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Fishbowl?


mydiamond

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Hey guys, it's me and my fish obsession again. I've just found out that our dorm's no-pet policy excludes fishes (well, except the carnivorous ones for obvious reasons) so I'm thinking of getting a gorgeous male betta! :D the thing is, I don't think I could get a full tank setup with filters and heater lights and all :( so as much as I dread the thought of a fishbowl (or any other tanks with no filters or anything else), I wonder if anyone has kept a fish in a fishbowl and actually managed to keep 'em alive for more than a week. I toured Petco last week. I'm sure the smallest rectangular tank they have would fit on my window seat, and my budget. Sooo... if I really could keep the fish alive in such lazy setup, there's no stopping me from getting a new friend :hehe:

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Window seat might not be best place but no problems keeping goldfish xx

 

Is it because of the algae concern? :o like, you know, how aquariums need to be put away from direct sunlight so that algae (is it algae?) won't grow on the water? I don't know how to pull up the blinds anyways. We've been living like a vampire :shrug:

 

But I can make space in my cluttered desk if it doesn't work... 

 

(( gosh how obvious is it that I'm dying for a fish? ))

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You're lucky. I'm off-campus, and my landlord won't even allow a fish. Not even a little fishbowl. Like seriously?

I was thinking of getting one anyways, for the longest time, so I did a lot of research. Typically, in a very small tank you do NOT want Goldfish. Goldfish are very dirty. From my research, the best fish to get for a fishbowl is the Betta.

I would recommend getting a small filter. I did a lot of research on tanks without a filter, and cleaning them is a REAL pain in the butt. Also heard it can be stinky and messy, too.

I think, with just a fishbowl, you have to completely replace the water and clean their environment every 2 days. For all tanks you have to take temperature, salinity and pH levels; to make sure your fish doesn't die or get an illness. In a smaller tank, these levels can drastically change which can be deadly to your fish.

Is it not possible to get a small 2 or 3 gallon tank, with a small filter? You might have to compromise some of your desk space, but it would be less cruel to the fish (and easier for you.)

I belong to a fish forum, where I posted questions about my situation. I ended up getting great advice from them (there are a lot of Betta owners on there as well). They recommended I get a Betta fish - apparently they are full of personality, and they can gulp air from the surface...so if oxygen levels are low in the water (which, if you don't have a proper tank setup, it will be), then they will still be able to survive. If you want, I can PM you the link to the forum.

I ended up not getting a fish, because as much as I want one, its not worth getting evicted for. Yeah, my landlord sucks.

EDIT: From what I read, tanks should be kept out of direct sunlight to prevent algae growth...as well as to help control the temperature of the water. Flucuations in temperature can be deadly to fish. 

If you can't avoid sunlight completely, they (on the forum) recommended to get real plants instead of the plastic ones. The real plants will help with some of the filtering and pH control (and will give off oxygen for your fish), but you have to clean the tank more often.

Edited by SolitaryHowl
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You'll probably need to treat the water you use...remove the nitrates and nitrites from it. You can buy de-chlorifier from pet shops. If there are a lot of nitrates/nitrites in the water then it can kill a fish within a week. Put the de-chlorifier in the water and leave it a few days before introducing fish the tank.

 

If you're looking for a very low maintenance pet which is small and unobtrusive...I would suggest looking into land hermit crabs. I have a few of them as pets and they're a damn sight easier to care for than fish. More interesting as well.

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You'll probably need to treat the water you use...remove the nitrates and nitrites from it. You can buy de-chlorifier from pet shops. If there are a lot of nitrates/nitrites in the water then it can kill a fish within a week. Put the de-chlorifier in the water and leave it a few days before introducing fish the tank.

 

If you're looking for a very low maintenance pet which is small and unobtrusive...I would suggest looking into land hermit crabs. I have a few of them as pets and they're a damn sight easier to care for than fish. More interesting as well.

Good idea, but most universities (atleast mine) disallow any pet that cannot survive outside of its tank. So, basically it is only fish she can have. 

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Thanks for the advice guys! I've just decided it's not fair for the fish to live in a fishbowl, so I'd try to get a two-gallon tank with a mini filter like the one Elyse suggested. I'm a bit confused about the direct sunlight thing, because really I can't open those blinds (why's everything broken?!). If my tank could just rest on the window seat it'd be a lot easier. But even the closed blinds still allow some sun rays to get in, so... I don't know, do you count that as "direct sunlight" or not? If yes, I don't mind giving up more space on my desk.

 

I think I used to have hermit crabs too as a kid. They're kinda boring IMO :lol: but most importantly they can survive out of the water, so they're not allowed :( boo!

 

The reason why I want a fish is because I'm incredibly bored once I have no more assignments to work on. I need something to keep me busy, so bring on all those maintenance tasks :D what I'm worried of is the water, really... because I don't trust my bathroom's water. I'm gonna need to ask around and find the kind of water that won't kill my fish.

 

EDIT: Elyse, do PM me that fish forum's address when you have time :D x

 

EDIT: Angela, I do find underwater snails helpful to clean the tanks (at least in Insaniquarium) but I just can not stand the sight of a snail. I'm absolutely afraid of them :(

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Thanks for the advice guys! I've just decided it's not fair for the fish to live in a fishbowl, so I'd try to get a two-gallon tank with a mini filter like the one Elyse suggested. I'm a bit confused about the direct sunlight thing, because really I can't open those blinds (why's everything broken?!). If my tank could just rest on the window seat it'd be a lot easier. But even the closed blinds still allow some sun rays to get in, so... I don't know, do you count that as "direct sunlight" or not? If yes, I don't mind giving up more space on my desk.

 

I think I used to have hermit crabs too as a kid. They're kinda boring IMO :lol: but most importantly they can survive out of the water, so they're not allowed :( boo!

