I'm setting up my mini fish tank ! (Pic)

[PenisesAreNotPink]

So excited
Currently putting filtered water in, then will add a drop of the aqua stress coat. I'm going to get a plant today to see if I can keep it alive for a few days before getting 'Bob' the Betta

Crikey, that is tiny! How big is it? Don't forget to do a fishless cycle :) What colour betta are you going to get? Bob is an excellent fish name

There is literally one fish in the shop - he/she is blue ish with an orange tail.

It's a 7 litre tank, just for one fish. I've bought a better heater though as the one that came with it was rubbishy

I didn't know it was called a 'fish less cycle' but yes that's what I've got to do.

If Bob is still in the shop Friday, that's my guy

I've got the plant today so on my way home to pop it in and hope it survives first

7 litres?! Christ, I didn't know they made them that small. I'm far too lazy for all the work that comes with small tanks, I can't be arsed with daily water changes Personally I don't go for anything smaller than 40 litres.

A fishless cycle takes about 4-6 weeks.

Then no, I won't be waiting that long - possibly not necessary for something so small. I just need to do 25% of the water weekly for this one. Only one fish though, apparently he doesn't play well with others.

Yes, it's necessary, especially in a tank that's far too small. I think you are nuts for even contemplating this! Have fun though. 25% weekly water changes is nowhere near enough.

That tank is too small for a betta really, have you considered a smaller fish?
Also be careful as bettas are amazing jumpers. Ours squeezed out of a gap the size of a 5p coin and died. :( so be careful when netting him into a temporary location to clean out the gravel etc.

How is it too small? I took advice on here and in Pets at Home - this is the right size for the fish

In the instructions with the tank it says how to clean it - long, fairly detailed instructions on cleaning the pump.

And I know that some aren't keen on Pets at Home but the girl was really knowledgeable and only kept Betta - she has her ls trained to jump through hoops. She said they live fine on their own in the small tanks

• about 2 years she said they lived.

Obviously if it gets dirty or it needs it more I will clean it more - it hardly looks onerous

And I will ask for advice on here.

I will definitely make sure he can't jump out.

I did consider other fish. Both Guppies and Betta were recommended.

My new plant

Oh dear, you got ripped off by P@H. Sorry :( I'm amazed 7 litre tanks are even made tbh (RSPCA recommends a min of 45 litres but no one ever listens...), they are only good for sea monkeys or a bunch of flowers. Bettas can survived temporarily in small bodies of water but it won't take long for the water quality to take a nose dive in only 7 litres of water. You'd be constantly testing and doing water changes just to keep poor Bob from succumbing to all sorts of diseases.

Can you take the tank back and swap it or get a refund? Honestly, it won't end well trying to keep anything alive in there. Sorry to be harsh. P@H have a horrible reputation for things like this.

You're not harsh. Even if it's just your opinion I don't mind hearing it. I had a thread on here 3 weeks ago where I talked through the options and no one else said anything. Certainly 45 litres wasn't mentioned and these small tanks are made for individual small tropicals.

The lass in pets at home keeps hers individually in these tanks though and they live 2 years - which is the length they're supposed to.

I've just read an article on this site about Betta and it says one gallon is the minimum - this tank is two gallons

It says 5 gallons for optimum as well so your not wrong It does say it's not 'abuse' to keep them in a smaller tank. Appears to be hotly debated.

bettafishawarenessday.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-betta-fish-tank-debate.html?m=1

It is hotly debated and there's no consensus, so it's not really for them to say that fewer than 5 gallons is not abuse. You wouldn't be able to prove it either way. I know the RSPCA are not keen on small tanks.

Sadly the internet is just like aquatic stores- there's lots of very crappy advice out there. This site is very reliable but you can read around and decide for yourself. I like bigger bodies of water because I don't like all the extra testing and water changes, or the constant faffing in the summer to stop it from overheating. But if you're not as lazy as me then go for it, try it out and if it's not working then you can always buy a bigger tank.

True, I suppose the key is if it lives long and prospers

I've had a lot of very long living animals. My rabbit lived til he was 12 and a half. My cats have all been 18 plus. And my bloody dog who I adore wasn't supposed to live past 10 - every time I go in the vet sucks his teeth at how he is still alive with his heart - now 13 and a half.

I'm only getting the fish to stop me getting more cats as I've been drooling over kittens since my favourite cat died.

I need something to look after - and I probably will change the water and faff
About with the tank all the time as I've nothing else to do.

I can't get more 4 legged pets as moving into London in 18 months. If Bobs still going he can come.

Aw, sorry about your favourite cat. I lost my favourite cat earlier this year too. It's not an easy thing.

Bob should still be live and kicking in 18 months, bettas can go for 3 years. I have images of your adventures with Bob in the big city

What a pleasingly civilised and polite discussion (I usually read the dog threads)....

Good luck with Bob - I hope he prospers!

Yes, this is definitely more polite than a lot of fish forums I've been on!

Bobs here!!!

He seems pretty happy, he's already eaten food and he's bibbling about looking at the dog

More Bob

Extreme Bob close up

He seems pretty interested in me

I have a blue Betta but he is in a 45 litre tank with a few neon friends. I am very fond of mine...comes over to look right at me if I am near in the hope it is dinner time! I have never found him at all aggressive towards the other fish but obviously another male Betta is probably what you heard?

Bob is very attractive!

I don't think they know if he's aggressive but apparently other fish nibble the tails so they keep them separate - he has a lovely tail which will just get bigger

I love neons, they're so pretty.

I was going to get a snail for algae eating as they said that was a good thing to have with a Betta but I didn't want to kill the baby snails and they had one snail in a tank that had produced dozens of babies.

So no snail for me.

Oh, he's beautiful. I bet you can't stop looking at him. If you got a nerite snail then they don't breed in fresh water. They lay eggs but they won't hatch out.

I keep going to visit him in the office

I even caught my dh going in to say hello earlier - my dh who wants NO MORE pets

I'm going to do my morning meditation in front of his tank - I think he will be better than my glowing buddha