Upgrading Alphie From 3g To 5g?

[jasminekiddell]

Hi Guys,
I have a 5G (21L) tank spare now, should i move Alphie into it? I dont know if t just leave him where he is but 'm positive the more room he has the happier he will be? Its an Elite Cool 21 and I housed shimmer my first male in there and he seemed happy enough. Also Alphie has pretty big fins so i think he could do with the space lol, do you think i should move him? Also if i do move him over i'll buy him a little filter seen as this tank is just a little over 2G more, then i can ditch the sponge filter lol!
Tell me what you think,
Thanks

 

[Rezatii]

Well 3g is fine for him, but he might like the bigger space! Of course, you could move Alphie and get a smaller nale, like a hmpk to put in the 3g

-Rezz

 

[loraxchick]

ditch the sponge filter why not just move it over into the 5? that would be the easiest and best thing to do. then you dont have to worry about cycling and possibly flow issues.
have fun setting up a new tank. but you KNOW that 3 will house a new boy soon
cheers.

 

[jasminekiddell]

Well i have to ither use the 5g or 3g, because the one i dont use will be going in the loft or be used as a hospital tank, im trying to cut down on tanks lol so thought why not move alphie to the bigger tank, ill already have 3 tanks by christmas and thats my limit. Loraxchick, the sponge fitler works really great i didnt mean as in its crap i might aswell get a proper one i just think a filter would be quieter, but i may stick with the sponge one as its smaller too So its the 5g or the 3g i think ill put him in the 5g seen as its bigger lol. Will ask my mum later!

 

[Rezatii]

Ah yeah, if you don't have a hospital tank it's definitly a good idea, maybe if you get another filter for the 5g you can continue running the sponge filter in another tank to keep media alive so you can use that when you need to use the hospital tank?

 

[loraxchick]

Well i have to ither use the 5g or 3g, because the one i dont use will be going in the loft or be used as a hospital tank, im trying to cut down on tanks lol so thought why not move alphie to the bigger tank, ill already have 3 tanks by christmas and thats my limit. Loraxchick, the sponge fitler works really great i didnt mean as in its crap i might aswell get a proper one i just think a filter would be quieter, but i may stick with the sponge one as its smaller too So its the 5g or the 3g i think ill put him in the 5g seen as its bigger lol. Will ask my mum later!

i didnt mean to come off as saying you think they are no good...im just in LOVE with sponge filters and they work better than any other type as far as water quality goes(you can pack a ton of media in them)...so no worries
the 5 sounds perfect and keep the 3 for hospital tank, why not put the sponge filter in one of the running tanks to keep it cycled in case of emergency.
if the bubbles bother you there is a way to correct it, just need a secondary piece and the refit is easy. if your willing ill let you know how.
shame to waste a cycled filter. id run it alongside the "new" filter in the 5 to speed the cycle of it, and then keep it running for a rainy day. you never know when you will need a filter for the hospital tank. sponge filter is PERFECT as virtually no flow for a fish that would be presumably weakened and stressed(if it were in hospital anyway).
cheers

 

[jasminekiddell]

Its not loud because of the bubbles, tis just the air pump vibrates even when in a towel or anything but its not too loud. I dont know if my mum will let me set-up the 3g as a hospital tank but i could have it somewhere in my room incase i ever need to ever get it out and set it up. My mum says 3 tanks at the most, which is alphies tank, the girls sorority and my goldfish tank. Thats about all i could fit in my room, i get a new goldfish tank at chrsitmas (125l) so i think that suits me just fine Also the sponge fitler is excellent as i can turn it up or down with the little tap i have attached to the tubing. I'm quite excited incase my mum lets me put him in the 5g because i want tos ee how he reacts to more space! =]

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Hi,

One of my Bettas was recently moved from a 3-gallon to a 5-gallon tank. He is a double tailed with HUGE fins and I kept noticing he was have a difficult time turning around AND I was having problems with keeping the ammonia in check. I wasn't sure if he would utilize the larger tank, but he has. He swims all over the place, alternating with kind of hanging out with his fins extended. He's always been a very interactive fish with me, but now he's doing more things, like when I held a mirror up to him, he flared into it (he never did that before). My other Betta is still in a 2-gallon and seems happy, as well. He's a lot smaller though. I'm not sure if I will upgrade him. The only reason I see to do so would be "peer pressure" when I post on here being told I'm a bad betta mom for keeping him where he is

Since you have the spare tank, sound like a great way to fill it up.

Oh, and for a filter, I am using one that's for a 3-gallon and under. It has an adjustable flow and even with that, I have foam stuffed in there. Otherwise the current blows the fins on my betta all across the tank.

