Fish help...

slycat

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
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I'm thinking of getting a small aquarium...
prolly just 2gal and i'm a total n00b so i want everything built in.

I'm thinking the Eclipse Explorer 2 or the MiniBow2.5...both around the same price..$30+.
Includes light, pump, filter..stuff..

Any fish experts wanna comment? Also, how many fishies can i get for the 2gal tank so they look good and yet not crowd them to death? I want multi colored fishies that won't die easily...are u supposed to feed them once or twice a day? And how about cleaning the water...how often?

Mini Bow 2.5

Explorer 2
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
as far as care for an aquarium; how often to clean, etc.
The smaller the aquarium, the more of a hassle they are to take care of.
10 gallon aquariums, I found myself cleaning every month or so.
55 gallon aquarium: once a year.
 

ElMonoDelMar

Golden Member
Apr 29, 2004
1,163
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Originally posted by: DrPizza
as far as care for an aquarium; how often to clean, etc.
The smaller the aquarium, the more of a hassle they are to take care of.
10 gallon aquariums, I found myself cleaning every month or so.
55 gallon aquarium: once a year.

This is sadly why it's so hard to get started in the hobby.
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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I think you're supposed to do about 1 fish per gallon if they're standard small size fish
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
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fobot.com
tiny tanks are actually very very bad for beginners

they are harder to take care of due to the small volume

water chemistry changes are more severe than with a larger tank due to the buffering effect of the large water volume in a bigger tank

don't start with < 10 gallon tank and a 20 is perfect for a beginner

if you can't do that, then just get a beta in a jar

those "specialized" tiny tanks are fish death chambers. you will just kill fish for no good reason
 

slycat

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
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crap..that bad huh?..so like i should just give up?? :(

...coz its either that or a cat...and i'm scared of getting a cat at the moment.
 

StevenMara

Banned
May 12, 2005
429
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A 20 gallon shouldn't cost more than $100, so a 10 gallon would probably be like $50-$75.

And the bigger the tank and the fewer fish in the tank, the bigger the fish get. I had 2 goldfish and an algae eater in a 20 gallon tank, and when one of my goldfish died (my algae eater ate its scales off) it was 11 1/2" long!
 

jdub1107

Golden Member
Feb 9, 2003
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Originally posted by: slycat
I'm thinking of getting a small aquarium...
prolly just 2gal and i'm a total n00b so i want everything built in.

I'm thinking the Eclipse Explorer 2 or the MiniBow2.5...both around the same price..$30+.
Includes light, pump, filter..stuff..

Any fish experts wanna comment? Also, how many fishies can i get for the 2gal tank so they look good and yet not crowd them to death? I want multi colored fishies that won't die easily...are u supposed to feed them once or twice a day? And how about cleaning the water...how often?

Mini Bow 2.5

Explorer 2

With that kind of setup, just get a betta or something. I have fancy guppies in a 20g and 2 bettas in a divided 2.5g tank. You aren't going to be able to put many fish in a 2g tank.
And also, choose/RESEARCH!! the type of fish you want according to your environment/water quality before you buy a tank. It'll save you time and money.

 

shilala

Lifer
Oct 5, 2004
11,437
1
76
Rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon.
There's also a rule of thumb that regards how many pounds of rocks per gallon, but I forget it.
I keep a 55 gallon freshwater and a 35 gallon corner marine.
A little tank is tough to run until it's seasoned. Get it up and running, but mooch a couple gallons of water from someone who has a stable large tank. It'll make all the difference in the world in getting your tank established (biologically speaking).
 

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
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Aquariums are cool for a week, then they are a hassel. You have to clean them all the time... and the acrylic ones scratch easily... and they start to stink... and blah blah blah

Save your money.
 

StevenMara

Banned
May 12, 2005
429
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Originally posted by: edro13
Aquariums are cool for a week, then they are a hassel. You have to clean them all the time... and the acrylic ones scratch easily... and they start to stink... and blah blah blah

Save your money.

They definately don't stink. I am sitting here looking at my fish tank, all I can see is a blur of orange (my goldfish) because it is covered with algae. And it has been like that for months (I always clean like 1 side, and then I think I'll do another side tomorrow, but it never happens). But it does not stink at all.