Planning a 5 gal tank. Advice please!

[Anonymous]

My girlfriend decided she'd like a little tank with some cool tiny fish in it. We picked up a 5 gal tank today at the store. I have a bag of Southdown ready. I also have a spare Icecap ballast (model 2000 = 110 watts) laying around. I have plenty of live rock in my tank and can easily throw a piece or two in this small tank. For circulation, I'll throw in a spare Rio 600, and I have a small heater ready.

So the question is, what fish can she keep in there? There's a goby she likes - vertical black & white stripes and a yellow face. She loves wrasses, and I think there might be one or two that stay small. But will they be small enough for this 16" L x 8.25" x 8.25" tank?

Fish recommendations are welcome. The more colorful the better.

 

[Anonymous]

neon gobies 8)

also(they may be restricted species, and i think they need cooler water,but-)catalina gobies-amazing color! 8)

maybe one neon dotty-by itself-with some lr-all the color you need! 8)

 

[2poor2reef]

I have pushed the envelope a few times in terms of fish in small tanks since small tanks is all I keep. But I don't know of any fish that are recommended for a tank as small as a 5g.

It can be done. But I wouldn't think it very kind to the fish. The striped gobie, maybe blackray/highfin, or one of the other shrimp gobies would be interesting, but all are recommended for 20g minimums by the reference books that I have. Even a neon goby is a 10g minimum by the book.

I've kept fish below the minimums successfully, but only when it was the only specimen in the tank, and only when the fish was stationery by nature (ie. tied to a host or hole or something) like a clown or goby or jawfish. Never felt too good about it. But even I wouldn't do a 5g.

Many would though, so I'm sure you'll get opposite responses. 5g tanks make great little invert-only nanos. Why fish?

 

[goldenboy]

I had a yellow acessor in my 5 gal nano. It did fine because they tend to stay close to the rocks and don't swim aroud a lot. The only problem I had with it was that it ate most of my pod population because there was not enough places for the pods to hide in such a small tank. If I had to do it again I would go for a small gobie of some sort.

 

[Anonymous]

Looks like we'll just put one tiny goby in there. A buddy suggested I do a shrimp and goby thing. Sounds cool.

Thanks for the advice folks.

 

[Anonymous]

One way to alleviate the problems re small gallonage is to get a relatively large sump - say make a 15 gal tub underneath the table the sump for the 5 gal aquarium, and (poof) you've got a 20 gal system...

 

[Henry1]

You may consider a royal gamma. Sure is a bright fish for a small tank.

cheers

 

[reefland]

I would suggest an Okinawa goby (or male/female pair), full size adult is under an inch in size. I had one in a 2 galllon tank for a while. I upgraded that tank to a 10 gallon to give him a tank mate or two, just looked to bored.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Gobiodon&speciesname=okinawae

Very bold fish, mine is not shy at all.