my sad empty tank

Question
i had a beta for about 2 1/2 years then he got sick and died. now i have an empty (1 gallon i think) tank with a light and a little filter.... i wanted to start with new fish and possibly more than one.... and i don't want another beta pr gold fish... what should i do... when i went to a pet store they said all the pretty fresh water fish ( like neons) need heaters and more than 5 gallons... i am so lost please help ... thanks a million janai

Answer
Hi Janai,
Sorry to hear about your betta.

Unfortunately 1 gallon aquariums aren't suitable for any fish besides a betta. Even then, bettas do much better in larger setups of 2-3 or 5 gallons and up.

The reasons for 1 gallon tanks being a poor habitat for fish is the water quality quickly gets bad in such a small volume. And fish dont get to have tankmates to interact with or a very interesting environment also. There also isn't space for heaters, filters, or for the fish to exercise.

Is there any way you could just setup a simple small inexpensive 10-gallon tank? This size tank is much easier to maintain and can hold a nice small community of fish. Any upgrade would be better. A 5-gallon tank can also hold a small community.

The only creature I might recommend for a tiny 1-gallon tank would be the many shrimp species available, such as the ghost or the colorful cherry shrimp. In a simple planted tank with wood and moss for them to perch on, these shrimp really brighten a tank.

But I'm sorry for the bad news. Its just too small for even small little zebra danios or Neons. They need space to swim and more individuals to interact with.

Best wishes and I hope this helps!
Karen~