Compatible?

Question

I am going to get these fish for my 5 gallon:
- a powder blue dwarf gourami
- a dwarf gourami
- a honey sunset gourami
- a red fire dwarf gourami
- 3 tiger barbs or an oto

Are they all compatible? I think the 4 gouramis are but I think I mite want to kind of kick out the tiger barbs and get an oto.... should I? And should I get a submersible heater for my 5 gallon? Its a 5 gallon Aqua Tech Hex from Wal Mart and it didnt come with one.. and I'm on a TIGHT budget... Im almost broke! I need to get gravel and the fish... what should I get? Thank you! :-) Oh and don't you guys hate it when people put false advertising for tanks like 5 goldfish in a 5 gallon? That was what it had on my tank. Don't 5 goldfish require 50 gallons of water? I totally disagree with the advertisment! Thats just cruel!

ok.. how about
a dwarf gourami
a honey sunset gourami
a powder blue gourami
an oto

stop being mean to me! im just learning here so im a PARTIAL beginner!

Answer 1

It's hard to pick just a few fish when there are so many pretty ones but so little space to keep them. I'm this way about my saltwater tanks. I'd love to have more fish, but I don't want to overstock the tanks (its not healthy for the fish), but I don't have a lot more room to put another tank.

An asker a while back was trying to find a website he'd used a year or so ago that let you "design" a fish tank based on the size, species, and number of fish, their body shape, aggression levels, activity level, top/middle/bottom swimmer, tank dimensions, filtration type, etc. I think a site like this might help you see just what you can or can't keep in a 5 gallon tank, so you can try different combinations and species. It also makes you look at things like how big your fish will get as an adult (they won't all stay the size you se them in a store, and they DON'T just grow to the size of the tank they're in!).

Here are two sites with aquarium "planners": http://www.tropicalresources.net/phpBB2/templates/BMan1Blue/Stocking.htm
http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/community.html

The second is the one he was looking for, the first is another one I found. The second is from the UK, so all measurements are metric - here's a website that you can use for easy conversions - just pick a category (volume, length)enter the number you want to convert, and the units for "from" and "to" and hit the "convert now" button: http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/conversions.html

And here's a site where you can look up the info for the fish: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pcatid=830

Answer 2

Don't get that many fish in a five gallon. Your thinking of getting 7 fish which are all at least an inch when you buy them. A five gallon tank can support 5 inches of fish. Go with two gouramis. Chose the two that you like the most and do frequent water changes and you should be okay. Don't buy fish from Wal-Mart, they always die. If your house is between 75-85 degrees F you don't need a heater. In fact if you have a light above the water it will most likely heat it sufficiently. At least get a thermometer so you can monitor the temp. Only put enough gravel to cover the bottom of the glass. 1/2" maximum on the gravel. Tiger barbs are the last thing you want to put with gouramis, they are the most renowned fin nippers, and with gouromis having such long flowing fins it would be a bad idea.

A five gallon tank could very easily crash (amonia and nitrite build up to toxic levels quickly) because it is such a small amount of water. You will need to change out one gallon a week and replace it with new clean, dechlorified tap water.

Answer 3

For a five gallon, ONE dwarf gourami is going to put you at the limit of that tank... Do you even know what a tiger barb looks like fully grown? Three of them would not fit in a FIFTEEN gallon tank.

If you put more than one gourami in there, they are going to battle to the death. They look cute, but they are related to Bettas (Siamese Fighting Fish).

Oto's die within a week, even for advanced hobbyists. Good luck with that one...

ALL of those fish need a constant temperature anyway, so without a heater, whatever you put in there is going to be dead in a matter of a week...

Answer 4

Way too many fish for a 5 gallon! I suggest you get a couple small fish or one slightly larger fish. A Dwarf Gourami or a Honey Gourami would be ok. You could get 3 small Tetras or Rasboras. You could even get 2 or 3 small Cory Catfish.

Answer 5

The most important thing is communication. Tell each other everything honestly; share secrets, goals, dreams, desires. This must go both ways. Don't hide anything or try to deceive, honesty is the only way. They must like each other before they can fall in love. There must first be mutual liking and a desire to be friends. It's more than just a desire to "hang out", it's a respect and caring but also an ease of being together. Have a sense of humor. Learn to not sweat the small stuff and learn to trust and not be jealous or accusing or judgmental. Learn to listen and not just think about what you want to say next. When you speak only say what you really feel and tell how you would like things to be also. Don't say things that are designed to hurt and that you would not say if you were not angry. Have sympathy and compassion for each other. Hear about the life experiences you have each had and genuinely care for each other. If the other is sick, take them soup or do for them what you'd like the to do for you. Find little things to compliment and ways to make them feel special. Go the extra distance to get the thing that will them happy. Do some things for them because it's Tuesday and not only for special occasions. On special occasions make them special. Show appreciation for small things. That's a short list, but they are all pretty important. If you have good intelligence you can see that some of these could be consolidated, but the ideas can even be broken down further to explain all the ways we can make a relationship work. I take my ideas from talking to people I know who have successful marriages and I really want the one I fall in love with to know I mean to make the best effort to stay together as long as we both shall love. My best to everyone who reads this. Please give me suggestions for additions or changes you would make. If you don't agree with something tell me. I'd be happy to talk about it!

Answer 6

I really hate it when I see little tanks that are advertised for gold fish.I see a one gallon tank where I shop with a picture of 2 goldfish on it and it says big enough for a multiple fish environment.You aren't being cruel or you wouldn't ask questions on here before you buy the fish, but I think that is to many for your tank although I don't have or know much about the fish in question.

Answer 7

Way too many fish for that tank! It's almost as bad at the advertisement you say you hate. Drop the tiger barbs, they won't do good in such a small group. Keep it to 3 of the gourami and the oto.

MM

Answer 8

You don't learn do you? That's too many fish for one tank. and some of them are not evn compatible. YOU are being cruel putting that many fish in that tiny tank. and if you have a tighjt budget don't get so many fish. You can bareley fit a dwarf gourami which need a 10 gallon tank by itself. If that's not good enough for one gourami, how is that good for 10 fish?

Answer 9

If you absolutly have to have a 5 gallon tank then you really shouldn't be getting those fish. A simple set up for a tank of that size would be a couple of white clouds and maybe a couple of ghost shrimp. Be sure that you read about fishless cycling before you get fish (see source)

Answer 10

Don't you know how big those gouramis are going to get??!! get at least a 30 - 40 gallon for all those fish and maybe a FEW more...
My gourami is almost 4" now...i have him in a 36 gal. . that 5 gal. is WAY too crammed for all those fish!!! Ask your local pet store how to take care of fish!!