Fish Tank... What fish to get.

[jcovercash]

So After seeing someones post the other day about their fish tank I went and dropped some cash on one, I havent had a fish tank since I was a young kid.

I got it all setup now, PH/Nitrate levels etc are right, been running about 4 days now so now I need to get some fish.

Its a 5 gallon hex tank. See tank here.


So what kinda fish to you recommend? I want an algea eater or Plat..... (sp.) Something or other.. Its a bottom feeder looks like an algea eater sorta.

I would like to get these small red/black oscars that I was they are only .75-1" long, like 2 of them and the algea eater/bottom feeder. But IDK if I can get them in such a small tank, Do fish grow realative to the size of the tank they are in or will the oscars outgrow the tank?

If you don't recommend oscars what are some other fish, I know I am limited to the amount because the tank is small I just want something that is fairly active.


Thanks,
Josh

 

[EMPshockwave82]

fish will grow to the environment. if you leave him too long in the small tank he will be stunted even if you transfer it to a larger tank


butterfly Plecostomus's look pretty cool for algae eaters


tiger oscars are pretty decnet looking fish

 

[Powermoloch]

I would rather go with gold fishes. They are the best. The other kinds like tropical or sickles needs a lot of baby sitting out of experience.

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: jcovercash
So After seeing someones post the other day about their fish tank I went and dropped some cash on one, I havent had a fish tank since I was a young kid.

I got it all setup now, PH/Nitrate levels etc are right, been running about 4 days now so now I need to get some fish.

Its a 5 gallon hex tank. See tank here.


So what kinda fish to you recommend? I want an algea eater or Plat..... (sp.) Something or other.. Its a bottom feeder looks like an algea eater sorta.

I would like to get these small red/black oscars that I was they are only .75-1" long, like 2 of them and the algea eater/bottom feeder. But IDK if I can get them in such a small tank, Do fish grow realative to the size of the tank they are in or will the oscars outgrow the tank?

If you don't recommend oscars what are some other fish, I know I am limited to the amount because the tank is small I just want something that is fairly active.


Thanks,
Josh

Get an Electric Catfish instead.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: EMPshockwave82
fish will grow to the environment. if you leave him too long in the small tank he will be stunted even if you transfer it to a larger tank


butterfly Plecostomus's look pretty cool for algae eaters


tiger oscars are pretty decnet looking fish

Yea Im talking about putting two small red tiger oscars in there along with a plecostomus. You read my mind 😛 lol.

Think those three fish will be ok in a 5 gallon tank? The dude at the fish store (probally unknowledgable) said the oscars will overgrow the tank and become to big for it. I plan on getting .75-1" ones like I said the the Plec. is like 1.5-2"

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: Powermoloch
I would rather go with gold fishes. They are the best. The other kinds like tropical or sickles needs a lot of baby sitting out of experience.

Fish off goldfish and UGLY, Nasty, and Lame. IMO.

 

[Captante]

(1) More then one Oscar in the tank will likely result in one very fat Oscar in the tank at some point.... if they stay similar sizes they might co-exist for awhile, but some fighting & injury is a virtual certainty unless you make sure to get a male & a female.
(2) Any algea eaters in the tank will also likely result in a fat Oscar regardless of its sex.
(3) Unless you are thinking of some type of mini-Oscar, it will rapidly outgrow a 5 gallon tank.

I suggest you snag a couple small catfish & somthing like a Dwarf Gourami, which is only semi-aggressive & will leave other tank residents alone for the most part unless they are other Gourami's.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: Captante
(1) More then one Oscar in the tank will likely result in one very fat Oscar in the tank at some point.... if they stay similar sizes the might co-exist for awhile, but some fighting & injury is a virtual certainty unless you make sure to get a male & a female.
(2) Any algea eaters in the tank will also likely result in a fat Oscar regardless of its sex.
(3) Unless you are thinking of some type of mini-Oscar, it will rapidly outgrow a 5 gallon tank.

I suggest you snag a couple small catfish & somthing like a Dwarf Gourami, which is only semi-aggressive & will leave other tank residents alone for the most part unless they are other Gourami's.

See this is the response the fish guy gave me, but he didnt seem confident but I thought this was right. I just looked around the fish store and didnt really see anything that appealed to me but the tiger oscars, I dont have the time to care for a large tank nor the space for it really at this time.

 

[doze]

That tank is way too small for oscars, oscars get really big really fast. And you dont want goldfish, too messy. Try some barbs (tiger barbs are really cool), a few zebra danios (they are small schooling fish), tetras, and a small algae eater.

 

[Powermoloch]

Originally posted by: jcovercash

Originally posted by: Powermoloch
I would rather go with gold fishes. They are the best. The other kinds like tropical or sickles needs a lot of baby sitting out of experience.

Fish off goldfish and UGLY, Nasty, and Lame. IMO.

lol :roll:, bad experience w/ the lil fellas?

 

[DVK916]

A cool thing with an Electric cat is they aren't too expensive, and you can trick your friends into putting their hand into the tank and being shocked.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: Powermoloch

Originally posted by: jcovercash

Originally posted by: Powermoloch
I would rather go with gold fishes. They are the best. The other kinds like tropical or sickles needs a lot of baby sitting out of experience.

