5 gallon stocking ideas

[RyanU]

Looking to set up a small 5 gallon. Wondering what i can put on there. Thinking maybe a betta and some shrimp, Pea puffer,  Or maybe breeding mystery snails. Any thoughts?

[Tyler LaZerte]

@RyanU All of those ideas would work! 1 pea puffer in a 5 would be great with some plants and ramshorns (until they get eaten), a beautiful betta (male or female), a group of neocaridina shrimp in whatever color you like, or chili rasboras. All great options 😁

[RyanU]

Could I mix the betta with the shrimp? 

[sudofish]

I think it's one of those things where it depends on the Betta. Provide plenty of plant cover for the shrimp and keep an eye on the Betta. Most of what I've read says that it'll probably work, especially with the bigger shrimp types. I could see the smallest cherry shrimp becoming snacks occasionally. Again depending on the temperament of the Betta. Some maybe even most? will happily co-exist. My sister has a Betta in a tank with tons of different snails. ramshorns, mysteries, nerites etc. The Betta never bothers them.

[RyanU]

OK thanks. At worst the beta can act as population control

One more question about the beta. I guess I should get that first and "quarantine" it as the living conditions are sub par at the big box stores. If so  what meds should I use to treat.

[FrozenFins]

@RyanU I wouldn't use any meds to quarintine, but instead just watch him for 4 weeks making sure he doesnt display any sign of ilness. This is because bettas are fare less likely to have a disease like parasites because all their life they have been by them selves. So yes I would still quarintine, but I wouldnt by any meds just wait it out. After the 4 weeks then you can buy some shrimp.

I would also reccemend getting a longer fin betta because they usually have a harder time eating the shrimp.

[H.K.Luterman]

I strongly recommend a much larger tank for breeding Mystery snails. They eat a ton and create a lot of waste. 

You could keep one as a betta friend in a 5 gal, though. 

[redmare]

If the betta is living with no other fish, there's no need to quarantine. Honestly, the way bettas are bred and raised, they never make contact with other fish. The best thing to do in my opinion is get it into a nice new home with good food and good water. 

[YeePuffer]

I've had both a Betta and Pea Puffer in my five gallon cube.

 

My Betta was pretty active and would constantly patrol the tank. He did not like the nerite snail I bought at first and flared & tried to bite him a few times, but he eventually stopped doing it. I think he would have killed any shrimp I had in there, so I would recommend starting with a couple of ghost shrimp and seeing what happens. They're cheap and worse case scenario he gets a nice snack. 😋

 

My pea puffer is pretty shy and he likes to hide in the vegetation in the tank, only occasionally coming out. He hasn't attacked either of the nerite snails where they're so much bigger than him but he wiped out the pest snails in my tank really quick. I think he also would kill shrimp as well, especially where he moves faster then my Betta did. I would consider them a bit more demanding to take care of than a Betta so keep the food requirements in mind. 

 

I loved both of mine so regardless of which one you choose you should be pretty happy. 🙂 There does seem to be some controversy about only having one pea puffer by itself (which in a five gallon is all you should have), so do your research on that and decide what's best.  

Edited May 24, 2021 by YeePuffer