Those Little Plastic Tanks For Kids

[Lizzie71]

My 7 year old keeps nagging me about getting him one of these for his bedroom. I know that they aren't big enough for goldfish (I think the one he saw was 21 litres) even though they are sold as goldfish tanks.

I was wondering if I could put a heater in and he could have his betta in his bedroom (I currently have two bettas in a divided tank in the kids' playroom).

What I'm concerned about is (1) can you get a heater for a tank that small and (2) would it eventually either melt the plastic or make it brittle and prone to cracking.

If the kids had one of those each in their bedrooms, I'd have another free tank for something else Although I think my OH might have something to say about us going up to 4 tanks

 

[murphyk32]

im afraid ive been told before when asking this that yes they are likely to melt the plastic, need a glass tank for a heater. As far as a betta, a heater isnt really required, and SOME smaller tanks have a light on them that tends to provide some heat anyways.

Murph

 

[littlest]

I have a heater in a plastic tank for a betta and I've not had any problems with it. The temperature isn't high enough to melt the plastic, and the heater itself isn't in contact with the plastic anyway, only the suction cups

 

[Amerce]

You can get heaters for plastic tanks but they don't get very warm or you can use the vivarium heat mats which can come with controls.

You can get a hold of these for small tanks

Nano heater

or these

Reptile heat mat

 

[rocknurworld2006]

heaters can be used in plastic tanks fine with no problems. and bettas should have heaters!!!!!!

 

[aquila]

The temperature isn't high enough to melt the plastic, and the heater itself isn't in contact with the plastic anyway, only the suction cups

Ditto, as long as the heater is held away from the plastic by the suction cups you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[newfishy]

If I can clean out plastic tanks with boiling water a small watt heater...as long as it is held in place by suction cups, not resting directly on the plastic, will be fine.

 

[goosej13]

bettas don't need heaters... the live in puddles in china... haha.. room temp is fine.. and because most betta tanks don't have filters lower temp is better anyway because it doesn't promote bacteria problems as much

 

[Thomas 2507]

I wouldn't have a heater in a plastic tank. You can buy 27l tanks quite cheap and they're ample for a betta.

 

[Million]

AFAIK, the conductive properties of water, combined with fluid motion and convection, should mean that as long as the heater is kept maybe an inch from the wall, with water around it, the local environment will not get hot enought to melt plastic. As soon as the water immediately around a heater warms, the warm water rises, away from the heater, as it becomes less dense, pulling in colder water from below. GCSE physics anyone?

 

[murphyk32]

alright i just said what i was told, i personally wouldnt bother anyways as for a similar price u can get a 5 gallon glass tank. Anyways.......

 

[goosej13]

that is true... u can get a 15 gallon glass tank for like 15 - 20 US dollars... sooo cheap

 

[stang1]

As others have said, a heater will be fine in that tank.
Bettas seem to thrive better in a heated tank with a temperature of about 26-27C.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

bettas don't need heaters... the live in puddles in china... haha.. room temp is fine.. and because most betta tanks don't have filters lower temp is better anyway because it doesn't promote bacteria problems as much

Puddles in thailand. If you do water changes then you dont have to worry about bacteria problems. Ive never had any fish of mine have bacteria problems.

 

[Amerce]

bettas don't need heaters... the live in puddles in china... haha.. room temp is fine.. and because most betta tanks don't have filters lower temp is better anyway because it doesn't promote bacteria problems as much

OK lets clear this up, the betta splenden does not and never has lived in puddles, the wild betta's live in Paddy fields which are massive and have a constant water supply (renewed to keep the rice plants submerged) and come from Thailand, Malaysia etc, some betta's like Albimarginata live in smaller bodies of water which are quite acidic due to leave litter but then they can't survive very well in fresh clear water and they originate from Borneo.

Diff fish diff water conditions.

Paddy fields get very warm, why do you think the workers wear hats, please get your facts straight.

And as for temps, well I know that it gets damned warm in Malaysia winter or summer and only slightly cooler in the forrests, so please use a heater in your tanks as they are "tropical fish", unless of course your house gets lovely and toasty all year round.

Please read up on the subject before making statements like this.

This site is quite useful for general information on betta's

Wild betta's