Hi!
I live in a college dorm and someone gave me what I estimate to be about a 3 gallon tank a few weeks ago. I'm looking for some friendly, entertaining, pretty fish that I can give a good home to- I obviously want them to be as happy as possible and that's why I came researching rather than making what was going to be an impulse buy (was going to make a goldfish-in-a-round-bowl mistake.. eek!).
Will definitely keep on top of cleaning etc.. Would like live plants but unfortunately I don't have the room for a light- I don't think it would be possible to have them anyway with such a small tank, would it? Would some java ferns/moss be possible without a light/heater?
After some research I've been dissuaded from goldfish. I was thinking one male beta and maybe some small tetra or platies. I also heard corys are good bottom feeders- I'd like more inhabitants but is my tank too small for one/too small to need one?
Lastly: is Prime cycler necessary/advisable for such a small tank? I used to work in a large aquarium and so know the importance of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/pH testing, but I'm used to husbandry for tanks of hundreds of gallons, so I'm a bit out of my element here!
Thanks for all your help. I'm going to upgrade to a 20-or-so gallon tank as soon as I'm out of school and have my own apartment...
nereid
I live in a college dorm and someone gave me what I estimate to be about a 3 gallon tank a few weeks ago. I'm looking for some friendly, entertaining, pretty fish that I can give a good home to- I obviously want them to be as happy as possible and that's why I came researching rather than making what was going to be an impulse buy (was going to make a goldfish-in-a-round-bowl mistake.. eek!).
Will definitely keep on top of cleaning etc.. Would like live plants but unfortunately I don't have the room for a light- I don't think it would be possible to have them anyway with such a small tank, would it? Would some java ferns/moss be possible without a light/heater?
After some research I've been dissuaded from goldfish. I was thinking one male beta and maybe some small tetra or platies. I also heard corys are good bottom feeders- I'd like more inhabitants but is my tank too small for one/too small to need one?
Lastly: is Prime cycler necessary/advisable for such a small tank? I used to work in a large aquarium and so know the importance of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/pH testing, but I'm used to husbandry for tanks of hundreds of gallons, so I'm a bit out of my element here!
Thanks for all your help. I'm going to upgrade to a 20-or-so gallon tank as soon as I'm out of school and have my own apartment...

nereid
Last edited: