[Sena Hansler]

I have noticed for the time I have been on here there has been a constant heated debate about tank size - and do you know what that really causes? People who NEED our help to be deterred because they feel that they might be frowned upon by others. Why? Because in their time of need some people feel the urge to complicate things by constantly pushing about tank size or temperature. I think it is time for people to come forth, and not give a flying rat's toot about what others think.


So for this thread, just drop the squabble in the chicken coop, and share our 1-2 gallons?



That is right, 1-2 gallons. Here I would like people to actually come together and show how they have set up their 1-2 gallon betta habitats. I am not going to be afraid of showing how I keep my healthy bettas - why should you?

Mine​

Charlie is in a 1 gallon hexagon tank with a top cover. He has two fake fabric plants in the center of lovely white sand. He also has an IAL at the top. He sits between my living room and kitchen, a way to get him to stop biting his fins. He used to be in my bedroom alone, which is where he started to chew off his fins x.x

My lovely koi plakat lady is a new arrival. She is unsure about her surroundings, but seems a lot more relaxed now that she is not in an ever changing hectic environment with other female bettas. She has blue sand, live java fern and a fake sword plant. She is not eating, but that I expected considering she is new, and orignally from a stressful environment. Poor girl!


Please no posts about how it's "wrong", this is not the thread to complain, this is a thread to share and enjoy! So... share... and enjoy!

 

[megaredize]

to me size doesnt matter as much as maintenence and is it heated. A lot of people dont heat or clean out their small tanks and then theres the problem. I myself use critter keepers but they are 3 gallons or 3.5. i do have a 1.5 gallon one as a back up one or hosiptal tank. I have never really found a 1 gallon i liked for my own use. Your tanks look good. I like the plants in them all.

 

[Sena Hansler]

Thanks I don't have these tanks downstairs as without heaters they become well below 70 degrees. Hence why the 5 is empty :lol: They are upstairs since I am crazy and hate cold at all cost So the heat obviously rises and upstairs is hot.

 

[megaredize]

ya my room gets really warm in the winter so i doubt my heaters will be on much but at night we let the heat drop so i still need them

 

[AquaKai]

This is a great thread, personally I don't have any tanks within that size range, my smallest is a 2.5, but I think that this will encourage many people to be open about their tanks. Too many times have people been turned off to fish keeping, betta keeping especially, because so many people have attacked them for keeping their betta in-gasp-a 1.5g tank or less! It is too often thought that small tank=bad owner. I can't wait to see some amazing tanks!

 

[BettaQi]

Sean, I appreciate the dedication it takes to keep up small tAnks!

When I had 5 bettas back from 2004-2008, I kept them wall in one gallon tanks and did water changes twice per week.

Now I have 2 two gallon Spec 2 s and a 5.5 standard that I keep at 3 g for my bettas.

Well post pics later when I'm at a desktop machine.

 

[RichardA]

Glad you brought this up! I have kept and spawned tons and tons of fish of varying species in 2.5 gallon tanks over the course of many many years. With good filtration, maintenance and correct temps the fish do great!

 

[megaredize]

not to mention, some of these fish need a smaller tank because they get stressed out in larger tanks. I have heard over and over again that someone's betta will only stop fin biting when it is moved to a smaller tank. A couple of mine stopped when they got moved into their 3 gal critter keepers. I dont use a filter in them so that might also be the reason. I think breeding these fish has almost gotten the betta used to smaller tanks because a lot of times they are kept in smaller areas with the breeders.

oh and i really like the spec tanks i have the spec 5 gallon, i want to get the updated spec 2.6 gallon for a nice HM hopefully in the future

 

[Sena Hansler]

Too many times have people been turned off to fish keeping, betta keeping especially, because so many people have attacked them for keeping their betta in-gasp-a 1.5g tank or less! It is too often thought that small tank=bad owner. I can't wait to see some amazing tanks!

that is exactly my point! I have had people talk to me in pm (names unspoken) about their tanks because they are too afraid to make a thread, because they will be ridiculed.

When I had 5 bettas back from 2004-2008, I kept them wall in one gallon tanks and did water changes twice per week.

And you kept up with water changes - which can be difficult sometimes! Good for you

Glad you brought this up! I have kept and spawned tons and tons of fish of varying species in 2.5 gallon tanks over the course of many many years. With good filtration, maintenance and correct temps the fish do great!

thanks, I wanted to encourage people to be open about it, and willing to share and learn from others who have similar experiences.

not to mention, some of these fish need a smaller tank because they get stressed out in larger tanks.

I have had a few, to be truthful. Some who needed larger tanks, others who refused anything but their smaller tanks. I learned to deal with it and but my fish before me. If they needed a smaller more maintanence loaded tank, then so be it - if it meant my fish were going to be happy and healthy.

