I just got a 5 gallon tank and I wanted to get 1 bamboo shrimp and 2 ADF's and I was wondering will they be fighting for food or even if I bring a little catfish in will the Catfish push the shrimp and frogs out of the way. What do you guys recomend? First post go easy...
Bamboo Shrimp vs African Dwarf Frog vs Catfish
- Thread starter Coug555
- Start date
Welcome to AC! Glad you’re checking us out before buying fish!Coug555 said:
Humm, a 5g is pretty small, not a lot can be put into that size tank. Most catfishes you see in the stores get huge and get big fast. The only ‘catfish’ I would say might work is an Otto. http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_oto.php They are small and stay small, while I’m not a fan of having ottos in anything smaller then a 10g, people have done it with success.
Bamboo shrimp get pretty big too. My first thought would be no, not just for the size but because filter feeder shrimp are also quite a bit different from other types of shrimp and from my understanding are best suited for larger, mature tanks. However I have never kept one so someone with more experience might feel differently…
One or two ADF’s might work well for this size tank. Of the three that would be my pick, but there are smaller varieties of fish you can keep in a 5g, like Least Killies and Endlers livebearers. Both can be found for cheep online and in your local fish store depending on your area. These are much easier to keep for people new to the hobby where ADF’s are very picky about water quality and can be difficult to feed.
Hopfully you'll get some more oppinions.
No way you can have more than one bamboo shrimp in a 5g, they can get anywhere from 8-12cm, http://www.petshrimp.com/bambooshrimp.html. Personally one is questionable, they would be hard to care for in such a small tank, which is why most people suggest a planted, mature tank for filter feeders.hondamx said:
Cherry shrimp are very neat, I have quite a few in my nano tank (see specs below). You can order them from Aquabid, I have been very happy with my purchases.Coug555 said:
Its not like the bamboos need swimming room. They just hang out and filter the water. You may have to add some micro algae or plankton so they dont run out of food. Make sure the tank is well cycled. I'd suggest a live plant or two. A small fw shrimp type such as a ghost shrimp wouldnt be a bad choice to help clean up the bottom (instead of a catfish). Maybe add an endler or two (same sex or it will end up a lot more).
I would avoid the bamboo for now, too. They do get quite large, and I was told on the petshrimp.com forum not to even put one in a 10 gal. They're very neat guys and I can't wait to get another one. My other one climbed out of the tank, due to high nitrates (I was bad about tank cleaning then, but have reformed 
). So they're very sensitive to water quality.
True, as Devon said, they don't swim around and need room in that way. But I just think it's unfair to force it to live in a tank too small for its 3-4 inch maximum size.
). So they're very sensitive to water quality.True, as Devon said, they don't swim around and need room in that way. But I just think it's unfair to force it to live in a tank too small for its 3-4 inch maximum size.