# In-Tank Filter and 1.5 Gallon Tank Questions



## unmailed_letter (Feb 11, 2010)

Hi all,
I'm setting up a 1.5 gallon tank and have a couple questions. I've kept a goldfish in this tank before and used the under the gravel filtration system that came with the tank, but the old filtration stuff was sort of gross and I felt needed to be thrown out. I bought an in-tank filter that says it was meant for up to 3 gallon tanks. Below are photos of the set-up. I'm wondering, if I need to raise the filter out of the water a little? Right now the lip where the filtered water comes back out, is somewhat submerged under the water line, so there is little to no waterfall effect. Where should this filter be placed? The instructions weren't much help.

Also the photo below shows that I have the air pump placed about level with the filter. The filter instructions indicated their is some danger of having the air pump below the filter (due to siphoning which could bring water to the pump and electrical outlet?). Do you think its bad for me to have the air pump / tubing not raised higher above the filter level?

Now my long term plan is to get a larger tank, I'm hoping a good deal on a 20-30 gallon on craigslist, but I might get bored of the wait. Now I was thinking of just getting two of the feeder fish minnows at Petco and putting them in the 1.5 gallon tank after putting water conditioner in and running the filter for 3 days. I know proper cycling requires water testing and introducing good bacteria. If these minnows make it I figured I could use the good bacteria they will produce to introduce good bacteria to my prospective larger tank that will have less hardy fish. SO, is 1.5 gallons too small for 2 of these minnows? Is it cruel to introduce these guys into a non-good bacteria environment? Do you think they can handle it?

Thanks for any advice you might have.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4348126456/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4348118614/in/photostream/


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

If you are referring to baby goldfish as minnows, I would say dont put them in a 1.5 gallon. Goldfish require 15 gallons for the first fish and 10 gallons for each additional fish at the very minimum. Goldfish will grow very quickly if you give them the proper space.

Minnow is a category of fish that encompasses a lot of different fish, but not gold fish. If you want to say a baby fish, the proper term is fry.


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## unmailed_letter (Feb 11, 2010)

*minnow vs. goldfish*

I did not mean to refer to a baby gold fish. I mentioned the gold fish only to say that I was able to keep a goldfish (the kind you win at a fair) alive with the under the gravel filtration set-up in this same tank. My hope was that these 'minnows' I saw at Petco would do just as well, particularly since my in-tank filter seems like it will probably work better. 

The minnows I refer to were kept in a large tank with some various types of goldfish, but there didnt seem to be a label for these small grey fish. I asked the Petco fish guy if they were also goldfish and he said no, that they were minnow feeder fish.


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

Probably 'white cloud minnows'. Do a google image search to see of that's what they were. Those are commonly sold as feeders. 

Make sure you thoroughly research any fish before purchase to be sure you can meet their requirements. Most fish commonly found at your LFS will grow too large to comfortably live in your 1.5g tank for life. Especially goldfish which can grow well over 8" or even close to 18"+ for comets. 
Other small fish like the scarlet badis will be perfectly fine in your tank for. Life.
So just make sure to research *before* you buy.


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## br00tal_dude (Dec 26, 2009)

either that or some kind fo tetra, our petco sells "rosey red tetras" as feeder fish, but about half of them are grey...


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

those rosy red tetras are not tetras...they are carp..and they will get too big for a small tank..


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