Just Set Up A Little 2.5 Gallon Tank...

[Arfie]

I've got a 2.5 gallon with a betta in. For filtration I have an under gravel filter (all gravel came from a mature tank) and a corner air driven box filter which I filled with media from a mature tank.

I also have a small 25w heater, all you need to do is cut a small hole in the plastic lid to get the wire in for the heater and I've also fitted a pair of 4 inch white cold cathode lights to the lid too.

I used to have an apple snail in too, but he grew far too large, now I have a few MTS in to clean up any food the betta misses.

Arfie

 

[Lynden]

Technically, Bettas could survive on land if they were sprayed frequently. Does it make it right?

-Lynden

 

[zoekin8yg]

You can get under tank heater mats to place under the tank you wouldnt need to put a heater in the water.

And 2.5g is more than enough for a betta, my betta has plenty of room, and hes very happy, hes constantly making bubble nests. In the wild they often live in much smaller 'puddles'. as long as they have room to move around they have enough room. The labyrinth organ means they can get oxygen from the air as well as from the water. You also dont need a filter as long as you do very frequent water changes to avoid a build up of ammonia.

 

[Lynden]

In the wild, they live in rice paddies stretching for several hundred feet, and around a foot deep.

Goldfish have been recorded living for more than 40 years in bowls of only a few gallons. Just because a fish survives, doesn't make the tank ideal. In fact, that seems to contradict several of the fishkeeping "morals" and "ehtics" that are so frequently reinforced on this board. Why do we make exceptions for Bettas?

-Lynden

 

[starrynightxxi]

let's not turn this into a discussion on what the proper size of tank for a betta is. We won't solve anything and it's only hijacking the thread. It's as much an opinion as whether or not a light smack is an appropriate method for teaching a dog that their behavior is inappropriate, or whether cats should be kept indoors or be allowed outdoors. There is no solution. Ultimately you will see happiness or unhappiness where you want when it comes to animals that cannot express happiness by the smile on their faces.

There are many people on this forum who keep bettas in 2.5 gallons, there are also those who feel that nothing should be kept in tanks below 5 save a few vertebrates (ADFs) and invertebrates (some shrimp). It's up to you, really. I would consider 2.5 the bare minimum for a fancy tailed betta (VT, CT, HM, SD) because it at the very least covers the inches-to-gallons "rule", but they WILL need a heater and a filter/100% water changes, as will most anything else you put in that tank....

For heating, I suggest you purchase a small heater and make a way for the wire to get through the lid. A light will cause too much temperature fluctuation when you turn it on and off, and it also may boil your fish. Likewise with a heating mat, you have temperature flucuations, or if you leave it on, risk boiling your fish/ setting your house on fire.

 

[Lynden]

Alright, hijacking over.

There are some tiny "microheaters" available that would work well for this tank. Tiny power finters are also available, I own one in fact. Works very well, despite being "cheap china crap", but will show it's age unless maintained properly. The brand name for the filter is "Azoo". The filter's a looker too does not spoil a tank's appearance by any stretch of the imagination.

-Lynden

 

[lljdma06]

Well said Starrynightxxi.

Back on topic. As far as a heater is concerned, I can add my two cents as an experienced betta owner. I live in S FL, so not everybody can get away with this. If you have central air and can set your abode at say, 75 or 76 , I don't think a heater is necessary for Freshwater tropical aquariums. You'll be in the lower end of Tropical, but you should be fine and the fish will be comfortable. I don't have heaters in my fishtanks, bettas or main tanks, it is impractical and a waste of energy, especially in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and most of Winter . But my home is at 76. If you can't maintain that temperature consistantly, then opt for a small heater as Lynden so intelligently suggested. I do, however, have a bunch of heaters on standby incase the temperature changes, which is the smart thing to do.

Warmest regards, and let us know what you decide to do.

llj

 

[Gankutsuou]

I just want to re-adjust the settings of why I think it'd be ok for a betta.

A: Petstores sell many bettas in cups, and a lot of them die in those cups, unattended.

B:Then, petstores sell one gallon divided tanks with see through dividers for bettas, saying it's all right to do so.

C: Then petstores sell not even 1/2 gallon bowls saying it's all right

D: then there are the petstore owners who say "they like to live in the cup they came with more than ___ gallons. they seem stressed in more water!

Honestly, I think 2.5 gallons will be the best home out of any home that single betta was likely to get.

Go for one with some black on the tail. I love mine like that.

 

[White Whale]

Fancy seeing my tank here.

Well, actually if you look carefully at my tank, markaj04, you'll see that the glass cover juts out about 1/2 an inch, allowing me to have a RedSea nano filter in the tank. It is among the smallest of the HOB filters and will allow you the option of filtration. IMO, 2.5g is not too small for a betta, and 5g is not too small a tank for fish. This is especially the case with planted aquaria, and I think more stocking "rules" can be bent when the tank is densly planted and rigorously maintained. Now, are your choices severely limited, yes, but it is not impossible.

llj

I use a CD cover for a partial top. It snaps in perfectly. Even the groove fits the lighting. The glass cover just sticks out too much for my liking, plus the term "elbow catapult" comes to mind.

The same 2.5g done several different times:

 

[Neal]

Why don't you get yourself a dwarf gourami for it?

Neal

 

[PaPeRo]

Hydor makes a nice pad heater for small tanks. It's fully submersible so you only need a small gap for the cable to exit the tank. Unfortunately it cannot keep a constant temp so it needs to be unplugged during the spring/summer.

http/www.hydor.it/inglese/mini.htm

 

[fishwatcher]

If you get the heater and filter (Walmart also sells one of each for about $6-7 each), you could do a betta, a dwarf puffer (they have to have 2-3 gallons each, minimum, heavily planted), a few ADFs, some shrimp, maybe a couple of guppies or WCMMs, or a combination of a couple of these, save for the DP - they typically don't do well with any other things.
Look around at a few of these things and see which ones catch your fancy. There is a lot of info on all of these.
HTH!

 

[karin15]

Ok, the water is pretty cold, not extremely but deffinitly below room temp. I cant add a filter or heater because the lid completely covers the tank. right now i have an air pump going and thats it. So really, what can I put in this thing??

heres an idea.

put a plastic coral or two and add a ghost or vampire shrimp in, of course if you had a filter you could have a small killi fish there very colorfull and hardy, as far as i know they dont even need a heater... neither do betas.

 

[stang1]

Ok, the water is pretty cold, not extremely but deffinitly below room temp. I cant add a filter or heater because the lid completely covers the tank. right now i have an air pump going and thats it. So really, what can I put in this thing??

heres an idea.

put a plastic coral or two and add a ghost or vampire shrimp in, of course if you had a filter you could have a small killi fish there very colorfull and hardy, as far as i know they dont even need a heater... neither do betas.

I'm afraid Bettas do need heaters as they like a temperature between 24-29C.

 

[mikster]

Not so sure about putting a filter shrimp in a 2.5g tank tbh, wouldnt be much food for it so you would have to constantly target feed it with something like liquifry. Ghost shrimp would be pretty cool in a tank like that though, i have two in my tank and they are fascinating.