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kstatefan

Two Gallon Aquarium

kstatefan
13 years ago

My 7 year old daughter received a 2 gallon aquarium. I know nothing about fish. How should we set this up?

Comments (10)

  • woeisme
    13 years ago

    Well.... your question seems simple enough and is to the point. The answer isn't. To accurately answer it, what is the brand name and model of the aquarium? What came with it? Filter type if any? Heater? Lighting, incandescent, fluorescent, any at all? What kind of water supply do you have, well or water company?

  • terrestrial_man
    13 years ago

    1. First decide what is best for your child.
    You really have two major options as far as fish are
    concerned: a couple of fancy goldfish or one betta.
    These would be the easiest and the showiest of the fish
    that a child could take care of for themselves with
    basic instructions.
    2. Forget about all the fancy appartus for your small tank
    3. Fill the tank with tap water and let it set for a couple
    of days. Also fill up a gallon jar with tap water that
    will be used to replace water in the tank.
    4. Put the tank in a warm room but not in front of a window
    but be sure the area is well lit so your child can enjoy
    the fish.
    5. Take your daughter and go to a local pet store and have
    her look at the gold fish and at a betta to see what she would like between the two. Tell her that if she is
    interested in any of the other fish that she needs to
    learn how to keep the two choices first as you would
    have to buy a much larger tank for them, if she asks
    about the other fish she would see.
    6. Be sure to buy the appropriate fish food for either the
    goldfish or for the betta.
    7. While you do not need to get one you may want to look at
    an aerator. Talk to the clerk at the store about one
    suitable for a small tank. Needed with the aerator MAY
    be air tubing and an air stone.
    8. Take the fish home and set the bag with the fish in the
    tank of water and let it set for 20 minutes before
    opening and letting the fish out.
    9. Give the fish a couple of hours to adjust to the new
    tank. If they look happy then take a pinch of food
    (amount held between your thumb and first finger) and
    drop into the tank. Do this only once a day.

    1. Every three to four or five days remove 1 gallon of
      the water from the tank and add in slowly the water
      that has been sitting nearby. Dump the old water out
      into your flower beds and add fresh water into the
      gallon jar to set until the next replenishing.

    This is a basic set up without all the fancy stuff and all
    the hassle of gravel, filters, and plants that make it just
    too much of a chore for a child to have to deal with.
    Keeping it relatively simple will give your daughter a good
    chance of learning and enjoying the experience.
    To help you may want to sign onto TetraCare. Check the link.

    Here is a link that might be useful: TetraCare

  • einmyria
    13 years ago

    2 gallons. You don't have much choice, if you want to be humane about things you can only have 1 small betta in it though they should really get 2.5 gallons or more. Or you could put a few ghost or red cherry shrimp. Anything else would be too big and inhumane for such small tank.

    You will need a heater and filter for a 2 gallon.

  • CaptTurbo
    13 years ago

    Or you could put some aquarium gravel in it, drop in a goldfish and let the kid enjoy it. If the fish should die, blow another .25 and put a new goldfish in it.

    If you have city water, you should let the water stand for a day or two before adding the fish. This will allow the chlorine to gas out of the water and into the air.

  • tammypie
    13 years ago

    You do NOT need a filter for a 2-gallon aquarium.

    I suggest keeping only 1 betta fish (male or female) in this size tank. You'll need a heater for a betta because they are tropical fish.

    I would use gravel (a.k.a. substrate) and your choice of live or silk plants so the betta would feel more secure.

    Of course, you'll need to make partial water changes every 4-5 days (20% of the water removed).

    IF you decide to get a betta, make sure you get 1) water dechlorinator and 2) aquarium salt to keep your fish healthy.

    Bettas are very easy to care for, and a 2.5 gallon tank is ideal for only one betta fish, no more. Mine is thriving for 10 months now in one.

    TammyPie

  • aquadriac
    13 years ago

    whatever you do please don't put a goldfish in there!

    i would only put a betta in there as well...

    if it has a light how about trying a small live plant to help out with the no-filter problem.

    Lucky bamboo sticking out of the top would be neat

  • izzie
    13 years ago

    Most heaters are for larger tanks. I was thinking of getting a small tank for a Betta instead of a using a bowl like I usually do because I wanted to heat it somehow. Most of the small ones in pet stores don't come with a heater and most heaters are for 10 gallons and above. If you don't heat it it would be better to get a goldfish. Maybe just "rescue" a feeder goldfish.

  • jojosplants
    13 years ago

    Hi everyone.
    I've seen some good advice here. but one thing I haven't seen mentioned is that 2 male Beta's will fight to the death. they cannot go together. and a male and female not good either. the male will want to breed, and chase her to her death in such a small tank.

    I've kept plenty over the years in bowls.. they are wonderful colorful fish!

    JoJo

  • aquadriac
    13 years ago

    10 gallon aquariums are only about $30 where i live...i'd invest in this for your daughter...perhaps?

    in my opinion it's just ignorant and cruel to keep anything in a tank so small

    it's like buying a Chihuahua and keeping it in a dog carrier just because it's a small dog and can survive in there. just because it's surviving does not mean that it's happy and healthy.

    sorry if my honest opinion isn't what you want to hear, but honestly is always best regardless.

  • hillary18812
    13 years ago

    how you are maintaining

    Here is a link that might be useful: cheap parts accessories

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