# Suggestions for 5 Gallon



## It'sJames (Nov 15, 2007)

I'm thinking about putting something in my 5 gallon hex with my female betta. She's very small - about 1.5 inches in body length. She won't be growing anymore (she's super stunted, but still my favorite fish). I was thinking maybe a couple dwarf livebearers, or sparkling gourami (not sure if 2 sparkling gouramis can be kept together?). What do you guys think? Any ideas?


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Definately not sparkling gouramis... they will tear her up and possibly each other, too. They also get too large to stay in a 5 gallon tank for very long. 

Maybe try some coral platys? Keep in mind, that growth stunted or not, a female betta is just as aggressive as a male, and she is likely to kill other fish in her tank. 

A better suggestion for you would be something bottom dwelling, out of her territory and not competing with her for food....
pygmy corys
ghost shrimp
borneo sucker fish
otocinclus

You would have room for 1 - 2 of these fish as an option for tankmates, they can mix just fine with each other, but keep in mind that 5 gallons won't allow for you to keep much else than the betta, and to add other fish you will need to be sure there is a heater and filter on the tank. For the borneo sucker fish I wouldn't keep the temp over 78, which is bottom line for the betta... but the others could all easily handle 80 which would be perfect for the betta.


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## It'sJames (Nov 15, 2007)

She actually does great with other fish. She lived in my 28 gallon with platies, cories, otos, and an angel for months. What do you think about the dwarf livebearers (least killies)?


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Killies not a good idea. If she's used to living with livebearers and does it well, stick to that. Remember that swordtails, mollys, and standard platys get quite large, and not room for more than 1 in a 5 gallon when they're full grown. That would be a lot of wasteload in such a small tank.
Stick with smaller stuff, like the coral platys, gold dust mollys, spheonops mollys... and don't forget dwarf frogs! You could accomidate 2 in there pretty easy...


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Least killifish are a dwarf livebearer, Dawn, usually referred to as Hets.

Sparkling gouramis(Trichopsis pumila) don't get very big about 1". I'd even suggest endlers. Add some rcs's or amanos and you'd have it going.


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## It'sJames (Nov 15, 2007)

I already have a 5.5 gallon tank with African dork frogs. So i think I'd like to go with something else. Amanos will be in my 28 when I get it fully planted. Like herefishy said, least killi is another name for dwarf livebearer. I might try to get a hold of a couple of those. Zule has kept a pair of sparkling gouramis with a female betta, so i might give it a shot. They only reach 1.5 tops. If it doesn't work out, I can always move the gouramis.


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

herefishy said:


> Least killifish are a dwarf livebearer, Dawn, usually referred to as Hets.
> *I apologize, I've never heard to them referred to by that name before. *
> 
> Sparkling gouramis(Trichopsis pumila) don't get very big about 1". I'd even suggest endlers. Add some rcs's or amanos and you'd have it going.
> *Sparkling gouramis are nippy, are they not?*


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Sorry my last post was so brief, I was pressed for time.

The reason I questioned the sparkling gouramis is because I've kept them myself and having them for so many years at the store. I have found them to be quite aggressive. My last group of them was 4 in a 7 gallon, started out mixed with a young male swordtail. That was my "special tank" and it got daily water changes. I also had it planted up to an extreme, you could barely see the fish. I ended up with 1 male sparkling, after he wiped out all 3 of the others and also the swordtail... and he also wiped out the 3 signafur rainbows I tried to keep with him, too. 
This same sparkling gourami also got just over 2 inches long when he was full grown. Maybe I just had a rogue fish, but all the years in the store, I watched how they wiped out most any of the small fish we tried to keep them with, and that was in 25 & 30 gallon fully planted tanks. If this is a passive female betta... I would worry if she'd even have a chance in 5 gallons with a sparkling gourami. Knowing they'd be sharing the same territory in such limited space, to me that would just be asking for problems. There are too many other options that wouldn't bring the potential issues.

But... if you're prepared to seperate them at first signs of problems... you're welcome to try.


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Sparkling gouramis get just over 3cm which is just about 1 1/2"-1 3/4". I've got some in a heavily planted 29g "munchkin" tank. All fish are 2" or less at maturity. I have seen no aggression from any of the fish at all. I think that they are glad nothing is in the tank big enough to eat them. lol


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## It'sJames (Nov 15, 2007)

The female betta is my favorite fish, so I would really hate to see anything happen to her. If I do try the gouramis, I'll keep a super close eye on them for the first couple weeks. But maybe I'll just stick with something less risky. Say I do get the gourami and it doesn't work out, how big of a tank would it need on it's own? My mom thinks I need to cut back on my tanks, but I could talk her into something small.


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Depending on how many sparkling gouramis you get, a 10g would be sufficient.


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

I'd say no to the gourami, just from my experience with them. They are somewhat nippy and territorial, but it can work in a community tank. However, they are also labyrinth fish, and the fact that they occupy the same area as the betta is what makes me think it wouldn't work. Plus, if you want to add something to the tank, why add more top dwellers? It would be much nicer to balance it out. Personally, I like the idea of pygmy cories.


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## It'sJames (Nov 15, 2007)

Pygmy cories would be a nice idea, except that the tank is a Marineland Hex. So there's not much bottom surface. I think they would be a bit cramped. I think I'll probably going to go with dwarf livebearers.


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