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Help! again... Anonymous
Hello /an/ its me again! (Anon wondering about the filter in their 2.5 gallon betta tank yeah.) Now anon has a very crappy cell phone pic of their tank.

So I picked up a ph test and a Ammonia test like the person who helped me last time told me too (for the person who was wondering what my ammonia level was its between 0 and .25), and I also decided to pick up a little thermometer for his tank.

Well now after an hour of it attached to my tank it reads 66 F. I know this isn't the ideal temperature for a betta so I was wondering if there was a way to raise the temp in the tank with out buying a heater which are supposed to be hard to control in such a small tank. Or is 66 a high enough temperature where I shouldn't bother it?

And also while I'm at it. I'll ask if theres anything small enough I could put in the tank to help clean the decorations and such. I had snails in my old 10 gallon tank that hitched a ride on a plant I bought but I ended up with about a hundred or so of them.
>> Anonymous
>>
Well now after an hour of it attached to my tank it reads 66 F. I know this isn't the ideal temperature for a betta so I was wondering if there was a way to raise the temp in the tank with out buying a heater which are supposed to be hard to control in such a small tank. Or is 66 a high enough temperature where I shouldn't bother it?

You can get heaters for very small tanks. I'd do that.

>> And also while I'm at it. I'll ask if theres anything small enough I could put in the tank to help clean the decorations and such. I had snails in my old 10 gallon tank that hitched a ride on a plant I bought but I ended up with about a hundred or so of them.

Maybe an otocinclus? Perhaps another anon can yea/nay that. Apple/mystery snails won't reproduce nonstop like plant snails will, but I don't know if they'd tolerate the cooler temperatures. Same with the otocinclus, though.
>> Anonymous
Hey there.

Placement of a tank can help with the temperature. For example, if you have it in front or near a window where sunlight can hit it directly you would naturally raise its temperature, however this isn't always recommended as it can have negative affects on your tank's general health.

There are some heaters out there that have thermometers on them that let you easily regulate the temperature though I think the smallest one you could find would be suitable for your tank. I have your exact tank next to me that I use to house my feeder fish so I know what you're talking about.

As for a cleaner, a small Rubbernose Pleco (or whatever kind of Pleco you want) or Algae Eater fish would be suitable for this tank though I would wait at least a month before you even thought about putting one in.

The reason for that is because you have what is called a "bare" tank. A bare tank is a brand new tank where algae hasn't had enough time to grow along with other bacteria so putting in an Algae eater or Pleco into that tank would probably starve and kill them within a week. Wait for a month and then go out and buy one, they're pretty common.

Also, I would recommend getting some driftwood if you decide to get a Pleco because the driftwood is apart of the Pleco's diet, most of them need it to survive. Plus it would provide a nice little hiding spot for any of your fish.

Beware of Tannins! A chemical in driftwood that can cause your new tank to cloud up with a brown mist. Whenever looking for driftwood always ask if it's been thoroughly cleaned of tannins and any other bacteria.

Also, let me add that you wait a few weeks at the very least before you decide to put ANY fish in your tank. As I mentioned before you need to wait and let your tank develop the necessary bacteria and algae so that your fish can live in a proper ecosystem. Putting a fish in early could possibly lead to physical problems with the fish and even death.

Good luck!
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>198404
Yea to that anon. An Otocinclus would be a nice cleaner.

Here's a pic for the OP of one.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Also here's a pic of a Pleco for the OP, (Sailfin Pleco). These guys will keep your tank spotless.
>> Anonymous
>>198404
oh so theres snails that wont reproduce like no tomorrow? Cool I'll look into them. and into those mini heaters. Hmm I'm going to need another plug in...

>>198407
The tank has been running for about 7 months now on the shelf over my computer moniter. I figured there'd be some kind of visable alage growth by now but I really don't see any execpt for in the filter itself, and on my little fake plant there. (Don't worry its really soft it doesn't hurt his fins.)and for some reason its really not growing anywhere else that I can see.

And a rubber nose pleco? They don't get too big do they? I know one type of pleco can get over a foot long...
>> Anonymous
>>198414
Aww its adorable! maybe I will get one of those guys.

