View Full Version : Fish for 3 year old boy
Hunter2001
03-11-2005, 8:06 PM
My little 3 year old loves fish. I have a 29 gallon tank downstairs and he keeps telling me how he wants the fish to be in his room. I decided to buy him a very small aquarium for his room. I purchased a 3 gallon which came with a under gravel filter as well as a light. The aquarium did not come with a heater.
Any suggestions on the type of fish I could add to this little setup. I know a betta would be OK in there.
Are there any other type of fish that would be alright in a 3 gallon?
Myself and my son Thank You.
Nuriel
03-11-2005, 8:12 PM
maybe a pair of dwarf puffers? not sure about the minimum size for a couple of those active guys,however. i know a betta, oto, sword plant and a snail would be fun......
beachbuum04
03-11-2005, 8:16 PM
Dwarf puffers need about 2.5/3 gallons per fish. They're messy and upkeep is demanding for that small of a tank! You could get only one but I wouldn't recommend anything smaller than a 5 gallon for a puffer.
I'd stick with a betta--he'd surely be a happy one!
sublime1184
03-11-2005, 8:17 PM
a betta would be nice, IMO
Blinky
03-11-2005, 8:19 PM
For a little guy I think a betta would be great - they're really colourful and interact with people. Most fish that stay small prefer to live in groups and aren't really suited to such a small tank. I really like Nuriel's idea - I have a picture in my head of a red betta, a gold mystery snail, green plant (real or fake), what a great tank :D
Hunter2001
03-11-2005, 8:20 PM
Thanks for the quick response. If I add a betta, will I need a heater, or would it be OK without?
Thanks
Paranoid
03-11-2005, 8:21 PM
How about 3-4 White Cloud minnows. They are small, colorful, active and don't need a heater. :dance
sublime1184
03-11-2005, 8:25 PM
you should use one to keep the temp stable at around 74 degrees F, but it is not essential. Temperature instablility stresses fish
Harlock
03-11-2005, 8:27 PM
A heater is recommended to keep stability. They make one specifically for smaller tanks and sell it at Drs. Foster and Smith.com. Here's a link (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12087&inm=1&N=2004+22787+2035).
my suggestion wld be 3 or 4 long finned danios, they come in gold,blue and some have spots and some have stripes, = leopard and stripped.. they are hardy little fish and you cld call them sharks,. he wld luv it,.... :)
remember the most important thing is to feed only very small amounts of food for IMO fish only need to eat the size of one eye a day to live and thrive: just a little ditty,..
knowy
if youre not really into the whole betta idea... possibly a trio of fancy guppies? :)
zebra danios maybe?
attiladahun
03-11-2005, 8:52 PM
goldfish are good for starters, theyre hardy and don't require a heater
Raskolnikov
03-11-2005, 8:53 PM
goldfish are good for starters, theyre hardy and don't require a heater
And should never be put in a 3 gallon container unless you're using it to move them into a different tank.
Given your constraints, I second the betta +small heater option.
Harlock
03-11-2005, 8:57 PM
Don't get a goldfish. They do terribly in small tanks and outgrow it more quickly than you can say, "bad advice". I'll third the betta and also say I think a trio of guppies would be too crowded and with the inevitable offspring, I think it might be hard to explain to your 3 year old why Mommy and Daddy fish are eating their own babies.
chrisinha
03-11-2005, 8:59 PM
please, dont get a goldfish! they require a minimum of 10g per fish!
i would go with either the betta, or some cloud minnows.
Veneer
03-11-2005, 9:02 PM
please, dont get a goldfish! they require a minimum of 10g per fish!
i would go with either the betta, or some cloud minnows.
When full grown, one goldfish should be provided with a tank on the order of ten times that volume.
Leopardess
03-11-2005, 9:07 PM
Danios are also a huge no-no. They're some of the most active fish out there.
Other than shrimp and snails....I really think a betta is all that will fit. As someone mentioned, most small fish that *look* like they'd fit are schooling fish and need larger tanks.
A dwarf frog or two would work though. Check out the link in my signature.
Gambusia
03-11-2005, 9:17 PM
White cloud mountain minnows.
Or a betta.
White clouds don't need a heater.
FishKeeper-16
03-11-2005, 9:20 PM
Yes. I would get a beta or some white clouds. Maybe tiger barbs?
I don't know if I would recommend long finned danios. They are very active and may get frustrated in a smaller tank without the room to zip around the way they like to do...they NEVER stop !!
Betta, definitly..they seem to be the perfect fish for smaller tanks. They do sell a jr heater at walmart for smaller tanks....costs about 6$ Make sure you have a thermometer in there to keep an eye on the temps...those smaller heaters don't have regulators on them...you'd have to watch it the first few days to see where the temp settles before you get any fish to put in it.
