New Tank for Goldfish Old tank possibilities..?

Question

I have two goldfish in a rather small tank and I am planning on asking for a better tank for them for christmas. I have a 2 gallon tank and I would like to get another fish to put into it. I was wondering if this would be okay for a Betta or Guppies?

My second question would be the betta's at pet stores do not look very happy and they don't swim around a lot, why is that? and if i buy a betta will it just sit around like those ones?

I just thought I'd mention that this tank already has a filter and we are looking for a heater small enought for it :)

My Goldfish are just getting luckier by the minute my parents decided to get an aerator and a heater for my tank.. Hopefully they will get a new tank for christmas and all these old things will still work for it :)

Answer 1

A betta will be okay in a 2-gallon tank (though I prefer 5 gallons.) If you want to see your betta swimming around and looking lively, put some silk plants in there, and decorations that the Betta can explore and hide in. My betta spends most of the day "patrolling her territory," curling herself around plants, and is a lot of fun to watch.

A heater will definitely help. Bettas like their water warm, near 80 degrees. Be sure you get a mini designed for very small tanks and monitor with a thermometer, since rapid fluctuations can damage your fish, and temperature changes more quickly the less water you're talking about.

Answer 2

Goldfish need a bigger tank. Please do ask for a larger one and if you dont get it, you might want to buy one yourself. Years ago when I first started taking in goldfish as pets I was told 5 gallons per goldfish. Now I have reading that 10 per fish is far better. If they are raised well they will continue to grow and will need the additional room. Try and get a tank with a cover as they might jump.

Yes, Your 2 gallon is just fina for betta and guppies. Just make sure you find out how many can go in that space and be healthy. I kept my Betta in a one gallon tank and it seemed very happy to have the space.

Bettas in pet stores do look sad. I agree!! When you pick one just make sure that it looks healthy. Do some research on line for guidelines. I found that my friend and my brother (both of which own multiple bettas) keep their bettas in small betta bowls and the fish do not move around very much. In my one gallon however, both of the bettas I have owned have swam around a decent amount of the time and were all around fairly active. Everyone says Bettas naturally live in little puddles and thats why they keep them in little tanks but honestly, they just seem happier in the bigger tanks with more room.

Answer 3

Hi!
Great that you're moving your goldies :) They definitely need something bigger than 2 gallons! You should get at LEAST a 30 gallon tank for your goldies, preferably 40 gallons.

There isn't too much that can go in a 2 gallon tank, your only choice, really, is a betta (other small fish like guppies can't go in a 2 gallon - they need room to swim around, as they are very active fish). 2 gallons would be suitable for a betta, but not perfect. The reason that the bettas in the cups at the store don't swim around a lot, is that they CANT. They don't have room. They live in 2 or 3 inches of dirty water. You can't expect miracles from the poor little guys ;)
However, you can definitely make a 2 gallon tank work for a betta. If you do it right, your betta will be happy, colourful, healthy and active!
First, you really really should cycle your tank. I know it's tough in a tank this small, but it will save your fish from an early death and it will save you from work in the long run.

In the wild, and in established tanks, there are nitrifying bacteria that break down toxic ammonia from fish waste and excess food into less toxic nitrates. In a brand new tank, these bacteria don't exist, so any fish in the tank will produce ammonia, which, not being broken down by bacteria, will kill or weaken the fish. So, it is vital to cycle your tank.
There are a few methods. Do you have access to an established tank? These bacteria live in the gravel and in the filter cartridge, so if you can get some from another tank, you can put the bacteria right into your tank (don't let the gravel or filter cartridge dry out). If you do this, in a day or two, your tank will beready for fish.
Another way is to get Bio-Spira. It is the actual live bacteria in a little pouch, and your tank will instantly be ready for fish.http://fishstoretn.com/bio_spira.html
Other methods, which include putting a source of ammonia in the tank and letting the bacteria build up on its own, or putting a fish in and letting the fish produce ammonia (which borders on animal cruelty, because the fish will suffer from the ammonia in the tank), take 2 to 6 weeks before your tank is ready. If you rush that, any fish you buy may die, so try one of the instant methods I mentioned above (bio-spira or gravel from another tank).

You will need a filter. A basic sponge filter is fine, but I highly recommend the AZOO palm filter - http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9821&Ntt=palm&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1 it's tiny and perfect for a small tank.
You should also get a very small heater. In the wild, bettas live in water around 79-80F. Without a heater, in your house, the water will be 65-70F. Not warm enough to keep your betta healthy long term.

Actually, that's about it. If you can get that stuff, your betta will be more than fine. If you want a tank mate, consider two african DWARF frogs: http://members.aol.com/chris420529/frognuptual.JPG
Or a black mystery snail.

Answer 4

purely because of the fact your pal it doing that does no longer mean it is perfect. No, 5 gallons is too small for a goldfish. A unmarried comet (feeder and useful goldfish) opt for 75+ gallons. putting them in a 5 gallon tank (or worse a bowl) stunts their progression and aspects their existence to be far shorter then it would want to might want to be. Goldfish might want to ought to live 10+ years, even if the final public do not get close that. in case you desire a fish that would want to live in a 5 gallon tank their finished existence decide on a unmarried betta.

Answer 5

for the first question, goldfish like bigger tanks, which is why they prefer ponds. a bigger tank would make them very happy. for the 2 gallon tank, how many other fish do you have in it? guppies, would be fine, because they can live in small spaces, although they multiply very fast. you don't want an over population. betta are unfriendly fish, and they will usually tear apart any other fish. they are also nicknamed chinese fighting fish. i wonder why?lol

for your second question, would you be very happy if you had to live in a little cup for days and days? usually bettas will swim around like other fish, but not as active. they are a more relaxed fish.

i hope i was a help to you... good luck!!!

Answer 6

your tank is WAY too small for the number of goldfish you have now. most goldfish at adult size require 20gallon tanks all to themselves. you should get AT LEAST a 10 gallon tank to keep just the two goldfish in.

betta in the stores don't swim because they have no room to swim in the tiny cups. if you give them a good 5 gallon tank with filter and plants they will be much happier and swim around a lot. however, some bettas are just more mellow, they, like humans have personalities.

hope this helps!

Answer 7

a 2 gallon would be perfect for a betta since they live alone mostly and don't need a huge amount of space. The ones in the store are probably cramped in their tiny bowls, once you put one in a larger bowl or tank he'll move around more and be a little more feisty...look for one that is the most vibrant of the bunch...bettas are by nature high spirited and territorial, i always feel bad for them when i see them all in tiny little cups with no gravel or space to move around. the tank would also be good for guppies, you could put more than one together unlike Male bettas...or you could get two female bettas since they can live peacefully together though they're not as beautiful as the males. happy fish farming!

Answer 8

The tank would be okay for betta's although i find they thrive in larger aquariums, mine seems to do well in my 15 gallon.

The main reason the bettas you see in the stores are not swimming around is they are in tiny cups or whatever, so there is no room to swim around and be happy. One you have bought your betta, brought him home, and put him in his new tank, it will take a day or a bit more for him to get used to it, then he should be swimming around and be alot more lively then when he was at the store. Good luck.