JillFlorio

Find the right mini-tank or small aquarium for your betta pets. These blurbs lead to my full reviews of common betta tanks.

The Betta View Hex
This is a small home for the majestic and solitary betta fish, but there are worse ones on the market. While I would not recommend this pint-sized habitat as a permanent home, it´s certainly a good place to use temporarily for your little fishie.

Aqua View Plus
The triangular acrylic tank comes with an undergravel filter system, pump, airline tubing, airlift tube, one plant, and a hood with both plastic protector AND light! Fantastic.

Betta Bow-Front Kit Product Review
The Penn Plax Betta Bow-Front Kit is suprisingly well-thought out: the bow-front makes for the best view possible, without the slight distortion you see in the Betta View Hex.

This Tetra Aqua product is easy and effective for making tap water safe for aquarium fish. I like that the bottle has a squeeze top and a cap, has a narrow profile, and adds both slime coat additive and dechlorinator/heavy metal neutralizer. The product also eliminates chloramine.

Since chlorine and chloramine are broken down, it’s a superior product over the NovAqua Water Conditioner if you have chloramines to deal with. With NovAqua you have the benefit of a product that adds beneficial water electrolytes, but nothing to cover chloramines, unless you also purchase the sister-product of Amquel.

The narrow profile of the bottle means I can easily store the bottle among my fish stuff. It slides in really easily on my shelf of fish paraphenalia. It’s a nice break from all those round bottles that leave a lot of space unused. It’s also more ergonomic, squeeze-wise.

With the squeeze top, I can choose to add actual drops for small tanks or use the cap as a cup measure for larger tanks. This takes care of a problem many conditioners have that are either established for tiny tanks (ie - under five gallons…where you should only add a drop per gallon), and for larger tanks, where you need a teaspoon for every 10 gallons. So this one product can service those one gallon betta tanks from the squeeze top and those 50 gallon tanks from the cap. There are also equal measure marks on the side of the container for making up really big batches of dechlorinated water. Each raised measure equals 10ml, or 20 gallons. Anyway, I like that this container makes my life easier.

It would be an even better product if the inside of the cap was marked for each teaspoon amount (one gallon amount). As it is, I only needed to measure out a teaspoon the first time, poured that into the cap, and then marked that amount with a sharpie for future use.

Aquarium Product Review - NovAqua Conditioner and Protector
Small Aquarium Review - AquaView Plus
More Aquarium Basics

Here is a link for you for purchasing or finding out more about AquaSafe Water Conditioner:

This is a very good aquarium conditioner that I can recommend without reservation. I like that this does more than just dechlorinate. NovAqua calls its product a “bandage in a bottle” for fresh and salt water fishes, pond fish and invertebrates. It has the additives I recommend everyone use to help a fish make and preserve their essential slime coat and adds electrolytes to maintain a proper osmotic balance for gill function. It also removes toxic metals like copper, stabilizes pH and balances alkalinity.

The conditioner does not remove chloramines, but then, most chlorine conditioners don’t either (Tetra Aqua’s AquaSafe is an exception that does both). Kordon makes NovAqua, and they have a similar product called Amquel, which is specfic for chloramines. The two products can be used in conjunction if your municipal water supply adds chloramine (you will have to call them to check - you can’t tell at home).

I would prefer the product come with a way to measure out larger dosages (rather than just drops), but I like that this product comes with an electrolyte enhancer.

The 8 fl oz bottle is a good price for the size and comes with an nice squeeze top. Since all you need is a drop per gallon, it lasts a good long time. You can use it whenever you add or change water, add new fish or toys, or if your fish are experiencing any stressful conditions.

More Aquarium Basics
Aquarium Product Review - AquaSafe Water Conditioner
BellaOnline Fish Forum

Here is an easy Amazon link for the NovAqua water conditioner in the 8 oz size, and a link to the Amquel product, as well (if you have to deal with chloramines):

Even your pet aquarium fish need a bit of stimulation. In the wild, there are lots of distractions (evade predators, look for food, swim upstream, find mates, hide as needed)…and in your tank, a fish pet can easily become bored. Fin nipping is one activity common among bored fish. Fish chasing is another symptom. A lonely fish can become listless and clamped, or pay excessive attention to anything going on outside the tank - namely YOU and your activities. While this is fine, you aren’t always going to be there to look at. Adding a few fun fish toys can help your little fish friend have a nicer life.

