Lorekeeper
- #1
I've recently done a lot of research on pico tanks (tanks under 5 gallons), and have come to the conclusion that we sometimes miss a lot of potential stocking options. Anytime someone comes on here with a 5.5 gallon and asks what they can keep, the usual answer is "Shrimp, snails, a betta, or a few endlers." Of course there's variation to that, depending on who's in the thread, but that seems to be the most common set of answers. While that might be the most common set of answers, aren't there a ton more out there?
For freshwater picos, I never see paradise fish mentioned. I think a 5 is the smallest I'd want to go, but they're hardier than bettas (IMO), stay around the same size, and are a nice change from a betta. They don't need heated tanks, either. So why aren't these guys mentioned more often? I think they're a better fit for small, unheated tanks than bettas are.
Or, how about Pygmy Sunfish? Sure, they're uncommon, but if they were recommended a bit more often, they'd catch on, as they're easy to breed. There are a ton of varieties, and they're all amazingly colorful. I think a 2.5 is a good minimum here, with a 5.5 being the recommended. They're hardy, colorful, unique, and are a US native species. They can be picky eaters, and sometimes won't accept dried foods, but thawing out some mysis shrimp everyday only takes a minute or two. I think that's something that's doable. Yet, I've only seen them mentioned a few times.
Then, how about Dwarf Mexican Crawdads? They aren't exactly uncommon, but I think they might be a more interesting suggestion than shrimp and snails for some people. I think the idea of a single, large crawdad is more appealing than a colony of shrimp. I think one of these guys would do well in a 2.5, assuming it was set up correctly.
As for brackish tanks... I got nothing here, other than shrimp and snails. I mean, you can obviously take Endler's and guppies up to brackish very easily, but they aren't really anything out of the ordinary. Anyone got suggestions?
Saltwater opens up a massive world of tiny fish that are suitable for tiny tanks, assuming you can keep up with maintenance.
My personal favorite, so far? The Yellow Clown Goby. Extremely colorful, active, hardy, and surprisingly personable, I couldn't recommend these guys more. I keep mine in a 3 gallon jar. I've had him for around a month (including QT), and have quickly decided that he's everything I want in a pico fish. I think this guy makes a better pico fish than a betta would, if I'm being honest.
Or, there's the Trimma Goby. These guys are going to vary by species, but most are going to be cooler water. They hail from waters north of Georgia (usually), so you'll want to give them temps between 60F-78F, depending on the species and what you're keeping with them. They're colorful, tiny (smaller than a clown goby), and not super uncommon. My favorite is the Spotted Trimma Goby. They'll do great in unheated tanks, as long as your room temperature is fairly consistent. The only reason I don't recommend these more is that cooler-water species limit what you can keep with them, especially as you get under around 70F. At that point, you're limited to very hardy tropical corals and some very hard-to-find temperate species.
In a 5.5, you could even do something like a Firefish, or even a single False Percula Clown. Personally, I think you'd be better off with a 10 for those guys. But, a 5.5 isn't crazy, either. Saltwater offers so many choices! It's a shame that we tell people to avoid small nano/pico reefs.
This was a bit off the wall, and kind of a ramble. But, it's been something I've been wanting to talk about for a long time, and get some opinions on.
Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any species to add or any opinions to share!
For freshwater picos, I never see paradise fish mentioned. I think a 5 is the smallest I'd want to go, but they're hardier than bettas (IMO), stay around the same size, and are a nice change from a betta. They don't need heated tanks, either. So why aren't these guys mentioned more often? I think they're a better fit for small, unheated tanks than bettas are.
Or, how about Pygmy Sunfish? Sure, they're uncommon, but if they were recommended a bit more often, they'd catch on, as they're easy to breed. There are a ton of varieties, and they're all amazingly colorful. I think a 2.5 is a good minimum here, with a 5.5 being the recommended. They're hardy, colorful, unique, and are a US native species. They can be picky eaters, and sometimes won't accept dried foods, but thawing out some mysis shrimp everyday only takes a minute or two. I think that's something that's doable. Yet, I've only seen them mentioned a few times.
Then, how about Dwarf Mexican Crawdads? They aren't exactly uncommon, but I think they might be a more interesting suggestion than shrimp and snails for some people. I think the idea of a single, large crawdad is more appealing than a colony of shrimp. I think one of these guys would do well in a 2.5, assuming it was set up correctly.
As for brackish tanks... I got nothing here, other than shrimp and snails. I mean, you can obviously take Endler's and guppies up to brackish very easily, but they aren't really anything out of the ordinary. Anyone got suggestions?
Saltwater opens up a massive world of tiny fish that are suitable for tiny tanks, assuming you can keep up with maintenance.
My personal favorite, so far? The Yellow Clown Goby. Extremely colorful, active, hardy, and surprisingly personable, I couldn't recommend these guys more. I keep mine in a 3 gallon jar. I've had him for around a month (including QT), and have quickly decided that he's everything I want in a pico fish. I think this guy makes a better pico fish than a betta would, if I'm being honest.
Or, there's the Trimma Goby. These guys are going to vary by species, but most are going to be cooler water. They hail from waters north of Georgia (usually), so you'll want to give them temps between 60F-78F, depending on the species and what you're keeping with them. They're colorful, tiny (smaller than a clown goby), and not super uncommon. My favorite is the Spotted Trimma Goby. They'll do great in unheated tanks, as long as your room temperature is fairly consistent. The only reason I don't recommend these more is that cooler-water species limit what you can keep with them, especially as you get under around 70F. At that point, you're limited to very hardy tropical corals and some very hard-to-find temperate species.
In a 5.5, you could even do something like a Firefish, or even a single False Percula Clown. Personally, I think you'd be better off with a 10 for those guys. But, a 5.5 isn't crazy, either. Saltwater offers so many choices! It's a shame that we tell people to avoid small nano/pico reefs.
This was a bit off the wall, and kind of a ramble. But, it's been something I've been wanting to talk about for a long time, and get some opinions on.
Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any species to add or any opinions to share!
