Setup of 5 gallon aquarium

Question
I just got my kids a 5 gallon Hex-5 for Christmas.  This is our first aquarium, so I wanted to start out small and see if we can even keep the fish alive before we move up to a larger aquarium.  I need advice on the best types of fish to get in the beginning.  If this experience goes okay, we will move up to a larger aquarium (maybe 30 gallons)when the tank starts to get overcrowded.  How fast do the smaller fish grow?  Are there any colorful (tropical) freshwater fish we can get for our 5 gallon tank that can be moved to a 30 gal. later?

Answer
Do you have a heater? If not, you must have a heater for tropical fish. If you cannot get a heater, the only fish you can keep in your tank would be goldfish, platys, and maybe guppies. If you get a heater, the possibilities are almost endless. Some good fish to get are:
small silver dollars (will NEED a bigger tank, fast grower)
small angelfish (will NEED a bigger tank, fast grower)
small bala sharks (will NEED a bigger tank, medium grower)
small algae eater (will NEED a bigger tank, grows slow)
small snails (will eventually need bigger tank, very slow grower)
cory catfish (will NEED a bigger tank, slow grower)

Some good fish who stay small:
Neons (very colorful and easy to care for)
Cherry barbs (bright red and easy to care for)
guppies (very colorful and easy to care for)
zebra danios (stripped like a zebra and easy to care for)
Most tetras (stay small, very colorful, come in a large variety, most all of them are easy to care for)

While all of these fish could be great choices you will need to decide which you will want, small fish or baby fish who will get bigger. If you want just small fish, I will give you a tank stocking option following and I will also give you options for the baby fish who get bigger.

Tank option #1 (fish who will need a bigger tank)

2 - small angelfish
2 - small cory catfish
1 - small algae eater

Tank #2 (will need bigger tank)

2 - small silver dollars
2 - small snails
1 - small algae eater

Tank #3 (will need bigger tank)

2 - small bala sharks
2 - small snails OR cory catfish
1 - small algae eater

Tank #4 (small fish who can remain in the 5 gallon for a while)

5 - neons
2 - black skirt tetras
1 - small algae eater (will grow very slowely, can remin in the 5 gallon for around 3-4 years)

Tank #5 (Can remain in 5 gal for a while)

3 - zebra danios
3 - neons
2 - small cory catfish
1-2 - small snails OR 1 - small algae eater

These are just some ideas, the key is to not overstock. All of these fish are easy to care for and should provide you and your family with a wonderful experience. However, with any fish, there is a chance of them not being able to handle the stress. Dont let a death or dieases stop you from continuing to care for fish. A bigger tank is easier to care for. I have a 30 gallon tank filled with medium silver dollars, angelfish, rainbow fish, and algae eaters and it basically takes care of itself. Once the tank is established well, it is a beautiful addition to any area and very educational. Also, do not get your fish from any large chain stores. Only get your fish from local independently owned stores. This helps give your fish a better chance of being better taken care of. Most of the large chain stores do not hire educated caregivers for thier fish and I have many questions about fish from these stores who have gotten a disease or parasite. The key is to buy from local stores and make sure the fish looks healthy, without any bumps, spots, or odd growths and is active and eating. There should never be a dead fish in the tank, if there is do not buy from that tank. Also, patience is key. It is tempting to go out and buy all the cute ones but you need to be sure they work together and they are healthy. Feel free to continue to ask me any questions about starting your new tank, I would love to help guide you through any questions you may have about stocking, feeding, which fish work together, and any other questions. Let me know if you need more help or clarity on any of my ideas. I hope I have helped. Let me know if you have any more questions.