# 5 gallon tank- too small for tankmates?



## DazzleKitty (Nov 9, 2010)

I'm likely gonna get a five gallon tank in a couple of weeks for my little betta. 

Is a five gallon tank too small for any kind of tankmate? Maybe a single fish that's fine alone or two or three guppies?

If no fish, do you think ghost shrimp would be okay?


Thanks much.


----------



## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

No other fish can be housed in a 5 gallon, however shrimp and/or snails will do great. I find Nerite snails are great for eating algae and have interesting shells. They will not breed invasively like some pest snails. In terms of shrimp, I would recommend Ghost shrimp or Amano shrimp as these creatures are see-through and are therefore less likely to get eaten by the betta.


----------



## DazzleKitty (Nov 9, 2010)

Got it. . I may go with the shrimp. Thanks much.


----------



## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

You can have 2 bettas in a 5 gallon, divided of course.


----------



## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

That would really be pushing it though. IMO, each betta should have at least 5 gallons.


----------



## tf1265 (Jul 26, 2011)

There are not many fish that will do well in a 5 gallon tank, and almost none of them are compatible with a betta. Nothing with long fins or bright colors, and nothing nippy. 

Shrimp and snails are the best bet. I have a divided 5 gallon with 2 female bettas, they're quite happy.


----------



## DazzleKitty (Nov 9, 2010)

I wouldn't mind the dividing thing, It would be cool. But, I am not sure where to get a good divider for a small tank. Actually, my experience with dividers is pretty aweful. Tried it in my fifteen gallon and they never sayed in place and it honestly just looked crappy.
If I could get something good that worked and looked good, I'd totally be for it. But, one betta in there with a couple of shrimp is cool too.


----------



## tf1265 (Jul 26, 2011)

I'm not sure where you could find a divider for a 5 gallon tank - I made my own. 

You can buy plastic crafting mesh at a craft store and make your own, it's not too difficult. You just have to cut it to the right size and use a sealant to get it to stick to the wall- only problem is that these are usually permanent. I'm sure you can find a way to make one that's not permanent, though, just use your creativity skills.


----------



## Bresn (Sep 1, 2011)

ollief9 said:


> That would really be pushing it though. IMO, each betta should have at least 5 gallons.


2.5 gallon is fine I just wonder why people go with 5 gallon...


----------



## tf1265 (Jul 26, 2011)

Bresn, I think what you said is exactly it - 2.5 gallons is_ fine_. Much better than the tiny bowls, gives them some room to swim around. But, it's still only 2.5 gallons. It's like saying a 15 sq. ft backyard is fine for a dog to run around in. Yes, it's fine. Would the dog prefer a couple acres to run around in? Absolutely. It depends on what your ideal is, and how active the fish is. I have 2 female bettas in a divided 5 gallon, and I think it's fine. I also "rescued" them from the tiny bowls my office had them in before I started working there, so it was a big upgrade for them. Right now I have a betta in a 10 gallon community tank, and she swims the full length of it very frequently. I'd feel terrible about putting her in a smaller tank now.


----------



## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm sure the only problem you'll have to worry when you're getting tank mates for a 5g is the amount of feces/ammonia that is produced with your stock. Ghost shrimp supposedly don't produce much- so that is pretty much you're best bet granted that the betta doesn't eat them or harrass them to death. Snails are great 'cause they have a huge armored shell to help protect them, but that doesn't mean bettas won't harrass them or attempt to eat them. Plus snails produce a lot of waste, so you'd have to keep an eye on your tanks ammonia level even if it is cycled- not to mention making sure your snail intakes enough calcium so that its shell will not crack or break... which there are all sorts of things you can get to help give a snail calcium- be it liquid, pill, food, heck even make your own food which would probably be better.
I'm not trying to deter, I'm just trying to point out the other factors that need to be considered, mainly to watch out for your betta's temperament and keep an eye on the ammonia levels. I actually bought a gold mystery snail yesterday because I got a new 5g. I was very reluctant to do so because I don't want my betta to make a meal out of it or how much ammonia and such would accumulate over the week, but I figured if things don't seem to go well, I'll more than likely figure out a way to divide the tank. I don't like the idea of dividing a 5g, but it's still a method that is doable...
But yeah, if you go with the ghost shrimp, I suppose it would be a great idea to make sure that it's planted heavily enough and has hidey holes for the shrimp to hide and take cover. With a snail, I'd say your main concern would be calcium and whether or not the snail itself would be happy if your betta has a lot of fun picking on it.


----------



## OlivertheImpaler (Sep 21, 2011)

My single Betta Male lives quite contently in his 2 gallon tank. I don't think your fish can tell the difference between a 2 gallon and a 10 gallon; their brains are very small. Generally, when finding gallon size for your fish, its one gallon to one inch of fish. Male bettas can grow up to 2-2.5 inches, so a 2-2.5 gallon tank is plenty. I actually think that his tank looks a little large and lonely for him. Especially since he came in a quart... However, larger space isn't harm so


----------

