# what's more important in a 2.5 g tank?



## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

a heater or a filter?

if i put both i'm afraid it's gonna be too crowded  :shock:

another question: has anyone ever seen a betta pooping??? what does it look like and most importantly where does it come out from???


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

yes they poop, its long and stringy and sometimes a round brown glob, and it comes from between the front two long fins and the back long fin. Although i know this I dont think I have ever seen mine poop either. No wait I take that back when I change the bettas water at work they are small little rounds or sticks... and they dont poop that much. I think they are modest about stuff like that


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

A heater is much more important because you can just do WC's to keep the water clean, but you can't keep the water warm without a heater..unless your house is very warm to begin with.


RC


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## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

yeah, at this time of the year my house temp is around 80F (im a tropical girl  ) but the aquarium temp fluctuates between 78 - 82F I guess that's not good huh?

lexus, thanks for the "poop" info!!


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

78-82 is not a problem.


RC


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## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

ok, thanks! i actually re-organized his tank a little. i thought there was too much gravel so i got rid of some. i also decided to use the undergravel filter that came with the kit. i'm not sure if it's going to filter anything at all, but the other one wasnt doing much either, but it was taking a lot of space.

i'll keep an eye on the temp.
thanks!


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## kidbetta (Feb 2, 2005)

I wouldn't use any underground filter.. Do some research on them and you will find out that they do more harm than good.....

The water temp. you mention is not an issue....

I will get a 5 gallon if you're going to use a filter....

For a 2 - 1/2..... I filter isn't neccesary..... Just good water changes and your Betta will be fine......

Some good food like Hikari Betta Bio Gold would be excellent for that size of tank.....

I have used that food for years.... and I think it's the best! plus they love it.... It can be pricey... But it's worth it!


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

Many people use Undergravel filters with great results. I've personal used them for year without any problems. You just have to keep up with the maintenance required. One of the top IBC Breeders uses them in all his 2.5G tanks he keeps his very best show fish in and has great results with them. He's currently in the running for Grand Champion. 


RC


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## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

kidbetta @ Fri Feb 18 said:


> I wouldn't use any underground filter.. Do some research on them and you will find out that they do more harm than good.....
> 
> The water temp. you mention is not an issue....
> 
> ...


thanks for your input
you know, i do have the Hikari food, but the d***s just want to eat frozen bloodworms!!!!
should i starve him until he eats the pellets??


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

I would not feed him for a few days and try the pellets again. 


RC


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## kidbetta (Feb 2, 2005)

(RC) @ Sat Feb 19 said:


> Many people use Undergravel filters with great results. I've personal used them for year without any problems. You just have to keep up with the maintenance required. One of the top IBC Breeders uses them in all his 2.5G tanks he keeps his very best show fish in and has great results with them. He's currently in the running for Grand Champion.
> 
> 
> RC


RC, I have read and heard from many that the underground filter is no good..... Only on one occasion have I heard someone using the underground filter and you being the second.... oops and the third being the guy running for Grand Champion. This is New to me and interesting to look into....

I used it once a long time ago with bettas in a 5-1/2 and 10 gallon tank and it was a mistake.... The water quality was not the same... I always had the best water quality with the Bio-Wheel and Aquaclear.... The Penguin Bio-Wheel is Much better than the Aqualclear but it makes that waterfall noice... The Aquaclear is the less noisy and the fact that you can play with the media makes it an excellent choice.. I have tried the fluval for my bigger tanks, the whisper and a long time ago the underground filter which is the worst in my opinion and the opinion of others... However, if it's going to be used in a 2.5 gallon and you do water changes then In that sense it would work.... but, I also think that you won't need it... plus wouldn't it require more cleaning/work? I definetly wouldn't use it in my 5-1/2 or any other tank above that...

RC, Why did you stop using the underground filter?

What type of underground/2.5 tank does this running champion use?

I never used a underground filter on a 2.5 tank so I quess I really can't say if it works, if it's better or if it's better to not use it....? 

Maybe, chrisinha will like to do an experiment and try it with for 2 weeks/more and without for 2 weeks/more and take water samples and etc..... to see the pro's and con's... 

My opinion is based on 5-1/2 and 10gallon tanks and from what I have read and heard.... Again I never did ask if they tried the underground filter on a 2-1/2.... I can only expect it would have the same results as it showed with the bigger tanks.... 

