# New 2 gallon tank.



## Glassfish (Mar 31, 2011)

Hello everyone,

Today I went to the store and found a great deal
On a 2 gallon hex tank with air pump, Hood,
And decor included for only $13. My brother
Has a 10 gallon tank so I do have some basics
Knowlage on how to take care of fish.
I have been doing a lot of research
these last few weeks on caring for
Fish, plants ect.. My questions are, 1) can I
Fit a betta, ADF and algea eater in it? If these
Don't work can I put a single parodies fish in
It? 2) can I fit a small live plant or two in it?
3) can I put sand in the bottom if the tank 
Instead of rocks? 4) can I use my reverse
Osmosis filtered water to fill the tank?
Thanks in advance. 
P.S I'm using my iPod to post this so sorry
For spelling/grammar errors.) 

Rachel


----------



## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

1.Betta should be fine but not sure about the ADF, the betta might attack it. Usually they are best alone.
2.Small plants should be fine, I would recomend hornwort, it's very easy to care for.
3. You can put aquarium sand if you want  gravel and rocks are good too
4. No idea , hopefully someone will know this. But i would personally stick with water conditioner, it's not expensive.


----------



## Tomsk (Mar 4, 2010)

For a 2G,you can only have a Betta (or maybe a ADF instead,but I have no experience about ADF so wait until someone else with more knowledge about them replies).
If you are looking to keep all 3 then a 10G would at least be needed I guess.
You can have live plants in a 2G,but be careful what plants as you will be doing 100% waterchanges with that tank so root plants will be a no no.

Tomsk


----------



## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

ADF don't require much space at all, you could keep atleast one in their on it's own


----------



## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

ADFs can live in small tanks, but when you have more than one, a 10 gal is needed because they get super active when there is more than one of them. Also, you need a tight lid on any tank you house an ADF in. 

Bettas CAN get a long just fine with ADFs. My current ADF is about 2 years old now, and he use to live with a male betta, that betta died a while back, and he now is living with another male betta (and a snail, and two otos in a 5 gallon tank). Lots of people house bettas with ADFs, snails, shrimps, otos, and small non flashy calm fish such as neon tetras.

In a 2 gallon, I would definately make it a single fish home. And without an actual filter on it, it isnt the greatest of homes for any fish, but a betta is the most likely to survive through it...although so would an ADF...but not together in that size without a filter. And you didnt mention a heater...a heater would be needed for an ADF...and for a betta...I really hate that they sell tanks that small, as they really arent that great for housing an animal. ADFs and Bettas are tropical fish, needing tropical temps.


----------



## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Oh, and dont use nothing but RO water if you do use it. You will need to, at the very least, mix it with tap water as to not strip the water of the needed minerals that the fish need.

Tap with water conditioner is the easiest, cheapest, and most effective route in a 2 gallon, IMO.


----------



## Glassfish (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks everyone for your helpful info. I don't know if my tank has a
Filter or not lol. Is it the water pump? I don't have a heater ether. I did
Not think I would need one in such a small tank. Currently the water
Temp is at 66F with out the tank light on. I don't know if adding heated
Water instead of cold water would help or not. As for fish, do any of 
You have parodies fish? I read a great article on them. If the article
Is correct I can keep one in the tank with a plant or two
Without a heater. How do I cycle my tank? I hear it's hard to do with
Small tanks. Love to hear what you all have to say.

Rachel


----------



## aquakid (Jun 22, 2008)

well rachel,

I'd personally stay away from live plants. With the equipment you have and experience level i'm just going to be honest and say your not quite ready for that yet. However if you want you can go grab one of those "mini heaters" that are rated for smaller tanks. see Aquarium Heaters & Water Temperature: Mini Aquarium Heaters for the heater. Another thing you may want is a small sponge filter. also for small tanks. see Foam Aquarium Biological Filters: Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter 9 . you attach the air pump to this and the uplift from the bubles creates suction into the sponge. it is gentle and so wont hurt the inhabitants. now with your filter and heater in place you can widen your fish selection. I'd reccomend 3 small neon tetras. see Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Neon Tetra Jumbo . I'd also suggest a small shrimp to take care of detritus. see Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Neon Tetra Jumbo . You can have a variety of artificial freshwater plants, add sand, rocks, even small pieces of driftwood. (you can cut a piece you buy to fit your tank. see Artificial Plants & Corals: Aquascape aquariums and fish tanks with Artificial Plants & Corals for plants. you can also use a small algae magnet. I'd recommend the magfloat mini. Do weekly 25-30% waterchanges which you can achive by making a siphon out of the airline tube and using water conditioner. I use "prime" for my water conditioner in my fresh and saltwater tanks. Cycling can be achived by leaving the tank to sit for a week without any fish. just water and after you add fish id recommend adding "stable" to the water. hope this helps. best of luck to you . By the way i'm mike and you can pm me if you have any other questions.


