My mother is a preschool teacher and next week will be "fish" week for her class. She likes her classes to be very visual and hands on so she wants to have some fish in the room. I was thinking since petsmart sells a 2.5 gallon tank for like $10, we could buy that and a few small fish like zebra danios, and use some gravel and a plastic plants from my tank. My question is will the fish be ok in there for a week (5 days) with out a filter or being cycled. after the five days i would put the fish in my tank. My next question is about the snails. My girlfriend wants to use the 2.5 gallon tank after to make a snail only tank for her desk. Could this be done? if so What would need to be needed to setup the tank? thanks
temporary small tank guestion, and bonus snail question
- Thread starter monlov
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TCTFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
A 2.5 gallon would be OK for a week, but there are little set ups with filters you can get. A filter provides more than just water pruification. It moves the water and provides oxygenation. Has your mother thought about a betta instead of danios? Bettas have a labyrinth (spell???) which allows them to breathe surface air, so they don't solely rely on available oxygen in the water for respiration as danios do. Besides, bettas are easier to see. They are bigger and much more colorful and would grab the interests of little kids faster than with danios.
Without a filter or bio establishment it is recommended to do 50% water changes weekly to beat ammonia levels. Do not over feed. If you choose danios and they'll only be in there for a week, then only offer a very small amount of flake food every two days. It will help keep ammonia levels rising too fast. The same for bettas, but only about a minute's worth of food per feeding day.
A snail only tank will benefit with some type of filter. Even if it's a little air pump driven sponge filter...or an old style airpump driven corner filter. They're fairly inexpensive. Again, do 50% water changes weekly to beat ammonia levels if a filter is not used.
Without a filter or bio establishment it is recommended to do 50% water changes weekly to beat ammonia levels. Do not over feed. If you choose danios and they'll only be in there for a week, then only offer a very small amount of flake food every two days. It will help keep ammonia levels rising too fast. The same for bettas, but only about a minute's worth of food per feeding day.
A snail only tank will benefit with some type of filter. Even if it's a little air pump driven sponge filter...or an old style airpump driven corner filter. They're fairly inexpensive. Again, do 50% water changes weekly to beat ammonia levels if a filter is not used.
thanks for your help, after looking around I think i would be better off getting a little setup like you mentioned, like this
http://www.aquariumguys.com/explorerii.html since it already has everything included. i totaly forgot about bettas they would be the best route on their beauty alone, but the fact they can breath air makes them even better. Will a smaller tank cycle faster then a large tank. thanks again
http://www.aquariumguys.com/explorerii.html since it already has everything included. i totaly forgot about bettas they would be the best route on their beauty alone, but the fact they can breath air makes them even better. Will a smaller tank cycle faster then a large tank. thanks again
I would get the danos or neons or something so the kids see more than one fish. Yes a betta is beautiful but unless he has a few other tank mates (even a few females) and you are willing to put him in your tank once the week is done, you should get fish that you will want.
I recommend getting a "Red Sea Nano Filter" I have 2 of them and love them. I also have recently seen them at the local Petsmart for about $12.50. You can order it online from Petsmart as well. It is for a 4 or 5 gallon tank so a 2.5 would be fine. I have also heard great things about the Azoo Palm Filter which is on sale at http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...ll&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1.
I would go with a 5g if you could, that would be plenty of space to watch your girlfriends snails play. And easier for the kids to see all crowed up together. My 1" Ivory mystery snail has a ball in his 5 gallon tank, he made friends with a ghost shrimp who rides his back frequently. he parachutes off the walls and rides anubias nana leaves which float in the tank just for his pleasure. Good luck, have fun.
I recommend getting a "Red Sea Nano Filter" I have 2 of them and love them. I also have recently seen them at the local Petsmart for about $12.50. You can order it online from Petsmart as well. It is for a 4 or 5 gallon tank so a 2.5 would be fine. I have also heard great things about the Azoo Palm Filter which is on sale at http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...ll&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1.