 

[jasminekiddell]

Thanks GuppyGoddess, I think he could do with being upgraded because he has big fins like your boy does, and i think they'll grow much more! My mum said she doesnt want me to move him over because were trying to increase on tank and tank size but ill try tempt her lol! Also my goldfish were in there for a few weeks as there tank leaked and isnt repairable so last night i moved them to a big storage box until there new tank comes in 2 months but i didnt ask my mum about it and now she says she doesnt want them in a box on the floor for 2 months and wants me to put them back in the 21l but i dont want to so ill have to see how i am at persuading

 

[kizno1]

yh you should he will like the space and you could have 4 pygmy corys with him

Hi,

One of my Bettas was recently moved from a 3-gallon to a 5-gallon tank. He is a double tailed with HUGE fins and I kept noticing he was have a difficult time turning around AND I was having problems with keeping the ammonia in check. I wasn't sure if he would utilize the larger tank, but he has. He swims all over the place, alternating with kind of hanging out with his fins extended. He's always been a very interactive fish with me, but now he's doing more things, like when I held a mirror up to him, he flared into it (he never did that before). My other Betta is still in a 2-gallon and seems happy, as well. He's a lot smaller though. I'm not sure if I will upgrade him. The only reason I see to do so would be "peer pressure" when I post on here being told I'm a bad betta mom for keeping him where he is

Since you have the spare tank, sound like a great way to fill it up.

Oh, and for a filter, I am using one that's for a 3-gallon and under. It has an adjustable flow and even with that, I have foam stuffed in there. Otherwise the current blows the fins on my betta all across the tank.

the only reason people keep saying its to small is because it is 2g is way to small. im suprised this one can turn round in it no matter how small its fins are. you can get second hand tanks for a few £.

 

[Honeythorn]

There's no excuse for keeping pet bettas in tanks under 5 gallons when most homes definitely have or can make 12-14 inches of space to accomodate a 5 gallon. Not having room for a 10 gal or more is understandable but a 5 gallon? No , not buying it.

And as you say, when there are second hand tanks going for peanuts if you keep your eyes peeled and don't rush around trying to get a betta as soon as humanly possible ( which happens all too often it seems) cost is no excuse either.

At the end of the day if you have a bigger tank, use it. These fish don't belong in tiny amounts of water, and as long as the tank is well planted - very important, a couple of strands of plant and an ornament isn't enough, and I have seen it in many larger tanks where people wonder why the betta doesn't like it and then move him back to a deathtrap. On top of that, having the tank heated and filtered as it's supposed to be ,there is no reason for him/her to feel unsafe or uncomfortable in the tank after a couple of weeks of adjustment.

 

[jasminekiddell]

Honeythorn i couldn't agree with you more. I keep alphie in a 3G tank but at some point i was going to upgrade once he was settled here. I have the 5g available and ive been talking to my mum and hopefully on the weekend ill have permisson to move him voer to the 5g if my goldfish dont have to go in there. I cant see alphie not liking the 5g, its more tall than wide and he loves the depth of a tank more than the width. Carboot sales can have some #41#### good deals on tanks!

 

[Honeythorn]

With regards to the goldfish, tell your mother - ok a big tub doesn't look too great ( and really shouldn't be on the floor by the way, the vibration of people walking all the time will stress the fish, try moving it onto something if you can, a bigger box turned upside down to make a table of sorts will do) BUT it will keep your goldfish alive a hell of a lot longer than a 5 gallon tank. It will make less work for you too, the more water, the more waste is diluted, the easier it is to keep water parameters stable .

They need a 55 gallon or bigger, or a pond. A pond is best if they are normal bodied as these are basically carp and do grow to well over 12 inches. I hope your new tank will have a decent external filter because you're going to need it!!!

Car boot sales are a veritable GOLDMINE for tanks, particularly tanks of 5-10 gallons. Most people have kept goldfish in them, failed several times because they listened to a pet store and didn't do an ounce of research, and then they gave up and sell the tank at a car boot. Whereupon people like you and I who enjoy keeping bettas can snap them up , often for well under a tenner, and our fish get the space they are supposed to have

 

[jasminekiddell]

With regards to the goldfish, tell your mother - ok a big tub doesn't look too great ( and really shouldn't be on the floor by the way, the vibration of people walking all the time will stress the fish, try moving it onto something if you can, a bigger box turned upside down to make a table of sorts will do) BUT it will keep your goldfish alive a hell of a lot longer than a 5 gallon tank. It will make less work for you too, the more water, the more waste is diluted, the easier it is to keep water parameters stable .

They need a 55 gallon or bigger, or a pond. A pond is best if they are normal bodied as these are basically carp and do grow to well over 12 inches. I hope your new tank will have a decent external filter because you're going to need it!!!

Car boot sales are a veritable GOLDMINE for tanks, particularly tanks of 5-10 gallons. Most people have kept goldfish in them, failed several times because they listened to a pet store and didn't do an ounce of research, and then they gave up and sell the tank at a car boot. Whereupon people like you and I who enjoy keeping bettas can snap them up , often for well under a tenner, and our fish get the space they are supposed to have

My mum is starting to think more about alphie going into the 5g. Honeythorn, the tank ill be getting is one off the seapets website, its the juwel rio 125l, its the biggest tank i can get its not a common goldfish i have their fancy goldfish, fantails and i have 2 of them. 125l is as big as my parents will let which is understandable there old tank that leaked and had to be threw away was only an 80l so it is an upgrade, also all my fish i have live in my room so after the 125l thats the last tank fitting in there lol!

 

[aly_starh]

125l is fine for 2 Fancy Goldfish.

I do recommend keeping a hospital/quarantine tank. The 10l tank came into use today, Oscar and Spikey had a fight, Spikey was badly hurt, so hes having some time alone in a quiet, warm place to recover.


EDIT: SP!