Step 12: Add to it

Put in about 2 or so inches of AGED aquarium gravel. The gravel doesnt have to be aged, but it will aid in biological filtration, due to the beneficial bacteria that grows in the substrate. Then fill it to within 1/2" with water treated with chlorine/chloramine neutralizer. Then you can add 1-3 ,depending on their size, ghost shrimp to the tank. You can feed them a SMALL pinch of very crushed fine fish flake, once every three days. Due to the extremely small bioload that ghost shrimp contribute to in their habitat, water changes do not need to be frequent, about once every two weeks to keep the ammonia at bay. Use a dropper every couple days to vaccume up all of the uneaten food at the bottom. And There you have it!

P.S.: DO NOT even think about putting a betta in this light bulb!

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KWightArmstrong says: Aug 14, 2011. 1:20 PM

I've been really interested in making vases/aquariums/terrariums out of bulbs lately. Apparently it looks like fish and/or possibly shrimp are a bad idea as far as living animals go. Does anyone know about, or oppose, tiny aquatic snails for such a habitat?
I thought they might enjoy cleaning the inside glass and or rocks of the globe, under the stem of a bit of Pothos plant.
But I don't actually know much at all about keeping aquatic plants or animals. I'm not sure what these 'aged' rocks are that were suggested either. I'd love a little lesson or more info on any of this if you all would oblige. Personal e-mail message would be great too, even. Since I'm new here, and I don't know if I can subscribe to these comments for email notifications in case of replies.
Write to me here: www.KWightArmstrong.com/contact/send-message

disturbedandmore says: Apr 8, 2011. 9:38 PM

can I put a small guppy in one?

eulaliaaaa! in reply to disturbedandmoreMay 24, 2011. 6:53 PM

I would think so.

j626no says: Apr 4, 2007. 9:41 PM

what is the problem with putting a beta in there? and where can i get ghost shrimp? im thinking of making one of these for my girlfriend as an extra little present for easter. good instructable btw.

esth0r in reply to j626noJan 22, 2011. 10:21 AM

well, since beta fish are labyrinth-fish they can get oxygen out of air, if there is actually enough oxygen-rich air at the surface.

69ballsmahoney in reply to j626noJan 27, 2010. 9:48 AM

The beta wouldn't fit through the hole

Algag in reply to 69ballsmahoneyFeb 16, 2010. 2:51 PM

Many people say bettas dont need that much space and i think anything less than a gallon is terrible for one and this...this is indescribable try locking your self in your refrigerator(spacial-y that is)

ballagie in reply to AlgagMar 8, 2010. 10:55 AM

Oh, I forgot to mention that although betas CAN tolerate small environments, they do do much better in a larger tank. And for the record I also think this particular "aquarium" is too small for one. I was just letting you know the facts...

ballagie in reply to AlgagMar 8, 2010. 10:46 AM

It's not just what "most people say", its absolute fact. Their natural habitat is small "puddles" etc.of rainwater. They've even been found living in water-filled buffalo prints in mud on the edges of rice fields etc.
Also its true that they do not need aeration of their water. They "breathe" by exposing the labrynth gland on their snout to fresh air.
And as far as water quality goes; a 100% water change once per week is sufficient as the beta has evolved to tolerate nasty water and rapid changes of temperature and salinity etc.

Algag in reply to ballagieMar 9, 2010. 4:05 PM

Yes they CAN tolerate them but you can tolerate 130 degree whether too. It is soo uncomfortable for them in there it is not even funny and their natural habitat is not puddles and buffalo tracks, those are mainly resulting from human-environment destruction/interruption. And that 100% water thing would not swim well with them either because they would be so stressed out, AND the most a bettas bowl should change is 72-80 degrees F. Although I agree with you one hundred percent on the aeration part.

Robot Lover in reply to AlgagOct 29, 2010. 2:03 PM

obviously you do not live in Arizona.

chuckr44 in reply to j626noJan 26, 2010. 12:21 PM

Ghost shrimp are probably too big for a space of this size. Try red cherry shrimp which are smaller, and are a hardy dwarf shrimp. (I've bred them since 2006.)

J@50n in reply to j626noNov 25, 2009. 7:14 PM

also to put it in there may be a little tricky! also, you have too clean it like every day.

Pugofstardock in reply to j626noNov 5, 2009. 5:09 AM

putting fishes in globes is animal cruelty
to much echoes from their

Lateral line

so please dont keep fish in those.

charchar2 in reply to PugofstardockMar 21, 2010. 5:13 AM

I did not know that! Thank you so much for telling me, i read that wikipedia article and now i see why it is so cruel. do the fish get traumatized from all the echos? i will never put a fish in a globe fish bowl again. from now on, only tank aquariums.

