Suggestions for classroom tank

[philipwaldram]

I'm a teacher in England and would love to have a small tropical tank in my classroom. Would a small heated tank be ok for a single fighting fish? Or are there any other suggestions for bright colourful fish I could use either by themselves or in pairs.
Thanks.
Phil

 

[@ombomb]

How small is small?

Male Fighting Fish (Bettas) have to be kept on their own as they really live upto their name. People keep them in tanks as small as 1 gallon (3.8 litres) although I wouldn't be comfortable keeping them in anything smaller than a 5 gallon. They are very hardy fish which prefer slow moving water and are very tollerant of water conditions.

You might be best off with some platties, which come is very bright colours, can be kept in a group and are not really high maintenance.

The Bettas are stunning, but a group of fish may be more entertaining for the kids.

 

[Elite]

Actually male bettas can get along pretty well with other fish, as long as the fish aren't too flashy. Here're the setups I'd suggest-
10/15 gal-
1 betta
6 glolite tetras or white cloud minnows
either 2 otos or an apple snail

15 gal-
1 fancy goldfish
something else..dunno what

15 gal-
2 german blue rams, 1 male 1 female
6 cardinal tetras
1 bristlnose pleco


I dunno...I think I suck at stockign these days, lol. But those'd be REAL pretty selections of fish. As for smaler tanks...I dunno...hmm...

10 gal-
pair of dwarf gouramis
not sure if you can fit anything else...

Don't go with anything smaller than 2.5 gallons, even for a betta. And smaller tanks are much harder to take care of than larger tanks. I like my tanks to be 20 gal+. The betta tank is just a pain in the ass.

 

[philipwaldram]

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm thinking about a 10 gallon tank because thats all that will fit! I like the idea of a shoal of smaller fish. How about Guppys?
Thanks

 

[lady_tanksalot]

hi phil,

i have a 2' tank in my classroom with a few mollies and cories in, the kids love it.
guppies would work but might i suggest just getting males or you'll soon become overrun with fry in a too small tank.

 

[@ombomb]

Well I disagree with all the stocking suggestions made by Elite.

SOME Betta males are kept successfully in a community, but others will kill everything else in the tank. Risky

10g is too small for a gold fish

15g is too small for a Bristlenose

Guppies are fairly sensitive which may be a problem if the kids get attached to them and then they kick the bucket.

EDIT: When I say "they kick the bucket" I mean the Guppies obviously!

 

[lady_tanksalot]

Guppies are fairly sensitive which may be a problem if the kids get attached to them and then they kick the bucket.

EDIT: When I say "they kick the bucket" I mean the Guppies obviously!

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actually i think its a good way for kids to learn about death, and kids are a lot more resilient than people give them credit for.
i get more emotional than them if i loose a fish

 

[BigC]

Have you considered Killifish. The annual varieties can serve as an educational tool when teaching about seasonal rainfall in africian/south american countries. Do a google search for Nothobranchius Rachovi
http/s4.kcn-tv.ne.jp/users/kemkem/Image/rachovi.jpg
There is a certain amount of work involved when breeding and rearing these beauties but as I said earlier its educational.
If you need to know more them pm me.

 

[alabaster]

For a ten gallon, there are a vast number of choices available to you. Here are some to consider:

/////////
5-7 guppy (1-2 male, 4-5 female)
8x dwarf (pygmy) cory
/////////
2x ram
6-8x neon tetra
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12x dwarf cory
1x male betta
/////////
3x african dwarf frogs
5x female betts
/////////
3x honey gourami
4x bronze cory
/////////
5x bleeding heart tetra
6-8x dwarf cory
/////////
4-6x oscar
1x pleco
/////////

If you dont like any of these, make up your own! The important thing is that you do a little research prior to purchase in order to find out a fish's crucial stats: eventual size, special water requirements (if any), and compatibility. If all the fish you are considering mesh well in these respects, you can get anything you want--as long as you dont overstock.

 

[alabaster]

Some other fish to consider are:

cardinal tetras
bloodfin tetras
rummynose tetras
lemon tetras
otos
endler's livebearers
zebra or leopard danios
platies
blind cave fish
dwarf puffers (do some research on them first)

 

[wwestar2000]

Guppies are fairly sensitive which may be a problem if the kids get attached to them and then they kick the bucket.

EDIT: When I say "they kick the bucket" I mean the Guppies obviously!

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Actaully A 10 gallon is exactly the smallest size for 1 fancy goldfish. As long as the tank has good filtration.
I think guppies are a great idea but just make sure to cycle the tank and get only one sex.
If you want friendly little carefree fish i would go with a small livebearer like a guppy. If you wan't a little fish with attitude and alot of personality get a ram.\
Oh and to the comment above
Your kidding about the oscar right

 

[Mollybreeder]

I would definately go with guppies...they are a stunning fish and with proper care can live awhile. People on here post about guppies only living a year or 6 months but I find that personally not to be the case. I have a 10 gallon tank with 10 guppies and thousands of guppy fry I raise and sell. I definately reccomend guppies.

 

[Alix]

my 7th grade science teacher put 2male guppys an 3 females in a 20gal tank at the begining of the year an gave extra credit to who ever got closest to the right number of guppys in there(there was ALOT) then he gave them to a lps

 

[wwestar2000]

Here is my idea for a cute little set up.
1st
4 male guppies
2 ballon molly
1 adf
2 cory
And an apple snail

or
pair rams
and an apple snail
I don't trust rams with anything smaller than them.

 

[nonot8946]

try to get a larger tank, maybe a 20, the smaller the tank is the harder it is to keep water parameters good, especially if kids will chuck something in the tank and/or be responsible for anything involving it.