Small Tank Challenge

[sumocopter]

Hi folks,

I have a small 'right angled triangle' tank. The short sides measure 35cm, the longer side 50cm, and it's 30cm high. By my reconing this puts the volume at around 14 litres. I've been set a certain lot of rules by my 'associated other'. It must be:
1 Nice to look at
2 Not planted (as the other two tanks in the house are!)
3 Low maintenance
4 Quiet (as it is to go in the bedroom)

The obvious first thought was a betta either alone or with a (very) small shoal of something smaller, but I've done that before and fancy something new.

Then I thought maybe a dwarf puffer, but I need to do a bit more research.

I would welcome any ideas, including fish / inverts, habitats, decoration, filtration (which needs to be quiet but obviously not take up too much space) and heating. I'm open to tropical, brakish or marine (I hear peco reefs are all the rage).

I look forward to your suggestions, I hope your imaginations go further than mine!

PC

 

[Symo420]

Too bad you cant have planted, I'd personalty love to set up a nano shrimp tank.

 

[BETTY BOO]

+1 a shrimp tank would be good.nothing else would be suitable tbh.shrimp are alot more interesting than you may think.i would love some but my rams may make a dinner out of them

 

[pablothebetta]

Might make a nice little freshwater shrimp tank. Shrimp really are very interesting to watch - I find my rudolph shrimp particularly entertaining in the way that they swim.

If you went for freshwater, I know you said not planted, but you could try having some 'spindly' looking wood in there coming out from the corner with some java fern or similar plant in the centre. Java fern is pretty hardy so I would expect care to be fairly minimal. A sand substrate would compliment it nicely.
I don't know what the tank really looks like and I'm not much of an artist, but something like this?

 

[Flubberlump]

Dwarf puffers need a lot of cover too and plenty of plants. It's a tad on the small side for them too.

 

[sumocopter]

Ok - lets break the not planted rule - I'm sure I can talk her round.

I've never considered a shrimp tank...

 

[Symo420]

Ok - lets break the not planted rule - I'm sure I can talk her round.

I've never considered a shrimp tank...

That's the spirit! I've found these java moss shrimp houses that would almost be perfect. Some sand or rocks as a base and one of these would almost be enough to have an amazing little bedroom tank.

http/www.ebay.com.au/itm/250467528787?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_4734wt_1037

 

[sumocopter]

Ace! I'll look into it.

As I say, I've never done shrimp before so I'll ask all the standard questions....what temperature? how many? which ones? etc etc etc

 

[Symo420]

Ace! I'll look into it.

As I say, I've never done shrimp before so I'll ask all the standard questions....what temperature? how many? which ones? etc etc etc

Cherry's are always the easiest and are quite small. I kept mine at about 24C and fed on algae wafers. Starting with 10, I quickly had around 50 in a few months. Just watch the temp, we had a heat wave with days of 40+ and I lost almost all of them

 

[sumocopter]

Sounds fun - upon successful discussions I'll buy a plant and some sand!

Don't think we need to worry too much about those 40 degree plus days here in the UK

Thanks for your help!

 

[ParadiseGuerrero]

it isn't 14 litres-

(35 x 50)/2= 875 so thats the area of your triangle base

875 x 30 = 26250 thats the volume of your prism/tank in cm cubed

26250/1000= 26.250 thats your volume in litres

so it's slightly bigger than 14 litres

 

[sumocopter]

You got me all excited there, then I thought again.

It's a right angled triangle of 35cm on both short sides, only the long side is 50cm. So it's a 35cm square cut in half.

Area of base (35x35)/2 = 1225/2 = 612.5

Volume = 612.5*30 = 18375cm cubed

18 litres - slightly more than my previous guess which used some dubious web based calculations using gallons. Don't suppose this changes anything stock wise?

 

[ParadiseGuerrero]

sorry about that i miss read what it said : i kinda just saw some number and didn't read the rest... I shouldn't do maths before i wake up, sorry again.

I've been looking into the scarlet badis fish resently- 'dario dario' gorgeous looking thing and very small

 

[wirralbull]

i just got some dario dario. amazing looking little fish.

 

[sumocopter]

They do look really good! Looks like the tank may be a little small though.