Tank
- 1 x Amano shrimp
- ane x Nerite snail
- one ten betta fish
- 2 x killifish
Invertebrate Community Tank
One fashion of fugitive the problem of too many fish in a pocket-size tank is to keep snails and shrimp instead. For example:
- 10 x Ruby-red shrimp
- 5 x Nerite snails
Shrimp are ofttimes disregarded, but they do come in myriad colors and species, and they practice very well in small, well-planted aquariums.
What Plants For a 5-gallon tank?
Living plants help to continue the h2o clean by using nitrates as fertilizer and oxygenating the water during photosynthesis. Also, live plants help to create a natural environment for the creatures in the tank, which helps your customs feel at dwelling and thrive. And, imaginative aquascaping tin make the tiniest tank look stunning.
So, it's a nifty idea to add a few squeamish alive plants to a 5-gallon tank. Many aquatic plants are extremely easy to keep, making them ideal for beginner hobbyists.
I recommend the post-obit live plants for your five-gallon aquarium:
- Java Fern
- Java Moss
- Anubias
- Marimo moss balls
17 Best Fish Species for a five-gallon Tank
Here are 17 fish species that you can proceed in a small tank of 5 gallons or larger.
one. Guppy
- Family: Poeciliidae
- Care Level: Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- Water Weather: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: 0.6 to two inches
- Lifespan: Up to 2 years
Guppies come up from the tropical waters of South America, and they accept long been a perennial favorite in many home aquariums.
These lively trivial fishes are easy to treat and come up in an unlimited range of colors, too. Guppies breed incredibly easily, as well. So, stick to buying males only so that your small tank doesn't become overrun!
2. Betta Fish (Betta splendens)
- Care Level: Intermediate
- Temperament: Semi-ambitious
- Nutrition: Omnivore
- Water Conditions: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: 2 to four inches
- Lifespan: 6 to 7 years
Betta fish are as well known as Siamese Fighting fish. These feisty fishes are beautiful but highly territorial, and males will fight, sometimes to the death.
Keep i male betta with a couple of Scarlet shrimp, and your tank will accept a gorgeous pop of color!
3. Mollies (Poecilia sphenops)
- Care Level: Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- Water Conditions: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: 3 to 4 inches
- Lifespan:iii years
The always-popular Molly is the perfect fish for a beginner. These brightly colored, lively little fish come in several forms, including Balloon and Sailfin Mollies, every bit well every bit Mutual Mollies.
Mollie are peaceful fish that give nascency to live immature, frequently! So, choose merely male person fish to make sure that your tank doesn't go overstocked.
4. Neon Tetras (Paracheirodon innesi)
- Intendance Level: Like shooting fish in a barrel
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Nutrition: Omnivore
- Water Conditions: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: one.6 inches
- Lifespan: 2 to 3 years
Neon tetras give you plenty of bang for your buck if you want a brightly colored, lively display for your aquarium.
Although they are piece of cake to care for, Neon tetras are shoaling fish. So, if y'all keep these fishes in your five-gallon tank, yous won't have room for any other species.
5. Harlequin Rasboras (Trigonostigma heteromorpha)
- Care Level: Intermediate
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- Water Weather: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: 2 inches
- Lifespan: 2 to 3 years
Harlequin Rasboras are boisterous, brilliantly colored shoaling fish that can exist good to keep in a well-planted 5-gallon tank, provided that you go on a few of them together.
These delightful little fishes can be rosy red, golden, or copper-colored and look especially cute when set off by a dark substrate.
6. White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Trigonostigma heteromorpha)
- Care Level: Beginner
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Nutrition: Omnivore
- Water Conditions: Freshwater, temperate
- Max. Size: 1.five inches
- Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
The White Cloud Mountain Minnow is a peaceful shoaling fish that must exist kept in a grouping of its own kind to be happy and do well.
These fish adopt libation water temperatures effectually 60o Fahrenheit, making them unsuitable for life in a tropical tank.
vii. Honey Gourami (Trichogaster chuna)
- Intendance Level: Beginner
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- Water Conditions: Freshwater, temperate
- Max. Size: 2 inches
- Lifespan: 4 to half-dozen years
The Honey gourami is closely related to the Dwarf gourami. These beautiful fish tin can wait rather bland and argent in colour until acclimated to their new tank. However, one time the fish are settled and happy, their truthful, gilded dear color emerges.
Gouramis are peaceful community fish that can also be kept in pairs.
8. To the lowest degree Killifish (Heterandria Formosa)
- Care Level: Beginner
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Nutrition: Omnivore
- H2o Conditions: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: one to i.4 inches
- Lifespan:iii to 4 years
Least Killifish are a shoaling species that practise all-time when kept in groups of at to the lowest degree four individuals. These tiny fish prefer a well-planted aquarium with plenty of hiding places.
You don't oftentimes meet these lovely fiddling fish in aquarium stores, but y'all can buy them from online suppliers for a relatively low cost.
9. Celestial Pearl Danios (Danio margaritatus)
- Care Level: Intermediate
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- Water Weather: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: 1 inch
- Lifespan:3 to 5 years
With their stunning looks and curious, lively habit, the Angelic Pearl Danio makes a not bad improver to the small-scale tank.
These peaceful community fish do best when kept in a small grouping of their ain kind, spending much of their time exploring the lower reaches of the tank.
ten. Endler's Livebearers (Poecilia wingei)
- Intendance Level: Piece of cake
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- H2o Atmospheric condition: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: one inch
- Lifespan:3 to 5 years
Endler'south Livebearers are cute swimming jewels that bring a gorgeous pop of shimmering color to whatsoever tank. These are peaceful shoaling fish that get along well with all other minor community species.
