fish filters?

Question

i have a little fish tank 2.5-3 gallon tank and need to know what is the best filter/pump to use in it. i have 2 little fishes.

i have 2 mountain minis

Answer 1

Just use on of those little filter that stick to the side of the tank with a bubbler,

Answer 2

I would suggest a small 'box filter'. They are filled with some very inexpensive filter floss and some carbon or other bio media and are very small (about 3 inches high/wide) and run off a small air pump. This serves several purposes which will help your fish to stay healthy. Most importantly this will introduce oxygen into the water and hey... fish breathe!

The second important part is that the filter will trap wastes, and grow very good bacteria that will keep the fish alive. Chances are, by not filtering the water you are simply keeping fish alive, and not 'fish keeping'. That is like having a dog and penning it up in a kennel, all day and night, throwing dry food at it once a day and soaking it with a hose once a week to clean it off... no one (in their right minds) would do that to a dog, and fish (believe it or not) are just as aware of their surroundings, and in most cases have personalities, just like dogs. You can make the choice between maintaining your fish, or allowing them to thrive.

I agree with the others here, that a larger tank is better (easier for a whole bunch of reasons to take care of, too) but I realize that sometimes that is not practical. So I guess I'll finally get down to it and answer the question... on a tank that small, you'll need to buy (if you do not already have) a small single outlet air pump, a check valve (so the water doesn't go backwards if the pump shuts off), some tubing (6 feet will be plenty) and a small corner or box filter. These come in (usually) clear plastic so you can see the media inside, and the fellows at the pet store will help you fill it with media. If you need to get the whole kit, they probably sell it all together for about $10-15.

I would not recommend a power filter (also called a 'hang on back') as it would create too much current for the fish in that small of a space, and exhaust them. You'll have to feed them more, which makes more wastes, which means you're cleaning the tank more often... so really... no 'win' here. Oh ya, they cost a LOT more, too (over $20, plus the filter bags, etc). Undergravel can be ok, but you really have to know what you are doing to clean them, and if you do not, you'll hurt the fish, in the long run. That small of a tank you'll have a hard time keeping the nitrogen cycle fully completed, and undergravels do not provide as much media for nitrifying bacteria as a box filter does.

Two fish in a two gallon tank is a challenge... but it can be done, and done right. Just research, a LOT. Key things to search for would be "Nitrogen cycle" and "water changes". Good luck! Most of us started with a small tank that size (my first was a 1 gallon).

Answer 3

that's a very small tank...what kind of fish? goldfish i think wont need one... but you should get a 10 gallon tank to start with ..(i would)instead of buying stuff for the small one...and then set it up with a heater, rock , filter, either a whisper or a penguin, and let it run with no fish for a few days make sure you get some bacteria like stress zyme or like that to help the biological filter start... the get some cheap fish to get your take started, then if they live you can get batter ones...remember only 1 inch of fish per gallon of water

Answer 4

You can buy a tiny under gravel filter for that tank. Most pet stores carry tiny filters. You don't want a powerful one. Ask the employee at the pet store, they mostly know what they are talking about. I had a little goldfish bowl that came with a little under gravel filter. It worked nicely.

Answer 5

2 issues might want to have occurred to the Black tetra. a million it has managed to get into the filter out. extremely trouble-free with new little fish and some kinds of filter out. I honestly have somewhat of nyon stocking over the end of the pipe on my exterior filter out for that very reason. often times with tiny fish the present is sturdy sufficient to tug them in. 2 by using numerous causes quite rigidity if those days aquired the fish has died and the different inhabitants have eaten him. I infrequently discover the bodies in my heavily stocked tank. SNAILS.......... you may want to fish as many out as attainable and verify out them on your pond....... to make a snail capture........ positioned a small piece of blanched (dip in boiling water for some seconds) lettuce on a saucer and canopy with yet another saucer use a pebble or some thing to create a tiny hollow that the snails yet no longer the fish can get in. position on the gravel in one day and the snails will carry jointly in it. get rid of and empty into the pond. As snails are prolific breeders think about to attempt this on numerous events. however you may squash any you may and the fish will then eat them. some snails are sensible so I under no circumstances get rid of all of them. There are also numerous fish that like them however it relies upon on the dimensions of your tank which could be maximum ideal. Have a word jointly with your fish enterprise. sturdy success!

Answer 6

juss go in a pet store and tell them u need a filter for a 2.5 gallon tank and they will give u lots of options u could even get 1 at wal-mart

Answer 7

What kind of fish do you have? The breed has a lot to do with needing filters or not. E-mail me if you want...I used to work at a pet store so I know all about these kinds of things. It's [e-mail]

Answer 8

the best thing i can recommend is a bigger tank with a power filter, you can try putting a power filter on that small tank if possible (it doesn't hurt to over filter, or t-rex (i think) makes a smaller turtle filter that would act like a canister filter, a bit over kill perhaps but it would work, its hard to filter small tanks.

Answer 9

Whisper makes very nice smaller scale filter products. Check out their product line. They're very inexpensive also.

Answer 10

you can get a small sponge filter - run it with an air pump or build your own http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Davies_Sponge_Filter.html