suggestions for fish

[birdle]

Hi everyone I want to get a 5 gallon or a 10 gallon tank (depending on where I can put it) and get some lively freshwater fish that will be able to live peacefully with cherry shrimp and an african pygmy frog or 2. I don't know much about fish and the stores have too much selection so what kinds of fish would be able to live in a tank that size and not eat the frog and shrimp? (the frog is about 2 inches) if I sound ignorant please school me.

i was thinking maybe a few neon tetras. maybe something else but idk cause I can't have a large tank. thanks in advance!

 

[MaliMoto]

That's a pretty small tank. Maybe a couple female betta, or one male betta would be your best bet.

Neons are small, but they are a schooling fish and do best with lots of room to school in. And with larger fish so they have a reason to school.

Typical rule of thumb for fresh water tropical fish, 1 gallon of tank for 1 inch of fish. Goldfish, 2 gallons of tank for each 1 inch of fish (because they're such a dirty fish!)

 

[MaliMoto]

oh wait - I got it! IF you can get a 10 gal, you could get 3 rasbora (very hardy, schooling fish so you need groups of 3 or more) and one gourami. All of these are hardy fish, (neons are not).

When you do this, you'll want to get the tank all set up first, and let your filter run for a few days without any fish first. Then start with the three rasbora and let them balance your water levels out for a couple weeks. Then bring in your water for a quick test, and if it looks good, pick your gourami.

 

[Debbie]

Personally I think if you get the 10 gal. you will wish within a short period of time that you had gotten a 20 gallon. You really cannot put that many fish in a 10 gallon. Also think a 20 gallon would be easier to clean. As a kid we had our own 10 gal. in our rooms..my favorite fish back then was the wagtail platties...still one of my favs...but then if you don't want to deal with babies...egg layers would be a better bet...

 

[Verivus]

I like using AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor as a resource to figure out stocking levels. A 5 gallon I wouldn't add any fish and just stick with the shrimp and add more ADF as I believe they are social frogs.

A 10 gallon is a good starter tank. There are many micro rasbora species you could get such as chili rasbora and emerald dwarf rasbora. Celestial pearl danio and neon tetra would also do just fine in 10 gallons. Guppies, of course, would do fine as well. A dwarf gourami or one betta would be okay. You could even do a peacock gudgeon pair or scarlet badis trio, though that would be more bottom dwellers for the tank. I would not do a betta sorority in a 10 gallon tank.

Do keep in mind that all of these fish will eat baby shrimp, though they will probably leave adult shrimp alone. The only fish that would 100% not eat baby shrimp are otos. Also keep in mind that tetras, danios, and rasboras require groups of at least 6 because they are schooling/shoaling species. Also, all of these fish require a heater set to about 76-78F.

The inch per gallon rule is extremely outdated. Please don't use it to stock a tank. Fancy goldfish require a minimum of 30 gallons for one fish +10 gallons for each additional, while commons/comets require at least 55 gallons+10-15 for every additional fish.

 

[birdle]

thank you guys! I am getting an 10 gallon as I cleared out a space. I do not want a lot of fish. I want like 5-7. I also read having too many fish can disturb pH balance which is not good. I looked up rasboras and they seem like as nice easy to care for fish. I was leaning towards neon tetras as they're small. so if I got neon tetras how many would I want for them to be happy yet healthy? and they need larger fish too? I do not mind the fish I get eating any shrimp or dwarf frog eggs. Then I don't have to deal with any possible babies although I read pygmy frogs don't breed easily. the celestial pearl danio is also beautiful.

@Verivus if you were going to have the 10 gallon with 2 pygmy frogs and maybe a shrimp if there is room what fish would you get to live with them? they just need to be large and quick enough not to be eaten by frogs and small enough not to eat the frogs. the frogs are about 1.5 inches

 

[Begone]

I looked up rasboras and they seem like as nice easy to care for fish.

Good choice! In my shrimp tank I have Blue Pearls and Boraras brigittae.
They do not eat shrimps like Neon Tetra does. (all Tetras do that) And Boraras brigittae are beautiful and are easy.

 

[Verivus]

I am partial to micro rasboras in small tanks. Chili rasbora, like the one in Eloy's picture, are quite beautiful in a group of 6-7. Many local fish stores, not big box stores, are able to order in fish that you can't normally find locally. 6-7 neon tetras are fine too, and are probably easier to find. Healthy rasboras, tetras, and small danios like CPD are fast enough to avoid being eaten by ADF and will not bother them, but they are also very fast eaters, so you may have to spot-feed your ADF.

 

[ArowanaLover]

Been forever seen someone posted in Aqua Park, My suggestions are some cory cats. One of my favorites for a ten gallon is the blue ramezi. Might want to get some live plants for the shrimp too. Some guppys would also do very well.

 

[birdle]

thanks everyone. I think I may get sunburst platy. I saw some today and they're beautiful. But first I'm looking at my local small fish store for rasboras.

 

[ArowanaLover]

All the platy's are great. So are swordtails. Good luck