Fish tend to enjoy toys with these qualities:

• Something to swim under or through
• Something to rest on
• Something to hide under
• Bright colors
• Soft, smooth edges (nothing sharp that can rip fins)
• Something that makes gentle bubbles
• Objects made of stone, hard plastics, glass or silk (ie - silk plants). Be wary of adding items to the tank that can change its chemistry or leak toxins, or pourous objects that will support excess growths of algae (if you have a problem with algae, that is).

Toys I’ve used in my tanks and bowls

• Hamster tubes/Toobes
• Parakeet ladders
• Fish caves and other aquarium decorations
• Silk plants, or plastic plants without sharp edges
• Live plants
• Freshwater snail shells
• Live snails (the big mystery and apple snails are fun for many fish to watch as they glide around)
• Smooth river rocks
• Smooth slabs of shale
• Small terra-cotta pots, rested on their sides
• Glass beads

It’s not necessary to keep your aquarium light on all day, or even on much at all, for regular freshwater fish tanks. In fact, Unless you have live plants in your tank that will need to photosynthesize, it’s even better if you don’t automatically flick on that hood switch. Here´s why.

In the wild, freshwater fish live in lakes, rivers and streams, often hanging around shaded rocks, overhanging banks, and under aquatic vegetation. The sunlight these fish live in is filtered these things and by the water itself. Bright light, for most fishes, actually can be uncomfortable for them.

This being said, you may indeed purchase a light for your tank, but do not feel compelled to turn it on, unless you are 1. home and 2. in the mood to enjoy your tank. The ambient light from your lamps and windows actually does a better job simulating a comfortable light level all by itself.

Leaving the tank light on each day actually creates more work for you! In any tank, algae already present waits for an excess of light photons to reproduce. You know you are leaving the light on too much when you have a thick, healthy growth of algae on your glass, plastic plants and aquarium decorations.

When you have Live Aquatic Plants
For living plants you will indeed be forced to use those light bulbs quite a bit. Most Aquatic plants require 10 hours of bright illumination each day. With low-light aquatics, you may be able to get away with only four hours a day. Watch your plants and see if they are thriving - you may be able to cut back on lighting a bit. A range of 1-3 watts per gallon will provide excellent lighting for both your water plants’ needs and for a nicely-lit fish display.

Natural Light
While we are on the suject, ensure your tank is never in direct sulight. Not only will you encourage a rampant algal bloom, but you will possibly cook your fish. If there is one thing all fish hate, it’s a rapid change in water temperature - a sure route to having ill and weak fishes!

Lastly, most people prefer a florescent bulb for their tanks. These bulbs promote a better color to show off your fish, are more optimal for your aquatic plants (if you have them), are cheaper to run than incandescents, and will not raise the temperatures either. Incandescent bulbs get hot, and can burn you, or harm your fish.

How do you ship aquarium fish through the mail? That depends on what type of fish they are and the temperatures of the area your fish will pass through while being shipped.

The best packing material is styrofoam - whether peanuts or blocks that you cut to fit. They provide insulation from both heat and cold. Newspaper can get soggy and is just not as good an insulator. I would only use newspaper if I was doing ‘damp’ shipping - in particular, for shipping freshwater clams, snails, or mangrove seedlings.

Styrofoam also provides a more stable base for your living fishes - they don’t slosh as much as they would in a newspaper matrix.

Make sure your plastic bag is double, or even better - triple-bagged, for safety.

If you are shipping air-breather fish, you will need to ensure there is an airbubble in the bag, or these fish will actually drown. Here are your typical air-breathers - any kind of betta, paradise fish and gouramies. Fill their bags with just enough water to cover the fish, plus a smidgen extra! Use O2 from your local petstore (ie, PetSmart has this air all ready to go and won’t charge you to use it), or make completely sure you can capture atmospheric O2 in the bag when you quickly close it. Breathing into the bag won’t do it - that’s mostly CO2.