Yous do need to keep these guys in a group, and although they tin be kept in a 5-gallon aquarium, Endler's do prefer a larger tank with plenty of swimming space and dense planting.
11. Clown Killifish (Aplocheilus Annulatus)
- Care Level: Like shooting fish in a barrel
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- H2o Weather: Freshwater, tropical
- Max. Size: 1 inch
- Lifespan:3 to 5 years
The Clown Killifish is an extremely bonny little fish that can be kept in a five-gallon tank. That said, these fish adopt to be kept in large schools in a densely planted tank that has plenty of swimming space.
These killifish need well-filtered h2o and are highly sensitive to poor h2o conditions, so an efficient filtration system and loftier circulation rate are essential.
12. Dwarf Puffer (Carinotetraodon travancoricus)
- Care Level: Intermediate
- Temperament: Aggressive
- Nutrition: Carnivore
- Water Conditions: Freshwater to brackish, tropical
- Max. Size: 1 inch
- Lifespan: up to 10 years
Dwarf puffers or Pea puffers are pea-sized little creatures that are intelligent, active fish that brand a neat addition to a small tank.
The Dwarf puffer swims in a unique design, making the fish fascinating to sentinel. These foreign nano fish are undoubtedly beautiful, and although a trivial shy at first, will speedily come to recognize you as they watch what's going on outside the tank.
thirteen. Rosy Loach (Tuberoschistura arakanensis)
- Care Level: Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- Water Weather: Freshwater tropical
- Max. Size: 1 inch
- Lifespan: 3 to v years
Rosy loaches are pretty, highly sociable little fishes that can be kept in a small tank, provided that y'all proceed them in a group.
These fish need gentle water movement, plenty of shady hiding places, and dense planting. Rosy loaches have delicate sensory barbels, so the substrate must be soft and sandy.
14. Nerite Snail (Neritidae)
- Care Level: Like shooting fish in a barrel
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- Water Weather condition: Freshwater tropical
- Max. Size: ane inch
- Lifespan: 2 years
Nerite snails come up in many varieties and colors, making them an attractive addition to your tank. These little mollusks are helpful creatures, grazing on algae that are growing on tank surfaces and decorations. The snails can also make a meal out of decomposing plant affair, helping to keep the tank clean.
Nerites are peaceful, fitting in well with fish and other invertebrates.
xv. Red Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)
- Care Level: Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- Water Conditions: Freshwater tropical
- Max. Size: 1.5 inch
- Lifespan: one to 2 years
Ruddy shrimp are native to Taiwan and are just about the near popular shrimp in the hobby. Although Scarlet shrimp are basically red, they do come in a diversity of shades and are actually graded, depending on the depth of coloration.
These hardy creatures graze on algae inside the tank, helping to go on the glass and décor make clean. The shrimp thrive in densely planted aquariums that offering plenty of hiding places and sheltered spots.
16. Dwarf Crayfish (Cambarellus)
- Care Level: Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Diet: Omnivore
- H2o Conditions: Freshwater tropical
- Max. Size: ane.vi to 2 inches
- Lifespan:1 to iii years
Dwarf crayfish make an interesting addition to a small tank. These industrious little creatures spend most of their fourth dimension exploring the lesser of the aquarium, scavenging for scraps of dropped food.
Crayfish need a well-filtered environment with dense planting and plenty of places where they tin hide.
17. Amano Shrimp (Caridina multidentate)
- Care Level: Piece of cake
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Nutrition: Omnivore
- Water Atmospheric condition: Freshwater tropical
- Max. Size: 2 inches
- Lifespan: 2 to iii years
Amano shrimp have a fearsome reputation as prolific algae eaters and scavengers, making them a popular addition to the tropical tank. Amanos are very hardy creatures, besides, making them the ideal choice for a beginner. Also, this shrimp tin be safely kept with nano fish and other invertebrates.
Amano shrimp need a heavily planted tank that offers plenty of hiding places.
Fish Species That are NOT Suitable for a 5-gallon Aquarium
At that place are a few fish species that are a definite no-no for a v-gallon setup:
1. Goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Goldfish are pop pets for kids and frequently end up in very small tanks. However, that cute little 2-inch fancy goldfish can rapidly grow to mensurate upward of 6 inches, and other varieties can grow fifty-fifty larger.
Goldfish are highly social animals, and life alone is extremely stressful for them.
Then, goldfish are non suitable for life in a small tank. Menstruation.
2. Angelfish (Pterophyllum)
Angelfish are elegant tropical fish that start life every bit 1.five-inch babies. The Angelfish's attractive colors and graceful movement capture the hearts of many beginner aquarists. However, these beauties are not suitable for a small tank.
At maturity, Angelfish can abound up to at to the lowest degree 6 inches in peak. Also, Angelfish are cichlids, and they can be aggressive toward smaller fish.
Curious how to distinguish male and female angelfish? Read nearly it here.
three. Cichlids
There are over 1,300 species of cichlids, including a few small ones. However, cichlids are typically territorial, and they can be aggressive, eating smaller fish and invertebrates.
Nigh cichlids need plenty of swimming infinite, besides, making a nano tank totally unsuitable.
Decision
I promise you enjoyed our suggestions for the all-time fish to keep in a 5-gallon tank. Although there are quite a few nano fish that can alive in a very small tank, you might desire to consider keeping shrimp and snails instead. These industrious piddling creatures are piece of cake to care for, and they will exist quite happy living in a pocket-size aquarium.
Do y'all have a nano tank? If y'all do, we'd beloved to hear nearly it!
Tell us about your aquarium in the comments box below, and if you lot loved this article, be sure to share information technology!
Y'all might be interested in our commodity most best fish for a 20-gallon tank. Read about information technology hither.
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