5 Gallon tank mates

[berice17]

yeah i can see how a 5 gallon is small..i kinda wish i got a 10 gallon now....maybe i will have to go to the local pet stores and look for some pygmy cories...i really only want like 2 of those....and from what ive heard they stick more towards the bottom of the tank.....so if they stayed around the bottom i dont see how the 5 gallon is really that terribly small for 2 fish...but thats just me? thanks for all the help again..and keep the comments coming if you have any input...also wondering if bettas like decor on the bottom of the tank..such as things to hide in.

[dramaqueen]

There are all kinds of decorations you can get at the petstore that you can get. You can also use small terra cotta pots for caves or glass votives. 5 gallons is a pretty good size for one fish but you're kind of limited as far as what else you could put in there.I think cories are a schooling fish so I don't know if 2 would work or not.

[Cody]

You have to have at least 6 pygmies, like I said before. Any less is very stressful for them.

I highly doubt any pet store (key word there is pet) will have any also.

[berice17]

since my betta fish really only sticks to one side of the tank...would it be ok to put a divider in and give him half and then put a couple other fish in the other half of the tank?....i also woke up this morning and fed my fish and when i got out of the shower i noticed he hadnt ate...is there sotmhing wrong..its only happened this one time...maybe hes just not hungry right now?... thanks for the help guys

[Cody]

That would be even worse. I'm telling you, just get shrimp. You can't fit anything else in that tank and you need to understand that.

What is the temperature of the tank, and the parameters?

[veganchick]

idk if anyone mentioned this already, but you need to cycle your tank before you can get any other tankmates.

[veganchick]

If you planted your tank and waited a few months you could get some ottos! they need a well-planted, well established tank, tho........ you might be able to do a few dwarf danios, but they are fairly uncommon

[berice17]

my tank is filtered and heated and has been at a solid 76...i have 3 fake plants in it right now...would it be better to get live plants? i was also thinking of getting somthing he could swim inside..... What exactly does it mean to cycle the tank...i let the water sit for 24 hrs before i put fish in it or add water...is that what it means? or the fact that its filtered?

[dramaqueen]

Cycling a tank means building up of beneficial bacteria in your tank. Someone else can explain it better than I can. You'd need a filter to cycle.You can use real or fake plants but don't use plastic because they have sharp edges that can tear a betta's fins.

[Kim]

Do a water change (probably around 25%) and then get a test kit. Ammonia has probably built up in your tank by now which is why your betta is acting off.

Sorry, I'll explain it better tomorrow but it is really late here and it's a long topic. Maybe google search "fishless aquarium cycle" and read up a bit then I can help you out from there.