Gill-breathing fish do well with breather bags - you can find these online.

For cold weather, ship overnight or express, and add heat packs (again, available online). Hot weather requires overnight shipping. In clement weather you can try priority mail, but only the hardy fish should be subjected to this, since the shipping can take 2-3 days.

A READER ASKS: I am very sensitive to animals and I wonder if I would be entrapping life of fish with an aquarium. No matter how I think of this my heart keeps breaking when I go to a zoo or something and see animals in small places to live. How do I know if they are happy or not? Can you give me your opinion?

Happy Puffer Face Buy From Art.com

Hi there! Please consider that if you see fish at a pet store, you can almost certainly offer them a better lifestyle than they have right now, or would, if they got adopted by less caring people. If you love animals, you can only help by offering them loving care and a healthy environment. Give them fresh water, high quality food, amusing toys to swim with and nice companions.

Keep abreast of important ethical quandaries: for example, the “painted fish” you see in stores should never be purchased, and I usually point out to the store managers that they have been abused when injected with dye. Sometimes the managers know and don’t care; sometimes they didn’t know; but you have, at least, done your part to spread consciousness.

Some species of fish have been heavily scavenged from the wilds, and I consider it a better thing to buy fish that easily breed in the tank environment, rather than fish that must be harvested for every purchase. However, if you consider yourself a conservator, who is helping keep alive a species that might not survive in the wild (due to habitat encroachment or pollution), then there are ways to get involved in groups and help do your part.

As with most things, education is the key. Do all the reading you can and decide how you can help make life better for your fellow creatures, captive and wild.

Good luck!
Jilly

For More Information
Aquarium Fish Magazine: The world is an imperfect place, but you can certainly do your part to make more fish happy and healthly, where and when you can. Keep reading online and in books and magazines, for information about giving your pets the best home they can get! I included the link above and below to help you get started with the best fish-keeping magazine I have found.

The AquaView Plus is a fantastic, affordable 1 gallon acrylic home for small fish or a betta.

At around $10 USD, I was very pleased to see just how many options are included. Just add water, gravel and a fish!

The triangular acrylic tank comes with an undergravel filter system, pump, airline tubing, airlift tube, one plant, and a hood with both plastic protector AND light! Fantastic.

There’s a small hole in the hood to add food, conditioner or medications, which will help keep temps warm inside (ie - you open the hood less). A simple switch turns the light off and on, and provides a nice tropical temperature for the fish when it’s on.

What I like is the bubbles are enclosed on the lift tube, so a betta won’t be bothered by current. He cannot build a bubblenest, however, since the air surface is disturbed.

Other fish to consider housing in the Aqua View Plus:

• A trio of livebearers - Guppies are best, since they are small, although smaller platys are fine. Please make sure you have two females and one male in this set-up. This is necessary to give each girl a rest from your amorous male! Add some live plants, please.
• Three to Five very small things that like to be crowded and in a school - Try zebra danios, neon tetras, white cloud minnows, or albino cory catfish. Do not mix fish - keep this a species-specific tank. Schooling fish are uncomfortable when not in groups and will pine away. A zebra danio is not a leopard danio, and a cardinal tetra is not a neon. Try to make the best home possible for your fish. Also, with this many fish in a one gallon space, you will need to do frequent partial water changes to keep the environment clean.
• We already discussed the betta, but here’s the specific - One male. Add a few ghost shrimp if you like, but nothing else. OR, two or three female bettas that are peaceful together. See my other articles if you are interested in the very interesting betta fish.
• Two Dwarf Gouramis. Get a pair. Add fake plants for her to retreat to.
• One Paradise Fish and more decorations for him to swim around.

NOTE:
This tank is NOT suitable for goldfish! Don’t do this to them. They need much larger spaces, even if they start out small. They also need better filtration than this tank provides, and colder temps - the light heats things up too much. Read my other articles on caring for your goldies, please.