I would go with a 5g if you could, that would be plenty of space to watch your girlfriends snails play. And easier for the kids to see all crowed up together. My 1" Ivory mystery snail has a ball in his 5 gallon tank, he made friends with a ghost shrimp who rides his back frequently. he parachutes off the walls and rides anubias nana leaves which float in the tank just for his pleasure. Good luck, have fun.
i splurged and went with this 6 gallon kit http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3857&N=2004+62761 . Hopefully it works out well(and isnt to loud). i agree with you musket in that the 2.5 would be a little to small. Im glad to hear that other people have snail tanks too 
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TomK2
Aquarium Advice Addict
cram that little tanks filter with as much colonized bio-media from your established tank as possible. Had you had more time, you could have run the little tank's biowheel on your established tank for a few weeks to colonize it (if you could get it off and rig it to work.) The problem with little tank kits is that the filters usually take proprietary cardtridges, and have little or no space for porous biomedia. Thus, besides running it on an established tank, it is difficult to heavily seed the little filter.
If there is no porous biomedia compartment in the little filter, and I doubt there is, if you have any colonized floss in your main tank's filter, sometimes you can cram floss into tight spaces of the little filters. If you have any sponges on your main tanks intake, you can transfer that to the little demo tank filters intake for good bio-filtration during the demo week.
An aquaclear mini has room for colonized biomedia, but it is a HOB design. I fear that none of this will be any help to you this time (unless you have colonized floss), but next time you can have a sponge prepared, or have figured out some way to colonize the little tank's filter. I would expect ammonia to rise rather rapidly in such a little tank, even with just a few fish for just five days, so daily water changes probably should be done.
If there is no porous biomedia compartment in the little filter, and I doubt there is, if you have any colonized floss in your main tank's filter, sometimes you can cram floss into tight spaces of the little filters. If you have any sponges on your main tanks intake, you can transfer that to the little demo tank filters intake for good bio-filtration during the demo week.
An aquaclear mini has room for colonized biomedia, but it is a HOB design. I fear that none of this will be any help to you this time (unless you have colonized floss), but next time you can have a sponge prepared, or have figured out some way to colonize the little tank's filter. I would expect ammonia to rise rather rapidly in such a little tank, even with just a few fish for just five days, so daily water changes probably should be done.
TCTFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Musket...neons need a full set up. Not good in a little desk display tank, even a six gallon.
Monlov...great choice!! With that you can have other things than just a betta or a few little danios. You can put a shrimp or two in there and a little snail with some strands of anacharis for greenery Some wood too to grow natural grazing growth for any shrimp. It can show there's more to aquatic life than just fish. Though don't put any crabs in with a betta...LOL. They'll shred his pretty fins. Oooo...and you can put a little African dwarf frog in there
You can either cycle the tank or just do the 50% water changes weekly. If you let it establish a cycle, then use just the one betta or two or three little danios. Do 10% to 15% water changes weekly as a basic schedule even after the tank is cycled. Keep feeds sparingly. In a community setting with more than just one animal, feed what they can consume in two to three minutes every two days. The live plants and wood will supply natural food to inverts. Once the ammonia and nitrite spikes have come and gone and nitrates are leveled below 30 ppm, then you can add the shrimp and snails. As the tank is cycling, you can use a bio additive like Nitromax or Cycle to help protect the fish from the toxins until the tank's natural bio establishes.
Monlov...great choice!! With that you can have other things than just a betta or a few little danios. You can put a shrimp or two in there and a little snail with some strands of anacharis for greenery
Some wood too to grow natural grazing growth for any shrimp. It can show there's more to aquatic life than just fish. Though don't put any crabs in with a betta...LOL. They'll shred his pretty fins. Oooo...and you can put a little African dwarf frog in there You can either cycle the tank or just do the 50% water changes weekly. If you let it establish a cycle, then use just the one betta or two or three little danios. Do 10% to 15% water changes weekly as a basic schedule even after the tank is cycled. Keep feeds sparingly. In a community setting with more than just one animal, feed what they can consume in two to three minutes every two days. The live plants and wood will supply natural food to inverts. Once the ammonia and nitrite spikes have come and gone and nitrates are leveled below 30 ppm, then you can add the shrimp and snails. As the tank is cycling, you can use a bio additive like Nitromax or Cycle to help protect the fish from the toxins until the tank's natural bio establishes.
monlov, I think you made a good choice. Don't forget a heater. I'm not sure, but I do not think that set up comes with one. Meijer has a nice submersible that is small. You may not need it at your home once the exhibition week is over, if your house stays relatively constant in temp. If you decide not to get a heater, perhaps you can have your mom wrap a towel around the tank at night while at school if the temp drops a lot after hours.
