# 5 gallon tank mates?



## FishyOfTheOpera (Jul 13, 2015)

Lotte's tank is just about cycled, and I'd like to add a tank mate or two. I was thinking Nerite snails... How would that be? I don't have any algae in my tank and don't want them to die. Do they eat anything like unneaten pellets or poop? Or could I feed them commercial food?

Could any tetras (like three or four) go into her tank? Or would that be pushing things? She takes up very, very little space in her tank (she's only about an inch and a half, if that) so would that help?

Or could I put a panda platy? 

I really really don't want to put shrimp. They scare me! My mom would also DEFINITELY not want any in the house.


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## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

There's very few fish you can put in a 5 gallon other than a betta or micro fish, which are very sensitive fish, can be quite expensive, and are most times seasonal. Micro fish are hard to find, so you may have to order them from online. Since they need to be in groups of 6 or more, you will need to get a lot more than 6 of them because some will die off just from the shock of being shipped.

I would not put micro fish in with a betta. They're shy enough as it is, so you will more than likely never see them if there's a betta in the tank.


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## FishyOfTheOpera (Jul 13, 2015)

What fish are considered micro fish?


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## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Galaxy Rasbora, Dwarf Kilifish, Emerald Rasbora, Scarlet Badis, Endlers, Chili Tetras.. just to name a few.

All of these fish a very shy and quite small. They will hide and stay stressed if there is a betta in the tank. They absolutely must be in groups of 6 or more (the more in the group, the safer they will feel). As expensive as those will be to purchase and have shipped, understand the risk of a betta killing them.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Dario Dario (Scarlet Badis) are not shoaling fish and don't need to be in groups of six or more. They are quite territorial so need enough space and hides for each male to have his own. I have them in three Betta-based community tanks. Howevever, they need live food. They do not even do well with frozen although they will eat it. Mine eat live Grindal and Banana worms but do seem to tolerate frozen Cyclops better than the other frozens I feed. They are not beginner fish by any means.

Endlers and Guppies also don't need to be in groups of six but you do need either all males or all females or a 1:2 ratio of male to female. Never more males than females or the female will be harassed to death.

I would not recommend more than one Nerite in a five gallon unless you get the dimmunitive Horned Nerites that are between .25"-.5". Nerites are escape artists so you need to make sure there are no openings. Some claim they try to escape from bad parameters but that's a myth. I've had them leave with lots of algae to eat and 0 Ammonia and Nitrites and under 10 Nitrates and sufficiently hard water. In one tank it was alway the same Nerite.

There aren't too many fish locally available that would do well in a five. I only buy my fish online but if you can find them locally some with which I've had success with Betta in smaller tanks are Ember Tetra, Espei Rasbora, Celestial Pearl Danio and Habrosus Cories.

The trick to being successful with Nano/Micro fish is knowing your Betta's personality and having a heavily-planted tank which means if you can look at your tank and easily see your Betta it's not heavily enough planted for tank mates. And planted with real plants. While Betta may do fine with artificial, other Tropicals do not do as well. If you have artificial then I would suggest three Guppies: One male and two females or two Endlers Livebearers with the same ratio. But without heavy, natural planting I wouldn't suggest Nano/Micro fish at all.

Just remember: Betta are unpredictable. While Lotte may do fine with tank mates one day the next she may not so always, always have a back up plan. Even more than a year down the road because you never know.

Edit: Nothing eats poop; not snails, not bottom dwelling fish, nothing.


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## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

I have a betta who shares a 5 gallon with guppies. I've had up to three guppies do just fine with him. But really it depends on your betta. What about assassin snail? I dislike snails or anything that just resembles them or slugs but I have done a bit of research on them.


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## AquaThom (Sep 12, 2015)

*No Nerite Snails*

From personal experience, nerite snails poop too much that you might come to regret getting them. They might have a low bioload (meaning they won't add to much nitrogenous waste to your water; or so that's the prevailing theory); however, the amount of solid waste they produce, constantly, is truly scary. Especially if you have drift wood or any kind of wood in your tank. They will nash on it 24/7 and even ignore the algae on the walls of your tank. If you've a heavily planted tank (those with roots in the substrate) and the substrate is covered with plants, the poop might not be visible & also beneficial to those plants, which might be okay. If not, poop everywhere, especially on light-colored substrate & any disturbance on the substrate will have poop flying everywhere. I absolutely cannot deal with them but your mileage may vary.


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## AccaliaJay (Feb 5, 2015)

That reaffirms my fear of snails and other thinks like that lol. To much poo is added onto my list of reasons


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Hate to disagree with a new member, but Nerites do not eat wood. They do, however, eat the biofilm and algae that grows on wood which may make it appear they are eating the wood. I have lots of Cholla in my tanks and they totally ignored it until the walls were completely free of algae. They still keep the walls clean and cruise the Cholla, too.

Fish waste must figure into the the bioload and, IMO, Nerites add too much to be kept in anything less than 10 gallons....unless, as I mentioned, you get the petite Horned Nerites. I have them in my 5.5 tanks and no unsightly waste. However, as maintenance I remove 25% of the water by weekly vacuuming the substrate.

Some people do keep Nerites in smaller tanks but they are members I know who perform twice weekly water changes as a matter of course. Having Nerites is not the reason.

The amount of waste one Nerite produces is not, IMO, unmanageable if one performs regular maintenance. Now the female's eggs? That's another matter, entirely and requires a scraper. ;-)


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## AquaThom (Sep 12, 2015)

@*RussellTheShihTzu*, sorry for my wrong choice of word. When I say "nash" (I am pretty sure I misspelled that word also :lol, I really meant gnaw on whatever is growing on the wood. Like all thing aquarium, every fish/mollusk/shrimp does behave differently. My nerite snails absolutely love the cholla wood and ignore the algae growing on the walls. Only after I removed the cholla then they cleaned up the wall. Then they spent all day gnawing on the driftwood. But you're absolutely correct on the eggs, oh my, I forgot about those eggs. Another strike! :evil:


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Yep, those eggs. I'd never advise having more than one in anything 20 gallons or under (except the Horned Nerites) because of the eggs and poop.

I enjoy watching them but my problem is I bought enough so that if some died in transit or in my tank I'd wind up with what I wanted: One for each tank. Three years later all are alive and well. I'm giving them to Cholla buyers who want them as four large Nerites in a 20 long is too many. But they are pretty and do keep the glass clean. 

And I forgot: Welcome to the Forum! :wave:


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