Fish off goldfish and UGLY, Nasty, and Lame. IMO.

lol :roll:, bad experience w/ the lil fellas?

They are really dirty fish they make a mess outta a tank. And they are not visually appealing imo, tropical fish are so much nicer to look at.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: DVK916
A cool thing with an Electric cat is they aren't too expensive, and you can trick your friends into putting their hand into the tank and being shocked.

That is one big beloved patriot looking fish though LOL! My local fish store has a water cow too, man that thing is weird.

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: jcovercash

Originally posted by: DVK916
A cool thing with an Electric cat is they aren't too expensive, and you can trick your friends into putting their hand into the tank and being shocked.

That is one big beloved patriot looking fish though LOL! My local fish store has a water cow too, man that thing is weird.

LOL yea, but I think they are cool, the are only 1 of 2 freshwater fish that can electrocute other living things.

 

[Phoenix15]

Stingray , FTW!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: DVK916

Originally posted by: jcovercash

Originally posted by: DVK916
A cool thing with an Electric cat is they aren't too expensive, and you can trick your friends into putting their hand into the tank and being shocked.

That is one big beloved patriot looking fish though LOL! My local fish store has a water cow too, man that thing is weird.

LOL yea, but I think they are cool, the are only 1 of 2 freshwater fish that can electrocute other living things.

Rofl, well thats always a plus in buying something, the ability for it to electricute something 😛

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: Phoenix15
Stingray , FTW!!!!!!!!!!!

Freshwater Stingray species are illegal to own or sell in the state of California and most other states.

-From your link

Apropriate home. An aquarium with at least 50 gallons of water -- Well im at least 1/10 shy of that lol.

Neat looking though. My local place does have a freshwater lobster though 😛 its neat looking. but I dont ahve enough ground room for it, imo it would be cruel to put it in my tank because of its size.

 

[Phoenix15]

Originally posted by: jcovercash

Originally posted by: Phoenix15
Stingray , FTW!!!!!!!!!!!

Freshwater Stingray species are illegal to own or sell in the state of California and most other states.

-From your link

Apropriate home. An aquarium with at least 50 gallons of water -- Well im at least 1/10 shy of that lol.

Neat looking though. My local place does have a freshwater lobster though 😛 its neat looking. but I dont ahve enough ground room for it, imo it would be cruel to put it in my tank because of its size.

Yeah, I just thought they were cool. I recently picked up a 20 gallon tank and have been looking for some interesting fish. I currently have 3 bala sharks and a blue gourami. I saw a blue lobster at petco yesterday that looks really cool.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: Phoenix15

Originally posted by: jcovercash

Originally posted by: Phoenix15
Stingray , FTW!!!!!!!!!!!

Freshwater Stingray species are illegal to own or sell in the state of California and most other states.

-From your link

Apropriate home. An aquarium with at least 50 gallons of water -- Well im at least 1/10 shy of that lol.

Neat looking though. My local place does have a freshwater lobster though 😛 its neat looking. but I dont ahve enough ground room for it, imo it would be cruel to put it in my tank because of its size.

Yeah, I just thought they were cool. I recently picked up a 20 gallon tank and have been looking for some interesting fish. I currently have 3 bala sharks and a blue gourami. I saw a blue lobster at petco yesterday that looks really cool.

Get it, if I had more ground space I would pick up a lob. for my tank 😛

 

[EMPshockwave82]

dwarven african cichleds (sp) are great.... in a 5 gallon fish tank you could only have one of any type of cichled (sp) as they are very territorial fish


This includes tiger oscars as well as any other type of oscar

 

[Captante]

Barbs are an ok choice... the only problem is that they really do best when you can have a bunch of them because they like to swim in a big school & a 5 gallon tank won't allow for this.
You could get 8-10 Neon's and a small catfish & they'll co-exist very well... Neon's are available in many colors these days, not just the standard blue & red stripe... I like the bright red ones the best & black ones also look really cool, get several of each.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: Captante
Barbs are an ok choice... the only problem is that they really do best when you can have a bunch of them because they like to swim in a big school & a 5 gallon tank won't allow for this.
You could get 8-10 Neon's and a small catfish & they'll co-exist very well... Neon's are available in many colors these days, not just the standard blue & red stripe... I like the bright red ones the best & black ones also look really cool, get several of each.

Neons are not as exotic as I would like, this is sitting on my desk so I want somthing cool to watch.

 

[bctbct]

I just got this same tank for my daughter. We have two tetras and a neon. We we told 1 inch fish per gallon. We plan to add a catfish and she wants a shrimp.

 

[DVK916]

Knife Fish are also kind of cool, as are fresh water puffer fish.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: bctbct
I just got this same tank for my daughter. We have two tetras and a neon. We we told 1 inch fish per gallon. We plan to add a catfish and she wants a shrimp.

My Ex-GF had some of the clear shirmp in here tank before, they where pretty neat, they like to hide in the plants and stuff in there, but they were pretty active, i think that was because they where afraid of being eaten which is what happened to most of them 😛