It prefers subtropical water temperatures which makes it one of the best freshwater fish that you can get for your small, unheated aquarium. Suggested aquarium gear for a Betta fish: Related: Aquanswers’ guide on the perfect tanks for Betta fish. Does anyone have any experience with these guys and … Don't 100% count on your puffer ever taking to Vibra Bites, mine refuses to eat anything but snails and mosquito larvae. But making sure the females outnumber the males is as vital as having plenty of snail shells in the tank. The males feature a vibrant yellow underside, whereas the females have a pale yellow belly. Sometimes, you may turn out lucky and manage to find a timid Betta, but more often than not they will be aggressive. These crustaceans do feed on the hair algae but it’s not nearly enough to get rid of the problem. 1930s historically accurate planted aquarium, Fluval Plant 3.0 Scheduling and Programming. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. With limited water volume, every inch counts. But what freshwater fish would best fit in a small tank that holds no more than 5 gallons of water? lightingh not specific filtration. You could put 3 to 4 Guppies in a 5-gallon tank, without worrying that you may be overstocking it. Also known as Dwarf Puffer Fish or Malabar Pufferfish, the Pea Puffer grows to a maximum of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). Ironically, the males do at times turn aggressive against each other over territories, which is why I recommend keeping no more than 1 male Licorice Gourami per one 5-gallon tank. Before a fish tank becomes inhabitable it needs to go through the Nitrogen cycle so that the beneficial bacteria could process the toxic Ammonia from fish waste. I've never seen any survive too long. In fact, they are the smallest of their entire species. I have noticed that kids tend to like watching them. Just want to add that they need live or frozen food. Eventually, the organic waste degrades into Ammonia (NH3), which is lethal to aquatic fish and invertebrates. The Least Rasbora is one of the pet fish that can comfortably live in tiny 5-gallon tanks because it measures a mere 1 inch (or 2.5 centimeters) in body length when mature. Doing that is not recommended, since it may stress the shell-dwelling cichlids. Temperature: 76-80 Minimum Tank Size: 5-Gallons Pea puffers are one of the only freshwater puffer species (most others being brackish or saltwater). What's your dream aquarium product that doesn’t exist? However, for your 5-gallon tank, I’d recommend that you only keep a single pair. In fact, if this bottom-feeder can’t dig, it gets stressed. The Asian Stone Catfish also needs stable water parameters. This beautiful freshwater fish rarely requires a heater and is timid and peaceful when it comes to its temperament. Ramshorn Snails also serve an essential purpose in your small tank: they feed on the algae, and decaying organic matter. Momchil has had his fair share of aquarium care in the past 13 years. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This small, tropical pet fish is shy and somewhat uncomfortable when put in a tank with a large community of fish. My experience, however, shows the opposite – it’s almost like crayfish have no sense of their own size. Pea Puffers only grow to be around 1.5 inches as fully mature adults. When the fry is old enough you should likely transition them elsewhere to avoid overcrowding the tank. If you don’t provide them with the quality of care they need, then the chance of them hitting 5 years of age is slim to none. These mini-lobsters are easy to maintain, and therefore a suitable pet for a beginner with a small aquarium. These snails are really small and do not have a lot of bioload, but you should be prepared to “donate” some when their mass reproduction takes place. Anyway, in my observations, the Brevis Shell Dwellers suit a beginner because once you provide them with the shells and the right water conditions, they are at home. The Licorice Gourami fish have a peaceful temperament and are rather shy. A good way to maintain pristine water quality in such setups is by putting a lot of live plants in it. Dwarf puffers may become a perfect addition to your collection of aquarium fishes. It is playful and active, as well. Anyway, the peaceful Ramshorn Snail is a low-maintenance invertebrate because it is hardy enough to adapt to various water conditions, provided there is consistency. KM Aquatics. Toxic waste builds up quicker in smaller volumes of water. This cool freshwater fish has rather large eyes that independently turn around as the fish hovers. Betta fish prefer to slowly explore their surroundings and do not need to be in groups to feel confident. Dwarf Pea Puffer To be honest. However, keeping a school of 8 to 10 Least Rasbora fish in a small, 5-gallon tank boosts their