Gideyon Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 I'll be getting the Marineland Portrait 5 gallon soon. My original plan was for a betta, but I'm not finding a heater I can feel comfortable with. The room temp will be 69-72 in the winter, and 75-77 in the summer. Given the shape of the tank, any stocking ideas for a heaterless tank? What I've considered already: 3 male guppies, 3 male endlers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Hi. I’m uncertain of your water parameters to really give specific suggestions. If you have water that is not to soft Heterandria formosa least killifish are absolute darlings that can live and thrive in a 5 gallon unheated tank. I have bred them previously and just last month retrieved some of my original strain from a friend to breed them again. They breed much slower than guppies and only give birth 1 at a time so you do not fear quick overpopulation. Boraras merah Phoenix rasbora are tiny and brilliantly colored and do well unheated in small tanks. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 11 Author Share Posted February 11 I ended up finding a heater. Hoping it works. Betta it is. Thank you for your feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 18 Author Share Posted February 18 My sons are now wanting guppies because I said I could probably put 3-4 in there (although I've seen 5 in the same tank). Researching guppy care for the first time..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 Yeah I like bettas and have heard good things about guppies too! Hope everything goes well @Gideyon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 (edited) On 2/17/2024 at 6:01 PM, Gideyon said: My sons are now wanting guppies because I said I could probably put 3-4 in there (although I've seen 5 in the same tank). Researching guppy care for the first time..... I do not suggest guppies in a 5 gallon at all. They are highly active fish and therefore need space to move around. They also reproduce very quickly if you get any females. If you get males you have to deal with setting up the tank properly to avoid aggression or they will kill each other. One of the things required to deal with aggression is space. Chili rasbora are a fish you could have multiple of in this tank though. Shrimp or snails are always a solid option as well. I found this video and it has some really amazing suggestions: Edited February 18 by Cinnebuns 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 I would vote for chili rasboras. Mine move so little that I swear they could live in a thimble... 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 That reminded me of another i suggest often for small tanks because they aren't very active. Ember tetras. They are super pretty too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 18 Author Share Posted February 18 I appreciate the feedback. I've read many suggestions on this, even the Co-op's guide, and 3 males in a 5 seems to be okay. But we'll see. Maybe I can still convince them that a betta is better. I just have more experience with it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 If you go with guppies; go with smaller endlers; they aren't quite as colourful but they are live breeders so your sons can marvel at the babies 😉 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 On 2/18/2024 at 2:44 PM, Gideyon said: I appreciate the feedback. I've read many suggestions on this, even the Co-op's guide, and 3 males in a 5 seems to be okay. But we'll see. Maybe I can still convince them that a betta is better. I just have more experience with it. If u can convince them for a betta, that would be great! Just get the short fin females because they are more healthy and swim more because they don’t have all that heavy finnage @Gideyon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 23 Author Share Posted February 23 On 2/18/2024 at 5:41 PM, anewbie said: If you go with guppies; go with smaller endlers; they aren't quite as colourful but they are live breeders so your sons can marvel at the babies 😉 That's actually what my oldest (7) is most interested in but only because I told him that people usually sell them. He's like "we can make money"... I just told him the tank is too small and it takes more work. I can't find endlers near me but there's one more local place that isn't so local. A bit of a drive. Need to try there. For this tank I've read 3 males are fine. Any thoughts on more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 Might be a bit of sparring. But none of the babies your kiddo wants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 23 Author Share Posted February 23 So I've explored the option of putting a live plant or two in here. I've never done plants so I'm not certain just yet. I absolutely do not want snails. But would shrimp be okay in a 5 gallon to help with the plants? I really like the look of cherry shrimp, but not sure about water parameters (some say it doesn't matter), and in a 5 gallon, can I have fish with it. Any wisdom on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 Cherry shrimp will do well in harder water. the tissue culture plants will work for no snails. they will want some cover. things like pearl weed, anubias, hornwort, java moss. and some cholla wood caves would be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 On 2/23/2024 at 12:35 PM, Gideyon said: So I've explored the option of putting a live plant or two in here. I've never done plants so I'm not certain just yet. I absolutely do not want snails. But would shrimp be okay in a 5 gallon to help with the plants? I really like the look of cherry shrimp, but not sure about water parameters (some say it doesn't matter), and in a 5 gallon, can I have fish with it. Any wisdom on this? Shrimps are an excellent choice for a 5 gallon aquarium; as for plants i recommend a nice wenditti green; a nanna anuba; perhaps a mioa wenditti (nicer red than red wenditti); you could try a nurii rosen crypt but they are kind of over priced; i mean they are nice but they are a $5 plant usually sold for $30. hornworth or pearl weed floating are excellent also for the shrimps. This is my 10 which is twice as large as 5 but still it shows you what you can stuff in there with plants: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Like @Tony s said, some Java moss will be good if u want some shrimp as it provides some good coverage. I also like Pearl weed as a carpet