----------



## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

As far as tank cycling goes, here is a great link to an article here on TFK that outlines it for you. After reading it, if you need any more help clearifying it or just questions in general, feel free to ask. 
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...inners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-38617/

That temp is way too cold, colder water for tropical fish can be deadly, as their immune systems take a hit and any parasite or disease can set in. Tropical fish should be kept at a minimum of generally 76F, or if possible 78F...this can fluctuate slightly depending on what species of tropical fish you are housing. They do make mini heaters, as well as mini filters...Walmart even sells a mini filter for under 5 gallon tanks for like $10, and it is by Tetra. Mini heaters arent normally in stock at Petsmart or Walmart (well, they have one at walmart, its like $15, but might take up too much space in a 2 gallon) so you might want to buy one online...Petsmart, Petco, and other fish online shopping sites have smaller heaters. A preset heater would be fine for that tank size.

No, you do not want to add warm water. Temp changes too quickly like that can shock the fish and cause more harm than good. A steady temp, of the right degree, is the only desire when it comes to heating a tank for tropical fish.

You might consider returning the 2 gallon, and purchasing even the 5 or 10 gallon set up offered at Walmart or Petsmart, they are more expensive than what you paid for the 2 gal, but come with heaters and filters (some might not include a heater, but one can be bought for $15 or less). And with a 5 gallon you could house a betta and maybe a bottom feeder like a shrimp or snail. It is very important not to overstock, as with minimal experiance overstocking can lead to high ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, can stress fish to death, and will just give you a headache. 

I disagree on live plants being too much to take on. Just do some research into live plants that require little to no extra work via lighting, substrate, or plant food...they exist. 

And the air pump isnt a filter. It can be used partially as one with a UGF, but the main purpose for one is oxygenating the water and giving the water movement. 

I hope this helps clear it all up a bit. Again, if you need more assistance, we are all hear to help...and feel free to PM me if you feel the need, I am on here daily.

Welcome to TFK!!!


----------



## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Paradise Fish ( Macropodus opercularis ) get WAY too big for a 2 gallon...actually a 25 gallon tank is recommended for them. They are beautiful fish, but it is very hard to find a suitable tankmate as they are aggressive, eat smaller fish, and nip fins hard core. Yes, they can be kept in cooler water, but prefer warmer water around 75F. 

Link to Paradise Fish profile: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/profiles/paradise-fish/

When choosing fish you also have to consider pH levels and water hardness, as some fish can and will die if the pH is too high or too low for their species, and if the water is too hard or too soft for their species. 

An API Master Test Kit for water testing (around $30) provides you with the most accurate results and will last you for a good while...and it will test all the things you need, such as pH, ammonia, nitrites, & nitrates.


----------



## Glassfish (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks to mike and Las Colinas for the links. 
My local meijers sells those little heaters for
$13, decent price. I have not seen the filter attachment,
I'm goinng to look around for one of them. As for fish, 
I love neon tetras. My brother has a few in his 10 tank.
I thought they were to big for my tank. I will look into
Getting some. When cycling the tank should I have neons
In the tank? Or should I get Somthing else? 

Thank again,
Rachel


----------



## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Glassfish said:


> Thanks to mike and Las Colinas for the links.
> My local meijers sells those little heaters for
> $13, decent price. I have not seen the filter attachment,
> I'm goinng to look around for one of them. As for fish,
> ...


