# Housekeeper for betta in small tank (2.5g)



## bastage (Oct 16, 2011)

So I have 3 betta's each in there own 2.5g tank. Water is changed 2-3 times a week about 2/3rd of a gallon each time. Well there is becoming a buildup of stuff in the rocks that I would like to curb before it gets excessive. 

What is a good tank mate that can live in such small confines given no active filtration? 

And were not having a problem with the water clouding at all or buildup on the side of the tank's.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

Im pretty sure you could get a snail! :3


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## bastage (Oct 16, 2011)

LaLaLeyla said:


> Im pretty sure you could get a snail! :3


Thats what I was thinking. I Guess worst case scenario I re-home them if they dont work out.


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## Miyazawa (Sep 14, 2011)

you can get some shrimps  i personally prefer amano shrimp because they clean algae and left over food plus they are big enough to find when you do water change. They do poop a bit more than red cherry shrimps and ghost shrimps though


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## bastage (Oct 16, 2011)

well snails it is.. I have a golden snail in Sam's tank & Mystery snail's in the other 2 tanks. So far the betta's are leaving them alone, I was surprised that only one of the 3 even noticed its new friend.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i don't think it's a good idea to have a snail in such small tanks. they still make messes, like anything else, and in such small tanks, the ammonia might build up too fast.... that's just my stand, though. maybe someone else can comment on that.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

The only thing is snails can be massive poopers. Also mystery is the same as apple, just different names.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Just clean the tanks out, rinse the gravel once a week. Snails are major waste producers, so even though it would pick up the food, it would still produce waste to replace it lol Usually I'd recommend tank mates in anything over 5g. 
This is why I do 50% once a week and 100% once a week, to clean out the gravel of poop or left over pellets I missed


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## Okami (Oct 10, 2011)

I have a 5 gallon cycled tank with heater and filter, and planted. There is no clean up crew I can give him?


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## elijahfeathers (Oct 15, 2010)

You are the clean up crew. If you have issues with algae shrimp can be helpful. Snails are nice for some tanks (esp in planted tanks). However if it's issues with gravel you need to clean it somehow... gravel vac is a good choice for a 5 gallon.


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## Okami (Oct 10, 2011)

mine has sand and florite under the sand. So I cant really vacume it


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## TL1000RSquid (Sep 25, 2011)

Okami said:


> mine has sand and florite under the sand. So I cant really vacume it


I'd get a couple MTS's and maybe a few ghost or cherry shrimps. MTS will spend the days under the sand and come out at night to eat other stuff.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Malaysian Trumpet Snails will over populate a tank in a month, since the OP wants a clean up crew. 

You can siphon sand, you just have to find a method that works for you. Google it. Most people siphon at an angle, or use small airline hose (like I do for my sand tanks). 

If you want snails, get Assassin snails. They will clean, they stay small and they will help you with air pockets in your sand. Other than that, shrimp.


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## TL1000RSquid (Sep 25, 2011)

If your getting over run with MTS then your overfeeding your tank. I have them in all my freshwater tanks 2.5g to 40 breeder, haven't had any out of control population explosions, so far the only snail explosion I had was from mystery snails awhile back which was probably from me overfeeding. 

I use a hose a bit bigger then an airline hose and hover it about 1" above my sand it sucks up any debris and leaves the sand alone.


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## Okami (Oct 10, 2011)

hmmm im thinking shrimps down the line seem better than snails


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I really like RCS. It is very cute when they trundle about on the sand snatching little bits of food. That being said, if you have light-coloured sand, their poo shows up like crazy. I vaccuum my tank everyday just so it doesn't look grotty.


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## Okami (Oct 10, 2011)

once my tank is 100% clear ill post a photo of it. Its a bit cloudy since I finally added the florite and drift wood. Maybe once you can see it you can get an idea of what im working with.


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## bastage (Oct 16, 2011)

well at this point I have moved the snail out of one of my 3 boy's tanks & moved a ghost shrimp into it.. Was done simply that the betta sam (in my avatar) constantly acts weird.. he try's to buy himself under whatever he can. I would put in hiding spots & he instead of using them still tries to bury himself in the gravel. I Wanted to see if he would take to shrimp any better then the snail.


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