# Fish for a Fluval Spec V



## SunnyNikki (Nov 7, 2014)

Hello! I recently decided that I would like to start a nano planted aquarium and I'm going with the Fluval Spec V. I need some suggestions for what fish to stock it with since it is such a small tank and I would hate to put something in it that can't handle it. Suggestions of plants and anything else are welcome too!


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## GreenNinja (Oct 30, 2014)

I'm currently planning fauna for my Spec V. I'm wavering between moving my strawberry rasbora (Boraras naevus) school from my 10 gallon OR getting a betta and frog. I feel like the rasboras are lost in the big tank because it is heavily planted and has a large piece of driftwood. But I worry they'll feel too confined in the Spec V after being in a larger tank. (I've been pondering this question for nearly two weeks...) 

TPT has a whole thread on Spec Vs. I got a lot of inspiration there.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I have a betta and like 15 strawberry rasbora in my spec V....no issues so far, and yes its kinda a heavy stock but I keep the water clean. And also important, the betta doesn't mind them at all, he's a really, really timid betta for whatever reason (shrug).


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## GreenNinja (Oct 30, 2014)

Betta and rasbora together? I was worried that'd top out my bio load. I also wanted to put either shrimp or a frog in that tank. Thoughts?


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## EndlerGame (Oct 19, 2013)

Endler's would be okay with shrimp or a frog. Small enough to be no threat to the shrimp, large and fast enough to avoid the frog, or anything else for that matter. I have dozens of male Endler's in a 55 gallon with a pair of breeding Angels, but they don't got eaten at all. However, the angels hunt down young Harlequin Rasboras relentlesly(which are small, but a bit bigger than the Endler's).

Espei Rasboras are smaller and slimmer than the Harlequins, but large enough to be appreciated... Some of these micro-rasboras are a bit too small for me, can't hardly see 'em. You could have a school of 6-7 w/ shrimp or frog in a well maintained Spec V, it's a "large" tank for its size...

Celestial Pearl Danios are also tiny, but have a cool, perfect, tiny pattern...they look almost like a trout in extreme miniature. And do well with shrimp. They look really nice in a well planted tank with a dark substrate, and with all the different colored Neo shrimp. My LFS has a really nice 7 gallon display like this with CPDs a few species of micro rasboras, and a few different colored shrimp, reds, blues, yellows.

As for plants, if you're sticking with stock lighting, you'll probably want to stick with Java Fern, Mosses, Anubias nana or "petite. Also, small crypts would work, _C. wendtii_ or _parva_. These plants together with some driftwood and rock will slowly fill in to form a thick jungle.

Some stems might also be possible with the stock light, but if you upgrade the lights, your options would increase, though ferts and/or CO2 might be needed with improved lighting.


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## SunnyNikki (Nov 7, 2014)

Thanks everyone, I'm definitely getting some good ideas  I'm definitely interested in CPDs although I haven't seen them in any pet shops around me, i'll just have to keep hunting them down!


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## GreenNinja (Oct 30, 2014)

I just stocked my tank today. Trying out a slight over stock with 8 strawberry/micro rasboras (boraras naevus) from my 10 gallon, one peaceful betta, and a tiny african dwarf frog. They joined my snail and I'm hoping everyone is still happy in the morning. The betta was completely ignoring the rasboras as far as I could tell. The LFS I got him from has most of their bettas spread out into community tanks, so he's already used to being housed with a group of smaller schooling fish. 

Can't wait to see what you stock in your tank!


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