 

[sareena79]

HOOO-RAY!!!! someone finally said it
my "tank" is one of the dreaded vases (GASP!) but here's the deal...
its a 2gallon vase (I measured!)
he has a heater (under tank, keeps it at a steady 80deg)
he has a thermometer
he has an actively growing pothos plant to filter out toxins
he has oak leaves in his tank to strengthen his fins
he gets weekly 100% water changes
he has a light (daylight and moonlight settings)
he has a fake plant @ the bottom he loves to hide in and explore
he is fed once a day and is about to start on a product called Vita-Chem which is supposed to be GREAT for his scales/fins
HE IS SPOILED ROTTEN!
b/c he has such long heavy fins he spends most of his day chilling out in his pothos leaves so a bigger tank would probably go to waste on him. he jaunts around when hes feeling froggy then its right back into his roots (oh and he has plenty of surface space to get fresh air)
heres a pic or 2 (or 3 lol), sorry its crappy I was trying to get the whole thing in there.

 

[Sena Hansler]

That is a neat plant!

HOOO-RAY!!!! someone finally said it

haha well I have been thinking it, and despite the "no, people won't approve" annoying voice I did it anyways because I shouldn't care what others think - I care for my pets, and that is that. (shoulda seen what my guineas had, my dogs had, my cat had, beardie had, etc) And so should you. I personally do not like vases - mainly because of the shape xD HOWEVER.. I saw one, shaped like a super large wine glass (approximately 1.5 gallons) and I thought it would be cute xD But first I would need a room heater. And maybe my boyfriend's permission for more fish (I got him hooked mwahaha)

 

[sareena79]

yeah i saw one of those too, almost got it but i was afraid the opening at the top was too tempting for him to jump out of. the water line on my vase is about 3.5in from the top and he has vines all across it to "deter" him a bit more.

 

[sareena79]

and yeah Im right there with u on the zoo lol I have 3 cats, a dog, a turtle and my fish and I used to have guineas too! they were all well cared for even if I had to go without!

 

[Connierodz]

HOOO-RAY!!!! someone finally said it
my "tank" is one of the dreaded vases (GASP!) but here's the deal...
its a 2gallon vase (I measured!)
he has a heater (under tank, keeps it at a steady 80deg)
he has a thermometer
he has an actively growing pothos plant to filter out toxins
he has oak leaves in his tank to strengthen his fins
he gets weekly 100% water changes
he has a light (daylight and moonlight settings)
he has a fake plant @ the bottom he loves to hide in and explore
he is fed once a day and is about to start on a product called Vita-Chem which is supposed to be GREAT for his scales/fins
HE IS SPOILED ROTTEN!
b/c he has such long heavy fins he spends most of his day chilling out in his pothos leaves so a bigger tank would probably go to waste on him. he jaunts around when hes feeling froggy then its right back into his roots (oh and he has plenty of surface space to get fresh air)
heres a pic or 2 (or 3 lol), sorry its crappy I was trying to get the whole thing in there.

Yay!! Happy fish..it about water quAlity not size at all..i bought small bowl for my nieces with bettas ( before knowing about this site) and its been six months and their fish are happy and healthy..i have mine in 5 gallon..and good waer nd all but he began to bite his fins when i put him in 5 g

 

[sareena79]

i have mine in 5 gallon..and good water and all but he began to bite his fins when i put him in 5 g

the longer Im on here the more I notice that people with big fancy tanks have just as many (if not more) issues that those of us with smaller tanks. Im all for giving them room to swim but it really is more about quality than quantity I think

 

[Meggie6347]

As long as the betta is taken care of, I don't see a problem with small tanks...unless of course it's TINY like they can barely move, and I wouldn't want to put a king or a giant in a small tank either.

If you think about it, anything is better than the tiny, filthy, cold cups that they are kept in, and you are giving them a MUCH better life either way...

I have two bowls, each almost 2 gallons. I keep a small DTPK male in one (planted) and a female in the other (not planted). The male plakat had a HUGE chunk out of his fins that went almost to his body, and within just a few weeks it was completely gone, and he builds very large bubble nests all the time. This is just more proof that they can be just fine in smaller "tanks," depending on the situation.

(The only pictures I have of the male in his bowl are from a week or two after we first got him, so the chunk out of his fin is still pretty large. It's completely healed beautifully now. You can't even tell it was there in the first place)

#1: His first (tiny) bubble nest :-D

Yet another bubble nest...at one time, he had three different nests in his bowl all built at separate times...one a day...lol

Sorry for the picture overload!

Btw, I really like this thread

 

[Karebear13]

those little bowls are so cute ^^ love what you did with them

 

[Sena Hansler]

Wow! I agree - nicely done with those bowls!!

I actually saw a 4 gallon bowl xD It was HUGE haha. I do agree... I know people who think just because their wondeful 10 gallon tank is cycled they only have to clean it every 6 months. (And then they wonder why their fish is dull, listless and sick.)

 

[sareena79]

VERY CUTE! love the mesh u covered the top with too....

 

[sareena79]

And amen sena!!!