Water change???

[JimMelAddie]

I have a male betta and 4 small (Babies) snails in a 1/2 gallon, unfiltered, unheated, covered tank in my office. It has been set up exactly one week. I just put the snails in this morning. This set up seems to be doing much better than the open bowl that I kept my, now deceased, old betta in. It appears that no water has evaporated as it did (at least an inch) with the bowl set up. The water is starting to get semi-cloudy (barely).

Question #1: Water - Change how often?

Question #2: Are the snails a good idea?

 

[ashleigh]

the snails are not a good idea- I would say a filter would be and a heater is a must but of course that is up to you. In a container that small I would change the water at least every five days. Not 100%- I would extract about 15- 25% with a turkey baster- With my badis I depress the balooney thing on the end before I put the squirty part in the tank so that I do not bubble the tank and upset him. Do you know about using dechlorinator and that sort of thing?

 

[JimMelAddie]

Yes, I treat the water! So, the snails aren't a good idea? Any reason why?

Turkey baster! Good idea!

 

[ashleigh]

yup- the turkey basters are very handy for little tanks- especially if you have gravel. The snails are a bad idea (sorry I didn't explain) because they add quite a bit of mess- in a small unfiltered tank they can make a borderline okay set up go badly. Plus, that set up is probably not great for the snails either- they are likely not getting the food (ie Calcium) they need to allow their shells to develop.

 

[JimMelAddie]

Alrighty! I guess I'll take the snails back home with me today! Too bad! I love watching 'em!

 

[ashleigh]

I'm sorry- they are fun. What if you got him a little filtered tank - like one of those 2.5 bowfronts ( I have one on my desk) ? that would give you a little more room to keep the betta happy and clean and plus you could drop part of a sinking wafer for the snails from time to time (remainder would have to be turkey basted out the next day) to keep them healthy? Even in that set up though you would only want one snail.