confidence, enabling them to school freely. Just know that it is likely pointless to keep this freshwater crustacean in a planted tank, because it may eat some of the plants and uproot the remaining ones. Thanks for your input! However, since this fish love to swim and hide, we recommend going for 20 to 40 gallon-sized tanks. A male Least Killifish is a mere 0.8 inches (2 cm) while a female may reach up to 1.2 inches (3 cm). It then draws near you, expecting a treat. A 5-gallon aquarium can accommodate a mating pair of Scarlet Badis, but never 2 male specimens, as they fight for territory will prove lethal for one of the males. Having aquatic plants in a setup with these small fish is essential for their wellbeing. In this case, you’d need to stay on top of the water changes, make sure the temperature of the water is stable and that the aquarium remains cycled at all times. Despite these antisocial traits, the Dwarf Pufferfish is not so difficult to handle that it cannot be kept by a beginner. The Least Killifish remains small in its adult life, so you won’t have to upgrade to a bigger tank later when it grows old. While these fish are relatively hardy, they do need clear water and are not “low-maintenance” when kept in a small tank. Two days fasting every week, as long as it's normally well fed the rest of the week, would be fine. For this reason, I recommend that you only have one Mexican Dwarf Crayfish per 5-gallon tank. However, I would not recommend Sulawesi Shrimp to a beginner because they require optimal water conditions, unlike other dwarf shrimp. It will be the first to notice you when you enter the room. They do not need ample space to feel at home and remain small in body size. In this guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know to successfully keep Pea puffers! This fish is also known as Pea Puffer. To avoid potential issues with water quality you should keep no more than three specimens in a 5-gallon aquarium. #3. An adult Sulawesi Shrimp measures 1 inch (2.5 cm) in total but that’s not the only reason you’d want them to populate your 5-gallon tank. Peaceful, withdrawn, and happier in a group of its own kind, 2.7 inches but 3 inches are possible (between 6.8 and 7.6 cm), Territorial, can be either mellow or aggressive towards other fish and invertebrates, curious explorer, slow-swimmer, between 75 and 82 °F (between ~24 and ~28 °C), Peaceful, shorter life span, so you should look into breeding them, Absolutely, as long as you can provide them with live foods and a planted tank, No, these fish are sensitive to changes in water parameters and prefer a more acidic environment, 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) for males and up to 2.4 (6 cm) for females, Peaceful, fast breeder, may eat algae, likes hard water, 1.2 inches (3 cm) but most will remain under 1 inch (2.5 centimeters), Peaceful, smallest livebearer in the world, Yes, and I actually recommend that you try them if you’re new to the hobby, Males could be aggressive among one another, but an overall peaceful fish when it comes to other tank mates, Yes, as long as you make sure the tank is heavily planted and that there is only 1 male Sparkling Gourami, Shy, peaceful, not actively schooling fish, Peaceful, but males are territorial among each other and may compete for female attention in a more aggressive way, No, this pet fish prefers stable water conditions, which can be a challenge to achieve in smaller fish tanks, Peaceful, active, burrowing in the sand, scavenger, about 71 to 81 °F (around 21.6 to 27.2 °C), Semi-aggressive, guards its territory against other tank mates and not just their own kind; prefers live foods, eats freshwater snails, Peaceful, social, does best in its own biotope tank, Peaceful until provoked, lives in empty snail shells, Highly aggressive, an opportunistic omnivore, active, Close to 1 inch, but usually around 0.8 inches (2 cm), Peaceful, timid micro-predator, but males will get aggressive towards one another, between 68 and 78.8 °F (between 20 and 26°C), Peaceful, algae-eating critters, fast multipliers, 0.75 inches (1.9 cm) on average but some may reach 1 inch (2.5 cm), Peaceful, omnivorous, will eat algae, may munch on the more sensitive live plants, fast multipliers, 1.5 inches or close to 3.8 cm, but usually remains at 1.2 inches (3 cm), Peaceful, timid, prefers the company of its own kind, Not with this setup, because pristine water is needed for the Blue-Eyed Spotted Rainbowfish to thrive and this may be difficult to achieve in a small tank, Lights: Aqueon Planted Aquarium clip-on LED light (compare the pricing of this light at, Filter: AquaClear 20 Power Filter (compare prices and see photos of this filter at, Heater: Cobalt Aquatics Adjustable Heater 25W (check it out at both, Air pump for the sponge filter: Tetra Whisper Air Pump which you can get at both, To maintain