I was pleased with the design of this small beta tank, although ultimately it has the same limitations as the Betta View Hex (see review).

The Penn Plax Betta Bow-Front Kit is suprisingly well-thought out: the bow-front makes for the best view possible, without the slight distortion you see in the Betta View Hex. Both come with a little gravel and tiny plant.

A nice improvement is the undergravel sifter (I can’t call it a filter; there are no mechanical parts) with the drain hole (water release cap). This hole makes it easy to remove debris and water from the bottom, since it’s really too small to get my gravel vaccuum in.

I had to force my gravel vaccuum into the Betta View Hex to clean it, which disturbed my white female housed inside and quickly sucked out half of the water before I could properly vaccuum the gravel. With the Bow-Front, this isn’t an issue, and it’s easy to replace 20% of the water weekly, or as needed.

Another improvement is the little slot to slide the fake plant bottom into, so it doesn’t float free and drift around above the betta, like the plant does in the Betta View Hex.

I like the top better, too. It has two depressions for easy lifting, and larger air holes than the Betta View Hex. I can even feed my betta through these slots, and help keep the warm air inside by not removing the cover.

The Bow-Front Kit’s gravel is marketed as ‘waste-absorbing crystal’, and the manufacturers recommend monthly replacement.

Unfortunately, the Betta Bow Front Kit I brought home from Wal-Mart had a crack along one of the seams, and it is growing. I didn’t notice the crack until my steel blue was already housed in it. When I purchase his larger home, I will exchange this product for a new one. As always with Wal-Mart products, look over your purchases carefully. I’ve seen too many imperfect returns placed right back on the shelf.

To sum, if you have a choice between the Hex View and the Bow-Front, the Bow-Front is a superior product. Both cost around $3 USD. Here is the Amazon link to the Bow Front mini-aquarium if you wish to take a look:

This reader needs to start a second and third aquarium…

“Jill, ok, I have a 55 gallon tank. Most of the fish in the tank are 13+ years old (unless otherwise specified) Also, sorry about my spelling on these fish.

1 Plecostomus (about 11″)
6 Corry Dorises
5 Clown Loaches (2 of them are about 13 years old, and range from 5″ the smallest, and 7″ for the biggest. We just got 3 more babies that are at most an inch long, and we got them 3 days ago)
2 Bala sharks (about 2.5″ long, got them last week)
4 Iridescent sharks (about 3″, got them last week also, but were thinking of taking them back because they scare the fish too much)
20 White clouds (got a week ago)
20 other tetras (not sure of the name,which we got 2 days ago)

None of the fish are acting wierd and all of the tetras seem to be schooling, so they don’t take up much space. Lets say we got rid of the iridescent sharks, would you say my tank is overcrowed?

Some people called cruel because my tank was way too over populated, and I shouldn’t be a fish owner because they are being treated cruel.

Please e-mail me back, thanks alot!”

Freshwater Tropical Fishes - Helpful for sizing fish to tanks Buy From Art.com

I hate to say this, but you really do have too many fish in your tank. Even after taking out the iridescent sharks, which would be an excellent start, there’s too many inches of fish for 55 gallons. In general, plan for one inch of adult size of fish = one gallon of water. Some will say that’s even too small.

The Pleco, for one, needs to be moved to a tank of his own. A foot-long fish like that needs more space. He could still live a long time yet, in the right condions.

The new White Cloud Minnows should be moved to another tank as well. They like slightly colder temps than the normal 75 degree F community tank. You could set that up as a schooling tank for just that species, which is always fun.

I think your tetras, corys, loaches and bala sharks are plenty for a nice ecosystem, provided you have a really good power filter and a heavily planted tank. Or else do a lot of partial water changes! All of the above?

You are not cruel! Don’t worry about what people think. You are trying to be conscientious and it’s good that you wrote in. Since most of your fish have lived so long, you are doing plenty right. It’s just that you need to start another tank!

Some helpful books for you to browse at Amazon!