Getting an Aquarium Ready for Fish

[TarzansKat]

Hey there, folks. My son has informed me that he would like a fish, so here we go. I've got a one gallon tank, and have followed the instructions from the pet store on how to get it set up.

So, everything's been cleaned, gravel is in, a couple of fake plants, and the filter is new, tubing new, everything's good to go. We've been running it for the past 24 hours to let it get to room temp and acclimate before we go and buy our fish.

Now my question is, why are there so many bubbles at the top of the tank? I left the top 1.5-2 inches of the tank empty so it would be easier to get the fish in, more manuevering room. But we have a ton of bubbles! I just turned the air pump off and put a little bit more water in so it's completely covering the area where the bubbles come out. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not. Any help/experience would be most appreciated since it's obviously to late to call the pet store, and most of the things I can google are for much larger tanks.

Thank you very much!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I hope that is a typo and you meant 10 gallon tank. A one gallon tank is not suitable for an aquarium.

 

[TarzansKat]

I hope that is a typo and you meant 10 gallon tank. A one gallon tank is not suitable for an aquarium.

We're ony purchasing one or two small fish, and not something that needs room to grow. I'm pretty sure it's a one gallon tank. Is it my mistake to call it an aquarium? Not trying to be snarky, just asking.

The gentlemen at the pet store recommended either one betta, or two female bettas since they won't fight. A couple of other breeds were minnows, guppies, and...dang, I can't remember the name. At any rate, we were planning on two very small fish, or a betta to start.

Do you have any recommendations on the copious amount of bubbles?

 

[flying_babyb]

I had a five gallon that was bubbleisious! It was kinda cool. I had enough water to cover the top and it was fine for the fish (and the cat who loved to lick up the bubbles).

 

[TarzansKat]

I had a five gallon that was bubbleisious! It was kinda cool. I had enough water to cover the top and it was fine for the fish (and the cat who loved to lick up the bubbles).

Thanks. I was just worried about them overflowing, seems like so much! Now that I've added more water, it looks better, but there's still a lot of bubbles.

 

[flying_babyb]

I never had to worry about overflow, thats what my cat was for LOL. My cats a fish tank top drinker. Never bothers the fish.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We're ony purchasing one or two small fish, and not something that needs room to grow. I'm pretty sure it's a one gallon tank. Is it my mistake to call it an aquarium? Not trying to be snarky, just asking.

The gentlemen at the pet store recommended either one betta, or two female bettas since they won't fight. A couple of other breeds were minnows, guppies, and...dang, I can't remember the name. At any rate, we were planning on two very small fish, or a betta to start.

Do you have any recommendations on the copious amount of bubbles?

You really don't need a bubbler for 1 betta I don't think.

My guess it that you are having an overflow of bubbles because the tank is too small for it. Not sure.

And yes, I would call it a fish tank or bowl. An aquarium is a large tank with many fish.

 

[flying_babyb]

we have a bubler at work for ONE aquatic frog.

 

[iggbees]

we have a male betta in a 1 gallon tank with a filter. he seems to be doing well and has been blowing me a bubble nest! i've read a little on bettas a tank sizes. a number of people mentioned that a 1 gallon tank is suitable for a betta fish as long as it has a filter.

one thing that i found my betta really likes is having a home to sleep in. i'll find him in there all tucked away in a corner sleeping. it's very cute. he's a very playful fish and loves following our fingers around the tank. my goldfish never cared to do that.

are the bubbles coming out of the filter? our filter has a lid on it, otherwise the bubbles are all over the place. this is the filter that we have: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752355
it's worked pretty well for us so far!

 

[Imzadi]

I think one gallon is called a fish bowl.

You can't add water directly from the tap. You have to let the water sit for about 24-48 hours to let the clorine gas out. If you add fresh tap water into any tank, the clorine will kill the fish. Always have a jug of water that's been sitting around with no cover to top off the water.

This is for city water. If you have a private well that has no clorine, the directions may be different.

 

[surfergirl602]

Just remember that tropical fish, like guppies, require a heater. Water at room temp is too cold for them. Betas and goldfish are fine.

 

[surfergirl602]

I think one gallon is called a fish bowl.

You can't add water directly from the tap. You have to let the water sit for about 24-48 hours to let the clorine gas out. If you add fresh tap water into any tank, the clorine will kill the fish. Always have a jug of water that's been sitting around with no cover to top off the water.

This is for city water. If you have a private well that has no clorine, the directions may be different.

you can add a chemical like start right to the water to instantly take out the chlorine. I'd had fish tanks since I was 6. We have salt water and brackish cichlids right now - I love them! So pretty to watch.

