Best fish for a 5 gallon tank

[chiefderek]

What would be the best fish for a 5 gallon tank for itself:
1 Golden Wonder Killifish
2 Red Tail Shark
3 Paradise Fish
4 Kribensis Cichlid

Mention please:
1 Which can live in what size spaces
2 Which are "personable"

Thanks if you answer!

[Hunna]

I dont know about most of the fish you mentioned, but I do have a Red tailed Shark.

They get way too big to be happy in a 5 gallon.
I had one in a 10, and had to rehome him, he just got too big.
I currently have one in a 30, and he seems happy in there.

[~corrina~]

i would say guppies, they are easiest to care for and would do well in a 5 gallon

[TIFFERS]

None of those fish would survive in a 5 gallon tank. Sorry.

I agree, get some guppies or even a molly or two.

[Kkye]

None of those fish would survive in a 5 gallon tank. Sorry.

I agree, get some guppies or even a molly or two.

i agree. you need to decide whether you want an "aggresive" tank or a community tank.

being a 5-gallon, size does matter here. if you put in too many fish, they'll just get sick and die.

you don't want to mix aggressive fish together with docile ones. if you put a barb (aggressive) in with guppies (docile) the barbs will just chase the guppies and nip their long pretty fins.

if you go with barb-type fish, keep in mind that they are fast and quick. put them in with a few others without long fins and that are fast enough to get away.

i'd suggest a couple guppies, maybe a molly or two...i've found that neon tetras work well with those fish, but they're are schooling fish so you should have three or more, more is better.

there are lots of books and sites that will point you in the right direction as to choosing the right fish, and the right amount for the size of tank.

[Kkye]

i would strongly suggest going to your local petshop, they're generally quite knowledgable about fish.

and you also want fish that have the same food requirements, and can live in the same water temperature.

example: goldfish are coldwater fish. nor do they need a filter, but they produce alot of ammonia.

guppies need a tropical temperature and a high-protein food.

[Llamalady]

What about some neon tetras? They're kinda cool and they don't get very big.

[trvlbunny]

What kind of fish fit in those super tiny tanks I see sometimes. They are maybe one gallon. Would it be those minute microscopic fish.

[Hunna]

Usually, just a single Male Beta in the small tanks.
I've seen others put a few smaller fish in them, but it only works for a few months untill the fish get bigger.

[kurikim]

Yeah, I have a 2.5 gallon with a single male betta. I can't imagine that tank fitting much of anything else comfortably.

[dsnrmagic]

i would strongly suggest going to your local petshop, they're generally quite knowledgable about fish.

and you also want fish that have the same food requirements, and can live in the same water temperature.

example: goldfish are coldwater fish. nor do they need a filter, but they produce alot of ammonia.

guppies need a tropical temperature and a high-protein food.

I really beg to differ, unfortunately. I had a friend that was an expert at keeping fish, bought from local chains and they all died, always. I just found out that Walmart sold fish! :eek:

[car-zone]

A betta is very easy to take care of but you must not put more than two of them in the same tank. This is one of the most fundamental rules about betta-keeping...without meaning to offend, I do suggest you research the breed of fish you want to keep before buying one, before you bite off more than you can chew. (Too many people buy little plecos thinking they'll fit in their 5 gallon tanks, not knowing that plecos can grow huge and require 60 gallon tanks!)
I would definitely recommend a betta, particularly because you are buying the tank for your children. Keeping a small fish tank is a fun and effective way of teaching a child responsibility, but fishkeeping isn't as easy as it looks and very often, fish die from "beginner's mistakes". Bettas are extremely hardy, and will put up with most of these mistakes (note that I said )
In a 5 gallon tank, you could even fit in a tankmate like a snail, an African Dwarf Frog or a small school of fish like tetras. As long as a tankmate doesn't resemble a betta in any way, the betta will not harm it.
Other than bettas, you could get a few guppies, maybe about four since you have a filter. You can also get about six or seven harlequin rasboras, some of which I have recently acquired and rather fallen in love with.
Please do not get a goldfish. I don't know if you know this but when kept in small tanks, goldfish release hormones that stunt their internal organs and deform them, so they are unable to grow any larger. So it's not like "they only grow to the size of their container" like many think. One goldfish needs about 10 gallons of water, minimum.
However, regardless of which fish you decide to get, please be aware that you MUST cycle your tank first, before you put in any fish. This can take up to a month. Here are some links on cycling:

[jackmoddle]

I think the best option of 'feature' fish to keep are mollies. They are attractive and peaceful with other fish, and will eat algae as well as almost anything else you feed them. I personally am not a fan of guppies, as they tend to be highly inbred and can come with many illnesses from the store. In a 5 gallon you could have 3 mollies. Just remember that they need to be in a 'harem' type environment, with the females outnumbering males at least 2 to 1.