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Best fish for a 5 gallon tank

Five gallons is about 19 litres of glass and closer to 16 litres of water. It suits one betta or a shrimp colony; schooling fish need more room than it has.

Checked by our tank model as a starter group in an empty, cycled 5G (41 × 21 × 25 cm) with a filter rated for it. One group per tank; mix species with the planner.

Possible, with care

  1. Fancy guppy

    Poecilia reticulata
    With care

    GH 8 dGH is outside the Fancy guppy range 8–25 dGH.

    group of 3 · 1.4 in · 13+ gal · 75–81°F · pH 7–8

  2. Cherry shrimp

    Neocaridina davidi
    With care

    Turnover 3.9/h is below the recommended 4/h.

    group of 10 · 1.6 in · 4+ gal · 72–75°F · pH 6.5–7.8

  3. Betta

    Betta splendens
    With care

    Betta: needs a 35 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    2.8 in · 11+ gal · 72–86°F · pH 6–7.5

  4. Amano shrimp

    Caridina multidentata
    With care

    Turnover 3.9/h is below the recommended 4/h.

    group of 3 · 2 in · 7+ gal · 72–77°F · pH 6.5–7.5

  5. African dwarf frog

    Hymenochirus boettgeri
    With care

    Turnover 3.9/h is below the recommended 4/h.

    group of 2 · 2 in · 7+ gal · 75–77°F · pH 6.6–7.8

  6. Assassin snail

    Anentome helena
    With care

    Turnover 3.9/h is below the recommended 4/h.

    1 in · 3+ gal · 70–81°F · pH 7.2–8

  7. Bladder snail

    Physella acuta
    With care

    Turnover 3.9/h is below the recommended 4/h.

    0.6 in · 1+ gal · 63–84°F · pH 7–8

  8. Dwarf orange crayfish

    Cambarellus patzcuarensis
    With care

    Orange dwarf crayfish (CPO): needs a 30 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 2 · 1.6 in · 10+ gal · 64–79°F · pH 6.8–8

  9. Malaysian trumpet snail

    Melanoides tuberculata
    With care

    Turnover 3.9/h is below the recommended 4/h.

    1 in · 2+ gal · 64–77°F · pH 7–8.5

  10. Mystery snail

    Pomacea diffusa
    With care

    Heavy stocking of 125% (120–150%).

    2.2 in · 7+ gal · 68–82°F · pH 7–8

  11. Ramshorn snail

    Planorbarius corneus
    With care

    Turnover 3.9/h is below the recommended 4/h.

    1.4 in · 4+ gal · 70–81°F · pH 7–8

  12. Celestial pearl danio

    Danio margaritatus
    With care

    Celestial pearl danio: needs a 41 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 10 · 0.8 in · 13+ gal · 72–75°F · pH 6.5–7.5

And 11 more in the species catalog.

Too much

  1. Neon tetra

    Paracheirodon innesi
    Avoid

    Neon tetra: needs a 54 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 8 · 1.2 in · 17+ gal · 70–77°F · pH 5–7

  2. Harlequin rasbora

    Trigonostigma heteromorpha
    Avoid

    Harlequin rasbora: needs a 54 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 8 · 1.4 in · 17+ gal · 73–81°F · pH 6–7

  3. Panda corydoras

    Corydoras panda
    Avoid

    Panda corydoras: needs a 54 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 6 · 1.6 in · 17+ gal · 72–77°F · pH 6–7.2

  4. Otocinclus

    Otocinclus vittatus
    Avoid

    Otocinclus: needs a 54 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 6 · 1.4 in · 17+ gal · 72–79°F · pH 6–7.2

  5. Angelfish

    Pterophyllum scalare
    Avoid

    Angelfish: needs a 100 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    3.5 in · 32+ gal · 77–84°F · pH 6–7

  6. Tiger barb

    Puntigrus tetrazona
    Avoid

    Tiger barb: needs a 100 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 6 · 2.2 in · 32+ gal · 72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

  7. Black neon tetra

    Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
    Avoid

    Black neon tetra: needs a 72 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 8 · 1.4 in · 23+ gal · 73–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

  8. Black widow tetra

    Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
    Avoid

    pH 7.2 is outside the Black widow tetra range 6.0–7.0.

    group of 12 · 2.4 in · 22+ gal · 68–79°F · pH 6–7

  9. Blood parrot cichlid

    hybrid
    Avoid

    Blood parrot cichlid: needs a 114 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    7.9 in · 36+ gal · 72–82°F · pH 6.5–8

  10. Blue dolphin cichlid

    Cyrtocara moorii
    Avoid

    Temperature 76°F is outside the Blue dolphin cichlid range 77–84°F.

    group of 3 · 9.8 in · 80+ gal · 77–81°F · pH 8–8.5

  11. Bristlenose pleco

    Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus
    Avoid

    Bristlenose pleco: needs a 54 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    4.9 in · 17+ gal · 70–79°F · pH 5.5–7.5

  12. Bronze cory

    Corydoras aeneus
    Avoid

    Bronze cory: needs a 72 L tank, this one is 22 L.

    group of 6 · 3 in · 23+ gal · 70–81°F · pH 6–8

And 115 more in the species catalog.

How many fish fit in 5 gallons?

The old inch-per-gallon rule ignores body shape and group size. We estimate bioload from adult mass and water temperature, compare it with what the filter and weekly water changes remove, then add the space each species needs to swim and school.

The list above checks one species at a time. To mix several, add them to your own tank: the planner checks every pair and the combined load.

Questions

Can I keep fish in a 5 gallon tank?

One betta, or a group of dwarf shrimp, with a heater and a gentle filter. Schools of tetras or rasboras want at least 10 to 15 gallons.

How many shrimp fit in 5 gallons?

A starter colony of 10 cherry shrimp is comfortable; they breed and settle the number themselves.

Every tank is different. Set yours up once (size, water, who already lives there) and each species is checked against it.

Plan my tank

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