Oh, no tiger barbs in with bettas...if you do get a betta, 2 small corys "OR" a couple of otocinlus will do well with him.....or....some african dwarf frogs, bet your son would like that. Only trouble is feeding the little guys. The betta most likely would snap up their food. I have to hand feed mine to keep the fish from eating it all.
just an idea..
iv;e found danios to be fine in small tanks,.
in my opinion there truly is no one way of keeping fish that everyone wld agree on,. just a thought.
knowy
lol Knowy......I have a few myself..they are just sooo fast and zippy I can't imagine they would do well in a smaller tank...but then again, I haven't had them in anything smaller than a 10...so I could be very wrong !
You are definitly right about everyone having thier own ideas. All one can do is try for themselves and see what works. ;)
Leopardess
03-11-2005, 10:15 PM
Tiger barbs get to be 3 plus inches long and are schooling fish that must be kept in schools or aggressive hierarchies will occur. They are just not suitable for your tank.
Given my experience and knowledge of danios, I can't in good faith suggest them for such a tiny tank. We'll have to agree to disagree.
I don't think cories will work either. Again, they are schooling fish and get 2-3" long.
You are very limited by tank size; not many fish will responsibly fit in a tank of that small a size - for the long term.
A single dwarf honey gourami could work.
buddha_red
03-11-2005, 11:40 PM
stick with a betta. far less responsibility, but still requires water changes.
Lucretia
03-12-2005, 1:56 AM
i dont know if they would all work in that size tank but how about 2 female
siamese fighters (diff colours to standout) and a bristlenose pl*co with a small piece of driftwood. the bristle nose doesnt get to big and does a good job of cleaning things as he goes also rather cheap i might add and once it gets a bit bigger just add him to your tank as they get on well with most fish
whoa...a pleco in a 3 gallon tank ? Are you sure that's a good idea ? :confused:
Whoops...lol....missed that last part about removing the critter when it gets too big... :o
katfood
03-12-2005, 6:29 AM
I was thinking that for a wee one, a couple of same sex fancy guppies would be a good first fish. They are hardy, and with a same sex pair theres no need to ever explain why babies are being eaten. Maybe a small snail to go with them.
Perhaps the betta is a good idea, as well, but you will have to buy a heater.
Fancy guppies would be nice...just don't put them in with a betta....they generally don't mix well with bettas because of their bright color and fancy fins. Bettas treat them as they would another male betta....which is not good...
Guppies can be just as nice as bettas because there are so many varietys and colors to choose in the guppy world too...AND...you can keep more than one male guppy in the same tank....so you can have quite a variety of color in there....
katfood
03-12-2005, 6:50 AM
Well said and good warning, Emg.
Harlock
03-12-2005, 8:56 AM
I dislike two male guppies in a small setup. I know their level of aggression is not like other species, but males will chase and tussle from time to time. Of course, usually no real harm comes of this, but I've only seen it in 10-29 gallon tanks, no idea of the tighter confines of a 3 would lead to worse fighting or not.
Blinky
03-12-2005, 9:39 AM
i dont know if they would all work in that size tank but how about 2 female
siamese fighters (diff colours to standout) and a bristlenose pl*co with a small piece of driftwood. the bristle nose doesnt get to big and does a good job of cleaning things as he goes also rather cheap i might add and once it gets a bit bigger just add him to your tank as they get on well with most fish
I wouldn't add a bristlenose - they get 5" long which isn't large for a pleco, but it's WAY too large for a small tank. My 3" Ancistrus claro is also quite territorial and active; I can't imagine him living happily in a small tank. I don't think it's really wise to use anything larger than an oto for algae control in a 3g.
I dislike two male bettas in a small setup. I know their level of aggression is not like other species, but males will chase and tussle from time to time. Of course, usually no real harm comes of this, but I've only seen it in 10-29 gallon tanks, no idea of the tighter confines of a 3 would lead to worse fighting or not.
I think you might have meant female bettas together Harlock...and your right about thier temperment. Though you can keep them together in a larger tank with lots of plants and hidy holes...even then they will still tear at each other's fins from time to time. I have 4 in a 10 gallon..they do get along fine for bettas, but thier fins almost always have some minor tears from aggression. They need to be able to get away from each other if need be.
Ruben Tolon
03-12-2005, 10:10 AM
Just go with the White Cloud Minnows, definitely no goldfish!!!
Leopardess
03-12-2005, 11:03 AM
Again, though...white clouds are schooling fish; there is not room for a school of fish in that tank.
There are a lot of threads on what fits into a small tank on AC. It is very limited. Betta, single dwarf honey gourami, maybe mosquito fish, *maybe* a couple microrasboras, shrimp, dwarf frogs, guppies (single sex)...schooling fish really are not generally suited for small tanks.
And the pleco, as mentioned, is just way too territorial and large for such a tank.
Not only are bettas some of the most beautiful, cheap, and readily available fish out there, they are fairly undemanding (no excuse not to take care of them properly, though) and have some of the most "person"ality of fish out there. They will recognize their owner and beg for food.
Harlock
03-12-2005, 12:21 PM
I think you might have meant female bettas together Harlock...and your right about thier temperment. Though you can keep them together in a larger tank with lots of plants and hidy holes...even then they will still tear at each other's fins from time to time. I have 4 in a 10 gallon..they do get along fine for bettas, but thier fins almost always have some minor tears from aggression. They need to be able to get away from each other if need be.
