# What center piece fish would you put in a 5.5 gallon?



## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

I'm looking for a centerpiece fish for my 5.5 gallon besides a betta. I love betta's but already have as many as I want.
Any suggestions are welcome.
I'll take fish that should be in pairs or groups as well. I'm really looking for as many options as possible. Just tell me how many are needed and what is ideal for them.

It's getting time to finalize my stocking list and order my fish for my little nano... So I would love whatever you guys have in mind. If you guys happen to know a source for the fish that would be even better lol..


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Forgot to mention that I do have a school of corydoras habrosus in there. So It has to play nice with them.


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## nalu86 (Oct 19, 2010)

How big is your school of S&P corys?
The tank is only a 5.5 gal, you can't put a lot more fish in there.
IMO tanks in the 5 to 10G range are betta or shrimptanks...


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

Sparkling gouramis are great nano centerpiece fish

Max 1.5" full of personality.


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## raven_wilde (Jul 12, 2006)

+1 on the Sparkling Gouramis.

I have a pair in my 30 gallon... sooooo fun to watch, and they make a cool chirping/clicking noise when they display to one another!


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

Your center piece fish is the betta. Depending on the number of corys, I believe you are maxed out already. You should have at least 4 of the corys and that puts the tank at it's limit. If you have less than 4 of the corys get more corys. Another option is to get 2 African dwarf frogs. They usually get along with bettas.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

^ I don't think the OP has a betta in the tank

I agree that you can't fit much more in there if you have a proper school of corys.


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## msharper (Aug 19, 2011)

As long as the tank is well planted and the OP keeps up with water changes he could have 5 cories and a pair of sparkling gouramis in a 5.5 gallon without issue.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

From my personal experience dwarf corys do better in larger groups. In smaller groups they tend to hide alot. I've never kept hasbrosus but I know the hastatus I kept were all over the tank, not just near the bottom like larger cories.


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## Fish Ed (Oct 25, 2011)

Sparkling gourami or Scarlet Badis(Dario dario). But scaret badis is hard to find.
There's little choice when stocking a 5 gallon.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

I guess I read his post wrong. But even without a betta in the tank, a 5.5 gal is really too small for almost any fish. I would add shrimp or dwarf frogs.


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## Coursair (Apr 16, 2011)

+1 Scarlet Badis or
Sparkling Gourami

Or get Shrimp


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Ah shrimp... I would love shrimp tank...
However my water conditions do not allow it....

I thought of dario dario but they are always so bland when I see them..
Sparkling gourami's always sound cool but I have never seen on in person. They seem to be a bit plain. Is this not so? Pictures of fish never do them justice no matter how hard the photographer tries.

Any other fish? Perhaps more unusual. 

My cories do spend some time exploring all the different levels of the tanks. But for the majority of the day they are at the bottom doing normal cory things.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

After some looking on youtube.... sparkling gourami's look beautiful. That sheen is just amazing.

For stocking them. Do I need a male to female ratio? Or does it matter?
Also... I think my tank has a bit too much flow for them as well. My cories don;t mind the flow but I think they will. My aquaclear is already on its lowest setting. 
How can I slow down to flow further for them?


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## LB79 (Nov 18, 2011)

Dario dario may be drab when young, but there's a reason they're called scarlet badis. They get 1.2-1.5 inches, they're full of personality, and they aren't aggressive. Sparkling gouramis would be just as good. I would go with a 1 to 2 male/female ratio, but you're already pretty well-stocked with your cories in there, so just having a single sparkling gourami would be a better way to go.

What do you feed? If their diet includes live or frozen daphnia, you might try crocodile toothpick fish. Talk about an oddball.

Another 'different' fish is the clown killifish. Clowns rarely get over .9 inches, but they do like their live or frozen baby Artemia (brineshimp).

Natural guppies are really beautiful, but I'm not sure that's what you're looking for.

Kuhli loaches? They're... unique.


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## Fish Ed (Oct 25, 2011)

Oh yes, killifish is a good choice too. They're small and most killifish's natural habitat is in small puddles and ponds. But, You should get a cover, as they are jumpers.

I'm pretty sure kuhli loach needs a larger tank.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Maybe male endlers?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

No endlers... pretty but not really what I'm looking for.... 
Killifish have never appealed to me... I know they are colourful and pretty but to me they kind exude ugly... In a sexy way...
Sparkling gourami's caught my eye with a little more research, But some are way drabber than others... Why is this? I would only want them if they are colourful.
Dario Dario are bright but Even the brightest ones are drab shade of red to me.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

You said your water is not good for shrimp. What is your water like?


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

Eldachleich said:


> No endlers... pretty but not really what I'm looking for....
> Killifish have never appealed to me... I know they are colourful and pretty but to me they kind exude ugly... In a sexy way...
> Sparkling gourami's caught my eye with a little more research, But some are way drabber than others... Why is this? I would only want them if they are colourful.
> Dario Dario are bright but Even the brightest ones are drab shade of red to me.


Give Chili Rasboras a try, man they are BRIGHT red.


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## sockfish (Jul 11, 2007)

How about a powder blue dwarf guorami? They are lovely too...

sox


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

Eldachleich said:


> No endlers... pretty but not really what I'm looking for....
> Killifish have never appealed to me... I know they are colourful and pretty but to me they kind exude ugly... In a sexy way...
> Sparkling gourami's caught my eye with a little more research, But some are way drabber than others... Why is this? I would only want them if they are colourful.
> Dario Dario are bright but Even the brightest ones are drab shade of red to me.





sockfish said:


> How about a powder blue dwarf guorami? They are lovely too...
> 
> sox


They get just a tad too big for a 5.5 gal.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Lol...
I'm looking for something smaller than the dwarf gourami.. and bigger than the endlers and chili rasbora's... 
Anyone got any info on the sparkling gourami's?
I would really like ot know more about them?


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

Eldachleich said:


> Lol...
> I'm looking for something smaller than the dwarf gourami.. and bigger than the endlers and chili rasbora's...
> Anyone got any info on the sparkling gourami's?
> I would really like ot know more about them?


Have great personalities, and when they are happy in the tank they look great. You can easily see their blue eyes across the room. They do have subtle colors, but are a great fish. they have nice iridecent blue scales along their sides. Pictures really do not do them justice. The colors are not "pop out quickly notice them" bright, but they are a very nice looking fish. 

Here is a video I found of a couple of males displaying to each other (and if you listen carefully, you can hear them chirp)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxK3Y1MtFjA


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Noahma said:


> Have great personalities, and when they are happy in the tank they look great. You can easily see their blue eyes across the room. They do have subtle colors, but are a great fish. they have nice iridecent blue scales along their sides. Pictures really do not do them justice. The colors are not "pop out quickly notice them" bright, but they are a very nice looking fish.
> 
> Here is a video I found of a couple of males displaying to each other (and if you listen carefully, you can hear them chirp)
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxK3Y1MtFjA


Thats the video I saw!!
I love the way those look.... Do they all look like that or is it only while they are displaying...? It would be great if they were that colour the whole time...

I would love a pair... Does it matter what gender they are or are they pretty peaceful?


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## Fish Ed (Oct 25, 2011)

Fish smaller than dwarf gourami and bigger than chili rasbora and endler. How about, Pygmy rasbora, axelrod rasbora or celestial pearl danio?

Each will only grow to about 1 inch. But I'm not so sure if you can put in a 5.5gal, because I searched up each of them for their tank size, it's always different on different websites. Some will be 10g, 20g or 5g. So I'm not so sure. And If it can put in a 5 gallon, I think it's over-stock since there's already cories.

I think sparkling gourami is your best choice.


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