Badis
1 species- Scarlet(Dario dario)COMMON19 L · 40 cmSolitary male
22–26°C · 5–15 dGH · pH 6.5–7.5
- Group in a 20 gallon tank or larger
- Initially require live food
Stocking a 5 gallon aquarium
The data behind this page
The Fishkeeping Network
Stocking guidelines: which species fit a tank, the group sizes they need, and the warnings that come with them.
The Aquarium Wiki (theaquariumwiki.com)
Water chemistry requirements: the pH, hardness and temperature each species is kept in.
Used under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Your water (optional)
°C
dGH
Your plan
Add fish with the “+ Add” buttons below to see if they will work together in your tank.
5 Gallon / 19 Liter
12 groups fit
Assumes the standard 40 × 20 cm footprint. Dimensions matter more than volume, so if your tank is shorter, enter its dimensions above.
Fish
Betta
1 species- Longfin Splendens(Betta splendens)COMMON19 L · 40 cmSolitary
24–28°C · 4–10 dGH · pH 6–7.8
Longfin (and Shortfin) splendens genetics are severely damaged
- Potentially community compatible in larger tanks
- Compatible with Snails & Clams, Potentially Compatible with Shrimp, incompatible with fish
Danios
1 species- Ethereal(Danionella cerebrum)19 L · 40 cmShoal 6+
~20–25°C · ~5–12 dGH · ~pH 6.5–7.5
Indostomus
1 species- Paradox Fish/Armored Stickleback/Toothpick Fish(Indostomus paradoxus)19 L · 40 cmTrio
24–28°C · 6–10 dGH · pH 6.5–7.5
- Require live food
- Require a very heavily planted tank
Killifish
8 species- Bluefin Notho(Nothobranchius rachovii)NothobranchiusCOMMON19 L · 40 cmLeast Shoaling (6+)
20–24°C · 3–10 dGH · pH 6–7
- Egger's(Nothobranchius eggersi)Nothobranchius19 L · 40 cmLeast Shoaling (6+)
24–28°C · 10–25 dGH · pH 7–8.2
- Foerschi(Nothobranchius foerschi)Nothobranchius19 L · 40 cmLeast Shoaling (6+)
22–26°C · 10–25 dGH · pH 6.5–7.5
- Gunther's(Nothobranchius guentheri)Nothobranchius19 L · 40 cmLeast Shoaling (6+)
22–25°C · 5–20 dGH · pH 7–8
- KisakiNothobranchius19 L · 40 cmLeast Shoaling (6+)
~22–27°C · ~10–25 dGH · ~pH 6.75–7.75
- Korthausae(Nothobranchius korthausae)Nothobranchius19 L · 40 cmLeast Shoaling (6+)
~22–27°C · ~10–25 dGH · ~pH 6.75–7.75
- Nothobranchius Pairs (Trio or Small Harem in a 10 gallon tank or larger, Large Harem in a 20 long tank)
Livebearers
2 species- Least Killifish(Heterandria formosa)COMMON19 L · 40 cmShoal 6+
16–24°C · 5–20 dGH · pH 7–8
Not killifish, they are livebearers
- Tiger Teddy(Neoheterandria elegans)19 L · 40 cmShoal 6+
~23–28°C · ~pH 7–8
Pygmy Sunfish
7 species- Alabamae(Elassoma alabamae)11 L · 22 cmSolitary
~10–25°C · ~6–16 dGH · ~pH 6–7.5
- Boehlkei(Elassoma boehlkei)11 L · 22 cmSolitary
10–25°C · 6–16 dGH · pH 5.5–7.2
- Evergladei(Elassoma evergladei)11 L · 22 cmSolitary
10–30°C · 3–15 dGH · pH 6–8
- Gilberti(Elassoma gilberti)11 L · 22 cmSolitary
15–24°C · 5–12 dGH · pH 6.5–7.5
- Okatie(Elassoma okatie)11 L · 22 cmSolitary
10–23°C · 6–16 dGH · pH 6.5–7.5
- Okefenokee(Elassoma okefenokee)11 L · 22 cmSolitary
4–30°C · 6–20 dGH · pH 6–8
- Colonies permissible in extremely dense tanks
- Require Live Food
- Require a very heavily planted tank
Invertebrates
Clams/Mussels
1 species- Clams/Mussels(Anodonta anatina)11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
22–28°C · 8–10 dGH · pH 6.5–8
Crabs
4 species- Pom Pom(Ptychognathus barbatus)11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
~22–27°C · ~8–12 dGH · ~pH 6.5–7.5
Very difficult to keep
- Thai Micro(Limnopilos naiyanetri)COMMON11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
22–26°C · 8–12 dGH · pH 7.2–8
- Blue Legged Hermit(Clibanarius tricolor)COMMONBRACKISH19 L · 40 cmSolitary; Groups
22–26°C · 8–12 dGH · pH 8.1–8.4
- Ghost Dwarf19 L · 40 cmSolitary; Groups
~22–27°C · ~8–12 dGH · ~pH 7–8
Scuds
1 species- Scuds(Hyalella azteca)11 L · 22 cmGroup
10–26°C · 8–18 dGH · pH 6.5–8.5
- Can be kept in smaller tanks
Shrimp
7 species- Amazon Zebra(Euryrhynchus amazoniensis)11 L · 22 cmGroup
~3–10 dGH · ~pH 5–6
- Caridina(Caridina multidentata)COMMON11 L · 22 cmGroup
18–27°C · 6–10 dGH · pH 6–7.5
- Fairy11 L · 22 cmGroup
~3–10 dGH · ~pH 7–8
Fairy Shrimp can be kept in Smaller Tanks
- Ghost(Palaemonetes paludosus)COMMON11 L · 22 cmGroup
20–29°C · 3–10 dGH · pH 7–8
- Halocaridina/Opae Ula(Halocaridina rubra)BRACKISH11 L · 22 cmGroup
22–28°C · 2–15 dGH · pH 7.5–8
- Neocaridina/Cherry(Neocaridina heteropoda)COMMON11 L · 22 cmGroup
22–28°C · 8–12 dGH · pH 6.4–8.4
Snails
11 species- Assassin(Anentome helena)COMMON11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
23–27°C · 8–15 dGH · pH 7.2–8
Actively eat other snails, eggs, and recently molted invertebrates
- Bladder(Physa acuta)COMMON11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
18–25°C · 6–12 dGH · pH 7.2–8.5
- Hairy(Thiara cancellata)11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
22–26°C · 8–15 dGH · ~pH 7–8
- Limpet Nerite(Septaria porcellana)11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
23–28°C · 8–15 dGH · ~pH 7–8
- Malaysian Trumpet(Melanoides tuberculata)COMMON11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
18–30°C · 6–15 dGH · pH 7–8
- Mud11 L · 22 cmSolitary or Groups
~8–15 dGH · ~pH 7–8
- All except Assassin, Limpet Nerite, & Hairy Reproduce Asexually
The stocking planner tells you if your tank plan can work, but it cannot say how hard it will be to maintain.
To figure out what it will actually take to keep your tank healthy long term given your specific tank setup, water type, environment, etc. you can run your tank through the simulator.