A five-gallon tank is considered the easiest option for people who are beginners and do not have much experience in keeping fish as their pets. However, according to the size of the tank, the number of fish must also be decided accordingly. The number of fish inside a five-gallon tank must not exceed “three to four”. This means that the number of fish in the small tank can range from one to four. The fish in the five-gallon tank must not be larger than one inch.
Fish Ideal for a Five-Gallon Tank
The common types of fish ideal for small tanks are bettas, tetras, rasboras, shrimps, etc. These types of fish are considered ideal for a five-gallon tank because they do not grow more than one or two inches in their length. It is recommended that pet fish owners keep fish as pets that do not grow more than two inches of their size if they want to keep them in a small five-gallon tank.
Some small fish like bettas cannot survive in a five-gallon tank when they are three to four in number. Despite these fish being smaller in size, due to their aggressive nature they usually tend to fight with each other and they are so aggressive that most of the time they fight to death. Bettas are territorial fish so they do not only fight but also develop anxiety due to the existence of other fish in their surroundings. So, it is encouraged to keep a single betta fish in a five-gallon tank.
There are some other kinds of fish that can be kept in a five-gallon tank like guppies, endler’s livebearers, harlequin rasbora, celestial pearl danio, white cloud mountain minnow, and pygmy corydoras. Up to four fish can be kept in a five-gallon tank, unlike betta fish.
Benefits of a Five Gallon Tank
As said earlier, small five-gallon tanks are very easy to manage and clean, there are some other advantages associated with this as well. Let’s discuss the major benefits of having a small five-gallon tank at home:
- A five small gallon tank is ideal for people who need to learn precisely how to manage their pet fish.
- These small tanks are easy to clean and the water can easily be replaced in less amount of time as compared to large aquariums.
- You can monitor each one of your fish when they are less in number. Monitoring them is very important to know their health and eating habits so that if any of them gets sick, it can be cured earlier.
Disadvantages of a Five Gallon Tank
No doubt, small tanks are beginner friendly and easy to manage, but there are some drawbacks attached to them as well:
- Because the quantity of water is less in a five-gallon tank as compared to larger aquariums, the density of the waste produced by the fish in the water increases. This requires much more attention and regular filtration because the waste produced by the metabolism of fish creates ammonia in the water and the presence of ammonia in large quantities can be life-threatening for the fish.
- Another disadvantage is that you can not add your desired number of fish and species to the tank. The size of the tank is small as only a few species in a limited number can be kept inside.
The Bottom-Line
Almost three to four fish of the size of almost one inch can survive and live in a small five-gallon tank. Although a five-gallon tank cannot contain a lot of fish inside it, it is considered ideal for beginners who are not experienced enough to keep a lot of fish. Five-gallon tanks are very easy to manage. Depending on the type and species of the fish, the number of fish in a five-gallon water tank can range from one to four.
