Betta Fish
- Thread starter Mei Lin
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What do you want from the tank? To me, that's pretty critical. All fish tanks require the same basic maintenance--feeding, water changes, regular light cycle. How often you need to feed and do water changes is dictated by what you have in the tank, which dictates cost. For a low cost, low maintenance small tank, a 5 gallon tank with an LED light that will support plants is a good choice. From there, the fish A choice is limited, but not bad. A betta would do well, but so would shrimp, or 4-5 ember tetras, or some least killies, or a single paradise fish, etc.
There are tons of hardy, easy to feed fish that are much better suited to a beginner that will not quickly outgrow a small tank. There are lots of people who prefer to fully research in advance, to be certain they can properly care for an animal for it's full life span. No reason to discourage that.
My smallest tank was 10g, I'm not sure I'd go smaller, even for "just" a betta. I really liked my planted unheated cherry shrimp 10g. My smallest tank these days is a 20g long.
Lots of options for either. & no matter where you start in this hobby, you'll want to try something else eventually...or you'll give up at the first fish death or algae outbreak, many do... & you may be able to pick up a used tank set up cheap at a garage sale. If you can't commit 30 minutes a week or 2 to maintenance, you're not ready for pets of any kind. Sorry, I tend to be blunt but realistic.
I do like a filter for water movement. Heaters can be optional, but bettas like it warmer than I keep my house in winter. Live plants are nice & a few are very low light & low maintenance...bettas love them, lol.
It's great you're researching before getting a tank! When you narrow down what you might like, ask us again. Here's a few more to consider for a smaller tank: pygmy corydoras, micro rasboras, least killifish, ember tetras, honey gouramis, dwarf rainbow fish...there are lots!
Lots of options for either. & no matter where you start in this hobby, you'll want to try something else eventually...or you'll give up at the first fish death or algae outbreak, many do... & you may be able to pick up a used tank set up cheap at a garage sale. If you can't commit 30 minutes a week or 2 to maintenance, you're not ready for pets of any kind. Sorry, I tend to be blunt but realistic.
I do like a filter for water movement. Heaters can be optional, but bettas like it warmer than I keep my house in winter. Live plants are nice & a few are very low light & low maintenance...bettas love them, lol.
It's great you're researching before getting a tank! When you narrow down what you might like, ask us again. Here's a few more to consider for a smaller tank: pygmy corydoras, micro rasboras, least killifish, ember tetras, honey gouramis, dwarf rainbow fish...there are lots!
yikes. why try to kill someone's interest in the hobby?
Petsmart has a decent 5.5gal kit for about $30. I had one in college as a holdover tank before I could really get back into the hobby. It's a decent kit and it comes with a heater, 75 gph filter, hood with a small LED light, and a thermometer. all you'll need to get in addition to that is some substrate (5 lbs should be about $5 depending on what you want), some dechlorinator ($4), and whatever decorations you want. all-in-all before you consider fish, you're looking at like $40-50 total investment. you don't even have to get a stand really for that type of tank...any decently strong end table, dresser, desk, or nightstand will easily hold said tank.
in terms of fish, if you want something easy to take care of and hardy I would go with either a betta or 3 platies. platies are tough as nails, stay relatively small, are cheap, and come in just about every color you can possibly think of. they're also great community fish and like to be in small groups.
