Hello everyone, I am going to postsecondary, and the only pets that are allowed in my dorm are fish. However, the tank can only be 5 gallons or less, or I was going to get another 3 gallon tank/jar. My question is am I only limited to bettas for this sized tank, cause I was hoping to sort of go out beyond that. Thank you in advance for your help.
First to bring to my dorm.
- Thread starter unknown_7
- Start date
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Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
For a 3 gal you are quite limited, why not get a 5 gal and you could get a small school of fish like tetras and a couple of otos.
Japola44
Aquarium Advice Freak
i would go for the 5 gallon as well. You could probably put some gold fish in the 3 gal
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
Gold fish will get way to big for a 3 gal! This is a popular misconception. They are also too messy for a 3 gal. Goldfish need at least 10 gals per fish.
nomadofthehills
Aquarium Advice Activist
I'd go so far as to say fancies need 10g per fish, and comets need 30 per fish.
G
Guest
Guest
in a 3 gallon tank id say you are definitely limited to a beta and maybe a snail. I would go for the 5 gallon.. you could get a small filter and a small heater and have a few more fish! Of course you'd still have to stay with small fish, like guppies, neon tetra's, oto's, Corys.. and you could only have like 5 fish in the entire tank so youd probably want to pick one kind of fish. or maybe 3 of each.
I was going to go for the five gallon, but I would find it difficult to bring with all the other neccessities that I have to brig so that is why I have to go along with bringing the 3 gallon jar/tank. So do I have anyother options?
G
Guest
Guest
why would it be more difficult to carry a few necessities with a 5 gallon? toss the heater and air pump and filte rinside the tank and pack it in a box together. If you don't have the time and room to provide your fish with adequate space, filtration and heat then maybe you shouldn't bother keeping fish at all while you are in your dorm and consider wiating until you are finished and getting a bigger tank.
Japola44
Aquarium Advice Freak
buy a tank where your school is at. that way you dont have to move it and you can sell it when you move out.
lyquidphyre
Aquarium Advice Addict
I second buying the tank in the city your school is in. Also, I lived in a dorm and you'd be surprized what you can fit/pack in a car. Whats one more thing, ya know?
In the dorms, watch out for people messing with your tank.. Ive heard some horror stories about people breaking into rooms and destroying tanks/fish.
I had a betta when I lived in the dorms and they are really perfect. You don't need more than a betta and maybe a snail or two. Or, if you had some hiding places, get a handful of ghost shrimp. A betta, ghost shrimp and a few snails is plenty to watch.
In the dorms, watch out for people messing with your tank.. Ive heard some horror stories about people breaking into rooms and destroying tanks/fish.
I had a betta when I lived in the dorms and they are really perfect. You don't need more than a betta and maybe a snail or two. Or, if you had some hiding places, get a handful of ghost shrimp. A betta, ghost shrimp and a few snails is plenty to watch.
RogerMcAllen
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'd go with a 5 gallon and 3 or so female bettas.
lyquidphyre said:
Wouldn't the snails just overpopulate the bowl? There are other that I have to bring and I wouldn't be able to properly carry them or the 5 gallon if I were to buy the five gallon that is why I am looking for other options. I may take another stab at ghost shrimp, but I was looking for something different.
G
Guest
Guest
I don't believe in fish "bowls" i think they are cruel. THere is no way to have proper lighting, filtration, and heat in a bowl unless its a huge bowl that comes with the filtration built in or if you are doing a Nano tank.
Blazeherd2306
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree with Ashley. It's like putting a human in an 8ft x 8ft cube. Try to get a 5 gal. I think AGA makes one. Then you can probably put in a small school of tetras or bettas like Roger said.
G
Guest
Guest
And there is really no reason why you can't carry a 5 gallon tank wiht you.. they aren't that big and are actually less cumbersome than a bowl becuase you can use the box it comes in to pack it and carry it. What's one more little box? And you can put all the equipment inside the tank. Also if you buy an all in one kit you can just keep it packaged until you reach your dorm room.
AshleyNicole said:
Firstly, my betta is not in a bowl he is in a jarish looking thing, so if I happened to hint or mention that it is a bowl, it's not. Secondly, this "jar" gives him more space than some betta tanks, elipse or other tanks. I believe that 3 gallons is adquete space for a betta, actually a bit more than adquete since 2 gallons should be the bare minimum, so I know my betta is happy there. Lastly, as I mentioned, it is going to be harder for me to pack a 5 gallon tank than my 3 gallon jar.
G
Guest
Guest
unknown_7 said:
yes 3 gallon's is adequate for a betta. They can survive in some of the most ludacris arrangements for a very long time becuase they breath air. I kept one in a 1 gallon tank, but i did have a small heater and mediocre filtration... he only lasted 3 months... and i made sure it was cycled before putting him in there and did regular water changes. I still think it is important to keep the temperature warm enough for a betta and to keep the water clean and filtered. In a smaller setup its just so difficult to do! And you really can't keep anything besides a betta and a snail in a 3 gallon jar. If that's all you feel that you have room for then go ahead and do what you wan't. but a 5 gallon tank fits into a box just as easy as a 3 galln jar.
lyquidphyre
Aquarium Advice Addict
Before I kept fish, I had a betta is this vase looking thing in my dorms. Looking back on it now I wish I had a 5gal tank set up for it. For the fish and for myself.
Actually, if you are adament about using the 3 gal jar, might I suggest a portable filter. Its about the size of a small digital camera (4x1.5 ish) and you hook it up to an airpump and it has carbon in it. It will aerate and circulate the water which, with a betta, will really come in handy.
All I can ask is if you keep circulated, warm water for your betta.
Actually, if you are adament about using the 3 gal jar, might I suggest a portable filter. Its about the size of a small digital camera (4x1.5 ish) and you hook it up to an airpump and it has carbon in it. It will aerate and circulate the water which, with a betta, will really come in handy.
All I can ask is if you keep circulated, warm water for your betta.
RoK
Aquarium Advice Addict
An ADF or two would probably be ok in a 5 gal. 3 gallons is limited to only a betta and maybe a ghost shrimp IMO.
greenmaji
Aquarium Advice Addict
I dont see how the average person could tell by looking at a 10 gallon tank that it isnt a 5 