Actually I meant male guppies. Man, I know I shouldn't post before 9 am... :rolleyes: Corrected the post.
FishKeeper-16
03-12-2005, 12:42 PM
I don't know if I would recommend long finned danios. They are very active and may get frustrated in a smaller tank without the room to zip around the way they like to do...they NEVER stop !!
Betta, definitly..they seem to be the perfect fish for smaller tanks. They do sell a jr heater at walmart for smaller tanks....costs about 6$ Make sure you have a thermometer in there to keep an eye on the temps...those smaller heaters don't have regulators on them...you'd have to watch it the first few days to see where the temp settles before you get any fish to put in it.
Oh, no tiger barbs in with bettas...if you do get a betta, 2 small corys "OR" a couple of otocinlus will do well with him.....or....some african dwarf frogs, bet your son would like that. Only trouble is feeding the little guys. The betta most likely would snap up their food. I have to hand feed mine to keep the fish from eating it all.
No, I ment the tigar barbs only, not with betas. Tigar Barbs are fin nippers.
Lol....I seem to missreading/missunderstanding everyone today/yesturday......time to take a break I think... :rolleyes:
Aqualung
03-12-2005, 2:36 PM
Guess I'll throw in my two cents. A betta would of course work, perhaps with a couple of snails or shrimp. Two male guppies might work out ok, but that would depend on the individual fish. My girlfriend kept two in a 2.5 gallon with no problems (despite me telling her it wouldn't work). They are much happier now that they're in a 10 gallon though, and a betta now occupies the small tank.
I wouldn't try a honey gourami personally, same with an oto. I just can't picture a honey gourami in such a small tank. A pygmy/sparkling gourami perhaps. Otos can be kept alone, but are happier in groups. The problem with an oto would be not much algae to graze on in such a small tank, and constant feeding of veggies and wafers would require even more frequent cleaning/maintenance.
A single betta or guppy is the best bet IMO, with the possible addition of snails or shrimp.
buddha_red
03-12-2005, 2:57 PM
really we dont have enough water for a betta, 5 gallons is recommended for a betta so stick with justy one betta or you run into overocking problems.
I do not use a heater on a beta tank, it stays at 76% naturally so i leave it. weekly water change. 50% Use paper towels to skim the protein that is on top of the water.
A betta will live happy in a 3 gallon, add some java moss to the bottom and they love to play in it. but warning, java moss clogs everything it touches.
Gambusia
03-12-2005, 2:59 PM
A school of 3-4 white clouds could work.
buddha_red
03-12-2005, 3:30 PM
guppies,white clouds,white minnows,betta, shrimp and snails have been suggested. just remember you cannot have very many of any that you choose. Cycle the tank before you add anything but a betta.
there are articles on how to do a fishless cycle here somewhere
Bettas don't do well in a cycling situation. They can breath air but thier fins are very delicate. Their tail fins will tatter and become irritated, which can lead to finrot...a real pain to treat...
Betta-Gurl
03-12-2005, 10:21 PM
I would definitly suggest a male betta with a dwarf frog or a snail or even a couple ghost shrimp definitly need a heater if you get something to go with a betta like the shrimp or frogs. but dont go to walmart to buy a betta they dont take care of their fish. DONT GET A GOLDFISH!!
ARRG I HATE GOLDFISH!
Gilgamesh
03-12-2005, 10:41 PM
Just to chime in with everyone else, I recently bought a five gallon tank for my 2 yr old's room. It's cycling right now (thanks bio-spira) but it will be populated by one male betta, nothing else. Also, I'm heating the tank, using the unregulated mini-heater you can buy at wal-mart. Keeps the tank about 76F. I live in Ohio and the house gets down in the mid-60's during the day, way too cold for a Betta.
If you're wondering about whether to buy a heater or not, you can do the calculations that involve the volume of water, the specific heat of water (1), the length of time of the tempature and the relative air temp to see how cold the water will get, or you can just spend the $10 and get the heater... :)
greenday04
03-12-2005, 11:42 PM
"if you do get a betta, 2 small corys" said Emg.
I totally agree!!! I have a 2.5g and a male betta and 2 dwarf spotted corys and they are so happy there. I had an underground filter and don't recommend it for such a small tank. I got an in tank filter from Petco that fits perfect in the small tank suction cupped to the back of the tank.
The betta gets the few flakes (which he only needs per day so he won't get fat, mine will eat everytime I feed him if I let him!!) and the corys clean up the food from the bottom and keep it real clean!!!!
My 3yr old when we got the fish, now to be 4 in May, just loves our fish. He calls them his fishy friends!! (We also have a 20g with 13 fish in it, he doesn't have and couldn't keep up anyway, with names for all of them.) When we leave the house he says goodbye to the Betta named Jr. and the corys named salt and pepper, and he says to the others "Goodbye fishy friends" How cute!!
It has also began to teach him a bit about life and passing. (We had the goldfish in the bowl and I don't have to tell you how that turned out)
Good luck with and most of all patience and have fun!!