Just a suggestion.
I agree with TomK2, put some established media in the tank and filter. Plants from another tank, some rocks or gravel, whatever filter media you can. Whether you can or not, you can also get some Fritz Zyme 7 or Bio Spira. I used both in the past. Recently I used bio spira, a 30g packet cost $10 at lfs, not petsmart or other "chain" stores.. Ask, because it has to be refrigerated. You could use a good squirt in the 6g and use the rest in your established tank. Extra nitrifying bacteria can't hurt. Add some to the filter and the tank. You can do one or the other, but IMHO, why not put a little in both, spread it around faster. Best of luck. I know the kids will enjoy it.
Just a suggestion.
I agree with TomK2, put some established media in the tank and filter. Plants from another tank, some rocks or gravel, whatever filter media you can. Whether you can or not, you can also get some Fritz Zyme 7 or Bio Spira. I used both in the past. Recently I used bio spira, a 30g packet cost $10 at lfs, not petsmart or other "chain" stores.. Ask, because it has to be refrigerated. You could use a good squirt in the 6g and use the rest in your established tank. Extra nitrifying bacteria can't hurt. Add some to the filter and the tank. You can do one or the other, but IMHO, why not put a little in both, spread it around faster. Best of luck. I know the kids will enjoy it.
Musket, i went ahead and bought a heater when i bought the tank, figured since im already spending the money might as well do it right. plus i live in florida and this is the time of year were we try to go as long as possible into summer with out turning the air on, to save money. so the temps in the house are constantly going up and down. i should be able to use some of the substrate from my tank, and ill have to look into the bio spira at the lfs.
tomK2, ill have to see what the filter set up looks like when it gets here. im fairly new at this but after a google search to find out what floss is i think i do have colonized floss. i have a penguin biowheel 350 and the filter cartridges have a layer of "floss." so i should be able to cut it out and put it in the new filter. i may have some more questions for you when it arrives
TCTFish, i was showing my girlfriend the african dwarf frogs at the store and shes even more psyched about the tank now. She even has me building a stand for it because it will be a little to big for her desk
thank all of you for the help, ill have to post some pics when it gets all set up.
tomK2, ill have to see what the filter set up looks like when it gets here. im fairly new at this but after a google search to find out what floss is i think i do have colonized floss. i have a penguin biowheel 350 and the filter cartridges have a layer of "floss." so i should be able to cut it out and put it in the new filter. i may have some more questions for you when it arrives
TCTFish, i was showing my girlfriend the african dwarf frogs at the store and shes even more psyched about the tank now. She even has me building a stand for it because it will be a little to big for her desk
thank all of you for the help, ill have to post some pics when it gets all set up.
TCTFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
class tank
monlov...great to hear about all the excitement. They're cutie little frogs. Can't wait to see the pics!!
Here are a couple of photos of ADF I have in a group I've been making frames and effects on.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a302/SpydrWorks/Photographs/ADF1.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a302/SpydrWorks/Photographs/ADF2.jpg
Enjoy
monlov...great to hear about all the excitement. They're cutie little frogs. Can't wait to see the pics!!
Here are a couple of photos of ADF I have in a group I've been making frames and effects on.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a302/SpydrWorks/Photographs/ADF1.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a302/SpydrWorks/Photographs/ADF2.jpg
Enjoy
TomK2
Aquarium Advice Addict
Any spong pre-filters in your Penguin? If they can fit in the little filter, its the same principle. Yea, in this day and age of filter cartridges that have a sponge/foam layer with charcoal in between, the days of filter floss seem well behind us. I use the floss for a second layer of mechanical filtering before my bio-media compartments. The Idea is to keep the biomedia as clean as possible to prolong it's use. But like anything in your tank, it is surface area for bacteria to grow on. For lack of anything better, seperating the foam from the penguin cartridge and getting it in the little filter should help, provided the cartridge has been in the established tank for at least 4 weeks, and longer would be better.
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