What Would You Do With A 1 Gallon Tank?

HI all! I am at work, and it's a slow day. I'm looking at the 1 gallon hex tank on my desk, noticing how empty it looks with just the one little nerite snail in it.

I thought I'd put it out there for people to chime in - what would you do with it?

Specs: room temp around 75
Water: pH ~8.0-8.2
I can add low light plants, but there are none in there right now. I do plan to add java moss and probably a marimo ball.

It's run by an air-powered tetra whisper filter, the little tube-like ones.

I have some ideas on what I'd like to do with it, but again, I'd like to see others would do with it!

Please no bettas, as the temp is too low for them. I cheated and had on in there before, but he was sick from the day I got him so I never bothered to get a heater and don't plan to (not enough plugs at my desk).

I can add a battery operated clip light if need be.

I'm happy to do a brackish tank, or fresh. No saltwater, not in a tank this small lol!

So, what would you do with your tiny tank?

 

Pink or blue Ramshorn breeding tank.

 

You're kinda stuck with snails or shrimp, so you might pick a really pretty variety, like blue velvet shrimp

 

Shrimp colony!

 

Haha there are a precious few fish species that do fine in a 1 gallon if kept alone. Especially if it's planted.

A male Scarlet Badis would be one example, if the tank was set up properly.

Though I will probably do a shrimp tank, because I've yet to have one I can give enough attention to. One in the office would get about 8 hours of attention every weekday so it's a bit more likely to succeed.

 

Pencil holder?

 

Personally I'd throw it in the trash, but that's just my opinion.

 

there isn't any fish I would put in it. although shrimp colony is a good idea

 

Personally I'd throw it in the trash, but that's just my opinion.

This thread is just for fun. Helpful posts are great. Funny posts are better. As this is neither, I'd appreciate it if in the future you refrained from commenting.

 

Take it apart and make it into a filter.

 

You could use it as a grow out for various invertebrates. I used a 3 gallon and went to my own person creek and found a case making caddisfly (didn’t know what it was at the time)

I also found something out about them. If their caddis, they make one out of the nearest thing. Whether it be pebbles, sand, or even goldlooks really cool

 

For me it would have to be a dario dario with a shrimp colony first as a supplementry live food source.

 

For me it would have to be a dario dario with a shrimp colony first as a supplementry live food source.

I like the way you think, smee (hI again by the way, long time no see). I might poke around and see if I can find anything smaller than a D. dario in the same genus.

 

I'm all behind nano tanks and creative stocking, but there's no way I could ever justify putting a fish in a tank that small. Maybe some shrimp, but I don't think I'd even do that.

 

I'd fill it to the brI'm with Goldfish...crackers. It is a Goldfish bowl, after all.

Seriously, a small male Killifish, there are a number of species that stay about 1.5 inches, and they aren't active swimmers. And they are more colorful than Bettas!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm all behind nano tanks and creative stocking, but there's no way I could ever justify putting a fish in a tank that small. Maybe some shrimp, but I don't think I'd even do that.

There are a good few fish, primarily asian, and mostly from India, that are not schooling fish and max out at under 1". D. dario and several of their congeners, for instance are not especially active, and thus don't need a tank with much footprint. I would feel very comfortable housing a single male specimen with a colony of RCS in a 1 gallon tank, provided the tank was well-planted.

The thing with these fish is they aren't particularly popular in the aquarium trade, thus not many people are familiar with them and there isn't as much information about how to keep them in captivity. I was once friends with a fishkeeper on facebook, a few years ago, who is from India and grew up with these types of fish in his backyard. They live in tiny pools, establish tiny territories, and live their whole lives in a very small area.

So, would a 3 gallon (the commonly recommended minimum tank size) be better for a D. dario? Sure, obviously. But a 1 gallon is totally sufficient for a single male.

Often the larger tank recommendations are because these fish generally don't eat prepared foods, and need to live amongst a self-sustaining food colony, so enough room for that is needed.

However I have found that D. dario will readily take live blackworms, which are available at several of my local stores. I would have no problem seeding the tank with blackworms and RCS before adding a D. dario. I've had pretty good luck with keeping blackworm colonies alive for several weeks, up to several months, in my larger aquariums which contain much more voracious eaters.

 

You should opt for a common houseplant in a gallon tank.

 

Pencil holder?

Hahaha...Okay, true.

 

Also chromedome52 , how the heck did I forget about killifish? Haha. Isn't there a fundolopanchax species that stays really small?

 

Aquatic Arts happens to have Scarlet Badis available right now. If my 5 gallon was open, I'd be all over that. They do go quickly.

 

Rachel O'leary usually has them on her website, so if I decide to go that route, there is always the likelihood I can buy them from her.

 

I think the shrimp are a great idea most people at my office weren't even aware that shrimp in tanks was a thing, so I figure that would be a interesting feature

 

Maybe a planted tank, with some shrimp?
Growing plants is so cool, watching them grow.

 

Blue velvet shrimp are stunning and suitable for a 1 gallon

 

Halocaridinia rubra

 

If anyone is interested, I know what I'm doing with my tiny tank.

Just because I have one, I brought a 3 gallon tank to work. It's rimless so I'm going to have to make a lid for it, but that shouldn't be a big deal.

I'm going to plant it with flame moss, a marimo ball, and maybe a peace lily or something similar, and I'll be adding a group of RCS when they get some new berried females in at one of my favorite stores.

Then, in a month or so, I'll be adding a M/F pair of Girardinus Metallicus. I'm hoping to bring some of their babies home with me to raise in my breeding tanks, possibly for sale at a later date.

I'm determined the tiny tank must be pretty, otherwise I'd go a different direction. But I've wanted G. metallicus for a while, and I haven't tried them yet.

As the 1 gallon tank is a hex, not a rectangle, I may use it for a shrimp tank at home. Because it's not long enough for even a tiny fish like G. metallicus.