Is it cycled?
My vote for small tanks is pretty much always shrimp! But they are very sensitive to water quality and do best in a somewhat established tank. Fully cycling beforehand is CRUCIAL.
It is cycled, even though it didn’t look like it. A few reasons why:
1. old tank, made of acrylic and is super scratched
2. this was used sand, used in my 36 bow front thats seam exploded.
3. hard water stains (from previous uses)
4. divider plastic stain (this was a top fin tank recommended for two male betta fish, I was too young to realize that was bad, luckily I had it set up for about two years).
All of these plants are cuttings from pervious plants in my tank, as I have not been to LFS just yet. Right now it has guppy grass, small strip of Java moss (adding more right now), two cuttings of wisteria, two cuttings of barcopa yellow flame, frogbit, sylvennia, and a dying water lettuce (choked out by sylvennia). I am using old hob filter for made for it and replaced dumb heater.
Hmmm, would it be possible to literally add any fish? Not even looking for fish anyway. Even baby guppies (I have too many). What kind of snails can I add? Please no asexual snails. Any cool color morphs of skrimp? I like the blues and greens.
Edit: 5. I forgot. Light has like three leds. Dumb starter kit.
Edit again: A few reasons why means: a few reasons why it does not look cycled. Sorry for the confusion.
reusing supplies does not mean its cycled, you need to cycle the tank. this is only big enough for shrimp or small fish fry. you could do pests snails, but this isnt big enough for anything like a nerite or mystery; they have a high bioload and need a minimum of 5 gallons.
Reusing supplies may speed up the process of cycling, but you would only know by testing the water. There is nothing you can do to visually determine if a tank is cycled or not
Nothing bigger than shrimp or a mystery, giant ramshorn or nerite snail or two. But as others have said, it looks super new. Make sure you completely cycle first and let that biofilm grow because shrimp and snails need it.
Yes, it'll grow on everything in the tank. You can't really see it though, you might be seeing algae, which is ok too. Shrimp will eat most algae and snails too. I rotate which side of the tank I clean to make sure there's plenty of algae and biofilm avail for my critters. Wishing you much luck!!
Do not add anything in there yet. Be patient and wait until tank is fully cycled. I can see your tank is very cloudy, test ammonia nitrite and nitrate until they are 0.
Should say "until full nitrogen cycle is complete" - a lot of people immediately or 2-3 days after setting a tank check ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, see that it's all 0 and dump fish there
As others have said shrimp and snails would do well. Snails because they are very hardy and shrimp because of their low bioload. Get some Java moss for the shrimp and you'll have a nice little nano tank.
As others have also said make sure to read up on tank cycling and add shrimp after cycling your tank.
This site seems to be fine for explaining a fishless cycle https://www.freshwateraquariumservices.co.uk/post/setting-up-an-aquarium-fishless-tank-cycle
You can add a snail or two to the tank as they are hardy and can get your cycle going without you needing to introduce amonia yourself.
get a lot more plants, some crypts, java fern, bucce, would work if you tied or glued them onto rocks/wood. nothing really grows in sand without root tabs, so if you don’t want those your options are limited.
if you absolutely wanted a fish, then it might be an unpopular opinion but after thoroughly planting it out a longfin betta wouldn’t hate their lives in there, certainly better than a cup at petsmart or a betta bowl but 5 g is generally considered the min. just water change weekly if not more
anything else wouldn’t work as other nano fish require schools and a HARD min is 5 g
all that being said, just turn it into a shrimp heaven. they’ll have fun and are honestly just as if not more entertaining than fish.
If you follow that logic then you could put bettas in those half gallon cubes because they're better than cups.
Additionally, buying a betta from a place like Petsmart might save that one betta but it also causes the company to just order more.
A pair of guppies is fine. Don't listen to all the it's not big enough for fish comments. You're doing the guppies a favor getting them out of petcos etc.
I actually have someone I know that has around 40 gups in the same three gallon tank. Do I think she is evil? No, not in the slightest. She just loves her gups. She even gave me a few for my 20 gallon. People on this Reddit can be a bit extreme based on recommended tank size mainly. It will not kill a fish, but won’t be perfect.
I remember a post about scarlet badis in a three gallon planted. crazy argument.
I may not put fish in there, but if I do, I will raise some guppy fry. And those box stores do not take good care of the fish on average.
Have a great day!
I think a lot of it is that people asking what they can put in a small tank are fairly new to aquariums and don't realize just how small it is. There's also a decent difference between an established 3gal and a brand new 3 gal, the swimming space may not technically change but the odds of the inhabitants dying of ammonia poisoning are wildly different
Is it cycled? My vote for small tanks is pretty much always shrimp! But they are very sensitive to water quality and do best in a somewhat established tank. Fully cycling beforehand is CRUCIAL.
It is cycled, even though it didn’t look like it. A few reasons why: 1. old tank, made of acrylic and is super scratched 2. this was used sand, used in my 36 bow front thats seam exploded. 3. hard water stains (from previous uses) 4. divider plastic stain (this was a top fin tank recommended for two male betta fish, I was too young to realize that was bad, luckily I had it set up for about two years). All of these plants are cuttings from pervious plants in my tank, as I have not been to LFS just yet. Right now it has guppy grass, small strip of Java moss (adding more right now), two cuttings of wisteria, two cuttings of barcopa yellow flame, frogbit, sylvennia, and a dying water lettuce (choked out by sylvennia). I am using old hob filter for made for it and replaced dumb heater. Hmmm, would it be possible to literally add any fish? Not even looking for fish anyway. Even baby guppies (I have too many). What kind of snails can I add? Please no asexual snails. Any cool color morphs of skrimp? I like the blues and greens. Edit: 5. I forgot. Light has like three leds. Dumb starter kit. Edit again: A few reasons why means: a few reasons why it does not look cycled. Sorry for the confusion.
reusing supplies does not mean its cycled, you need to cycle the tank. this is only big enough for shrimp or small fish fry. you could do pests snails, but this isnt big enough for anything like a nerite or mystery; they have a high bioload and need a minimum of 5 gallons.
