Fish that hides and/or digs in sand- for a nano tank.

by **renee** » Sat Nov 05, 2016 2:26 pm

I used to have a 150 gallon tank, but I moved, and my current apartment complex doesn't allow tanks over 10 gallons. Hence, I am now the proud owner of a 5 gallon nano tank.

I have got it up and running, and the water is now ready for some fish.

In my large tank my favorite fish were the ones that tried to hide, like my Black Ghost Knifefish.

I bought a small hiding rock, now I just need to find someone to live in it. I would love any suggestions, for small fish, that could live in my tank.

I'm currently thinking of getting one or two live plants and then a little hiding or digging fish.

Thanks.

by **kate_kuhli** » Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:34 pm

Peacock gudgeons would be a good bet. They love a planted tank with some hiding places and they only get to about 3" long. They're fine for a 5 gallon tank but it would probably be best to only get one for a tank that size. Or possibly 2 females. Definitely make sure you don't get 2 males though - they'd fight.

by **fish123** » Mon Nov 07, 2016 12:03 am

I think you could do kuhli loaches? They definitely dig and hide a lot but when they're out and about they're very fun to watch. They also are unique looking, if you'd like a "different" looking fish (I mention this because of your black knife fish you used to have).

by **blenny** » Mon Nov 07, 2016 5:06 am

Shrimp and snails perhaps? Not fish, obviously, but they're another possibility since many shrimp and snail species will dig and hide and you could mix them with most fish that are suitable for nano tanks.

by **kate_kuhli** » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:46 am

fish123 wrote:I think you could do kuhli loaches? They definitely dig and hide a lot but when they're out and about they're very fun to watch. They also are unique looking, if you'd like a "different" looking fish (I mention this because of your black knife fish you used to have).

Why didn't I think of kuhlis! Haha I'm a big fan of them as you can see from my username.

I'm actually not sure if they would be okay in a 5 gallon though. I tend to see 10 gallons as a minimum for them, but a 5gal might be enough space for a small group of them.

by **friend_of_fish** » Mon Nov 07, 2016 7:24 am

Pygmy cories. Being cories they like to dig and I think they're more shy than other cories, so they frequently hide. However, your tank may not be large enough. Cories are an active species.

Otocinclus catfish, but they're very sensitive.

Some kind of tiny asian woodcat? They're known for being very elusive and like to come out of hiding at night. I don't know if there's any small enough for a 5 gallon, though.

Fish that hides and/or digs in sand- for a nano tank.

6 posts