Tempory Tank

[Fishtoe]

Hello, im looking to get a new tank as my current one is starting to look a bit too small for the fish, Im only going to be living where i am at the moment for another 9 months longer so i need the smallest possible tank to accomidate for my fish, after the move i will get another larger tank for their permanent home.

I have
3 Angelfish
1 Pleco
1 Shark
2 Albino Corydoras
1 loach

Its quite a young community, with the Anglefish at tallest 3inchs and Plec being longest at 3 inchs

Any help appreciated

 

[The-Raven]

Hello, im looking to get a new tank as my current one is starting to look a bit too small for the fish, Im only going to be living where i am at the moment for another 9 months longer so i need the smallest possible tank to accomidate for my fish, after the move i will get another larger tank for their permanent home.

I have
3 Angelfish
1 Pleco
1 Shark
2 Albino Corydoras
1 loach

Its quite a young community, with the Anglefish at tallest 3inchs and Plec being longest at 3 inchs

Any help appreciated

This forum is notorious for just repeating 'get a larger tank' over and over.

Why do you need a temporary tank? And how large is your current one?

If you're going to be moving soon, I would say just hold off and keep your money until you can upgrade to a larger permenant tank... but that's because I'm just a poor college student whose only pay check comes from the military.

 

[Fishtoe]

because a smaller tank is easier to move then a bigger one,
my current tank is 15 Gal, none of my tanks will go to waste they will just get re-used for different purposes.

 

[The-Raven]

because a smaller tank is easier to move then a bigger one,
my current tank is 15 Gal, none of my tanks will go to waste they will just get re-used for different purposes.

I would say your current one is fine for now if you're going to buy a new one when you move in to your other place. Since putting all the time and effort into cycling a new tank only to have it be 'temporary' in my view would be a waste

 

[nc_nutcase]

you sort of have a catch 22 there...

Cycling won't be too hard as long as you use aspects of your established tank in your new tank (put gravel from the established tank in nylon stockings and put them on the substrate of the new tank while cycling, this is often referred to as 'planting' your new tank).

If you can hold off... I would... but if you can't... you have a tough decision...

It makes sense to get a small (10-20 Gal) tank since you are moving soon... but my mind thinks... if I'm going to spend more money on fish stuff it's going to be to upgrade...

So that would make me want to get a larger tank.


In defense of those of us (yea... I know... I'm one of them...) who frequently holler, "get a bigger tank!" it is for two primary reasons. First... in my experience I usually end up wishing I had gotten a bigger tank (recently decided to get a 55 Gal... now wish I had gone with the 90...). Secondly, although fish can survive in a tank that is too small, their living conditions are below standard and why keep a pet if your initial plan is to neglect it? We keep a 100 lb American Bulldog in a 6' x 6' cage... even if we never let him out he wouldn’t die... but God would he be miserable! Well... we take him on daily walks... you gonna drive your fish to the lake everyday for some additional exercise?

*Note: this last paragraph is not directed at anyone specifically. When I said “you” that was the vague random “you” I didn’t mean you! lol

 

[pica_nuttalli]

yeah, i agree that its a bit much to buy a slightly bigger tank when in just a few months you'll get a much bigger tank... but those angels do sound a bit cramped.

you could purchase a small (5 or 7) gallon hex and put the angels in there for a bit. a hex tank is generally speaking easier to incorporate into a room and offers a lot of vertical space (good for angels). you can get a 5g set from Walmart for ~$35, and i know i've seen 7g sets somewhere for not much more. a small tank wouldn't take long to cycle if you use seed material and would be great later for owning a couple of smaller "display" type fish (dwarf puffers, a betta--you know, small non-community fish)

 

[Fishtoe]

Ok thanks for the helpful info, that (planting) thing with the gravel sounds interestings, thanks for the info, youve been most helpful, i dont really like doing things by halfs either but i was just getting worried about my angels