a tropical water temperature: Each of, Air pump for the sponge filter: Tetra Whisper Air Pump (check it out at. As for dwarf plecos, there are none. Right now I only have 3 otto cats and 6 pygmy cory cats and 8 amino shrimp. So if you have kids, consider keeping a Mexican Dwarf Crayfish. theotheragentm, February 15 in General Discussion. These nano pufferfish tend to eat a lot, but you should not be tempted to overfeed them. Learn how your comment data is processed. It also flawlessly adapts to a variety of water conditions. Can I feed the puffer on that alone? For this reason, most experts would recommend that you keep just 1 Pea Puffer in a 5-gallon aquarium. Anyway, the Ramshorn snail will act as a good alternative to a bottom-feeder in a small fish tank. Check out our 5 favorite fish that are perfect for inhabiting a nano aquarium. Display as a link instead, × Given how territorial pea puffers can be, many people have a lot of success keeping just one pea puffer in a five-gallon aquarium by itself. Watch our video on the rules of this forum. These traits make the Red Cherry shrimp an excellent addition to a 5-gallon tank, as long as there are a lot of live plants in there. Another plus of the Pygmy Sunfish is that it’s a good fit for an aquarium without a heater, so consider it if you have a small cold water aquarium. Many people report that the Asian Stone Catfish is lazy because it doesn’t move around much. I do know that fish do fine fasting, but I don't know if fasting so often would be ok long term. It is fun watching one float to the water’s surface because some air got trapped in its shell. Do some reading, there is a great pinned thread at the top of the Oddball section and if you really want one then get yourself a 5 or 10 gallon, which are only very small and give one it's very own luxury puffer palace!! This freshwater fish likes to live in an aquarium with floating or substrate-rooting live plants. I recommend putting some floating plants in your 5-gallon Pom Pom Crab tank because these crustaceans may uproot a substrate-dependent plant as they burrow. For that reason, this species of freshwater shrimp is still hard to come by in pet stores, but there are some reliable online fish and invertebrate retailers that you can try. However, when it’s feeding time they will roam the bottom like wild beasts. In fact, the Licorice Gourami fish are better off in a species-only tank. Anyway, what’s important to remember with Sparkling Gouramis is that you should not keep more males than females. Females should always outnumber males with the ideal ratio being 3 females to 1 male. Also, beginners should likely avoid putting a Betta with other nano fish in a 5-gallon tank. If you’re new to the hobby yourself, you could try keeping your Betta with a couple of small shrimp. I should also point out that some small freshwater fish like the Zebra Danio are very active swimmers and better off in a tank that’s more spacious than a 5-gallon one. Should I move snails a few at a time as to eliminate the chance the puffer would massacre and not eat the snails, leading to ammonia problems? They literally sparkle, as the name suggests, and so they make a fantastic display in a tank. Also, the hideouts that a planted fish tank would provide help the Sparkling Gourami females to deal with the somewhat intense attention of the male. Started September 10, 2020, By Yes, you can comfortably keep one pea puffer in a heavily planted 5.5 gallon. This pet fish is also hardy and rather easy to look after which makes it a suitable choice for a beginner. These freshwater fish are also very hardy since they originate from the rice paddies in Taiwan. The Sparkling Gourami is also one of the best beginner fish to keep in a small volume of water because they are hardy, and therefore require low overall maintenance. Don’t expect to see the dwarf pea puffer darting through an aquarium. Because of their activity level, I recommend keeping 2 to 4 specimens in a tank that only holds 5 gallons of water. The tiny size of this fish species makes them a fantastic option for stocking a 5-gallon tank. The smallest one and an excellent option for a 5 gallon tank is the Dwarf Puffer from the Puffer species. A Mystery snail comes out to eat mostly when the lights are off. Now that you know how many pea puffers can be kept in a 29-gallon aquarium, let’s take a closer look at this in more detail in this … But it is definitely worth a shot in trying to get other food options. Although tiny, the Scarlet Badis is a micro-predator, so make sure its tank-mates are not smaller than its mouth. × Put your Scarlet Badis in a densely planted tank that has hideouts, rocks, and driftwood decorations for refuge whenever the fish feel intimidated. The average pea puffer lifespan is 4-5 years. It is also known as the Exclamation Point Rasbora because of the