Advice on a 2.5 Gallon

[Tiikeria]

So, I have a 20L gallon with 4 bettas in divided "compartments", but, before that, I had two 2.5 gallon tanks, a gallon bowl, and a half gallon bowl. I would love to use one of the 2.5 gallons, so they don't go to waste, but I have no clue what to do with it.

The 2.5 I want to use has a undergravel filter with stone, and a small light, and is a tall hexagonal tank. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm open to just about anything, including a planted tank.

Thanks for the help!

 

[librarygirl]

You have a 20 liter (=5 US gallon) tank with 4 bettas? That's only 1.25 gals per betta if i'm reading this correctly. Bettas should have a minimum of 5 gals each. I would seriously think of upgrading those bettas to larger tanks.

For 2.5, not much could go in there aside from shrimp and snails. I would concentrate on getting those bettas into a more comfortable home first though.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

^^Read the above.^^

Seriously I would get each of those bettas their own five gallon home, that is way jammed they have no swimroom at all. There's nothing much you can do in there except some shrimp, snails, maybe a planted tank if you liked.

 

[Dylan5359]

Guys I think the OP meant 20 long. He wrote 20L gallon.

 

[Dylan5359]

So, I have a 20L gallon with 4 bettas in divided "compartments", but, before that, I had two 2.5 gallon tanks, a gallon bowl, and a half gallon bowl. I would love to use one of the 2.5 gallons, so they don't go to waste, but I have no clue what to do with it.

The 2.5 I want to use has a undergravel filter with stone, and a small light, and is a tall hexagonal tank. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm open to just about anything, including a planted tank.

Thanks for the help!

As for the 2.5 gallon hex., I wouldn't even put a betta in there. I was going to say some type of nano fish, but a hex tank robs a fish of adequate swimming room. They'll be forced to swim up and down numerous times. IMO all you can do is a nice planted tank with some shrimp like RCS.

 

[Tiikeria]

Yes, I meant a long 20 gallon. And most resources I found for bettas said that 2.5 would be a good size for a betta, and he seemed quite happy in it.

I also have a 2.5 rectangular aquarium, if it makes any difference. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a filter.

So, I could do a planted tank with ghost shrimp? And, may I ask, what are nano fish?

 

[Dylan5359]

Yes, I meant a long 20 gallon. And most resources I found for bettas said that 2.5 would be a good size for a betta, and he seemed quite happy in it.

I also have a 2.5 rectangular aquarium, if it makes any difference. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a filter.

So, I could do a planted tank with ghost shrimp? And, may I ask, what are nano fish?

Haha. Glad it's a 20L. Your 4 bettas are fine in there. (5 gallons per fish I assume) Sadly people are still stuck on the belief that bettas are fine being kept in a small cup. The only reason bettas are able to survive such conditions is because in the wild, in the dry season, they have adapted to live in small puddles. We should not take advantage of this adaptations because it will only result in a poor lifespan. A 2.5 gallon is better then the small cups I've seen bettas in, but I personally wouldn't put one in there. Sure you could do a planted ghost shrimp tank. IMO a rectangular 2.5 gallon may allow you to keep nano fish. Nano fish are just small fish that are suitable for the "nano environment".

 

[BillD]

It seems no one has seen a betta barracks, where all the tanks are smaller than 2.5 gals. Bettas don't live long even under the best of conditions.

 

[Dylan5359]

It seems no one has seen a betta barracks, where all the tanks are smaller than 2.5 gals. Bettas don't live long even under the best of conditions.

That's not true. There's someone on AA who had their betta for like 10 years. She had her's in a 20 gallon tank. I kept a betta in only a 5 gallon, he lived 5 years. That's when I was new at fish keeping. So of course I didn't cycle the tank nor test for nitrites or nitrates. I think 5 years is a pretty long time.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Yes, I meant a long 20 gallon. And most resources I found for bettas said that 2.5 would be a good size for a betta, and he seemed quite happy in it.

I also have a 2.5 rectangular aquarium, if it makes any difference. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a filter.

So, I could do a planted tank with ghost shrimp? And, may I ask, what are nano fish?

Good to know they're kept in a twenty gallon! Are they all males, all females, or a mix? 2.5 is the minimum, they still need much more swim room than that. You could simply change the water often in the 2.5 aquarium to keep the ammonia and the nitrates and nitrites from spiraling out of control, but you're tank needs to be heated. A planted tank with ghost shrimp is definitely possible. Nano fish are fish that stay small and you can keep them in small tanks. For example, there are celestial pearl danios, espei rasboras, sparkling gouramis, etcetera etcetera. You can research nano tanks, there are many helpful resources online.

 

[siva]

I would ditch that undergravel filter and hook up your airline to a sponge filter instead. Shrimp would be the best choice for a 2.5 gal. I disagree that celestial pearl danios, espei rasboras, or sparkling gouramis, should be kept in a tank this size. Espei rasboras would need an absolute mimimum of 10 gals, really 20 would be better. Celestial pearl danios and sparkling gouramis shouldn't be in much smaller than a 10 gal IMO. If you absolutely had to put some fish in there, mosquito rasbora might be OK, but I wouldn't. Even small fish do need some swimming room. Especially since alot of them are schoolers. I keep crystal red shrimp in a planted 2.5 gal tank, they are gorgeous. Or you could do red cherry shrimp, or blue pearl shrimp, or sunkist shrimp. You could certianly do the ghosts if you'd like but there's lots of cool dwarf shrimp out there

 

[alLexX]

Good to know they're kept in a twenty gallon! Are they all males, all females, or a mix? 2.5 is the minimum, they still need much more swim room than that. You could simply change the water often in the 2.5 aquarium to keep the ammonia and the nitrates and nitrites from spiraling out of control, but you're tank needs to be heated. A planted tank with ghost shrimp is definitely possible. Nano fish are fish that stay small and you can keep them in small tanks. For example, there are celestial pearl danios, espei rasboras, sparkling gouramis, etcetera etcetera. You can research nano tanks, there are many helpful resources online.

no,5 is the minimum.

 

[librarygirl]

OOps sorry misread the first post lol I hadn't had my coffee yet is my only excuse