New to Your Home · Aquatic
The 5-Gallon Fish Tank
Safely Stocking Micro-Fish and Shrimp
A small tank is less forgiving than a big one, so it needs a lighter hand. 10 lessons on the nano bio-load rule, celestial pearl danios and chili rasboras, the scarlet badis and its live-food needs, pea puffers and their snail diet, safe sponge filters, evaporation and topping off, when a betta nano tank works, micro-aquascaping for scale, keeping temperature steady in small water, and the shrimp-only nano tank.
About this course
A 5-gallon tank fits on a desk, but it has very little water to absorb mistakes. This course starts with the nano bio-load rule: one overfed meal or a hidden dead snail can push ammonia up within hours, so you stock lightly, choose tiny fish and keep up with weekly maintenance. Paola gave up on little tanks years ago for exactly that reason, which is why this course leans on stocking light and testing often. Next you'll meet fish that suit small water: celestial pearl danios, chili rasboras, the scarlet badis that needs live foods like baby brine shrimp and microworms, and the pea puffer, which needs snails to wear down its beak and doesn't belong with slow or long-finned fish. Then the equipment: why sponge filters are safer than strong intakes, and why evaporation concentrates minerals and how to top off. You'll see when a solo betta tank works, how fine wood, botanicals and carpet plants make a small tank look bigger, and how to keep temperature steady with a small heater away from vents and drafts. The course ends with a shrimp-only tank kept free of copper.
What you'll learn
- The nano bio-load rule: stock lightly, choose tiny fish and keep up weekly maintenance
- Celestial pearl danios, chili rasboras, and the live-food needs of the scarlet badis
- Pea puffers and their snail diet, and why sponge filters protect tiny fish and shrimp
- How evaporation concentrates minerals, and when to top off with RO or tap water
- When a solo betta nano tank works, and scaping a small tank for scale
- Keeping temperature steady in small water, and setting up a copper-free shrimp-only tank
Who this is for
Desk and dorm keepers with room for only a small tank; parents choosing a first 5-gallon setup for a betta or shrimp; and keepers drawn to chili rasboras, pea puffers or scarlet badis who want to stock them safely.
Course outline (10 modules)
Quiz & Certificate
Knowledge quiz
After completing all lessons, take a short quiz to test your understanding.
Go to quiz →Completion certificate
Pass the quiz and earn a shareable certificate of completion.
View certificate →Frequently asked questions
Ready to get started?
$9.99 · Lifetime access · 10 lessons