--= Excogitate =-- in reply to PugofstardockJan 28, 2010. 7:07 AM

What is this 'lateral line' you speak of? I'm a noob when it comes to animals. I liked the seemingly simple setup in this instructable, but I don't want to use a spherical tank if you could elaborate :)

Pugofstardock in reply to --= Excogitate =--Jan 28, 2010. 11:20 PM

the lateral line is like a fish radar on their side
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_line

at least here in germany its forbidden to keep fishes in these goldfish bowls.

--= Excogitate =-- in reply to PugofstardockJan 29, 2010. 3:18 AM

Hmm... interesting! Well, you convinced me and thanks for the info :)

wonton says: Nov 20, 2007. 9:01 PM

i have had a gold fish 4 like 8 years and it has been in a 10 gallon tank. it has no problems

Sgt.Waffles (author) says: Apr 5, 2007. 3:29 PM

Bettas are NOT happy in cups at the store, so why would they be happy in an equally small (yet much more asthetically pleasing) space? Bettas Can survive, but not for long. If you put a betta in the bulb, and your tank wasnt cycled, you would have to do 2+ 100 percent water changes per day.

To get your ghost shrimp, check walmart, petco, petsmart, and any local fish/pet stores in your area. The are about a quarter a peice.

Wolfie42 in reply to Sgt.WafflesApr 6, 2007. 4:08 AM

Hiya guys, my mom and i are fishy pros and mainly with bettas :D
we sell them on line :O (heres the link http://www.jobysbettas.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/)
ok about bettas
no there not to happy in cups at shops and i would defnetly not put anything in this tank as you call it outher than daphnia (a type of live food) its to small for shrim even. J626no i wouldent keep fish in the light bullb if you have very small fish as you do get a TY beenie baby box and store them in there. Its what me and my mom do with the bettas there in beenie baby jars (there a nice size for a betta) on something called a barrces whitch automaticly gives them fresh water and drains away the old

to do this the beenie jars have a hole in them out 3/4 of the way up and they sit in a gutter
this gutter drains away the old water, then a pond filster filters it... and the water is pumped back up freash and cleaned my a central heating pump back into the beeniebaby jars with the fish in.

Sgt.Waffles (author) in reply to Wolfie42Apr 6, 2007. 9:15 AM

Daphnia are water fleas, and i dont reccomend them. The ghost shrimp is fine in the light bulb, as he has alot of room for himself.

Wolfie42 in reply to Sgt.WafflesApr 10, 2007. 2:52 PM

Dude i mean to use as live food for fish in a proper Aquarium

j626no in reply to Sgt.WafflesApr 5, 2007. 5:11 PM

thanks. sorry i asked about the betas before i looked around your other comments fully. i was able to find the Ghost Shrimp at petco today and purchased 2 for 49Â¢ a piece. lastnight however i checked petco.com and petsmart.com and they had no such animal..i checked the store and bingo. curently i have them in a small fish bowl with small stones (i had no aged one). the water has been treated for nitrites, nitrates, chlorines, and chlorimines. for food i broke up small algea tabs as they are bottom feeders and they seem to like it. i should be switching them to the lightbulb within a week or perhaps just create a shirmp aquarium? let me know how well that would work out or what small fish i could possible add (i know was water temp increases the ghost shrimp become progessively more aggessive and attack the fish, so idk if thats a good idea or not...ur the expert). jon

Sgt.Waffles (author) in reply to j626noApr 5, 2007. 6:28 PM

How big of an aquarium do you think you would want? you could do a decent shrimp only aquarium with a 5 gallon. you could even add some dither fish, like guppys, mollies, or even platies. But not goldfish. Goldfish are WAY too messy and need 20 gallons apeice.

bigcat in reply to Sgt.WafflesMay 9, 2007. 2:31 AM

I'll agree Goldfish are way too messy, but why 20 gallons apiece? That seems to be quite alot for just *one* fish! The Goldfish at the bar I go to looks mighty happy in his little gallon, (or less), fishbowl! He's always happy to see me because I give him a nip or two of my brandy!

Sgt.Waffles (author) in reply to bigcatMay 9, 2007. 11:48 AM

Goldfish produce a ton of ammonia. When ammonia is produced, if you dont have a cycled tank, the ammonia will build up and kill the fish. They also produce alot of solid waste. If you dont do regular gravel vacuumming and water changes to keep the tank clean. Goldfish also get faily large. i kept a common goldfish a while ago that got to the size of a dinner plate before he caught a bad case of septicemia and died. For golfish, the general rule is 20 gallons for one, and then an additional 10 gallons for each other goldfish. Most filters say they can turn over twice as much as they can. For example, a filter for a 10 gallon, is really only good for a five gallon. And with goldfish, oscars, and all other messy fish, ideally, you need quadruple filtration. You can get buy with much less, but i dont reccomend half assing it.