# Starting a .5 Gallon Nano Tank



## Remmy (Jan 10, 2007)

Floating plants are your best bet and they'll be best at bio filtration, he'll also enjoy the refuge they offer. Frogbit, salvinia, red root floaters etc
Use inert substrate, black sand would make his colour pop
Shrimp are a no go since he'll eat them
No more fish, maybe a nerite snail


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

You do realize that a half gallon is not a good tank for a Betta?

Most consider a 5 gallon tank to be minimum for a single adult Betta.

Too much chance for wild water quality and temperature swings.

A few RCS or cherry shrimp might be OK with careful monitoring.


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## leemacnyc (Dec 28, 2005)

I have some dwarf papyrus growing out of a betta-nano. It's quite stunning


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## Alf2Frankie (Mar 29, 2017)

Honestly, I would at least try to get him a 2-gallon bowl/tank/vase - and even that is pushing it. But whatever you decide I would go with something like pearlweed and anubias or buce. Also the floating plants are a great idea.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Please upgrade your betta so a larger tank, they may need less gallons than other fish but still should get 2gs or more. Keeping him in a 0.5 is like keeping a kid in a small dog kennel, it can turn around but can't run/play. All my (20 some) bettas are in their own 2gs and larger tanks with filter, heater, and plenty of live plants.
I use those small glass marina 'betta tanks' like you have in the photo as acclimation containers for new small species fish, never keep anything it it more than an hour.

Please get your fish a heater, bettas are tropical fish and do best in water temperatures of 76-82 (78 being common range). Don't buy those cheap junky 'betta heaters' they tend to over heat and cook fish-or paint peels and kills fish from toxicity issues. Get a 2g or larger tank and a 25-50 watt hydro theo adjustable heater (most commonly recommend heater by betta owners)

If you don't plan on having a filter pleas keep up on water changes, bettas like clean water, he'll be more active for you if water isn't nasty. If you insist on not getting a filter you should get faster growing plants. Floaters such as duckweed, riccia, and salvinia minima are easy to keep and will help absorb ammonia. Lucky bamboo, and anubias is rather slow growing in comparison to the floaters I just listed. Some otehr fast growing plants that are easy to keep include hornwort and anarachis, or if you want a house plant with roots in the tank water pothos (thoroughly rinse soil off roots)


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## DiegoBedoyaVision (Mar 30, 2017)

The health of the fish is my priority. I'm open to upgrading him to a bigger tank, I just wanted something for my desktop. Figured since the store sold it, it would work fine. Either way I can always return it and get a bigger one. Is there any nano tanks you guys recommend for betta? Also back to my first question -- Is it okay to move the tank around my house (obviously not every day but occassionaly)?


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

DiegoBedoyaVision said:


> The health of the fish is my priority. I'm open to upgrading him to a bigger tank, I just wanted something for my desktop. Figured since the store sold it, it would work fine. Either way I can always return it and get a bigger one. Is there any nano tanks you guys recommend for betta? Also back to my first question -- Is it okay to move the tank around my house (obviously not every day but occassionaly)?


1st rule of fishkeeping: Never trust what a store is trying to sell you. 
Seriously, they are there to make a buck off of you in most cases, so consult the interwebs or other hobbyists, not an employee that gets commission for what they sell you.


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## Anorea (Jun 2, 2016)

I don't think moving it occasionally would hurt, but you'd want to take most of the weight out of it first, so that you don't break it. Also, that plastic bottle you have your bamboo in head some sharp corners. Betta have very delicate fins, and will rip on anything a nylon would. Like the others said, you should consider a larger, more stable environment for your new buddy. ^_^

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk


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## DiegoBedoyaVision (Mar 30, 2017)

What about something like this? https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Deskt...8&qid=1492722350&sr=8-1&keywords=fluval+betta

Any other recommendations?


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## FishRFriendz (Dec 21, 2016)

DiegoBedoyaVision said:


> What about something like this? https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Deskt...8&qid=1492722350&sr=8-1&keywords=fluval+betta
> 
> Any other recommendations?


That's exactly what I was gonna recommend. Just add a heater.


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## puriance (Feb 19, 2017)

I have seen a couple of those on Craigslist in my area, and was debating on getting a pair to bookshelf my betta's. I'm just going to divide a tank I already have, but they are a great little system.


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## Jaxel (Apr 19, 2017)

I am also in the process of setting up a planted betta tank. I'm actually going with a large bowl (8 gallon). I was originally going to do about 2 gallons unfiltered but going with the larger bowl will be better for my beta and also less work for me. So I just wanted to add to what everyone else is saying and suggest you go with a larger nano tank.


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## Jaxel (Apr 19, 2017)

I also wanted to add that pet stores do all kinds of things that I think are cruel and not a good idea for an animal's well-being. Don't even get me started on those little 3 in 1 betta prisons...

Can someone tell me how to edit my post please?


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## Carpathian (Dec 23, 2016)

Wife keeps one of our bettas in the bathroom with the Marineland Portrait. Stock light stinks for growing plants but a 13w cfl stuck in a walmart clip lamp makes this tank look amazing. Its a 5 gallon and I modified pump to decrease outflow for the bettas liking. This tank requires little maintenance and I don't do anything but a partial water change weekly. My vote goes to a bigger setup. doesn't have to be fancy. 10 gallon tanks are $10 for the rest of the month at petco


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## Carpathian (Dec 23, 2016)

Jaxel said:


> I also wanted to add that pet stores do all kinds of things that I think are cruel and not a good idea for an animal's well-being. Don't even get me started on those little 3 in 1 betta prisons...
> 
> Can someone tell me how to edit my post please?


edit button right by your post


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## Jaxel (Apr 19, 2017)

Carpathian, I kind of thought it was that easy but the website I am on looks completely different than the screen shot you posted and there is no edit button by my post.


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## Carpathian (Dec 23, 2016)

you on mobile? try requesting desktop site.


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