>>198419
Hes cool as hell, but isn't he the kind who get huge?
>> Anonymous
>>198429
Okay then you're tank is fine. Also, just because you can't visibly see the algae doesn't mean it's not there. You probably have just the right amount.

Hmm, Okay I did a little quick research. A Rubbernose, (or Rubberlip Pleco) can grow to 6 inches max. The reason I mentioned that particular Pleco is because you can usually find them in pet stores at about an inch long.

A little more googling: Zebra, Clown, Candy Stripe, and Snowball Plecos are all very small and are said to grow up to only 4 inches.
>> Anonymous
>>198430
And yeah some Plecos can get massive! We're talking in feet too.

Luckily, there are probably hundreds of different species of Plecos so there are plenty of smaller ones as well. If you get a Pleco it's good to also feed them. They'll eat algae out of your tank but it's good to give them a little extra to keep them healthy. I reccomend any kind of fruit of vegetable. They also love vacation blocks and algae discs.
>> Anonymous
okay. now that you guys have me interested in plecos.. how fast do they generally grow? Cause I'm thinking I'll get a little one, then when he gets to big (hopefully that won't be untill I move out) I'll move him into my 10 Gallon tank. And If not then.. well uh... the tank is gonna have to go on my floor somewhere...
>> Anonymous
>>198442

The following is what I was going to post before you posted. But it doesn't seem as relevant now.

>>198435

In my experience, the smaller plecos often cost 15 times or more as much as the standard ones, and are less hearty.

Here's what you should do. Make friends with someone who has a huge tank. Buy a regular pleco for your tank, and when it gets biggish, give it to your friend and get another one.
>> Anonymous
>>198445
That'd be an interesting plan.. now I just need to find someone who has a huge tank that isn't salt water... Meh maybe I'll just get the little oto's or the snails that first anon was talking about.

Save the plecos for when I get the tank I want in 5+ years.
>> Anonymous
Well thanks again guys, more internets for the wonderful people of /an/!
>> Anonymous
>>198447
Or instead of a friend, you could find a nice fish store where if your fish get too big they'd be the best place to look into especially if you want someone who actually cares about the animal to take care of it.
>> Anonymous
Try a Bristle nosed pleco if you can find it. They are a bit smaller than a rubbernose (about 4-5 in. fully grown) and are awesome at cleaning algae.
>> Anonymous
http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Catfish,%20Otocinclus.htm

Check this site for basic fish info, I've always used it to do research.

That particular page is of the Otocinclus. They also have tons of Pleco info and pictures.
>> Anonymous
I personaly would not recomend pleco of any kind in 2.5 galon tank, even 10g would be too small. Yay for oto, but it will die out of hunger if it does not have enough algae to eat and could be very fragile.
>> Anonymous
>>198404again -

I'd still recommend an oto over a pleco, unless you went with a rubbernose. I've had a few rubbernose and they were pretty cool little guys. I, personally, don't like having to depend on other people or fish stores to handle my fish who get too large.

Another problem with plecs is that once they start getting larger, some of them will stop eating algae and become poop machines. I have one in a 42 gallon tank who has pretty much reached that point.

If your tank doesn't have any visible algae growth, or very little, you probably want to consider getting a veggie clip to place a little zucchini or romaine lettuce in the tank for a few hours so your cleaner fish can nibble on it. Snails will dig it, too.
>> tigerfeather !CrwtTbFNxQ
OP, please please please don't get a pleco for your tank....all small plecos will still get too big for your 2.5 gallon. I second (third?) the vote for apple/mystery snails. You can usually find gold ones in pet stores (I've also seen blues, blacks, and whites in PetSmart), or you can buy them online in neat colors such as zebra, violet, pink, etc. Beware of plant hitchhiker snails though, those tend to be pond snails and they can eat your fish.

As for the temperature, you can keep bettas in relatively cold water without any real harm being done, the fish just won't be super-active (not that bettas are anyway). When summer hits (assuming it's winter there), the water temperature will raise itself and you'll be fine. Do you have a room that you keep warmer than others? You may want to think about putting the tank there, as that will help raise the temperature too.

Good luck.