plant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 (edited) I might think twice about the shrimp. Depending on the filter mechanism. I have a fluval flex with a baffle in the back. I spent 3 hours trying to get Kuhli loaches on the right side of it last weekend. Shrimp are worse apparently. Hopefully the marineland has a better system Edited February 24 by Tony s 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 (edited) I have heard that the marine land is a good one but, if u want shrimp be super carful. Even tho they don’t cause as much waste maybe they and guppies could cause some waste and could overcrowd the tank, I am not saying it is impossible but I u want these fish always always be careful about stocking, this is a 5g we are talking about, but yes if u go with guppiesnthat is fine and cherry shrimp but be careful is my advice @Gideyon Edited February 24 by Bigdog99 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 On 2/24/2024 at 5:13 PM, Tony s said: I might think twice about the shrimp. Depending on the filter mechanism. I have a fluval flex with a baffle in the back. I spent 3 hours trying to get Kuhli loaches on the right side of it last weekend. Shrimp are worse apparently. Hopefully the marineland has a better system I'll have to put a sponge behind the intake and the skimmer. Those would be the only access points to the filter compartment. On 2/24/2024 at 5:17 PM, Bigdog99 said: I have heard that the marine land is a good one but, if u want shrimp be super carful. Even tho they don’t cause as much waste maybe they and guppies could cause some waste and could overcrowd the tank, I am not saying it is impossible but I u want these fish always always be careful about stocking, this is a 5g we are talking about, but yes if u go with guppiesnthat is fine and cherry shrimp but be careful is my advice @Gideyon I'm still not ready to do it. But I think I will go with 3 male endlers (if I can find them). I also need to know what's the minimum shrimp I can get. I'm really not wanting to breed. But not sure if the environment will be suitable for fry so I may not need to worry about it. The other thought is if I do go with shrimp, and my kids love it, I could just make it a shrimp only tank. Or finally get a betta. Not sure how they'd get along though. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 On 2/24/2024 at 6:07 PM, Gideyon said: I'll have to put a sponge behind the intake and the skimmer. Those would be the only access points to the filter compartment. I'm still not ready to do it. But I think I will go with 3 male endlers (if I can find them). I also need to know what's the minimum shrimp I can get. I'm really not wanting to breed. But not sure if the environment will be suitable for fry so I may not need to worry about it. The other thought is if I do go with shrimp, and my kids love it, I could just make it a shrimp only tank. Or finally get a betta. Not sure how they'd get along though. A shrimp only tank has some options and one of those is more room less waste (ammonia) and u can have up to 10. A general rule is 1-2 shrimp per two gallons is what people say, u could have up to 15 of those. They say a 20 gallon is best for breeding, so I prob would not worry about them breeding. A betta and them…u can but I would do some research on that @Gideyon, they need coverage and hiding places tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllFishNoBrakes Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 -A 5 gallon shrimp tank could be rad. That small of a tank could probably support 100+ shrimp easily. If you have a LFS you could trade them back for store credit. I would start with 10. Shrimp also need an established tank to thrive, so keep that in mind -3 male endlers could work. With shrimp, too. They’d probably eat some of the shrimplets, so if you’re not really looking to have more shrimp some of the babies would be good live foods for the endlers. -Snails are beneficial, in my opinion. Nerites can’t breed in freshwater, so no risk of getting more. Could definitely plop a Nerite in there. The only downside is females will lay eggs (they can’t hatch in freshwater, but they can lay them). They look like sesame seeds and are super hard to remove. -Betta, as many others have said. When it comes to shrimp and Bettas it’s a gamble. Some destroy shrimp as snacks, others do not care. Every fish is different. Bettas and shrimp can get weird as shrimp will do better in an established tank that has algae for them to graze on all day long, and people say to add Bettas to a community tank last so they can’t establish territories as their own and harass others. So, you kind of need the Betta to establish and season the tank, but you kind of want your shrimp breeding and established in case the Betta sees them as expensive snacks. A bit of a catch-22. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 If you are doing shrimp buy a $5 sponge filter; more than enough once cycled. Well the air pump will cost $10 or $15 but a simple glass 5 is a lot cheaper than those fancy wancy things that just jack up the cost. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 On 2/24/2024 at 7:03 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said: -Betta, as many others have said. When it comes to shrimp and Bettas it’s a gamble. Some destroy shrimp as snacks, others do not care. Every fish is different. Bettas and shrimp can get weird as shrimp will do better in an established tank that has algae for them to graze on all day long, and people say to add Bettas to a community tank last so they can’t establish territories as their own and harass others. So, you kind of need the Betta to establish and season the tank, but you kind of want your shrimp breeding and established in case the Betta sees them as expensive snacks. A bit of a catch-22. Yes is also depends on the bettas personality, it definitely depends on it, bettas have a lot of personality and some might be cool with a whole community tank even if it is a male sometimes (actually prob not lol). But some males and even possibly females will be bully’s to the other fish. If u got one just figure out their personality. How? Risk it with other fish if u want others @Gideyon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I’d go shrimp only. You can keep a countless supply in a 5 gallon. Also most lfs will gladly trade or buy neo’s. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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