# Stocking a 2 gallon tank



## micbailey (Apr 21, 2005)

Hello everyone!


My son just got a 2 gallon tank for his birthday. It came with a light (no heater) and a bio wheel filter. 

Does anyone have some ideas on what he could stock the tank with other than a betta?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Nothing, except maybe a dwarf frog.


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## PigMonkeyFish (Apr 19, 2005)

Obviously due to tank size you are quite limited but have a look at various sites to see what your son would like to keep, check out if its viable in that tank size and hopefully he will become a happy fishkeeper.
We all started somewhere


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

micbailey @ Thu Apr 21 said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> 
> My son just got a 2 gallon tank for his birthday. It came with a light (no heater) and a bio wheel filter.
> ...


To be honest with you, not a lot. A betta is a hardy fish, but can be a little lethargic in the winter months without a heater. First of all, how long has the tank been running and has it been cycled?


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## micbailey (Apr 21, 2005)

what about white clouds. Does anyone know much about them?


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

white clouds are in the cyprinid family. You MIGHT be able to keep 1-2 clouds in a two gallon, although i wouldnt really recommend it. YOU ARE SO LIMITED WITH A 2 gallon!!!! why dont you just take it back and get your son a 10 gallon tank. hed have so mush more choices..... walmart sells 10 gallon tanks for under 10.00....


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## Rice (Apr 3, 2005)

petsmart sell 10 gallons for 8 dollars. the crappy part is buying the hood which might be another 8-10 dollars. raising fish in the begining is hard work and lots of money unless you done your research 
my cousin has 3 fantail fish in his 2 gallon. small ones though. they can handle the winter. takes about 1 year or so before they would grow half there orginal size depending on how much you feed them. 1 year is more than enough time to expand tank size.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

> white clouds are in the tetra family. You MIGHT be able to keep 1-2 clouds in a two gallon, although i wouldnt really recommend it.


White clouds are not in the tetra family. Not even close. White clouds are Cyprinids, like barbs and danios, and tetras are Characins. 

White clouds are not exactly schooling fish, but they do interact with one another: they chase one another around the tank. One on its own would be a really bad idea. Two wouldn't be much better. Three is the minimum I think it's reasonable to get (I have 3 in a 5 gallon tank). But two gallons really is too small even for them -- they do like to swim around, and they would have very little room in a 2 gallon tank.

I can highly recommend apple snails. They are very cool and interesting animals, and one on its own will be happy (they don't need other snails around). Get one that doesn't get too big, like a Pomacea bridgesii, which is also known as the spike-topped apple snail or mystery snail. They are fine at room temperature, without a heater.

You could also get shrimp. There are quite a variety available (see 
http://www.azgardens.com/shrimpfactory.php
for some examples). I don't have any of these yet (they will be the next things I add to my 5 gallon tank) but by all reports they are very interesting animals. And they are small enough that you can put a few in with your apple snail.

So that's what I'd recomment. An apple snail plus some shrimp. No fish.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

You could also get one or to guppies


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

you can get a heater at walmart for a small tank for around 5-6 bucks. You'll also what to buy a thermometer (I like the kind that stick to the tank) and some stress coat/dechlorinator.  Then you can put a beta or something fun in there.  Or else, walmart has nice 10 gallon set up for about $30 complete with most of what you need I believe. But with the 2, I'd limit yourself to 1 or 2 very small fish. ask the local pet store on adult sizes and buy based on that.


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## Simoriax (Apr 10, 2005)

its cruel to expect anything to live out their lives in a 2 gallon tank. Treat your fish with some respect and get them something bigger.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

Simoriax @ Fri Apr 22 said:


> its cruel to expect anything to live out their lives in a 2 gallon tank. Treat your fish with some respect and get them something bigger.


whats cruel is cruel how mean you are being.  obviously, we've got another beginner here, its time for us to teach them a few things,from what others have taught us... not show ignorance and cause them not to ever come back to fish forums.  micbailey, you could get a betta, a few guppies, as others said snails, and shrimp.  as long as you feed a small amount  a few times a week, and do a waterchange once or twice a week, you fish should be fine.


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## Imbrium (Feb 7, 2005)

I would get a little heater, and a betta. They have great personalities, and are very interactive.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

you should try a female betta. They don't look as common as the males and are still bright and colorful. also my female betta, Zelda, loves to play w/ ghost shrimp i have 7 with her in a community tank and she poke them and chses them but never bites its funny


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

A betta.


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## micbailey (Apr 21, 2005)

Hi thanks for all the replies guys. I am by no means an expert, but I am an advanced beginner. I run a 33 gallon tank for 1.5 years now. This tank was bought as a present for my 9 year old with the intention of putting a betta in it. I think a 10 gallon is too big for him to handle on his own. I would like to use the 2 gallon to train him how to properly care for fish and how to clean a tank. 

He was just asking me if he could put something else in there rather than a betta, but based on your responses, I think we will stick with the betta.

The tank is not yet cycled, but hopefully he can get one by next week.

Do you think he could put some ghost shrimp in with the betta - or is that too much for the tank?


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

In my opion if the tank is filtered you can do a few ghosts and like i said bettas love them


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