Stocking help, please. 5 gallon, heavily planted, moderate flow, no heater, no lid

[HoosierJeff]

(Are these requests allowed? If not, feel free to remove. Thank you!)
 

Hi, folks. I just setup a 5 gallon nano tank. I moved a fair amount of Val and some stem plants from my other tanks. I’ll attach a picture, but won’t stock it until it is done cycling and the plants have grown in more. (It isn’t really “heavily planted” yet, but should be considerably more so in a month.)

I’m hoping to not use a heater or lid, but will for the right fish. There is a small internal filter (Oase BioCompact 50) that creates a moderate flow that I’d like to keep. And obviously it is a small tank. 

Can you help me think of stocking options? It seems to be a tricky combo I’m after. I’d like to not do a shrimp-only tank (although I’ll move some cherry shrimp from my other tanks once this one is ready). I already have a betta tank (and obviously this setup isn’t suitable for a betta). I have CPD’s and white cloud mountain minnows in another tank. I’m not looking for a pea puffer at the moment.

With all that info…what stocking suggestions do you have? 

I look forward to your input and learning about what you suggest I consider.

Jeff

Edited September 21, 2023 by HoosierJeff

[Ben P.]

My wife has a chile rasbora tank that she loves but it's a 10.  I would think they could do a 5.  She always goes for contrast in tanks so she could go with a shrimp color that contrasts with the fish, so chile rasboras are red so she would do blue, yellow, or green shrimp.  I don't know if this helps but it is a pretty cool fish 

[Galabar]

I like lids -- to fight both evaporation and fish jumping. 🙂

Oh, and light-falling-in-ing. 🙂

Edited September 21, 2023 by Galabar

[HoosierJeff]

On 9/21/2023 at 1:03 AM, Galabar said:

I like lids -- to fight both evaporation and fish jumping. 🙂

Oh, and light-falling-in-ing. 🙂

I have lids on a couple of my tanks, but just love the shimmer of light without a lid, and want to try a couple in my family room without lids. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll put them back on. But if I can find fish I like that aren’t jumpers and keep up with evaporation and temp control, I’d like to try without lids. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[HoosierJeff]

On 9/21/2023 at 7:37 AM, Pepere said:

Val and stems in a 5 gallon…

 

Thats going to be an active trimming schedule…

Ha! Yes, but I do want it to grow in and flow to the left away from the filter.

[HoosierJeff]

On 9/20/2023 at 10:58 PM, Ben P. said:

My wife has a chile rasbora tank that she loves but it's a 10.  I would think they could do a 5.  She always goes for contrast in tanks so she could go with a shrimp color that contrasts with the fish, so chile rasboras are red so she would do blue, yellow, or green shrimp.  I don't know if this helps but it is a pretty cool fish 

Thank you for the input! I've actually really been thinking about the chili rasbora. Haven't kept them before. My concern is the flow. I can always turn it down a bit if needed, I suppose. What is the flow situation in your wife's tank?

[Ben P.]

@HoosierJeffit's got a small hob.  The tank was one of those kit tank things so it's got the pretty bad lights and crappy little hob but it actually grows some low light plants and seems to work pretty well

[HoosierJeff]

On 9/21/2023 at 2:20 PM, Ben P. said:

@HoosierJeffit's got a small hob.  The tank was one of those kit tank things so it's got the pretty bad lights and crappy little hob but it actually grows some low light plants and seems to work pretty well

Thanks for the info!

[Colu]

I would only use a 5 gallon tank as a shrimp or snail tank 10 gallons is the minimum i would do if you want to add fish 

[Lennie]

On 9/21/2023 at 9:43 PM, Colu said:

I would only use a 5 gallon tank as a shrimp or snail tank 10 gallons is the minimum i would do if you want to add fish 

I agree. Shrimp and small snail species, not mysteries

[HoosierJeff]

On 9/21/2023 at 2:43 PM, Colu said:

I would only use a 5 gallon tank as a shrimp or snail tank 10 gallons is the minimum i would do if you want to add fish 

 

On 9/21/2023 at 3:08 PM, Lennie said:

I agree. Shrimp and small snail species, not mysteries

Thanks for your input. 

[Galabar]

Chilli rasboras or clown killifish.

[HoosierJeff]

On 9/21/2023 at 4:09 PM, Galabar said:

Chilli rasboras or clown killifish.

Thank you! Both of these are on my "interest" list, but I am a bit concerned about the flow for them. In your experience, is that an issue?

[Galabar]

I think they'd be fine with that Oase internal filter. 

[HoosierJeff]

On 9/21/2023 at 4:17 PM, Galabar said:

I think they'd be fine with that Oase internal filter. 

Thank you! 

[Kunersbettas]

Scarlet or Blue Badis tank might be cool.

Let me know what you do with it!

[HoosierJeff]

On 9/22/2023 at 3:39 PM, Bowfront54Owner said:

Scarlet or Blue Badis tank might be cool.

Let me know what you do with it!

Good input! Thank you! I will report back once it is cycled, grown in, and stocked.