What fish can I have in a .5 gallon tank?

[xraycer]

We should probably all stop posted as the OP hasn't been seen since he made the post. By this time we've answered his question.

After reading all this, he probably decided a hamster is the better pet for him LOL

 

[pops]

ehh is a very nice guy,. have known him from other web sights for years and feels passionately about his fish keeping and fish keeping in general, he is also quite knowledgeable about it.

This is a difference of opinion, lets please leave it at that.

 

[Wailua Boy]

Man, grow up!
The reality is, a half gallon is a better fate than what a lot of these bettas in chain stores will have. A lot of these bettas will die in their cups at the store, and a lot will end up in glass bowls about the same size as the plastic cup they were sold in. Sure you can try to educate people but the reality is to the majority of people out there, fish are just mindless, disposable pets.
And if you want to go the route of "holier than thou", you should know that there are people who feel that keeping any creatures in cages is heinous.....................even if a single neon tetra was housed in a 500gal tank.

So let me understand, are you recommending bettas are kept in .5g containers? Your reasoning is, other people are doing it, so its not that bad? I equate keeping any fish in a .5g is very similar to keeping a dog or cat in a bedroom for their entire lives. Provide food, water and maintain air quality and they will live, not the most fulfilling lives but they will live. Come to think of it, the same would apply to a human.

Not holier than thou. The OP asked a question, I'm giving my opinion.

Half gallon does make a great beverage container though.

 

[ShadowP]

So let me understand, are you recommending bettas are kept in .5g containers? Your reasoning is, other people are doing it, so its not that bad? I equate keeping any fish in a .5g is very similar to keeping a dog or cat in a bedroom for their entire lives. Provide food, water and maintain air quality and they will live, not the most fulfilling lives but they will live. Come to think of it, the same would apply to a human.

Not holier than thou. The OP asked a question, I'm giving my opinion.

Half gallon does make a great beverage container though.

A little diversion then...
You familiar with the Marina Cube? A whopping 6" x 6"x 6"...
I used a Fluval foam prefilter and a 4.5" length of thin-wall acryllic tubing to make a mini filter and fastened it with a heater suction mount and stuck it on the left side 3/4" from the back wall. I installed a 78F preset 5W heater on the back wall behind the filter (clearance 1/8"). 3/4" gravel in the bottom and 5 river rocks about 1.5" x 1" x .75". A pigmy sword in the center... 2 clusters of dwarf chain swords and some hair grass. Total tank volume .75 gallon... after displacements and filled to 3/4" from top ---> .6 gallons!
The ammonia stayed at 0ppm
The nitrites stayed at 0ppm.
Nitrates stayed under 15ppm.
They remained stable for more than 6 months, so I stopped testing altogether and monitored the fish and plant health as my barometer.
Oh..., and the occupant(S)...
One fully grown male twin tail half moon betta at 2.5" body AND two fully grown neon tetras at 1.25" bodies ea
All measurements not counting fins.
It can be done, but I never said it was easy... also cost damn near $70 once everything was included.

 

[Wailua Boy]

A little diversion then...
You familiar with the Marina Cube? A whopping 6" x 6"x 6"...
I used a Fluval foam prefilter and a 4.5" length of thin-wall acryllic tubing to make a mini filter and fastened it with a heater suction mount and stuck it on the left side 3/4" from the back wall. I installed a 78F preset 5W heater on the back wall behind the filter (clearance 1/8"). 3/4" gravel in the bottom and 5 river rocks about 1.5" x 1" x .75". A pigmy sword in the center... 2 clusters of dwarf chain swords and some hair grass. Total tank volume .75 gallon... after displacements and filled to 3/4" from top ---> .6 gallons!
The ammonia stayed at 0ppm
The nitrites stayed at 0ppm.
Nitrates stayed under 15ppm.
They remained stable for more than 6 months, so I stopped testing altogether and monitored the fish and plant health as my barometer.
Oh..., and the occupant(S)...
One fully grown male twin tail half moon betta at 2.5" body AND two fully grown neon tetras at 1.25" bodies ea
All measurements not counting fins.
It can be done, but I never said it was easy... also cost damn near $70 once everything was included.

Why not opt for a 5 or 10g and provide swimming space and less maintenance. The cost is very close between the two sizes....In fact for $70 you could buy 2 ten gallon tanks complete with lids, light, heater and filter.

To me, neon tetras being a schooling should be housed in a school(makes sense) and really need space to move, they are even less suited for a .75g.

 

[Buphy]

Again, it's a can be done vs a should be done. Can we please stop arguing this point? We've beat it to death...

 

[ShadowP]

Why not opt for a 5 or 10g and provide swimming space and less maintenance. The cost is very close between the two sizes....

To me, neon tetras being a schooling should be housed in a school(makes sense) and really need space to move, they are even less suited for a .75g.

Because it was made for use as a bedroom night stand night light and a 10 gallon would have been too large for the intended space. The neons still chased each other all around and through the plants and the betta still wasn't able to catch either of them after his first sucessful tail nip on each. Eventually he gave up, but still interacted with them. In small space the neons don't lose sight of each other. The "schooling" chasing is still maintained.

 

[xraycer]

So let me understand, are you recommending bettas are kept in .5g containers? Your reasoning is, other people are doing it, so its not that bad? I equate keeping any fish in a .5g is very similar to keeping a dog or cat in a bedroom for their entire lives. Provide food, water and maintain air quality and they will live, not the most fulfilling lives but they will live. Come to think of it, the same would apply to a human.

Not holier than thou. The OP asked a question, I'm giving my opinion.

Half gallon does make a great beverage container though.

I love how you to try to play things neutral following snipe, sarcastic remarks/questions. No, I did not recommend anything, but if the OP were to go ahead and house a betta in his .5gal I wouldn't condemn it either. The benefit I see to this is that possibly he could develope a strong interest in fish keeping and his parent, seeing this, would allow him a larger tank.

So, let me get this straight, you truly believe a betta, in the wild, occupies a territory in the confined area of a standard 10gal aquarium.....or even 55gal? LOL

 

[Oddball]

All been said, ...and then some.