 

[TarzansKat]

I never had to worry about overflow, thats what my cat was for LOL. My cats a fish tank top drinker. Never bothers the fish.

Do you have pictures? I just find that to be absolutely adorable.

And yes, I would call it a fish tank or bowl. An aquarium is a large tank with many fish.

Perhaps in my enthusiams over having a pet I called it an aquarium.

You know, honestly, I felt so excited to put this together for my son, that I'm thinking of it as the aquarium, bumping it up a little in my esteem.

we have a male betta in a 1 gallon tank with a filter. he seems to be doing well and has been blowing me a bubble nest! i've read a little on bettas a tank sizes. a number of people mentioned that a 1 gallon tank is suitable for a betta fish as long as it has a filter.

I had a couple of bettas in college, and I never put them in with a filter. I think it'll thrive more with the filter, truthfully, like you said.

one thing that i found my betta really likes is having a home to sleep in. i'll find him in there all tucked away in a corner sleeping. it's very cute. he's a very playful fish and loves following our fingers around the tank. my goldfish never cared to do that.

We've got a couple of fake plants in there, so I'm hoping whatever we get will enjoy swimming around / hiding in them.

are the bubbles coming out of the filter? our filter has a lid on it, otherwise the bubbles are all over the place. this is the filter that we have: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752355
it's worked pretty well for us so far!

My filter doesn't look like that, but it's a similar concept.

You can't add water directly from the tap. You have to let the water sit for about 24-48 hours to let the clorine gas out. If you add fresh tap water into any tank, the clorine will kill the fish. Always have a jug of water that's been sitting around with no cover to top off the water.

This is for city water. If you have a private well that has no clorine, the directions may be different.

Thank you very much. I was already aware of that. Not only have we let our water sit for 24+ hours (possibly 48 by the time the fist gets here), we also purchased a water conditioner, and put that in as well.

Just remember that tropical fish, like guppies, require a heater. Water at room temp is too cold for them. Betas and goldfish are fine.

Thanks.

you can add a chemical like start right to the water to instantly take out the chlorine. I'd had fish tanks since I was 6. We have salt water and brackish cichlids right now - I love them! So pretty to watch.

Now I'm going to have to google cichlids to see what they look like!

 

[flying_babyb]

Nope no fish right now. having enough trouble with a cat/ hammy problem. The hammy cant understand why the cat sits on the cage and scerams

 

[Papa Deuce]

Just remember that tropical fish, like guppies, require a heater. Water at room temp is too cold for them. Betas and goldfish are fine.

Of course, many goldfish want bigger than a 1 gallon tank, though....

 

[grumpyvet]

I , too, think a male Beta would be a good choice for such a small tank. Goldfish become enormous and are extreme producers of waste. I have 3 commons in a 60 gallon tank and they are around 8 inches long each and the youngest is 9 years old!!

Do some research on line of the nitrigen cycle. A Beta can live in a tank that is all in all out, (meaning complete water changes) but will flourish better if you cyle the tank. Many sources can give advice. I used to go to a website called Koko's goldfish world or something like that with some good advice, there is a section on Betas.

You can even cycle a tank with no fish and using household ammonia. Not something you will do with a 1 gallon.

Betas can live around 3 years. Have fun!!

 

[TarzansKat]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all your help and advice.

My son ended up picking a beautiful red male betta, whom he promptly named Otto, after the book A Fish Out of Water.

I was able to talk to the gentlemen at the pet store again, and he showed me this tiny valve that I can insert into the tubing to cut down on the bubble flow. Since we've done that, it's much better! And two of them cost me under $2. Anyway, our new fish Otto is swimming around a doing fine...aside from a little mishap on our first day, but that's a whole other story.

Thanks again!

 

[iggbees]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all your help and advice.

My son ended up picking a beautiful red male betta, whom he promptly named Otto, after the book A Fish Out of Water.

I was able to talk to the gentlemen at the pet store again, and he showed me this tiny valve that I can insert into the tubing to cut down on the bubble flow. Since we've done that, it's much better! And two of them cost me under $2. Anyway, our new fish Otto is swimming around a doing fine...aside from a little mishap on our first day, but that's a whole other story.

Thanks again!

oh i totally forgot to mention that we have one of those on our filter and it works like a charm! good luck with your new fish!

 

[TarzansKat]

oh i totally forgot to mention that we have one of those on our filter and it works like a charm! good luck with your new fish!

They really are great. Thanks for the well wishes!