 

The reason why I want a fish is because I'm incredibly bored once I have no more assignments to work on. I need something to keep me busy, so bring on all those maintenance tasks :D what I'm worried of is the water, really... because I don't trust my bathroom's water. I'm gonna need to ask around and find the kind of water that won't kill my fish.

 

EDIT: Elyse, do PM me that fish forum's address when you have time :D x

 

EDIT: Angela, I do find underwater snails helpful to clean the tanks (at least in Insaniquarium) but I just can not stand the sight of a snail. I'm absolutely afraid of them :(

I think indirect sunlight is okay, you just have to keep an eye on the thermometer. 

And I PMed you. :)

Generally, I think with a bigger tank, you don't change the water all at once. You do it in batches...both so it doesn't shock the fish, and so the filter has enough time to filter all the new water. But you're going to ask on the fish forums about that, I forgot what they said to me.

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In addition to the above , please note that despite popular belief Betta are a warm water fish they do best in a constant temperature of around 27C. If there is central heating at your place that has a constant of around 24C this will be fine.

 

You also must cycle the tank beforehand so the ammonia from waste , turns into harmful nitrites and then converts to the less harmful nitrates. Look up cycling a fish tank. A filter is really needed for any aquarium, without it you will always be chasing your tail with water quality.

 

As others mentioned, aquatic plants will help with water quality as they will feed on the nitrates from the constant cycle.

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I once thought land hermit crabs were a bit dull...but four years later they've kinda grown on me and mine are little bit more interesting now that they've "come out of their shells" (not literally, but you know what I mean).

 

Anyway, when it comes to changing water I believe you remove two thirds of the tank's water. At least, that's what I remember from when we had fish years ago. Not sure what Elyse has told you already but when it comes to water quality some things to do are to remove the unwanted chemicals (de-chlorifier does this), and to look what what your fish needs in terms of water hardness. Hardness is basically the water's pH; some fish want water to be very weak in alkaline. You may also want to add a very small amount of aquarium salt to the water...helps keep the fish healthy.

 

Wasn't sure what the Betta was until I looked it up and I knew it as the Siamese fighting fish. Very cool looking and I've seen them in fish bowls before. One thing that I remember is not to have 2 males together....they don't get on apparently :lol:

 

Good luck anyway :)

 

 

Oh, beware of Ich...pretty much every fish I ever had succumbed to this...

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Bettas have a lot of different names alright :) yeah the males don't get along at all, but the females are too dull in color! I used to have two males I keep in different tanks, but the tanks are side-by-side. They freaking attempted to fight through the glass! :o

 

EDIT: I'm picking up my fish this Saturday if all goes well :D

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Hope it all goes well for you :) I have two tanks one is 3 ft and the other is 6ft my fish are cichlids though I've only had one gold fish and he lived with my Oscars (they say not to put them together) everyone has given you great info can't really add anything I haven't cleaned my 6ft fully for about 6-8 months (I have a huge filter on it though keeps it fairly clean for ages) but it needs a good clean just have to dodge my jaguars :P

Good luck with it fish are so relaxing to watch or at least my crazy fish are :)

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Awh, my Oscar used to live with a variety of other smaller fishes too. They get along just fine, surprisingly :) maybe there's a sweet side to them people haven't discovered :wub: I think I used to have a Flowerhorn Cichlid or two, but I was too young to remember. They're ugly IMO :shrug: 

 

I'm doing laundry now, so I'll pick up Mr. Beta in approx 2 hours :D

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Please make sure you at least get a filter and a heater with your fish. They really need it, plus no plastic plants because a beta can easily tear its fins on them. Have you cycled your new tank as well? I've got one large fish tank and a smaller one, both of which were cycled for a few weeks before I put my fish in it. Until the tank settles down, the changes in ammonia and nitrate could kill your fish or make it very sick if it survives. If you haven't cycled it and get the fish, monitor the levels, do water changes every day, remember to put dechlorinater into your tank each time as well.

 

Also, if you wait a little while, there are normally $1 per gallon sales in the US at the Pet Co. etc at random times (I wish we had them in the UK), the tanks may or may not come with a filter or heater, but you would be able to provide an awesome home for your little guy that way.

 

Snails are also little poop machines, get one or two nerite snails if you do go for them, apple snails will just eat all your plants, nerite eat algae, but wait until you have a build up in your tank otherwise they will just starve to death. You just have to hope your beta isn't a dick then and doesn't kill anything that comes into its tank after that. 

 

If you need anymore advice just message me. I got into keeping fish last year, even made myself a nice planted tank and learned everything I could about taking care of fish. Most of my fish are still alive a year later. The deaths were all out of my control. Some just turned up dead (I think my whisker shrimp hunted a few fish and killed them), some of the fish I bread were too deformed to survive, but I didn't mean to breed them, I just accidentally sucked up the babies and gave raising them a go, still got four of them. Shrimp don't live that long really, my favourite, Ichimonji died a few weeks ago from old age. Then there was the fish I found last night, got it's little face trapped behind the filter and died.

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Yeah they say it's best to let the water in the tank settle for a few days (even up to a week)..also allows any unwanted chemicals to be removed as well. It's well worth the wait however as your fish will be healthy :)

 

To do it properly it takes a month, but you can force it along using chemicals, I didn't do that, I just let it cycle then got a hardy fish to put in there just in case and kept up with water changes until everything settled fully.

 

Get a nice square tank, try and get one that's at least five gallons, a little heater and filter are good. Also if you get live plants, either keep the tank in a window or get a good bulb otherwise the plants will just wilt and die. For substrate, try getting sand, most people go for black because it looks awesome with beta's, you also won't have to worry about your fish eating stones then. For decorations, I got driftwood but I went for an all natural tanks.

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