Stocking 6.6 Gallon

[blockhead595]

I have a 6.6 gallon bookshelf tank that is free and I'm thinking of setting it up but I need to decide what to put in it. I want something that doesn't suck. Even one fish would be fine. It used to have a Betta in it and that was cool but I want to do something different this time. Any ideas? I know the pickings are a bit slim with that small of a tank.

 

[unwritten law]

puffer, this isn't really the right forum either since I don't think any cichlid will do well in a 6.6. I know some shell dwellers do well in smaller tanks but I don't know anything about them.

 

[mistercoffee]

Get like 5 Neon Tetra's or something.

I have a hard enough time with a 10g, a 6... eeeh.

I have a Gold Gourami and Mollie in my 10g.

 

[blockhead595]

It's a 6.6 gallon but it's 24" long so there would be space to swim. If all else fails it will become a planted tank with a couple of female bettas in it. It's going in my newborn baby girl's room though so I would like something a little more active than bettas to attract her attention. She'll be in our room for a few weeks so I have time to make my decision but I am really at a loss here.

 

[SinisterKisses]

Hold on...it's 24" long? How wide is it? From the sounds of it, it's just not suitable for cichlids of any kind.

 

[emmanuelchavez]

Hold on...it's 24" long? How wide is it? From the sounds of it, it's just not suitable for cichlids of any kind.

Sounds like the bookshelf tank, like kissyboots has.

A small school of neon / cardinal / green tetras may be OK. The green neon tetras are smaller, but harder to find.

 

[blockhead595]

You're probably right. I really don't want to go with Bettas or Neons because they are so run of the mill but I guess I don't have much choice. I was thinking a couple of shell dwellers might work but it probably wouldn't be fair to them. Oh well.

 

[straitjacket]

The bookshelf tank would be decent for a pair of Lamp. brevis IMO since they're not very outgoing, I never had a pair that took up more than half a 10 gallon tank. Other than that it's not really suitable for any other cichlids.
I've had the 6.6 gallon bookshelf tank. This was my tank as a Nano Natives Tank.

With the high bioload I had to upgrade the filter as the one that comes with the tank is not sufficient for anything more than a betta.
The only non-natives were the school of young Rasbora dorsiocellata I planned on replacing with Leptolucania ommata but I never got around to it.
In the tank I had a few Lucania goodei, Etheostoma fusiforme and a pair of Elassoma sp. cf. okeefenokee.
You could also do a South East Asian version with Dario dario or Dario hysignon with a school or Boraras sp. Badis and Dario species are very similar in looks to cichlids, so much so that they were almost considered cichlids.

 

[blockhead595]

I already upgraded the filter to a filter meant for up to 30 gallons. I went with another Betta and a couple of Cory Cats.

 

[blockhead595]

Thats the exact same tank I have though.

 

[Kissyboots]

I know I'm a little late, but here's what I did with mine. Weebo the dwarf puffer and Sonja the oto live in there atm, plus a couple plants. The pic is a little old, so the tank looks better now.

 

[blockhead595]

Here's how mine turned out. I think the baby will love it. Sorry about the glare.