I seen a betta live for over 2 years in a small container smaller than 1 gallon with the worst feedings and rare water changes.. It belonged to a little kid.... and It flared and looked really well... Everytime I saw that poor betta I had to change the water.... I have also met those that can't keep a betta for more than a couple of months/weeks..... Betta Keeping is Interesting and Strange at times....


It will be an interesting comparison.... 2.5 with underground filter vs without.....


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

I stopped using the UG filter because I don't have any tanks that have gravel in them( a 10G salt tank does). All my spawn/rearing tanks are bare bottomed.I have used UG filters in tanks as large as 100G fish only salt tank and my last tank with gravel was a German Blue Ram tank that also used a UG filter. Don is using the UG filters he got here http://store.yahoo.com/pet-guys/-010838132040.htm


RC


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## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

hmm i just found out that the tank doesnt have 2.5 gallons, but 1.66 (6.3 litres). Im going to try this UGF whichi is a plastic plate with holes in it, a riser tube and an air diffuse stone that goes inside it. As i said i dont know how it's supposed to "filter" anything since it doesnt have a sponge, foam, carbon, or any kind of media whatsoever. BUT, im going to give it a chance.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

good luck! i definatly agree with you putting a filter in the tank though


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

The UG Filter works because it brings water flow thru the gravel which brings oxygen to the bacteria that lives in the gravel. This bacteria converts the ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate. You remove the nitrate with WC's .


RC


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## kidbetta (Feb 2, 2005)

RC did you use a UG filter alone?

Whats the current of the water like from the UG filter on a 2.5 gallon tank?

The UG Filter does develop freindly bacteria but it can also cause much trouble for multiple reasons if it's not looked after.. 

The right amount of gravel has to be used... not too much and not too little and other reasons..... 

but again on a 2.5 gallon it doesn't really matter if your'e doing weekly water changes...... But on a 5-1/2 or higher I will always go with a Mini Bio Wheel/aquaclear over a UG... 

I wonder what type of tanks/Filters do BETTA CHAMPIONS USE?
I will think that the UGF will probly be at the bottom of the list...



Here is a website that goes over some basics on UG FILTERS .... This info might be helpfull if chrisinha decides to get a bigger tank or something goes wrong with the UG... 

1. http://www.bestfish.com/ug.html


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## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

thank you for the link. honestly i already feel like buying him a bigger tank, but this was a valentine's gift for my bf and he lives in NY. He's trying to take the fish with him next time when he's out here, but we're not sure if it's really gonna happen. So, if he takes the betta with him, it's very likely that the fish will be kept in the same tank he's now (unless the betta can be put in a tank with tiger barbs, serpae tetras, a pleco and a red tail shark).
If he stays with me, he'll go to a bigger tank (because that tiny tank gets on my nerves!!)


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## kidbetta (Feb 2, 2005)

Oh nooooo don't let him put that betta in the tank with those sharks and tigers...... :shock: 

The 2.5 is perfect! Like RC SAID..... It has to work if an IBC member running for championship is using them.... 

Plus it's a perfect gift! 

As long as he does the water changes and feeds them the right way it must work..... I'm sure he will take good care of the betta...

Rc..... What type of food does he (the guy running for champion) feed them/ how many times does he do a water change?

This is the first time I ever heard betta keepers using UGF filters.. This is interesting....


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## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

well, i dont know if i can trust my bf with water changes. he always says im nuts because i do a lot of water change in my tanks, especially the goldfish tank. but i agree with you, it's a perfect gift! i wish i could win one! lol


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

Don is using just UG in his 2.5G tanks. His tanks are divided so he has 3 fish in each one. He's is doing WC's less then once a week.He uses 1/2 size gravel and adapted his python to clean the tanks. Most top Betta breeders use just sponge filters on there tanks and no filters on there jar/containers.They don't keep any type of gravel in there systems. Almost all of the breeders I know feed some pellets, but everything else is live/frozen foods. All my tanks w/ UG filters have always used other filters also because they were larger tanks. A UGF is a biological filter and not a mechanical filter. A reverse flow UGF works even better and prevents many of the problems, but you would need a tiny reverse flow powerhead for a 2.5G tank.


RC


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