From the article: Mini Aquariums
Mini aquariums are very popular with some, but others say they are nothing more than death boxes for the helpless fish. What do you think? Share your experiences.
Little friends
- My first goldfish (Fred) was kept in a small tank of around 5 litres, literally he loved it. He was in there for 2 years, no filter, just a few plants and gravel. He was never ill, or anything. But after hearing how they get lonely on their own and need a bigger tank, I got a 15 litre tank with anther goldfish. I also got recommended to add a filter, so I did so. Well, thanks for nothing, both fish died after about 2 months. Very sad to see Fred go as he was my little buddy. So not everything these 'experts' say is true, nor do they work.
- —Guest Gabby Watts
For the right thing
- I have a Betta in my 3.5 gallon glo-fish tank with a heater and filter and is thriving. Later I plan on adding some cherry shrimp. But small tanks (under 5 gallons) are great, but should only really be used for a betta or maybe a few male fancy guppies.
- —Guest Fishlove
Okay
- I have a betta and he is doing fine in a 1 and a half gallon tank filtered and heated. I had a fish before in a halfgallon and it is okay for a betta but not there favorite.
- —Guest Bob
Fine for a betta
- I have an Aqueon mini bow (1 gallon) and the fish I have had seemed ok in it. the author is right about small aquariums being very sensitive, though. I lost my first betta after a water change, even though I'm not sure weather the temperature or the water chemistry killed him. small tanks are sensitive to both though, just because there is such a small amount of water. my current betta seems content in his one gallon tank, even though im looking into getting him a bigger one. my current setup is a hiding place, a small sculpture, and a plant, and it looks great and provides a nice place for the fish
- —Guest paxx
Nice
- I have 5 tanks, a 120 gallon(gallons are 3.8 times bigger than liters) that is 48x24x24... I have a 75 gallon that is 48x18x21, a 65 gallon that is 36x18x24, a 36 gallon bowfront that is 30x13x21 and a 29 gallojn that is 30x12x18(remember, gallons are 3.8 times biger than liters)... all my tanks are freshwater exept my 29 gallon. honestly to me 29 gallons are small but most people think they are not so you should say the range in liters or gallons on how big a "small tank" really is to you beacause every boudy has diffrent opions... besides that great article and 100% acurate...
- —Guest gc
Not cruel just selfish
- I study bettas at university and the difference is is that I have a betta in ten gallon filtered and heated and he swims around so happily! And I also own a betta that's in a half gallon and he's a miserable sump on the floor:( and will soon be putting him in 10 gal heated and filtered but then again it's up to you but just think would you like to be in a cupboard?
- —Guest Henry
Mini tanks-Good4kids, bad4serious adults
- I say mini aquariums are good for children and beginners, but are really not good for adults or serious hobbyists. a 5 gallon or 21 liter is good for the littlies, but not good if you want a large community. Also not good because they are hard to keep stable (chemically) and just often look way to crowded. With a betta and a couple of say, feeder fish a 5 gal might be o.k. (be careful, not all betta's are friendly towards other fish) Sources: experience
- —Guest B.J.
happy beta
- My bet lives in a 29 gal tank, plenty of live plants the gravel is full of scuds, the fish swims all over the tank chasing scuds, putting him in a small tanks would depress him, he loves teh big tank. I could nver put him in a small tank, it's like a small jail.
- —Guest daffy duck
CRUEL, DEADLY, AND EVIL.
- I would never let any of my fish get near something so cruel. It's like getting locked into a room for the rest of your life. And to fish that means a lot. Face it, their life is in your hands..... and if you do something like this.... its just to evil.
- —Guest Stella
Ummmm
- I don't think that its that good to keep a fish in a small tank. Because I'm sure that you would not like to live in a attic! But sadly my poor Betta only has a 2 gallon so I am going to save up all of my allowance to get him a ten gallon tank with natural colored gravel and live plants.
- —Guest sandra
Its fine!
- I have a 10 liter tank with 3 guppies. Every week I do a 60% or sometimes even 70% percent water change. The guppies are living quite happily in there. I think it depends on the fish.
- —Guest Amadeus
Perfect with the right Method!
- Mini Aquariums are perfect with the RIGHT method of fish-keeping. I have got excellent results with my small aquarium which has this new All-Natural Method deployed in it. Ever since I have moved on to this new All-Natural low-tech and low maintenance method, life has become easy for me and my fishes. There have been no sick fishes and no fishes dead. I have reasons to believe that this is the best natural method of Fish-Keeping, so far.
- —Guest FishMate
Small tanks
- It really depends on what kind of fish you have. bettas and small fish are fine, but a mini tank is no place for a goldfish or larger fish. They want room too! Have fun with your fish!
- —Guest Anna
Classy and happy in a small tank
- I have one 5 gallon and one 1/2 gallon tanks. Both are heated, filtered, and both have live plants in them. The 5 gallon is an Southeast Asian biotope tank, with danios, rasboras, kulhi loaches, a bamboo shrimp and somewhere between 30-60 trumpet snails (yes, they are in the tank intentionally). The danios and rasboras swim and play with eachother, the kulhi loaches don't hide under the gravel, and the bamboo shrimp went from its pet-store brown to livin'-the-good-life right red. Clearly, no fish is having a terrible time in this tank. As for the 1/2 tank, it has 3 neon tetras in it, but they'll be moved into a 5.5 gallon Amazon biotope tank in about a month and a half as a Christmas present for my sister's family.
- —Guest Mimizu
25L tank with 4 small gold fish
- I have 4 young gold fishes in a small rectangle tank with Eheim 2213 (440L/hr) and an internal filter (300L/hr with Seachem matrix carbon), with some elodea. The Goldies are happy, and going to upgrade to a 80L in next few month when they get bigger. Gold fish love the current, and I do water change every 3 to 4 days
- —Guest Roger
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