Choosing the right fish for a specific tank is essential in ensuring a safe environment for your newly found pet. Cylinder tanks are a part of the many shapes of round aquariums that could be the new home for your fish. However, research indicates that not all fish are recommended to stay in round cylinder aquariums; only a specific type can handle prolonged periods in these tanks.
Why can only some fish live in a cylinder tank?
This reason stems from the fact that cylinder aquariums can stunt the growth of particular fish breeds. For example, goldfish cannot handle cylinder tanks because it leads to their organs outgrowing their body.
Additionally, cylinder takes are sometimes not recommended because of the lack of volume water at the top surface. This makes it harder to keep the tank aerated healthy for fishes because some cannot handle the low water volumes. However, this doesn’t mean that fishes can’t live in cylinder tanks in general.
Best Fish for a Cylinder Tank
The best fish for a cylinder tank is a Betta fish. Bettas can easily thrive in cylinder aquariums if we maintain their homes properly.
The Bettas are popular freshwater fish known for naturally keeping to themselves. If you are thinking of mixing different fish breeds in your tanks, you should know that male bettas tend to get aggressive. However, they could sometimes get along with other community fish if they have more space for themselves. Bettas also prefer to live in slightly acidic water with a 6.7 to 7 on the pH scale and live in 70-85˚F water temperature.
Therefore, if we want to maintain a safe home for bettas in cylinder tanks, we need to look into every condition that is the perfect fit for them to grow.
How to keep a Betta in a cylinder tank
- Make sure the tank is not too cramped, as this can cause stress for Bettas and reduce their life expectancy. Therefore, getting a cylinder tank that is longer in size creates more space for Bettas to swim and roam freely in a tank.
- Avoid keeping bettas in 1-gallon cylinder tank. This is because there will not be enough aeration and area for them to swim around, and could cause your betta fish to die. Keep them instead in at least a 5 gallon fish tank. However, if it is within your budget and range, you may opt for buying a 10-gallon tank as well. Larger water volumes also require fewer water checks and less hassle for fish owners.
- Water temperatures are essential. Bettas can live in 70-75F, but they thrive in 75-80F. Pet owners should buy water heaters to help keep the water temp constant. Heaters are also usually small in size; therefore, they won’t take up the majority of the tank space.
- DECORATE! Bettas love living in vibrant areas, so try adding lovely plants or rocks around their aquariums. Many small decorations don’t take up much space, which livens up their homes and keeps them happy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, bettas can live in cylinder tanks as long as we ensure they live in a healthy, simulating environment. By doing this, we are taking care of their well-being and will help them reach a longer life expectancy. Cylinder tanks should be more prominent in size with enough water volume to ensure more space for aeration. Taking note of the proper water temperatures and pH water levels further secures your chance of raising Bettas longer and happier!
