Fish without a filter?

Question

My son wants a fish but I really don't want to deal with filters, is there any fish besides a beta or goldfish that you can put in a tank without a filter?

Answer 1

You can keep any fish that you wish without a filter. A filter is merely a plastic box that holds the crap until you remove it. However you will still need to have some form of aeration. The water can be kept clean by frequent water changes(siphoning out 25 to 30% of the water,and replacing it with treated, temperature corrected, fresh water). Without a proper filter this would be required almost daily. But the aeration issue cannot be glossed-over with elbow grease,an air pump or some sort of circulating system is required. Most filters provide a convenient method of doing this and that accounts for their popularity. You can by-pass a filter with lots of extra work,but unless you wish to stand by the tank and constantly stir the water you're going to need something.Also your question indicates that you need to do a lot more research,first, tank cycling,temperature controls,fish compatibility,etc. Good luck.

Answer 2

To answer your question any fish can be put in a tank without a filter.

Now if you want your fish to live a happy and healthy life it will need a filter and mostlikly a heater. There are many different types of filters and then even more to choose from besides that. I know you don't want a filter but without one you will have much more to "deal" with.

More frequent water changes, everyday. Wich meens more delorinator, wich is a cost also.

If cost is an issue, there are moderatly priced filters, and with a bit of DIY filterpad making this can be a really cheap hoby for your son.

Go to walmart and pick up a $15 hang on the back filter, go to the sewing section and pick up a bag of PollyFiber in the green bags. ($1.95) and grab a box of activated carbon and your set. Take a old pair of womens leggings or a thin pair of socks and put the carbon and pollyfiber in it. then stuff that into the hang on the back filter. You just saved your self a few $$$

If that sounds like something you would not want to do just by the filter carts that go in the filter. You can get 6 of them for $10. and you only have to replace them every month or just when they get dirty. No fuss no muss and your fish will thank you, and your son with thank you because he won't have to flush his fish.

Put a calandar in his room and put a sticker on it for a once a month check on the filter.

Keep him active in the aquarium so you wont have to worry about it. If he's interested there are lots of childrens books at library's about aquariums for children. Have him read up on it. You may find he will lose intrest. Or maby this can be somthing fun and brain stimulating.

This hobby can teach him so much.

Enjoy! Make it fun!

Add: Im not sure who's marking threw these as bad answers but truly I think everyone here is looking out for the best intrest of the fish. Really if you want your fish to live longer than a day give it what it needs. If it's a beta that you can change it's water and it lives so be it. Otherwise you need to do more than just put fish in a tank of water and hope for the best.

Answer 3

If work is what your trying to get out of then you should go with a filter. You will have to change a lot of water. You have to really be kind of an advanced aquariest to keep a filterless tank. You can create a tank with lots of plants but you will still need to change much more water and take care of the plants as well as the fish. That's why we all call this a hobby, it takes a little passion, and a lot of elbow grease to do it right. But when you do get it right there comes great satisfaction. Maybe you should opt for a gerbil, but don't forget to clean his cage weekly as well. Fish are considered an exotic pet and are by nature more difficult to care for than a house cat. Do some more research on your own to see if you really want to do this. Any set up takes some amount of effort on the part of the care taker.

Answer 4

A betta is the only fish that can be housed without a filter. They have a primitive lung organ that allows them to supplement their oxygen supply from the surface of the water. No other fish has this ability coupled with the small size and ability to withstand temp fluctuation that is associated with a bowl environment.

A goldfish not only needs a filter but at least 10 gal of water per fish so please do not think of a goldfish as an option.

Another thing about no filter is you have to do water changes on the bowl ever couple of days.To me, this is not easier than dealing with a filter which has to be rinsed out/ changed once a month or so.

If you are not willing to properly care for an animal (any animal) you should not get one simply to placate your son.

Answer 5

You can go with an underground filter..basically its a grill that sits at the bottom of the tank and you cover it with gravel. There's a small filter that agitates the surface and pulls gunk down to the bottom. However, it needs to be cleaned more frequently than other filters (although VERY cheap!) because the gunk can become toxic through decay. It will keep your water clearer though.

The filter isn't just for water clarity though. All fish put ammonia in the tank. They do this through their waste (urine, feces, and the output of used oxygen through their gills). Decaying food also adds to it. Algae eaters like plecos, etc. grow very large and while they MAY eat algae, they put a huge bioload on the tank. Ammonia is toxic and will burn the fish's gills, skin, eyes, etc and will kill it. After ammonia is present, the next bacteria that forms is nitrite. Nitrite is also toxic. It will eat the ammonia bacteria. A few weeks after nitrite occurs, nitrate (the beneficial bacteria) forms. It will eat the nitrite. At that point, you have a cycled tank. A filter turns your water, oxygenates your tank and gives a good place for nitrate to form.

Answer 6

most if not all fish need a filter...without a filter the buildup of toxins and ammonia in the tank will become too much for the fish and wont live very long...at the very least the fish needs good air circulation......If you dont want to worry too much about a filter then get a then u may consider an undergravel filter..they pretty much look after themselves ..but they do have there own problems...do some research and see if this is for u..

Answer 7

no, there are no fish that should be kept without filters/heaters (if tropical/marine) lights etc, you will need the equipment and owe it to the fish to keep it in the best conditions possible.

Answer 8

Guppies, neon tetras, coolie loaches and most scavengers. The key is for you then to either have few fish or to change the water as it becomes dirty. Scavenger fish that eat the Algea off the sides of you Aquarium will facilitate less frequency of cleaning. The fewer the fish, the less need for a filter. But know if you over populate the tank and have no filter you may kill your fish or become unable to see them. have fun!

Answer 9

nope and even a gold fish needs a filter they are not that hard to take care of

Answer 10

No fish can live in a bowl. No fish can live without proper care, such as filtration. If you are not willing to commit to the proper care of another living animal, don't get one as a pet, as you will kill it.
This may be more appropriate:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-7608316-8960842?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=aquarium+dvd