So, I quit fishkeeping for awhile because my fishroom setup died off awhile ago. But I want to go back to fishkeeping (other than Jimmy, because I've had him this whole time, I've had him for over 2 years). The only thing is, we recently moved in with my step-mom and step-sister, and they live in a small ranch house, so I need a small tank, and my dad and step-mom prefer I don't even get something with a filter, air pump, or anything that uses outlets (Jimmy is at my mom's house). So my fish options are quite limited, because in these living conditions it will probably be a fishbowl or one of those little betta kits (of course, I won't put an actual betta in there).
So what I've been thinking of is two setups, which I will explain:
Setup 1: Shrimp Tank
This setup will probably be in one of those little betta bowls (about 0.5-1 gallon), but I can try to make it a bit bigger if necessary. This setup will be stocked with most likely two dwarf freshwater shrimp. My LFS (Aquarium Adventure) carries glass shrimp, red cherry shrimp, tiger shrimp, and I think amano shrimp sometimes. But since the RCS and I think the Tiger Shrimp will breed more easily, I'm thinking about going with the glass shrimp. This setup will most likely be planted, with either java moss or a marimo ball (probably a marimo). Substrate will be gravel, but I can make it bare-bottom if needed.
Setup 2: Snail Tank
This setup will probably also be in a "betta" tank. This setup will be the same in terms of substrate and possibly planting, but will have one mystery snail or a couple of ramshorns or pond snails.
Sorry this was so long, but I want to make sure I'm making the right choice for my fish. I guess a couple of white cloud minnows or a feeder guppy could go in something 1-2 gallons, but it would be a little bit cramped and I don't feel comfortable putting those two species in something without a filter or aeration. I'm leaning towards the glass shrimp, because I don't have the best luck with snails (they last a couple of months then die and pollute the water in my experience). Please feel free to give advice on the setups. Thank you.
Tiger shrimp don't really breed that easily...they are one of the harder species to breed, I think. I would second the glass shrimp idea, as they have a better tolerance of unheated water. :) A soil-based planted bowl could be lovely. :)
I don't know how to do it, you'd need to do some more research, but you could keep 2 dwarf puffers in a 4-5 gallon. Of course you'd need a heater, they're the only fish I know other than betta that do well in a small tank..
I think it'd be cool if you bred RCS and did planted bowl set ups. I would try selling them in a classified, or even at a flea market, with a little instruction book and a small pack of food. I think that'd be really popular with people, you could make some money even. It's something I've had in the back of my mind for a while. :)
I don't know how to do it, you'd need to do some more research, but you could keep 2 dwarf puffers in a 4-5 gallon. Of course you'd need a heater, they're the only fish I know other than betta that do well in a small tank..
I think it'd be cool if you bred RCS and did planted bowl set ups. I would try selling them in a classified, or even at a flea market, with a little instruction book and a small pack of food. I think that'd be really popular with people, you could make some money even. It's something I've had in the back of my mind for a while. :)
Don't worry, I've been researching this, actually. I just came here for some extra help, as internet research can be quite conflicting at times. I would breed RCS in multiple bowls, but my dad and step-mom will probably only let me have one or MAYBE two setups (It will most likely be one). If I could do that, I think that would be really cool, though. About the puffers, we almost literally don't have space for a 5 gallon, I think the only places my setup could go is in my brother's and my bedroom (we share a room there), which is really small, or the kitchen counter. Some people put fish tanks in their bathrooms, but I think that's just weird (and I'm worried that the fish would be breathing in some rather foul air ). Those two places I mentioned are rather small and won't be able to fit anything past a 2.5 gallon probably.
Tiger shrimp don't really breed that easily...they are one of the harder species to breed, I think. I would second the glass shrimp idea, as they have a better tolerance of unheated water. :) A soil-based planted bowl could be lovely. :)
Oh, okay, I thought that tiger shrimp were like RCS in terms of breeding. But I'm leaning towards the glass shrimp also. The only thing is, it might not be soil-based because I already have gravel and my dad will not want to spend money on soil substrate when we have a bag of purple gravel already.
If you have soil in your garden that isn't chemically treated or has any added stuff, that should work, I think.
I'll have to ask my step-mom if it's chemically treated, then. They're trying to get rid of this briar patch that's in our backyard, so maybe I can be spared some soil. But, if there is fertilizer/chemicals in it, then I'll just have to use the purple gravel or make it bare-bottom. I don't know if purple would really fit in with glass shrimp and live plants, though, so it may be bare-bottom with lots of plants.
Remember, it's just glass shrimp and live plants going in the tank/bowl. I'm not putting bettas, goldfish, etc. in any of these. That would be kind of cruel. I'm leaning towards getting one of the bowls. The bowls have a more sophisticated look for a planted nano. Please respond, I'd like to hear your opinions on this shrimp setup.
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). Those two places I mentioned are rather small and won't be able to fit anything past a 2.5 gallon probably.
