5 Gallon Tank Gifted Tank - Do I need to buy a bigger one?

Hello,
So basically we adopted this 5 gallon tank from a family who didn’t want it. I don’t know a lot about fish but we’ve been watching these aquascaping videos on YouTube and have been casually considering it as a hobby since the kids like watching them.
After further research I’m a bit intimidated now with the whole nitrogen cycle and sudden dead fish and whatnot. We were given water conditioner and this bacterial supplement for new tanks along with ph strips after we cleaned the tank and kept a bit of their old tank water. Also came with salt for hatching brine shrimp for food. The existing fish in the tank we adopted were I think a male turquoise guppy, a Siamese algae eater and a shrimp of some sort. Now for this size I know the guppy and shrimp are fine but apparently this algae eater needs at least 20 gallons?! We just ordered new filter replacements but now I’m worried he’ll create too much waste and not be healthy in this small environment. My kid of course had already named him/her so that’s that.
Advice? Should I continue this endeavour and invest in a 20 gallon tank and keep this one or did I over commit to this free 5 gallon setup haha. The heater is only 25 watts so now if I buy a new tank I’d need a bigger heater and filter and more rocks/plants etc too. I have no idea how to start it from scratch . Well I have a small idea but I hear it takes time to do properly. Please ease my anxiety with some experienced advice . Adopt out algae eater? Buy bigger tank? Or perhaps this endeavour is too much for us with young toddlers...

 

Welcome to Fishlore!

If it has been set up for awhile it probably is already cycled. I would just leave it as is for now if the kiddos are enjoying it. You can read stuff and not worry. You will know when the SAE is getting too big.

My advise is:
Purchase a API Master Freshwater liquid test kit. It will be worlds easier to test with and you need more than pH.
You will need Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate too.

The filter replacements you just ordered.....Don't replace them every month like they say. Just clean them in tank water when you do a water change. Most of the "Cycle" / Beneficial Bacteria is concentrated on that filter pad/cartridge. If it gets dirty and kinda clogging you can cut a slit and get the carbon out. You don't need it anyway. You can change them but I would not do it often. Just rip the cloth off and put it in there with the new cartridge.

There's a couple things. Any more questions just ask. Kinda go slowly and not bombard you!

 

Welcome to Fishlore!

If it has been set up for awhile it probably is already cycled. I would just leave it as is for now if the kiddos are enjoying it. You can read stuff and not worry. You will know when the SAE is getting too big.

My advise is:
Purchase a API Master Freshwater liquid test kit. It will be worlds easier to test with and you need more than pH.
You will need Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate too.

The filter replacements you just ordered.....Don't replace them every month like they say. Just clean them in tank water when you do a water change. Most of the "Cycle" / Beneficial Bacteria is concentrated on that filter pad/cartridge. If it gets dirty and kinda clogging you can cut a slit and get the carbon out. You don't need it anyway. You can change them but I would not do it often. Just rip the cloth off and put it in there with the new cartridge.

There's a couple things. Any more questions just ask. Kinda go slowly and not bombard you!

Oh wow I wouldn’t even know that about the filter so thank you! Hahah.
yes I’m not sure how old the fish are but I assume young. The SAE is so fast I could already kind of tell he seemed a bit much for this tiny tank. So maybe adjust to this tank before getting a bigger one for him? I will look into the tester kit. The water strips we had tested for multiple things I believe. How much time do I have hahahah

 

Welcome to FishLore! Congratulations on your first tank! Good job doing research and learning how to care for your new pets.

 

If you wanted to get a twenty gallo, its not as intimidating as it looks(except for money ofc)

Ok, so first, you'd need to get the twenty gallon, wherever you need to.
Sand/gravel is not important at the moment, you could add it after the necessities are done. (Aka water and filter)
You should not replace the filters. The filters are the source of the Beneficial Bacteria. I personally only do mine if the filter is not washing off with tank water (Once in about 4 or 5 months). Even then, you have to be careful with that, you don't want to do a water change if you replace a filter at all. If the filter is dirty, wash with tank water.
Get the twenty gallon filter, get the water, and put the filter from the five gallon temporarily in the twenty gallon, which allows you to massively speed up your cycle in the twenty gallon.

You dont need to worry at the moment, since your Siamese Algae Eater(SAE) isn't too big. When it does, you'll know. I would say go slow, maybe get the twenty gallon, but you can be no stress with that.


What I'M concerned about is the fish the pictures, especially the guppy. It seems the previous owners didn't do too good of a job... That guppy looks strange on the back. Probably a genetic issue, but just watch out for that.

Thank you for researching on your new pets, a lot of people don't do that, and you took the time to care for these properly. Welcome to Fishlore, and if you have any more questions, just ask!

 

Oh wow I wouldn’t even know that about the filter so thank you! Hahah.
yes I’m not sure how old the fish are but I assume young. The SAE is so fast I could already kind of tell he seemed a bit much for this tiny tank. So maybe adjust to this tank before getting a bigger one for him? I will look into the tester kit. The water strips we had tested for multiple things I believe. How much time do I have hahahah

It usually takes give or take a month to Fishless Cycle a tank. If you want to keep the SAE you may as well start now if you have the means to. Or the Wants to...lol ...They will be Ok for a bit. If he looks like hes stressed you may want to re home him.

I would plan on at least 50% water changes weekly. Make sure you use Dechlorinator and temperature match the water you are adding back in.

SPECIAL ALERT!!!! Hide the food up very high. Them littles really like to "feed" the fish whole cans of food!

