Creating A Nutural Habitat In A 1 Gallon....

[IdahoAquariumKid]

So I'd like to create very natural habitats for my 2 boys, Caspian and Prince Nez. They are both in 1 gallon tanks.

I'm not quite sure how to do this... any suggestions?

Thanks for the help!
~IAK

 

[Cazgar]

IMO 1 gallon is way too small, especially once you start adding substrate, ornaments plants etc it'll be less than a gallon of water available for them

 

[onidrase]

go get a couple 10 gallon tanks and use the 1 gallons for storing milk in your fridge

 

[IdahoAquariumKid]

So I would need to get a bigger tank?

What about a 10 gallon tank with a divider? Could I be able to make a natural habitat in that?

 

[onidrase]

So I would need to get a bigger tank?

What about a 10 gallon tank with a divider? Could I be able to make a natural habitat in that?

Don't see why not, that's still 5x more water for each betta. Bettas really shouldn't be kept in anything less than 2.5 gallons imo. They are actually quite active fish. The basic principal behind having betta bowls is "because I can" because bettas are extremely hardy and are able to breath fro the surface and live in generally no exercise. But just cause you can doesn't mean you should. you'll definitely see a big change in their activity and personality by giving them more room to swim, as well as a heater and filter (which I don't think they make in a 1 gallon size )

you could get some driftwood with anubias nanas tied to them, as well as some java moss and some of those little dwarf leafy grass things (a plant person needs to get the real name for that stuff )

 

[Cazgar]

A 10 gallon with a divider would be much better, you could have some nice plants in that for them

 

[IdahoAquariumKid]

Now I just have to talk my mom into letting me buy a 10 gallon and a divider! lol!

Caspian is actually rather old and has never been outside his 1 gallon Mini Bow... Would it stress him out too much if I took him from his small space and moved him to a larger one? He has pretty large and delicate fins... even for a betta. I don't want to stress him out or anything. He's probably around 5-6 years old.

 

[Sly13Cat]

Well if you're careful enough, yes he's be fine. He would probably be too busy admiring his new space to be stressed. Also, make sure the new tank is cycled and has the correct temperature. Then acclimate the betta to the new water and he'll be fine. I have a betta who's probably 2 years now and really liked his new space.

By the way I do agree that they need at least 2.5 gallons

 

[IdahoAquariumKid]

Couple questions:

How do I cycle my tank?
What kind of plants can I use?
How do I care for the plants?
Can I put tankmates in a divided 10 gallon with my boys?

Thanks!
~IAK

 

[Sly13Cat]

Cycling is easy. To fish-less cycle (with no fish) basically you add 4 PPM of ammonia from the bottle to the aquarium every day until ammonia reaches 0 overnight (which means that the nitrifying bacteria has grown) and you'll get a spike in Nitrite. When the nitrite goes to zero it means that your other set of nitrfying bacteria is set to go. Then you'll get a spike in Nitrate. Once you only have nitrate raising and no Ammonia or Nitrite, your tank is cycled and you can add fish. This is only very basic and I very strongly suggest you doing a little research before starting a cycle. I find that Seachem stability helps a speed it up a little but I'm not sure entirely how it works until I can compare. The whole process takes about a month.

I don't know about live plants except that they help with nitrate so it's a good idea.

Tank-mates is hard with only 5 gallons. Maybe a few endlers (1 gender only) or a few snails but I'm not entirely sure. 10 gal is easier to have tank-mates though.

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to our forum IdahoAquariumKid.
There is no such thing as a natural environment for a Betta splendens that could ever fit into a 1 or even a 10 gallon tank. Bettas are found in "rice paddies" and similar locations. Although the water may not be very deep, it may well extend for hundreds of yards in all directions. Such an environment is simply not possible in a home aquarium. The best we can hope to do is to recreate a similar planting scheme and give the guy a bit of room to swim in. Since wild bettas, not the kind we keep in our tanks, live in slow moving streams and ponds, you might get away with using typical South East Asian plantings over a muddy or soil type substrate in a good sized tank that has good filter flow. It will never match a wild environment but may come close enough to call it a biotope.

 

[IdahoAquariumKid]

I'm really interested in what you've just described for me.

Now I just have to talk my mom into letting me buy a 10 gallon tank!