dark pigment that runs horizontally on its clear body, ending at the base of the tail, where another dark spot is located (!). Does anyone know where I could buy snails for my dwarf puffer to eat? Hope that helps! This is because Guppies are very hardy, and make an excellent fish for a low-maintenance aquarium. Guppies are also peaceful and prefer to mind their own business instead of paying attention to their tank mates. I was considering putting a pea puffer into this 5 gallon, but I had a few questions for those of you that have kept them. Tank requirements. Anyway, the Asian Stone Catfish are peaceful and friendly but never trust them with any fry as they will try to eat the babies. Like other pufferfish species, the Pea Puffer is highly intelligent (by fish standards, that is). For these reasons, Ramshorn Snails are a good option for a beginner who’s starting with a 5-gallon, freshwater tank. You will spot your Sulawesi shrimp scavenging the substrate, plants, or rocks for algae. Any issues with this particular fish and skipping meal days? Because of its carnivorous diet and small adult size of 1 inch, the Pygmy Sunfish is one of the best predatory fish you could put in a small tank. Oh, and they are freshwater fish too! It looks like our tanks would be very similar in appearance based on the plants I would move over from the 20L. Anyway, the Least Rasbora fish are hardy enough to be suitable for a beginner in the aquarium hobby. Pond snails are excellent; I feed pond, bladder and ramshorn snails just because I have so many snails in all my tanks. Clean water is a must, so regular water changes are necessary. That being said, these pet fish prefer live foods over frozen ones. You can post now and register later. I have a clump of Subwassertang that would cover the bottom of the tank about 3/4" deep. This is an office tank, meaning I'm gone on weekends, potentially up to 4 days off without food because no one will be in the office. Their small size and relatively insignificant bioload make the Common Guppies one of the best pet fish to put in a small aquarium. A Ramshorn Snail measures close to an inch in diameter (2.5 cm). I was considering putting a pea puffer into this 5 gallon, but I had a few questions for those of you that have kept them. You can also try frozen blood worms (the smaller ones if you can get them. Why Do Fish Die or Get Stressed After a Water Change? plants puffers snails. These fish have a round body that gets progressively thinner towards their anal fin. If you intend to keep more than 1, the general ‘rule-of-thumb’ is 5 gallons of water for each pea puffer followed by 3 gallons of water for every additional puffer fish. Upload or insert images from URL. Dwarf Puffer requirements. This is an active, social fish and it will school, though loosely. I told my parents I wanted a pea puffer, and they gave me a 3 gallon open top tank because it was prettier than the 5 gallon kit I requested for my birthday. Anything longer than that, and I have someone in the office that can fill in for me. Streetwise A trio of Pea Puffers can comfortably fit in a 5 gallon tank as well so long as they are the only inhabitants. They are really entertaining fish that need … Suggested aquarium gear for a trio of Pygmy Sunfish: The Chili Rasbora, a native of the Indonesian blackwater rivers, is a peaceful small fish that can be put to live in a 5-gallon tank because adult specimens grow no more than 0.8 inches (2 cm). Having a labyrinth breathing organ, this freshwater fish dives to the water’s surface to breathe oxygen. From what I have observed first-hand, these fish are quite sensitive to back and forth changes in water parameters. I was debating about whether I should have another pea puffer in there, because it is tiny and seems like there is room for more, but I was told by the place where I got her that I shouldn't put another one in there. If you want to keep such small schooling fish, I recommend getting a 20-gallon Long aquarium, which has a bottom footprint of 30.25 * 12.5 inches. Daniel These freshwater fish also enjoy hunting through the live plants, which is an additional benefit of having something like a dense Java Fern plant in their aquarium. Anyway, this tiny fish is peaceful and rather timid and will not bother other tank mates. Aquanswers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates and other affiliate advertising programs, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or other websites of the like. the only fish that is suitable for a 5 gallon tank is a single betta fish. Housing a Betta with other fish is possible, but it should not be attempted by people who don’t yet know the level of aggression that their small pet fish harbors. Anyway, you should likely seal all the holes of the tank because this small invertebrate has a tendency of escaping its aquarium.