# ~.5 Gallon Critter Keeper



## Ckent42 (Oct 27, 2011)

So I made this half-gallon tank out of necessity, to house my girlfriends dwarf puffer, as she didn't research it and it was too aggressive towards her other fish. Long story short, it was this or the toilet. Unfortunately, the puffer still died, I think due to temperature changes, as I was preforming daily water changes. Now that he's gone, this tank is housing 5 fancy guppy fry, about 3 weeks old. Obviously this is only temporary, and my question it, what should I do with it once they're gone? Could I put shrimp in it, or is it too small even for them? I really like the look of it, and I put quite a bit of work into the layout and design, so I don't want to take it apart, but I also know that it is too small for any fish . I currently have a small airstone in it, providing surface agitation, and a 23W CFL in a desklight over it during the day. So what should I stock it with, if anything? And if I do stock it, how could I go about making a sponge filter that's small enough to still work and yet be unobtrusive? And finally, why don't more people use critter keepers for pico aquariums? I know that glass looks better, but the keepers are really cheap, and they don't look bad at all......


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## jedimasterben (Aug 21, 2011)

It is incredibly difficult to keep that small amount of water a constant temperature (especially when changing water), and that's what kills most fish/shrimp. Plus, half a gallon is so small, unless the inhabitants were TINY, like the fry in there now, they wouldn't have much room to move. I wouldn't even keep a betta in there.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

You also have to consider that it was probably 0.5 gallons to start without plants and substrate. You're working with even less water with those included.


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## TactusMortus (Jun 28, 2011)

You can normally find a cheap glass vase or container for even cheaper then those critter keepers just my two cents.


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## Ckent42 (Oct 27, 2011)

So just plants then? And how do you think it looks, halfway decent? I got two for free, so I figured I might as well use them. And I know that it's less then half a gallon, which is why I was wondering if anyone had any experience keeping snails/shrimp in such a small body of water.


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## Ozydego (Aug 29, 2011)

it is pretty cool, but I was debating on even cherry shrimp in a 1 gallon bowl, I do have three there now, but I dont know about the 1/2 gallon... prolly just plants... that bubbler looks HUGE in that pico... kinda interesting, cause besides that it would be harder to tell that its so small


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## Ckent42 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ya, the bubbler is huge, I want to put a bubble filter in, but I'm not sure how to make one small enough haha. I wish I had a better camera to capture the fry in there, it looks like its the perfect size for the little guys.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

i see the fry. looks like a decent growout vessel for a month or so for them. but i doubt you can keep shrimp in here. maybe one/two shrimp of a small species. like those red Hawaiian shrimp that may need brackish water...


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## Ckent42 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ya, the fry will probably get too big in another two weeks or so. Are there any small, non plant eating snails that I could put in there? I'm just looking for literally anything that's not a plant at this point.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

MTS
idk about rabbit snails...
horned nerites.

I'm telling you those red Hawaiian shrimp might be your best choice if your research them enough. (assuming you still prefer shrimp)


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## dsmdylan (Feb 21, 2010)

puffers need lots of real estate. you don't want to give even a dwarf puffer any less than 5 gallons. that's why he died.


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## Ckent42 (Oct 27, 2011)

It was that or the toilet, there was nothing else I could set up in the amount of time I had .

Those Hawaiian Red shrimp look amazing, I need to see if I can get some!


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## Ckent42 (Oct 27, 2011)

I could only find a minimum of 50 for sale, plus shipping. I really don't need 50 of them in there.....
Also, will freshwater plants survive in brackish water? I wish I knew what plants I had in there, but I'm not sure :/


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## Ckent42 (Oct 27, 2011)

I think it's a lot of anacharis, a petite nana, and I'm not sure what the other two are.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

i know java moss can survive in slightly brackish water. some other hardy ones like the anubias can as well. and also that doesn't look like a nana petite, unless that was grown emersed with those large broad leaves....petite have tiny leaves just like that one new one thats starting to grow.

keep searching for someone who can ship you a few of those shrimp, not 50 lol. or ask them via e-mail.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Ckent42 said:


> I think it's a lot of anacharis, a petite nana, and I'm not sure what the other two are.


The one in the wayyy back right of the picture is a anubias.


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## Betta Maniac (Dec 3, 2010)

Ckent42 said:


> I could only find a minimum of 50 for sale, plus shipping. I really don't need 50 of them in there.....
> Also, will freshwater plants survive in brackish water? I wish I knew what plants I had in there, but I'm not sure :/


Set up a group buy.


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## Ckent42 (Oct 27, 2011)

Alright, I'll have to look around some more. It's just hard with school and all :/
Also, do I have too much light for the plants? Because I'm not running any co2, but then there isn't any algae growth, so is too much light and not enough co2 bad for the plants themselves? I have one root tab in there, but thats it.


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