The best route for cycling your tank is a* fishless* method, the easiest is the shrimp method, which is explained in the article I linked previously. If you cycle with fish, the fish's life will be shortened if it even makes it through the cycle. A 2 gal should cycle quickly, however, I have heard that a tank that small is very difficult to keep levels stable for fish safety. I have had a 1 gal in the past, but it was short term...other than that my smallest is a 5 gal. There isnt many choices for a 2 gal even with a heater and filter. Its pretty much a betta, an african dwarf frog, a guppy, a platy...and that is about it for solo fish that can live in a 2 gal. And in a 2 gal, you can really only house *ONE* fish. 

Neon Tetra require a school of 5-6 *minimum* to be healthy and happy, therefore severely overstocking your tank. So *no*, neon tetra would *not* be suited to a 2 gal. If you had a 5 gal, I would say you could push it with 5 neon tetra in it, but not a 2. And 1-3 neons wont be happy or healthy.

Hope this helps clear it up a bit more.


----------



## aquakid (Jun 22, 2008)

I've seen neons kept happy long terms in groups of three but your probably right with 5-6 being best. However what do you think about an invert only tank? A few shrimps or a pair of minicrabs might go quite nicely in that type of tanks. Alot of nano tanks are starting to exclude fish. What do you think?


----------



## Glassfish (Mar 31, 2011)

Guess I should have read your link Before posting.
My brother only has 3 neon tetras in his tank and for
A while only one which has been one of the healthiest 
fish in his Tank for over 3 months. Guppies sound cool.
My mother kept a few for years when she was a kid, in 
A relatively small tank. I could alway do just a betta, I'm 
Perfectly fine with that. I ask about the other fish to get
Some idea of what can fit in a small tank As for shrimp,
To be honest they give me the creeps (no offense to those
Who do like shrimp. It's just not for me.) I could use shrimp
For cycling a suppose. I'm going to petco tomorrow to get 
Rocks and other supplies maybe I will look at some fish and
Get my water tested. I will tell you how it goes.

Rachel
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Glassfish (Mar 31, 2011)

went to the petco today and picked up some gravel and 
backing. in my excitment i forgot to bring a sample of water
for testing. have to do it tomarrow. if you have any ideas for supplies i would appriciate it.

Thanks

Rachel
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Glassfish said:


> went to the petco today and picked up some gravel and
> backing. in my excitment i forgot to bring a sample of water
> for testing. have to do it tomarrow. if you have any ideas for supplies i would appriciate it.
> 
> ...


Supply list:
Mini Heater
Mini Filter
Water testing kit 
plants (live or fake)


Any conclusion to what type of fish you have decided to keep in your new tank? If you have decided all ready, you can go ahead and buy the fish food ahead of time.


----------



## Glassfish (Mar 31, 2011)

Yeah, I'm going with a betta. Anything special for them I will need to buy? What should I look for in a test kit? I'm going to cycle my tank with raw shrimp. Any past experience with this style of cycling? Should I add my live plants before or after cycling? 

Thank again, you have been a great help.

Rachel
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Glassfish said:


> Yeah, I'm going with a betta. Anything special for them I will need to buy? What should I look for in a test kit? I'm going to cycle my tank with raw shrimp. Any past experience with this style of cycling? Should I add my live plants before or after cycling?
> 
> Thank again, you have been a great help.
> 
> ...


Dont forget to get a water conditioner, Prime is highly recommended.
Some bettas are picky and will either prefer the pellet food or the flakes...all but one of the bettas I ever owned preferred the flakes. 
Freeze-dried Bloodworms are a fave treat for bettas.

It's about $30, but the API Freshwater Master Test Kit is the top recommended kit (it will last you a long time). You want to be able to check your pH (can have pet store do it, as it doesnt often change much), ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are top things to check. Liquid tests are better than strips (unless in a financial strain, strips are better than nothing! )

Using the shrimp method, either use a biobag or a cut off nylon/stocking/panty hose, so as it breaks down it doesnt make a mess in your tank. 

Live plants are fine in before the cycle, and should help the cycle be less dramatic, and usually can allow you to get your fish faster, at least that is with my experiance on smaller tanks.

You are more than welcome, glad I could be of assistance!!! :-D


----------



## alidawn15 (Jan 31, 2011)

If you want more specific details go to the betta species tab... It's another forum through this one that's all about them.


----------

