2 Gallon Tank is 2g enough for a while

hey ive decided after my last fighter that I died a while back I'm ready for another so I went to my lfs were I work and aout of all the fighters I bought this nice red one that ive now saved since he was kept with crabs that ripped some of his fins he had gill curl (what causes this) and has caught whitespot the day after I bought him and I haven't had a disese in around I think over a year so I want to put him in a 2-3g tank and how long will he be ok in this because the smallest tank ive ever had a fighter in was a 10 gallon it will be in a heated room and I'm going to run it with a airstone the only other things in there are 1 trumpet snail and some ancharis and java fern

 

Hi,

Well with ICH you want to have temps up around 86*F (30*C). That's the natural way to get rid of ICH without having to use meds. A 2-3g is fine for the Betta but he would prefer a larger tank. The minimum tank size is 2.5g I believe. So yeah just put in a heater with a cycled sponge filter and heat the tank up. After I think 3 weeks of having the tank really warm the ICH should be completely gone. Just make sure you do gravel vacs whenever you do a waterchange which should be twice a week at least.

 

Ich might be a little hard to treat in a 2 gal but it can be done.

If it is ich, increase your temperature in the tank to 86 F and keep it at 86 for atleast 2 weeks even if you think the Ich is gone.

Add an extra aeration source like an airstone as warmer water holds less oxygen. Lowering the water level and allowing your filter to break the surface more will help as well.

Do daily water changes of about 30-40% to remove the free-floating ich spores/parasites. Gravel vac every other day to remove the dead spores/parasites.

Soak foods in garlic before feeding them. Garlic has natural anti-bacterial/antibiotic properties that will boost the fish's immune system.

I have my betta in a 2.5 gal. That's the bare minimum IMO but a 2 gal is fine if you can't get a larger tank.

 

yeh I was going to use meds and he was going to be there just for quarantine then he will have his own 10 gallon with a few tetras

 

I've used meds with great success in the past. Get one that uses drops so you can more accurately dose the tank. Overdosing is a big concern in such a tiny tank.

 

k I have a suringe to dose aswell

 

Well since Johnathan has covered most of the things, may I add a few.

Once you visually see that the ich is gone, I would recommend that you leave the heater on for an extra week just to make sure that the ich is gone <just because the ich is not visible on the body of the fish does not mean that it's gone. At most times it can hide under the gills of the fish; making it impossible to tell if the fish has ich or not>.

If I may, here's an effective salt treatment that works greatly:

 

I wouldn't recommend you use meds, although they have worked for me in the past (never actually failed me) just try the natural way by heat. Like Rogue said, 86 is perfect, and you want to maintain it for AT LEAST 3 weeks. You don't HAVE (water changes will be a pain, as well as possible stress to the fish) to have a filter, but to keep it safe, it is best you do have a cycled spongy.

I also recommend you have a bare bottom setup, and then just do a very quick little vacuum every day. Perhaps rap three sides in a towel or polystyrene to help keep the temp stable as even a small heater in that small a tank will cause fluctuations. Make sure you meet all the parameters of the water in the 2 gallon with the water change as fluctuations will be huge if something's off. I think if that fails, then use the meds (I would also recommend half - three quarter the recommended dosage), it is what I have always planned to do. Although heating the tank has never failed me before, and i've also had to resort to a 2 gallon last month because of a sick pleco named manny ;D

Good luck though!

 

I wouldn't recommend you use meds, although they have worked for me in the past (never actually failed me)

Never failed me either. I recommend meds when it's an infestation versus seeing a few spots. When the fish is infested it needs immediate relief, and the risk of the meds killing the fish is a moot point because there is a risk that the heat treatment will kill an infested fish too. With the heat treatment, it gets worse before it gets better.

 

Yes, I completely agree with this, simply because it is clear that there is need for immediate action. No better way to put it!

As for jammie, he mentioned that the ich appeared a day after he got him, so in this case I say definitely heat as the infestastion that jaysee speaks of is still in it's early stages.

One way or another, I think you've gotten some great responses!

 

he died on new years day but thanks for the replys

 

I'm sorry for your loss

 

thanks