 

If you wanted to get a twenty gallo, its not as intimidating as it looks(except for money ofc)

Ok, so first, you'd need to get the twenty gallon, wherever you need to.
Sand/gravel is not important at the moment, you could add it after the necessities are done. (Aka water and filter)
You should not replace the filters. The filters are the source of the Beneficial Bacteria. I personally only do mine if the filter is not washing off with tank water (Once in about 4 or 5 months). Even then, you have to be careful with that, you don't want to do a water change if you replace a filter at all. If the filter is dirty, wash with tank water.
Get the twenty gallon filter, get the water, and put the filter from the five gallon temporarily in the twenty gallon, which allows you to massively speed up your cycle in the twenty gallon.

You dont need to worry at the moment, since your Siamese Algae Eater(SAE) isn't too big. When it does, you'll know. I would say go slow, maybe get the twenty gallon, but you can be no stress with that.


What I'M concerned about is the fish the pictures, especially the guppy. It seems the previous owners didn't do too good of a job... That guppy looks strange on the back. Probably a genetic issue, but just watch out for that.

Thank you for researching on your new pets, a lot of people don't do that, and you took the time to care for these properly. Welcome to Fishlore, and if you have any more questions, just ask!

Ok this is great advice thank you. I will keep the filter for the 20 gallon. I’ll take my time looking for one. Glad he’s still young.
Omg noooo not the guppy?!! I don’t know anything but I thought his fins were a bit sad. Is there anything I can do? Should I add any of the salt? (Apparently it helps with wounds etc)

 

Ok this is great advice thank you. I will keep the filter for the 20 gallon. I’ll take my time looking for one. Glad he’s still young.
Omg noooo not the guppy?!! I don’t know anything but I thought his fins were a bit sad. Is there anything I can do? Should I add any of the salt? (Apparently it helps with wounds etc)

I would start with a good water change. Clean water helps more than anything.

 

I would start with a good water change. Clean water helps more than anything.

That’s the first thing we did. It was pretty bad... they seem fairly active right now so I’ll feel better after a week or two I think.

 

Do you have a gravel vacuum?

 

Do you have a gravel vacuum?

Ah. I do not! That would make sense. We did everything by hand after transport .
We also want a magnetic tank cleaner for walls I think.

 

Ah. I do not! That would make sense. We did everything by hand after transport .
We also want a magnetic tank cleaner for walls I think.

They have some pretty small size ones for small tanks.
Oh and the Shrimp looks like a Amano shrimp or Ghost shrimp.

 

They have some pretty small size ones for small tanks.
Oh and the Shrimp looks like a Amano shrimp or Ghost shrimp.

It’s funny because the videos we were watching on YouTube had Amano and cherry shrimp and now I want some for my little tank haha

 

welcome to the forum, and enjoy your new hobby. A larger tank is easier to keep things balanced...just fear of the unknown...lol. You have found the correct forum to give you all the help you need, or may need in the future.

 

welcome to the forum, and enjoy your new hobby. A larger tank is easier to keep things balanced...just fear of the unknown...lol. You have found the correct forum to give you all the help you need, or may need in the future.

Thank you! I may look for a bigger one

 

It’s funny because the videos we were watching on YouTube had Amano and cherry shrimp and now I want some for my little tank haha

And Multiple tank syndrome has already kicked in...lol

 

And Multiple tank syndrome has already kicked in...lol

lol! It’s YouTube’s fault.

 

lol! It’s YouTube’s fault.

It will also be Fishlores fault too.

 

Ok this is great advice thank you. I will keep the filter for the 20 gallon. I’ll take my time looking for one. Glad he’s still young.
Omg noooo not the guppy?!! I don’t know anything but I thought his fins were a bit sad. Is there anything I can do? Should I add any of the salt? (Apparently it helps with wounds etc)

Can you get a good pic? Its probably just bad looking on my part.

 

Can you get a good pic? Its probably just bad looking on my part.

It’s tricky he’s so active!!

Can you get a good pic? Its probably just bad looking on my part.

 

Shrimp looks like an amano.

 

Shrimp looks like an amano.

Yes I wasn’t sure! I want to get more

 

Hello,
So basically we adopted this 5 gallon tank from a family who didn’t want it. I don’t know a lot about fish but we’ve been watching these aquascaping videos on YouTube and have been casually considering it as a hobby since the kids like watching them.
After further research I’m a bit intimidated now with the whole nitrogen cycle and sudden dead fish and whatnot. We were given water conditioner and this bacterial supplement for new tanks along with ph strips after we cleaned the tank and kept a bit of their old tank water. Also came with salt for hatching brine shrimp for food. The existing fish in the tank we adopted were I think a male turquoise guppy, a Siamese algae eater and a shrimp of some sort. Now for this size I know the guppy and shrimp are fine but apparently this algae eater needs at least 20 gallons?! We just ordered new filter replacements but now I’m worried he’ll create too much waste and not be healthy in this small environment. My kid of course had already named him/her so that’s that.
Advice? Should I continue this endeavour and invest in a 20 gallon tank and keep this one or did I over commit to this free 5 gallon setup haha. The heater is only 25 watts so now if I buy a new tank I’d need a bigger heater and filter and more rocks/plants etc too. I have no idea how to start it from scratch . Well I have a small idea but I hear it takes time to do properly. Please ease my anxiety with some experienced advice . Adopt out algae eater? Buy bigger tank? Or perhaps this endeavour is too much for us with young toddlers...

If you want a great planted tank, I recommend using the "Walstad Method". It's very rewarding and allows you to do less maintenance on the tank. However, it would be quite difficult for an amateur to pull off. The book "ecology of the planted aquarium", has some incredibly well written information on this topic, and I highly recommend it. It taught me way more than expected.

There's a lot to learn about aquarium keeping. Good luck!

 

It’s tricky he’s so active!!

Looks like she has fin rot, and possibly a genetic disorder(that shouldn’t cause too many problems). Clean water will help regrow those fins.