Baby Biorb Advice

[pablothebetta]

Stocking
I've just taken my betta out of there, so I'm not sure if it would work for another, what do you think? Alternatively, what about a few male guppies? Any other ideas? I can appriciate this is a very small tank (15L), making stocking it hard.

Filter Stuff
I orginionally planned to take out the undergravel and try to put in a small internal, but I'm thinking with the tank being so small as it is and the sides being so curved, it's going to be very difficult to find one that will fit the tank and attatch to it. There'd be a heater in there too, making it even more crowded. Therefore, I had an idea. As my main issue was with waste becoming trapped & tearing the fins of my betta, would some glass pebbles work? I know they don't have the same surface area for the "beneficial Bacteria" to grow on which was their main purpose in the tank according to Reef One, but could they work as a substrate? It'd mean waste wouldn't be so easily trapped.
This obviously depends on whether I actually put anything in it, I know someone who would be very interested in keeping a betta in there. I am aware that many people on some forums seem to keep their bettas in filtered & heated tanks as small as 2/2.5 gallons, so could a figure closer to 4 gallons work? I don't want to stuff one in there if it won't be happy, especially with me just getting my betta out of there, though I suppose it might make a healthier environment without the waste being trapped in the media (?).

Thanks for the advice

 

[Fishy friend2]

i dont think that any fish can be kept in there, because it is like less than 4 gallons, so i wouldn't get guppies

 

[Dieses Madchen]

A snail or a shrimp maybe

 

[pablothebetta]

i dont think that any fish can be kept in there, because it is like less than 4 gallons, so i wouldn't get guppies

So you'd be against the idea of a betta, too?

 

[Fishy friend2]

So would you be against the betta too?

i dont think that any fish can be kept in there, because it is like less than 4 gallons, so i wouldn't get guppies

So you'd be against the idea of a betta, too?

yes i would be against having a betta in a baby biorb

 

[pablothebetta]

That is dissapointing I was hoping to be able to get away with it, would it have to be a shrimp-only setup, then?

 

[Man of fish]

Why would you be against it? Some people put bettas in half gallon bowls. I'm sure it shortens their life though maybe.

 

[Fishy friend2]

That is dissapointing I was hoping to be able to get away with it, would it have to be a shrimp-only setup, then?

well actually i keep one of my bettas in a 2.5 gallon but the only reason that i said no to the baby biorb is because of the filter, to me it seems like way to much flow for a betta, but now that i am reading that you are going to replace it i think that you could get away with a betta in there.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

With adequate filtration and frequent water changes, a betta will be okay in the baby bio-orb. the only problem is, it may be cramped to the betta. I firmly believe this depends on the betta. I had a betta do fine in a 1g tank. He preferred it actually. I try to move him to a bigger one and he freaked out. I have 3 bettas each in a 3g bowl, and there doing well and happy. Cover the top of the water completely with bubble nests.

 

[pablothebetta]

Why would you be against it? Some people put bettas in half gallon bowls. I'm sure it shortens their life though maybe.

thing is is that they shouldn't though and no doubt it does shorted their lifespan. They need filtered & heated tanks just like other fish.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Why would you be against it? Some people put bettas in half gallon bowls. I'm sure it shortens their life though maybe.

thing is is that they shouldn't though and no doubt it does shorted their lifespan. They need filtered & heated tanks just like other fish.

And if you are going to have an unfiltered tank, you need to do water changes with temperature matched dechlorinated water every other day. I have all three of my small tanks heated, but not filtered. I do water changes every other day

Make the bettas mad because they have to remake the bubble nests they made me lol

 

[pablothebetta]

That is dissapointing I was hoping to be able to get away with it, would it have to be a shrimp-only setup, then?

well actually i keep one of my bettas in a 2.5 gallon but the only reason that i said no to the baby biorb is because of the filter, to me it seems like way to much flow for a betta, but now that i am reading that you are going to replace it i think that you could get away with a betta in there.

Only issue is though is that I can't seem to find a small enough filter & will atatch to the curved sides. My betta was in there since February up until the other week or so, he seemed fine with the flow. Saying that though, he didn't make bubble nests as the surface was always moving because of the filter and once when the filter temporarily broke, he did begin to make them as the surface was still.

With adequate filtration and frequent water changes, a betta will be okay in the baby bio-orb. the only problem is, it may be cramped to the betta. I firmly believe this depends on the betta. I had a betta do fine in a 1g tank. He preferred it actually. I try to move him to a bigger one and he freaked out. I have 3 bettas each in a 3g bowl, and there doing well and happy. Cover the top of the water completely with bubble nests.

Would 20-30% weekly be adequate with it being filtered?

 

[Fishy friend2]

oh okay.

and yes 20 to 30 percent water changes would be fine

 

[Dieses Madchen]

That is dissapointing I was hoping to be able to get away with it, would it have to be a shrimp-only setup, then?

well actually i keep one of my bettas in a 2.5 gallon but the only reason that i said no to the baby biorb is because of the filter, to me it seems like way to much flow for a betta, but now that i am reading that you are going to replace it i think that you could get away with a betta in there.

Only issue is though is that I can't seem to find a small enough filter & will atatch to the curved sides. My betta was in there since February up until the other week or so, he seemed fine with the flow. Saying that though, he didn't make bubble nests as the surface was always moving because of the filter and once when the filter temporarily broke, he did begin to make them as the surface was still.

With adequate filtration and frequent water changes, a betta will be okay in the baby bio-orb. the only problem is, it may be cramped to the betta. I firmly believe this depends on the betta. I had a betta do fine in a 1g tank. He preferred it actually. I try to move him to a bigger one and he freaked out. I have 3 bettas each in a 3g bowl, and there doing well and happy. Cover the top of the water completely with bubble nests.

Would 20-30% weekly be adequate with it being filtered?

Yes. and that may be overkill. if you have a good test kit, you can use the results to guage how big of a water change to do. I try to keep the nitrates in my tanks below 30ppm. So depending on the nitrate leveles, i will sometimes do up to 50% weekly, or in my smaller tanks (40g and 10g) as little as 10%

 

[pablothebetta]

I'll have to experiment, then.

As for the glass pebble idea, Reef One use the ceramic media to 'house' bacteria as part of the filtration, would the pebbles also serve this purpose? There is also a sponge as part of the filtration, so the pebbles aren't the only place for the bacteria.