8 gallon tank - what to use it for?

Hi!

When I first started fishkeeping in April 2007 - my parent bought me a 8 US gallon tank. (AquaOne AquaStart 320 kit) Now - for Christmas I got a 47 US gallon (180 litres) tank. I moved all the fish from my horribly-overstocked 28 litre to my 180 litre.

Now I'm stuck with a tank I don't know what to do with! I want to keep a male betta in it - but the question is - What else can I keep in it with a Betta?

 

Hi!

I forgot to add. My friend has a tank where the platys have re-populated the tank. I'd like to take a male of her hands - would he fit?

 

The only things that can really go with bettas (and live peacefully with) is otos and corys.

 

not much but I would use it as a quarantine tank for sick fishies :]

 

small tets like neons or glowlights are okay.
Otos and cats also

 

Hi!
What about shrimps? I heard lots of people keep Bettas and shrimp together.

I'm using it as a quarantine tank now - see my sig! I don't see the point of a hospital tank - I mean - when you move the already weakened fish to the hospital you give them enough stress to kill them outright!:-\

I've had bad experience with otos. They are schooling fish - and I would never keep otos and corys in numbers under 6. Really - we wouldn't do it to Neons who need a shoal - why would we do it to catfish who also need friends?

I really like TakashI Amano shrimp. I'm slightly worried they'de get themselves trapped in the gravel siphon!

I saw some really neat dwarf puffers in the LFS the other day. What do you think? They only grow to 2.5cm long!

 

I wouldn't recommend shrimp with Betta. An 8g tank only leaves room for 2-3 corys or 2-3 otos.

 

Hi!

OK COBettaCouple. If there's anyone I'd trust with advice on Bettas - it's you! I don't like to keep corys or otos in numbers under 6 - so I won't do that.

I'm using the tank to quarantine my Dwarf Gouramis for the 47Gallong at the Mo. Do you think a male/female pair would work? My male I'm quarantining now is trying to build a bubble-nest!I'm It makes me think - maybe I should try breeding them? I have another small tank (My dad's excuse to not set it up is 'it's tiny!'. Duh... What happened to Bettas?) that I could move the female into when the eggs are layed.

Well - if I don't do gouramis I'll do Bettas.;D Hey - what about Dward puffers? (With no Bettas - just puffers) I saw some neat Dwarf puffers in the LFS the other day. They'd rock in there! How many of those do you think would fit?
I just did a little reasearch. The puffers seem fine for a small tank and seem to get along with otos and corys. But I still don't know how many to get. It would be a puffer-only tank if I go for that.
Oh, and how big snails do they eat? Would they go for Apple snails, or Nerites? or even Pond snails?

 

Well Morph is keeping 6 puffers in a 55 gal what would that work out to ...... he has about 9.16 gals per puffer but also has some plecos so if he is doing it correctly you could put a red eyed puffer in your tank

 

Gourami would be interesting to breed and the fry should be in their own tank as soon as they're free swimming.

Puffers are also a cool option. They can suck out some good sized snails, but I think they're happiest with the common pond snails that they can just chomp on.

 

Hi!

COBettaCouple - I'm thinking of it. I'm just a kid - so if I could get a cycle going where I can get them to breed over and over it'lll provide me with a source of much-needed income. Just wandering - do you have any idea how much money you get from the shop fro Dwarf gouramis? If its a decent amount then I might think about that.

I mean Dwarf puffers Angelfish220. I heard about Morph's tank. Looks good - dosn't it? Dwarf puffers only grow to around 3cm.

 

I would do the puffer if you have the $$$ around here they are pretty expensive

 

The amount that you could get for young Gourami would vary from area to area and even shop to shop, so you'd want to check the local shops to see if they'd buy them and if so, what they're giving for them.

 

Hi!
What about shrimps? I heard lots of people keep Bettas and shrimp together.

I'm using it as a quarantine tank now - see my sig! I don't see the point of a hospital tank - I mean - when you move the already weakened fish to the hospital you give them enough stress to kill them outright!:-\

I've had bad experience with otos. They are schooling fish - and I would never keep otos and corys in numbers under 6. Really - we wouldn't do it to Neons who need a shoal - why would we do it to catfish who also need friends?

I really like TakashI Amano shrimp. I'm slightly worried they'de get themselves trapped in the gravel siphon!

I saw some really neat dwarf puffers in the LFS the other day. What do you think? They only grow to 2.5cm long!

I keep my bettas with ghost shrimp and african frogs... they don't mind them at all.. everyone seems happy to me

 

For an 8 gallon I would have a tank with four dwarf frogs with some hiding places and some ghost shrimp and two ottos. The frogs are so much fun to watch. Or I would do a dwarf puffer tank with two dwarf puffers and two ottos. They are like having underwater puppies and make sure it is heavly planted. Good luck!

 

Hi!

Yeh. I've heard that everywhere, Kat - just Dave dosn't agree and I'd trust him with the lives of every Betta in the galaxy.

 

Sometimes ghost shrimp (full-size) and/or adfs can be kept with a betta, but it can end poorly and would definitely be something to have a backup plan on. The smaller shrimp don't have much chance, but sometimes a Betta, depending on personality, will leave a big shrimp alone. Just have lots of hiding spots for the shrimp and take out old exoskeletons as soon as possible. It's an arrangement that has limited success and not worth the risk to me. I find Betta personalities come out the most with no tank mates anyway.

 

Hi!

I don't want to keep anything with him - I just don't like the algae that is ALWAYS growing! I might try otos. I need to get to know MalachaI before I try though.

 

Otos can help with some types of algae, but we just wipe it off with paper towels. How long are you leaving the lighting on a day and what type of lighting? Less lighting can affect the algae growth. Live plants can help too as they'll steal nutrients from the algae.

Hi!

I don't want to keep anything with him - I just don't like the algae that is ALWAYS growing! I might try otos. I need to get to know MalachaI before I try though.

 

Hi!

Acctualy - his tank is pretty 'planted'! It's what I call semi-planted - not a jungle but lots of plants. He has no fake ornaments/toys (Apart from a coconut cave that he sometimes goes in). He has a rock - and 5 bunches of plants.