Possible New Tank 2.5 - 10g?

[Denther]

Hey all. I haven't been around much recently. About 6 months back I was getting a lot of help with my 10g that is in my sig. Thanks for all of that!

Anyway, I've been thinking about getting a new tank but I really don't have a whole lot of space.

I have the top of a dresser to work with that would fit a 10g tank, nothing bigger. Problem is half of it is devoted to a 2.5g MiniBow aquarium. I've been considering a couple things.

1. Get another 2.5g or a 5 if it will fit and stock it with something small. Preferably not another Betta, maybe shrimp?

2. Get a 10g, put my Betta in there and get him some tank mates. I don't know what though.

I have an AquaTech 5-15 filter that is from my 10g that I thought died. I think I might be able to revive it. I'll look into that.

I'm wondering which route I should take. I would like to have some shrimp but not exactly sure how to do that and I've heard they need "pristine" conditions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Denther]

I was able to get the Aqua Tech to sputter back to life. Just had a lot of crud jammed up in the inner workings. Oh well. My new Penguin 100 is much better.

Now I have a working filter as well if necessary.

 

[KcMopar]

I like the 10G idea. I had 7 white cloud mountain minnows with a betta about 10 years ago and had good luck with them. I did have a very laid back betta thought so that may have been the reason. I also had a lot of hiding spaces for them all to. Someone might have better advice on a better tank mate though as I am no betta expert.

 

[FlameTetra333]

Hey all. I haven't been around much recently. About 6 months back I was getting a lot of help with my 10g that is in my sig. Thanks for all of that!

Anyway, I've been thinking about getting a new tank but I really don't have a whole lot of space.

I have the top of a dresser to work with that would fit a 10g tank, nothing bigger. Problem is half of it is devoted to a 2.5g MiniBow aquarium. I've been considering a couple things.

1. Get another 2.5g or a 5 if it will fit and stock it with something small. Preferably not another Betta, maybe shrimp?

2. Get a 10g, put my Betta in there and get him some tank mates. I don't know what though.

I have an AquaTech 5-15 filter that is from my 10g that I thought died. I think I might be able to revive it. I'll look into that.

I'm wondering which route I should take. I would like to have some shrimp but not exactly sure how to do that and I've heard they need "pristine" conditions.

Thanks in advance.

Here's what I would do.

1 Betta
3 Cory Catfish
5 Silver Hatchetfish

They can all be found at Petsmart and is sort of a "cheap oddball" tank.

 

[Denther]

Ok. I'm kinda worried about my dresser supporting all that weight. It's about 3-4 feet tall and 30 inches wide (thereabouts). Will it be able to support a 10g tank? It's got a 2.5 on there no problem but still kind of worried. Thanks for the tips.

My betta seems pretty laid back, not 100% though.

 

[Thyra]

Is your dresser on four small legs or flat on the floor? Is it stable and level? Hatchets are not recommended to be with bettas and cories are also pretty active to put in with a betta - supposedly they should be in groups of at least four. I have a 10g with a betta, 4 neons , 2 silver mollies and two otos and it has worked very well. My best advice would be to put the other fish in first and wait a few days and then add the betta. Platies also work well with bettas and can be very colorful. You probably won't have to worry about fry because I think the betta will take care of that problem although a few may survive with enough hiding places.

 

[Denther]

It's on four short stubby little legs, about an inch and half of free space underneath. Seems very sturdy. I'd have to check the levelness of it.

 

[Thyra]

As long as it feels sturdy and stable I think it would be okay. Be sure you check level both side to side and front to back. Frequently rooms slope either up and down toward the walls by just a little, but enough to cause a problem with an aquarium.

 

[lauraf]

Do the 10g. Sounds like your dresser should take the weight. A betta with shrimp and some platies or even dwarf frogs would be cool. Then at a later date if you want to have a different stocking plan, the 10g will allow you more options. Adding lots of live plants will also help your betta feel more secure . . . .

 

[Denther]

After considering it I've decided that getting a 10g isn't really feasible.
Mainly because I don't have the money for one.

So let's say I could get only a 2.5g tank due to budget, or a 5g. I'd have to check dimensions.

I'd like to put shrimp in there.

How many can I get and of what kind?

What else should I know?

I also don't really want to have any shrimp reproducing, because I don't want more shrimp. Is there a species that doesn't reproduce very often/rapidly?

 

[Thyra]

Have you considered looking for a used 10g at a thrift store or on Craig's List. By the time I got the 2.5g tank set up for my betta I had $50 at least in it. I had to buy a heater, the filter that came with was a farce, and I bought a florescent lamp. This was beside the substrate and a little decor. I later found a 10g tank with everything for $20 plus they threw in a little one gallon affair with a little filter that I can at least quarantine plants in. The 2.5g is harder to maintain than the 10g or any of the larger tanks.

 

[KcMopar]

I admire your decision, its a very big and good reason. Its also the responsible one! I can not help ya on the shrimp though, I only have salt water ones so I am no help with the freshwater ones.