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Fish for a 5 gallon tank

8 fish and 9 shrimp, snails or frogs fit a 5 gallon tank as adults. Five gallons suits one betta, a shrimp colony or a small group of the tiniest nano fish in a planted tank.

A species fits when its adult group fits this size of tank. Together they still have to share water and temperament: check your mix in the stocking checker.

BettaBettaChili rasboraChili rasboraClown killifishClown killifishDwarf rasboraDwarf rasboraEverglades pygmy sunfishEverglades pygmy sunfishExclamation point rasboraExclamation point rasbora

17 species

Scroll sideways to see them all. All drawn at one scale, adult size: = 1 inch. Tap one to open its care page.
Betta (Siamese fighting fish)

Betta

Semi-aggressive · Top · easy care

  • 3 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 76–82 °F
  • pH 6 to 7.5
  • one male per tank
Chili rasbora

Chili rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

  • 0.8 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 72–82 °F
  • pH 5 to 7
  • groups of 8+
Clown killifish

Clown killifish

Peaceful · Top · moderate care

  • 1.4 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 72–80 °F
  • pH 5.5 to 7
  • groups of 4+
Dwarf rasbora (spotted rasbora)

Dwarf rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

  • 1 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 75–82 °F
  • pH 5 to 7
  • groups of 8+
Least killifish

Least killifish

Peaceful · Middle · easy care

  • 1.2 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 64–80 °F
  • pH 7 to 8
  • groups of 6+
Phoenix rasbora

Phoenix rasbora

Peaceful · Middle · moderate care

  • 0.8 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 74–82 °F
  • pH 5 to 7
  • groups of 8+
Cherry shrimp

Cherry shrimp

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

  • 1.6 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 65–82 °F
  • pH 6.5 to 8
  • groups of 10+
Zebra nerite snail

Zebra nerite snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

  • 1 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 70–80 °F
  • pH 7 to 8.5
  • alone or pair
Assassin snail

Assassin snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

  • 1 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 72–80 °F
  • pH 7 to 8
  • alone or pair
Bladder snail

Bladder snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

  • 0.6 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 64–82 °F
  • pH 7 to 8.5
  • alone or pair
Ghost shrimp

Ghost shrimp

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

  • 2 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 65–80 °F
  • pH 7 to 8
  • groups of 3+
Horned nerite snail

Horned nerite snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

  • 0.5 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 72–80 °F
  • pH 7 to 8.5
  • alone or pair
Ramshorn snail

Ramshorn snail

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

  • 1 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 64–82 °F
  • pH 7 to 8
  • alone or pair
Thai micro crab

Thai micro crab

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

  • 1 in adult
  • 5+ gal
  • 70–82 °F
  • pH 6.5 to 7.3
  • groups of 3+

More fish lists

Fish for a 10 gallon tankFish for a 15 gallon tankFish for a 20 gallon tankFish for a 29 gallon tankFish for a 30 gallon tankFish for a 40 gallon tankFish for a 50 gallon tankFish for a 55 gallon tankFish for a 75 gallon tankFish for a 100 gallon tankFish for a 125 gallon tankBest fish for beginnersBetta tank matesGoldfish tank matesAngelfish tank matesShrimp-safe fishCold-water fishSchooling fishBottom-dwelling fishTop-dwelling fishAlgae eatersNano fishCenterpiece fishFish for hard waterFish for soft waterDither fishColorful freshwater fishAll fish

Names, and adult sizes where the article gives one, are checked against Wikipedia; care ranges are common hobby guidance, and each species page says which is which. 8 of these 17 are fish. Photos are real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, credited below; the lineup is our own drawing at one scale.

Photo credits

Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.