i want something easy to care for preferably that doesnt need a filter. I was considering gold fish but what kind of goldfish would be pretty. i want a low maintenance fish for a 2-5 galloon tank
thanks
2007-09-23 11:21:55 · 17 answers · asked by msijg 5 in Pets ➔ Fish
i have had goldfish without filters before.
i dont really want a betta and will get one of those new 2-5 gallon kits that has a filter on it
2007-09-23 11:27:14 · update #1
As the others have said, don't go goldfish. If you don't want a betta, I heard paradise fish are good, but I don't know anything else about them personally. Another thought would be African Dwarf Frogs -- I have mine in a 2.5 gallon, and as long as you keep up with the water changes, you don't need a filter (but I put a filter on mine now). I will say though that adding a filter does lessen the amount of work you need to do.
If you really, really want low maintenance, there's ghost shrimp. I bought a few to clean my tanks, and they are actually pretty interesting! You can see through their bodies, so you can watch them digest their food and stuff.
2007-09-24 18:54:28 · answer #1 · answered by Cati 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Goldfish need filters. Get a Betta fish- that is the only fish that can live without a filter and in a 2-5 gallon tank. Plus, they come in pretty colors and are fun to watch. You will have to clean it once a week since it doesn't have a filter and will need cleaning well. Get some colored gravel from the pet store and maybe a little plant so it won't be so plain looking. I'd get a 5 gallon tank.
2007-09-23 18:24:48 · answer #2 · answered by Madison 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Goldfish are pond fish. Or perhaps for one of those 60-90 gallon aquariums. I bought three and put them into a 10-gallon aquarium, and soon regretted the choice of kind of fish, so I eventually gave away two of them and then one died. They are hearty fish, but they demand lots of food, make pretty much the most waste of any kind of fish that are kept in aquariums, and their healthy, normal size is way too large for a 2-5 gallon aquarium. You will be doing the filter thing constantly. All fish need some sort of filter, but if you get a fish that eats off the sides of the tank in addition to getting the kind of fish you want, it might be helpful.
2007-09-23 18:35:05 · answer #3 · answered by Penny 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just about everything needs a filter except for betttas. If you decide on a betta keep in mind that they need thier water changed every few days. With that in mind, you may want to opt for a tank with a filter. You can safely keep a pair of guppies in your tank. (they need at;east 1 gal per fish)The males are very pretty to look at and if you get 2 of the same sex they will not reproduce. I have to add though, The smaller the tank the harder it is to keep all of the levels at the proper level(amonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph) If you go for a 10 gallon you can have more fish and its just as easy to take care of.
2007-09-23 19:14:51 · answer #4 · answered by Jenna S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Male Beta's are very pretty, inexpensive, do not require a filter or heater, and can live quite happily in as little as 2 or 3 gallons of water. The general rule of thumb is 1 gallon of water per 1 inch of fish. The smaller the habitat, the more frequently the water will need to be changed.
This Wikipedia Link is pretty thorough
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamese_Fighting_Fish
2007-09-23 18:35:43 · answer #5 · answered by Mrs. D 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, but that is way too small for a goldfish. If you had goldfish in a filterless tank/bowl before, how long did it live? I am betting it did'nt live anywhere near its full 20 years it is capable of living if you care for it properly. If you are not ready to put the time, energy and money into properly caring for your fish, than you are not ready to own any fish whatsoever. Sorry if that sounds mean, but it isn't right for the fish to be kept by someone more interested in cutting corners than providing the best care and environment possible. It is one thing to provide a fish an inadaquate home due to not knowing what they need, it is much worse to be told what the fish need and ignore that advice because it is more work.
2007-09-23 18:55:53 · answer #6 · answered by theseeker4 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Angel Fish,even with goldfish you will still need a filter,or you will have a dirty tank from all the bop.It is very easy to take care of a filter just change it once a month.
2007-09-23 18:31:27 · answer #7 · answered by stwebster42@sbcglobal.net 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Betta fish are extremely easy to take care of and when they get excited (the males) they are a joy to watch. Some even change colors when they get really riled up. Some can be very plain, or very exotic looking. Check out the links I provided below.
They can range anywhere from about $2.99 at Petsmart, or you can go online and order them. The Crown Bettas are even prettier. Check out the links and images below.
If you get more than one, you'll want to make sure they are separated because they will hurt each other. If you only get one (and this is hard because there are so many pretty ones out there), you can hold up a mirror up to it and it will spread it's fins out like you see in the pictures.
2007-09-23 18:25:06 · answer #8 · answered by momo5j7 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try paradise fish. 1 male and 2-3 females would do great in a 5 gallon tank.
2007-09-24 12:55:18 · answer #9 · answered by TopPotts 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A betta of course, they are one of the most easiest to care for hardiest fish. I have even dropped mine in a sink before and it's still alive, while I was changing the water of course.
2007-09-23 18:25:29 · answer #10 · answered by crymeariver 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