About how much would a 2.5 gallon tank cost?

[dukie1346]

Currently I'm keeping Fishy in a 1g tank because my last tank cracked. It has a light and the temp. is around 69 degrees. When I get enough money, I'm planning to get a 2.5g tank...

1)How much do you think a 2.5g tank would cost with a light?

2) Do you need a filter with a betta fish? It seems like Fishy's doing fine without one, but do you need one?

3) Is what I have and will have with the tank good or do I need anything more that's totally important? I will have a 2.5g tank, a light, gravel, fake plants, and some shells.


Thanks for the help!

[dukie1346]

I am getting mad at my parents. They want me to keep it in a 1g tank with the light. They say as long it's living, it's fine. I totally disagree with them! They don't want me to get a 2.5g tank saying it's too big.......... They won't let me get a filter either or anything like that. Uggh! They don't know how to care for a Betta. They think a 1g is the perfect size. And they think cleaning it out once per month is good enough when I'm telling them the tank is clouded up. What can I do?

[dramaqueen]

A 2.5 gallon tank would be fine. No, you don't HAVE to have a filter. If you're going to cycle the tank then you need a filter. I have one of my bettas in a 4 gallon uncycleed, unfiltered tank. A filter helps keep the water cleaner and you don't have to do water changes as much. At 69 degrees, the water is too cold for a betta. Their water needs to be at 78-80. Four of mine don't have heaters but they are in an upstaird room and their water temp stays around 74-75. I have no idea what a 2.5 gallon would cost. Someone else will tell you. :)

[dukie1346]

Thanks dramaqueen, I just wish my parents would let me get a heater and filter and a good tank.

[dramaqueen]

A 2.5 gallon wouldn't take up much room at all! My 4 gallon sits on a nightstand with room to spare. Maybe you could measure the space where you want to put it and go look at some tanks and see if one would work.

[dukie1346]

A 2.5g would fit, but they think it's too big for a betta, thinking it will have too much space and he only needs 1g tank. They think a 1g is good enough and a light whic doesn't heat the tank much is good enough. I need a heater and filter and a bigger tank. It will all fit, they just won't let me.

[dramaqueen]

Do you think that they think you won't take care of the fish and that the money spent on the tank, filter and heater would be wasted? I'm just going by my own experience with my parents. If they thought I wasn't going to take care of something, there was no way I was going to get it or convince them otherwise.

[dukie1346]

I don't think so. They probably think they'll have to do all of the work probably with the cleaning. Of course I'll need some help, but they won't have to do it all. I just don't want my betta stuck in a 1g tank freezing cold in a 68 degrees cloudy tank. But at this point, I have no choice.

[dramaqueen]

All you can do is work with what you have. I have mine , 3 of them anyway, in gallon containers and they do fine. Just keep up with the water changes. My water temperature stays around 74-75. I got criticized on another forum for keeping mine in gallon containers and one person said I was abusing my fish! We just have to do the best we can with what we have.

[dukie1346]

Yup, how often do you clean your 1g tank?