What would YOU do with a 5 gal?

MrParker

Large Fish
Feb 16, 2005
419
0
0
38
So Cal
#1
So there is a 5 gallon starter kit at walmart for 29 bucks. Comes with filter, filter media, hood, the basics. What would you do with a 5 gallon tank? what kinda setup, plants, no plants, what fish / creatures, I would like to hear some creative inspiring ideas here.
 

no.1chuy

Large Fish
May 22, 2009
272
0
0
Las Vegas
#2
i would put 1 (or two if thats possible dont know if you can) dwarf frogs, a black apple snail, and a blue male betta. then a small rock cave and 2 or 3 plants like an anubanis nana or something similar in size and something a lil taller like cabomba. well in my head it looks good, i've kinda wanted a betta
 

misterking

Superstar Fish
Aug 12, 2008
1,124
0
0
Manchester, UK
www.facebook.com
#4
I'd ignore it, and buy bigger..

However if such a plan couldn't work (funds etc), I'd plant it thickly with small plants, and keep a betta and a few pygmy cories, or keep a shoal of something small (less than an inch), possibly Microrasbora kubotai, or a few male guppies.

However, as I said, unless something really inspiring hit me on what to do with it, I'd ignore it and buy bigger.
 

AndiH

Large Fish
Sep 17, 2009
104
0
0
The Iron Range of Minnesota
#6
Smaller tanks have their place. Currently mine is used for the fiddler crabs in my sig. I'd eventually like to plant it off and maybe put a beta in it though it could go in my 1g thats empty atm and leave the 5g as a hospital/quarantine tank.

In your sig you said you want a 5g breeder so make it into one of those :)
 

MrParker

Large Fish
Feb 16, 2005
419
0
0
38
So Cal
#7
yea, i have a 45 gallon right now, so any desire to go "biggeR" would probably be a 125 gallon long.

I was thinking ( and tell me what you think ) of having a 5 gallon breeder, densely planted, and also could be used as a quarantine tank or even just a "plant farm" for growing extra plants. I like plants haha.

The reason I was enticed by the 5 gal is just because it came with everything for 29 bucks. if I could get a 10 gallon tank plus hood and light for 30-40 bucks, I might do it.


it might be cool to have it stocked with tall plants like cabomba in rows (like corn-stalk style) with fish that swim around in between. Then throw some shrimp in there.
 

bmoraski

Large Fish
Mar 9, 2009
604
2
18
Upstate NY
#8
i would end up stuffing it with fry ! lol
my fry tank is a snail and water spider tank right now, but thats because it was there as a hospital tank, and i dont need it for fry anymore because of hornwort.
 

sheamurai

Small Fish
Jul 1, 2009
39
0
0
#10
I saw an article somehwere about these miniature rasboras...a small school of them would be way cool, along with some plants and a peice of wood...maybe a nice little dwarf gourami...
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#11
So there is a 5 gallon starter kit at walmart for 29 bucks. Comes with filter, filter media, hood, the basics. What would you do with a 5 gallon tank? what kinda setup, plants, no plants, what fish / creatures, I would like to hear some creative inspiring ideas here.
I was given that exact tank as a gift. I breed California blackworms in it, minus the filter (too much current for them). I also replaced the incandescent light with a screw-in CFL and grow wisteria as a biological filter for the water. My fish LOVE blackworms!
 

bmoraski

Large Fish
Mar 9, 2009
604
2
18
Upstate NY
#12
I was given that exact tank as a gift. I breed California blackworms in it, minus the filter (too much current for them). I also replaced the incandescent light with a screw-in CFL and grow wisteria as a biological filter for the water. My fish LOVE blackworms!
Curious how often you do water changes on it, if at all ?
 

Oct 14, 2009
47
0
0
Stuart, Florida
#15
So there is a 5 gallon starter kit at walmart for 29 bucks. Comes with filter, filter media, hood, the basics. What would you do with a 5 gallon tank? what kinda setup, plants, no plants, what fish / creatures, I would like to hear some creative inspiring ideas here.
So I know exactly what your talking about because I bought that tank at walmart I was planning on using it for my quarentine tank but now my daughter wants it for her dwarf frogs so I'll have to purchase another one for the price
 

Newman

Elite Fish
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#16
The whole blackworm thing sounds really interesting. i would like to know more on how you keep them (i wonder if itll work for tubifex)

the 5 gal kit sounds like a great deal. I would buy that myself if i could find it. (no walmarts around me)
 

MrParker

Large Fish
Feb 16, 2005
419
0
0
38
So Cal
#20
Rather than get rid of my 5g tanks, I decided to hang on to them to use to propagate some plants more quickly in their emersed forms.
How did that work out? I think I'm going to do that with one of my 10G Tanks.

I just set up one of them, with a simple aquascape using home sifted gravel, and a filter. I just need a heater, and lighting, I'm going to start a separate journal for that, create a dwarf hairgrass carpet and breed guppies and red cherry shrimp in it.

then I'm going to use one or both of the other two 10g for propagating or just growing a plant forest so to say.