# Stocking 5.5 Gallon Tank



## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

I just got 2 male Cobra Endler's Livebearer's for my planted 5.5 gallon aquarium. I'm planning on adding 2-3 more males. I think I'm also going to add either about 5 Cherry Shrimp, or 2 African Dwarf Frogs. Would either of those ideas be appropriate for my current tank size? As a side note, I have a spare 5.5 gallon if any of the tank's inhabitants don't get along. Thanks!


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

That sounds fine to me, but I am not educated with endlers. I recommend using this site
AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor
Just put in your tank and inhabitants and calculate. Everyone uses this site and welcome to the forum!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Go with the shrimp as the frogs have bad eye sight and stand a good chance of eating the endlers(as they will fit perfectly in their mouths)!


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

@Jaybird5 Thanks! Very useful site- I'll use it in the future.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

coralbandit said:


> Go with the shrimp as the frogs have bad eye sight and stand a good chance of eating the endlers(as they will fit perfectly in their mouths)!


Ok. The website that Jaybird5 told me about says that I am about 109% stocked with 5 cherry shrimp and 5 endler's. Should I cut 1 cherry or is it fine as is (I do 30% water changes weekly). thx :fish10:


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

You should be fine, the site may not always be 100% It is just a good guideline. One shrimp is not going to break your tank lol. I say go with it.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

Jaybird5 said:


> You should be fine, the site may not always be 100% It is just a good guideline. One shrimp is not going to break your tank lol. I say go with it.


Ok! I'm just waiting until my lfs gets endler's and cherry shrimp now. Thanks!


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## Jenniferinfl (May 3, 2013)

Dario dario – Scarlet Badis — Seriously Fish

Might want to look at these guys as an alternative to more endlers. 
I have a 5 gallon with 2 male guppies, 5 red cherry shrimp and will be adding two of those. Though, if I have trouble keeping the water quality high I may move the guppies out to a ten gallon instead.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

Jenniferinfl said:


> Dario dario – Scarlet Badis — Seriously Fish
> 
> Might want to look at these guys as an alternative to more endlers.
> I have a 5 gallon with 2 male guppies, 5 red cherry shrimp and will be adding two of those. Though, if I have trouble keeping the water quality high I may move the guppies out to a ten gallon instead.


Don't Endler's prefer groups of at least 4 though?


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## colmanh (Jul 10, 2013)

Jaybird5 said:


> That sounds fine to me, but I am not educated with endlers. I recommend using this site
> AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor
> Just put in your tank and inhabitants and calculate. Everyone uses this site and welcome to the forum!


But keep in mind that aq advisor is generally a pretty big underestimation. There are many factors like live plants and the amount of waste difference species of fish produce that will alter your stocking capacity.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

Thanks- that makes a lot of sense. I have lot's of elodea and a few amazons swords in the tank plus the shrimp have a relatively low bioload.


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## snowghost45 (May 13, 2013)

Does anyone have a pic of this red cherry shrimp? Living in the country, they don't stock a lot of different species. I do have 3 ADF and they do wonderful! I watch to make sure they eat and all seem to do fine.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

This is a full grown one. They are really small like 3 centimeters is there max size.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

My lfs's cherry shrimp don't look that great... Would ghost shrimp work instead?


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Ghost shrimp would be fine! I have 1 of them. The females grow a bit bigger then the males and breeding ghost shrimp is way harder then red cherries. The disadvantage of red cherries is that they are a bright red and fish can see them and then they usually eat them. Ghost shrimp are rather invisible and fish have a hard time finding them. Your shrimp will usually hide, so have plenty of decor! And they love java moss I recommend some highly. I recommend the red cherries or RCS, they are more colorful.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

I need some sort of cleaner for my tank because the Endler's don't eat food floating on the top, or food on the ground (they only eat food in the water). The ghost shrimp at the store look in good condition. I would have chosen cherry shrimp or red crystal shrimp, but they look almost as dull as the ghost shrimp and they are easier to breed. What does java moss look like? I think mine was diseased, so I threw it out awhile ago.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Here is a really big java moss. It grows uncontrollably though. Shrimp enjoy it alot. Ghost shrimp and Red cherries are both good cleaners/scavengers. Both of them are good shrimp. I just prefer red cherries. Another factor is ghost shrimp are a bit cheaper.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

It's so green! Mine was dark-ish green and brown-ish black... Where should I buy java moss?


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## silvergourami1 (Jun 20, 2013)

Don't forget that more occupants mean more excrement and oxygen absorption. It sounds a little overburden for your tank, but it is your choice. Just giving some sound advice. 

Personally I would use a different tank for the shrimp and frogs....not sure if frogs will eat the shrimp though, and I personally would like a uniquely designed and flourishing tank separate for just the shrimp and frogs. Not to mention breeding.

I really like how pet smart has minimum tank size labels for specific fish on stocking aquariums and they're clean too!! Most of the fish I noted require min of 10 or larger gallon tanks. This to me is sound advice too. 