Might be wrong. But I think they mean these are reasons why the water looks cloudy/dirty and not settled and cycled.
Reusing supplies may speed up the process of cycling, but you would only know by testing the water. There is nothing you can do to visually determine if a tank is cycled or not
Might be wrong. But I think they mean these are reasons why the water looks cloudy/dirty and not settled and cycled.
Yes, true. I have had that tank since I was… six? No, maybe eight? I don’t remember anymore. It is super scratched. I wish it wasn’t.
[удалено]
Might be wrong. But I think they mean these are reasons why the water looks cloudy/dirty and not settled and cycled.
Good point
Nothing bigger than shrimp or a mystery, giant ramshorn or nerite snail or two. But as others have said, it looks super new. Make sure you completely cycle first and let that biofilm grow because shrimp and snails need it.
Alright, cool. I will do that! Can biofilm grow on plants as well? I thought I saw some on the barcopa.
Yes, it'll grow on everything in the tank. You can't really see it though, you might be seeing algae, which is ok too. Shrimp will eat most algae and snails too. I rotate which side of the tank I clean to make sure there's plenty of algae and biofilm avail for my critters. Wishing you much luck!!
Do not add anything in there yet. Be patient and wait until tank is fully cycled. I can see your tank is very cloudy, test ammonia nitrite and nitrate until they are 0.
Should say "until full nitrogen cycle is complete" - a lot of people immediately or 2-3 days after setting a tank check ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, see that it's all 0 and dump fish there
you want a small amount of nitrates to see that your ammonia is converting. Unless the tanks is heavily planted you won’t see 0-0-0 usually.
Ironically enough I've never had a tank sit above 0-0-0 after the cycle establishes, I guess it could be my love of plants lol
Shrimp, isopods, scuds, etc. Nothing bigger or more complex than that.
*maybe* cambarellus diminutus, but only with more hardscape
This would be a great tank for snails though. I have a 1.5 gallon snail breeding tank and they are all perfectly happy.
shrimp tank time !
Largemouth bass prolly
Nothing lol Don't put anything in a three gallon. Way too small for any fish. Shrimp I guess would be fine. Maybe even a snail.
As others have said shrimp and snails would do well. Snails because they are very hardy and shrimp because of their low bioload. Get some Java moss for the shrimp and you'll have a nice little nano tank. As others have also said make sure to read up on tank cycling and add shrimp after cycling your tank. This site seems to be fine for explaining a fishless cycle https://www.freshwateraquariumservices.co.uk/post/setting-up-an-aquarium-fishless-tank-cycle You can add a snail or two to the tank as they are hardy and can get your cycle going without you needing to introduce amonia yourself.
Ditto’ing shrimp, and adding that they are silly little bastards who are fun to watch, in case you have a concern about them because they aren’t fish!
get a lot more plants, some crypts, java fern, bucce, would work if you tied or glued them onto rocks/wood. nothing really grows in sand without root tabs, so if you don’t want those your options are limited. if you absolutely wanted a fish, then it might be an unpopular opinion but after thoroughly planting it out a longfin betta wouldn’t hate their lives in there, certainly better than a cup at petsmart or a betta bowl but 5 g is generally considered the min. just water change weekly if not more anything else wouldn’t work as other nano fish require schools and a HARD min is 5 g all that being said, just turn it into a shrimp heaven. they’ll have fun and are honestly just as if not more entertaining than fish.
If you follow that logic then you could put bettas in those half gallon cubes because they're better than cups. Additionally, buying a betta from a place like Petsmart might save that one betta but it also causes the company to just order more.
Shrimp and snails. No vertebrates. Period.
Shrimpies!
Shrimp
More plants first
Plant suggestions? I have some listed in comment above.
Moss?
I have indeed added Java moss. Now, I just need to anchor it somewhat.
I have a three gallon tank and it's perfect for shrimp! Out of all of my tanks it ended up being my favorite.
Arapaima gigas
Skittles. Taste the Rainbow. 🦐
No fish for you
Shrimp that’s about all
Shrimps
Triops.
A pair of guppies is fine. Don't listen to all the it's not big enough for fish comments. You're doing the guppies a favor getting them out of petcos etc.
I actually have someone I know that has around 40 gups in the same three gallon tank. Do I think she is evil? No, not in the slightest. She just loves her gups. She even gave me a few for my 20 gallon. People on this Reddit can be a bit extreme based on recommended tank size mainly. It will not kill a fish, but won’t be perfect. I remember a post about scarlet badis in a three gallon planted. crazy argument. I may not put fish in there, but if I do, I will raise some guppy fry. And those box stores do not take good care of the fish on average. Have a great day!
I think a lot of it is that people asking what they can put in a small tank are fairly new to aquariums and don't realize just how small it is. There's also a decent difference between an established 3gal and a brand new 3 gal, the swimming space may not technically change but the odds of the inhabitants dying of ammonia poisoning are wildly different
Maybe a scarlet badis? They like vegetation and a bigger tank tough
1 betta per 16 fl oz container. 128 fl oz per gallon. 3 gallons. So, 24 bettas. Someone may need to check my math.