Help...

[Locky]

Right got home today and found my mum has bought a gift!! well unfortinatly she has bought a bowl its not a bad size approx 22cm wide(at widest point) 14cm high and about 73cm circumference.

I dont want to hurt her feeling by saying you dumb cow I cant use this!!!

So feel I should use it whats the best thing I can do with it?

What fish will be happy?
Whats the best PH level?
Filter?
Pumps?
ETC I have no Idea when it comes to these things as the original plan was to buy a tank for my two kids to enjoy.

Thanks guys

 

[sassyv]

That is cute....so get some nice rocks (glass colorful ones). and maybe a live plant. Then what would look really nice is a chineese fighter fish otherwise known as a beta. The kids will love it. If you show it a reflection of it in a mirror he puffs up and they have the most vibrant colors.

 

[Locky]

Thanks I will do all my cycle stuff I have been readin about and then look for a nice Beta.

 

[bluerose]

Nothing.

Well, you could do plants.

Re: bettas... just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.

 

[rob28]

I dont want to hurt her feeling by saying you dumb cow I cant use this!!!

 

[Locky]

Lol would some Minnows be fine in it?

 

[bluerose]

I doubt it. Remember the smaller the tank the harder it is to keep parameters in safe ranges and temperature tends to fluctuate a LOT.

I'd use it as an artsy flowerpot and continue on with your prior plants for a real tank with a filter, heater, etc.

 

[rob28]

ok, im done laughin now.
i would just do a betta. my wife has like 6-7 of them lil bowls scattered around the house.
they look nice.
super easy to care for also

 

[Locky]

Cheers guys I will find a way of using it even if its just to store a collection of plants for my main tank

 

[sassyv]

ahh just do the betta for the kids sake and then mum will be happy. Then get out there and get a nice 10 or 20 gl. You will be happy you did and the experience of fish keeping will be learned and I have to warn you it is addicting..lol

 

[jsoong]

That bowl is not too bad a size - approx 4l or 1 gal.

A Betta would do OK in it ... esp. compared to those "Betta jails" in the lfs that is no more than 1/4 l ......

 

[Copepod]

Do the kids like reptiles and such? Maybe an iguana or something?

Curly

 

[Locky]

Lol i just worked out the size of the bowl and its 3gl if thats any better!!!

 

[Locky]

Do the kids like reptiles and such? Maybe an iguana or something?

Curly

Well I do but the missis would kill me then kill the reptiles shes not the biggest fan!!!

 

[mike47517]

a 3g bowl hmmm maybe some white cloud minnows (2). Or maybe a couple endlers (you could get 3 males or maybe 1 female dont get a male and a female if you do that the male will mate so much that it will harass the female till she dies {all males would be good well being as their prettier anyway}). IMO a betta would be fine even though some people believe a betta should have atleast a 5 gallon setup. if the bowl has light that goes to it then you could get a plant or 2 plants. im a begginer at plants but i went to walmart saw some bulbs to put in the water and let them grow. i didnt believe thish would work so i asked for a sample and they gave me a single bulb i put it in my tank and it has been a couple of days now and it is about 3 inches long. so bulbs work and their cheap so you can go to walmart and get some bulbs for a bowl i think they would look nice.

 

[Sombunya]

I've seen some tiny tanks with tiny HOB filters at the fish store. The flow was low but so was the bio load.

They were completely cycled and looked great. You could do the same thing. Get some gravel and cycle it carefully. Water changes would be a breeze.
The hardest part would be treating the water you add. You'd need a graduated syringe that measures chemical in cc's.

My understanding is Betta's do best at temperatures around 74-78 degrees f (23-25 c) If your house stays that warm in the winter you're okay.
Otherwise, a heater for that small a tank/bowl would be tough.

I say go for it.

 

[gzeiger]

Novelty bamboo looks really nice and would be happy in a bowl like that. It likes to grow with its roots submerged, and you can find it at most garden stores. If you put a betta in there it would definitely be happier with the plant, but I think you could make the bowl look good with just plants too.

 

[bluerose]

Knowing the gallon size of the container helps- you could do a betta if you're meticulous. If it's round you might have trouble with a filter though.

Bettas are actually happiest around 80-82 degrees, IIRC- you'll need a heater to keep temps stable anyway. Drs Foster and Smith have a tiny heater on their website and a few tiny filters.

I'd still do plants myself but you could put a betta in that size container if you really wanted to.

 

[Locky]

Great thanks