Overcrowding can cause all kinds of problems and put a burden and stress on the fish and you with maintenance. 

Smaller tanks should be left for maybe 2-7 small fish and maybe 2 cory for cleaning the bottom. This also is dependant on size 4, 5, 7, etc.

No fish should be kept in any thing smaller than 4 gal for extended amounts of time...I have witnessed the impact and it ain't healthy. 

now plant's; that's a toss up!!


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Corys need to be in groups of four to be happy, At least. 6 is recommended for cories.


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## SavingOurSeas (Jul 16, 2013)

evanb said:


> My lfs's cherry shrimp don't look that great... Would ghost shrimp work instead?


I had quite a bit of ease breeding/keeping ghost shrimp, just pay attention to the proper perimeters for this species and you should do fine.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

silvergourami1 said:


> Don't forget that more occupants mean more excrement and oxygen absorption. It sounds a little overburden for your tank, but it is your choice. Just giving some sound advice.
> 
> Personally I would use a different tank for the shrimp and frogs....not sure if frogs will eat the shrimp though, and I personally would like a uniquely designed and flourishing tank separate for just the shrimp and frogs. Not to mention breeding.
> 
> ...


I decided no on the african dwarf frogs and I have lot's of plants. I got my Endler's from Petsmart and they say the minimum tank size is "1 gallon" per fish.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

ehh I would not go by 1 gallon per fish, no matter what fish. The old thing was inch per gallon. Each inch of a fish deserves one gallon. But this is also old. I mean a 12" Oscar in a 12 gallon? NO! Use AQ.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

Jaybird5 said:


> ehh I would not go by 1 gallon per fish, no matter what fish. The old thing was inch per gallon. Each inch of a fish deserves one gallon. But this is also old. I mean a 12" Oscar in a 12 gallon? NO! Use AQ.


AQ says that 5 endlers and 5 cherry's is 109% I've looked online and the only fish I've found for a 5.5 gallon are endler's or a betta. I know the one inch per gallon is rubbish- My 3.5 inch goldfish is in a 29 gallon by itself...


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

That is fine! You are good!!! And you could probably buy the goldfish a friend.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

Jaybird5 said:


> That is fine! You are good!!! And you could probably buy the goldfish a friend.


It's a comet though


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

I would still buy another comet.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

Are you sure? I read that they can become on foot long!


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Only in ponds. I say go for it. My mom had a comet in a 2.5 gallon with no filter. You can do it.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

No you cant do it. I mean its possible but at the sacrifice of the health of the fish. Though the body may not grow the internal organs will. I would rehome the goldfish and set the 29 up as a community.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

majerah1 said:


> No you cant do it. I mean its possible but at the sacrifice of the health of the fish. Though the body may not grow the internal organs will. I would rehome the goldfish and set the 29 up as a community.


Agree. That not only applies to a second comet, but also the first. Never go by what someone has done and gotten away with. Do the research and do it the right way. Luck or good results doesn't always mean right.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

I know about all of that, but that is just my opinion about goldfish. Do what you want it is YOUR tank.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

Sorry... Don't really get what you're saying... My goldfish is only 3.5 inches long right now. I'm ready to upgrade if I have to.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

Okay are you happy with the goldfish in a tank by himself? If not rehome him and put a tropical community in the 29g. If you like the goldfish then you are fine, do nothing. Sorry about giving you incorrect goldfish info. I have never had one and I am uneducated about them. Most people would rehome the goldfish because it is only one fish. When you could have shoals of different fish instead in the 29g.


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

I have to admit, a 29 gallon Tropical Community tank would be kind of cool. I'm a bit attached to the goldfish though and I'm not really ready to rehome it (I assume you mean give away by rehome).


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## evanb (Jul 10, 2013)

I got the ghost shrimp (6 of them, but 2 are really small). I also took pity on a black mystery snail with a cracked shell and a missing eye (I think they grow back) and brought it home. The store was out of Endler's, so I will get some in a couple of weeks. One of the ghost shrimp appears to have green organs and one red-orange stripe on it's front arms/legs/claws. Another one has the red-orange stripe, but not the green organs. After reading horror stories of 1 foot long killing machines, I'm a bit paranoid that some of them may be Macrobrachium Shrimp.


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## Jaybird5 (Apr 27, 2013)

The green organs, are they under the shrimp? Like on its belly? If so then those are eggs and that is a female shrimp. And the real only way to tell is the claws. How big or they? And Macro shrimp or prawns can get big like you said. Ghost shrimp really stay under a inch. The Macros will eat your fish and other shrimp. If they are Macros then get rid of them asap. Also female shrimp grow bigger then male shrimp. And if some shrimps pass away it is not your fault, ghost shrimp are usually bred under horrible conditions and some are just born weak. I bought 4 for my 10g and 2 died after two days. The other 2 thrived until my shrimp Larry recently passed  So I now have 1 ghost shrimp.


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