Recycled Deluxe Beta Tanks

While Beta fish can survive in those tiny cups they are sold in I feel they deserve better. I feel this recycled tanks provide a good size tank where the fish can thrive instead of just survive. This tank allows them to move around a bit and the best part is you can clearly see them. With food and occasional water changes these provide everything the beta needs.

Supplies Needed

1 Utz brand 35oz Cheese Balls or Sourdough Pretzel container – I find these at Walmart or Sam's Club
Several pounds of aquarium gravel.
Artificial aquatic plants
Low light required live aquatic plants
River polished aquarium safe rocks a contrasting color to the gravel

Goo gone or similar sticky residue remover
A sink of water
Dish soap
Paper Towels

Water – declorinated
A single beta fish per tank

Step 1 Prepare the Tank

First step is eat the cheese balls or pretzels. I'm not responsible for your health if you eat all the cheese balls by yourself.

All of my tanks were created with cheese ball containers. I suspect the pretzel containers would be much easier to clean.

After the cheese balls are gone the grease remains. The entire inside of the container will be coated with an orange grease. Fill the container with hot water and dish soap. Take the new sponge and clean off the sides. Empty the water.

Repeat at least three times with the water and soap. That grease is hard to get rid of.

Thoroughly rinse the container as you do not want any soap remaining.

Remove the label. This is really the hardest step of all. That label will not want to come off. First soak the container label side down in a sink of water to soften it. Take your scraper and try to remove as much as possible. This will also probably take several soaks.

Spray goo gone over the left over label sections. I place a paper towel over it and wet the towel. This keeps the goo gone in contact longer and so it doesn't run off the sides.

Rewash the container to make sure all goo gone is off of the tank.
The tank is now ready

Comments

[JillyFish]

This is a great idea, however, it is VERY dangerous for the fish to use dish soap to clean the inside of the container. Any kind of soap is residual, which means the chemicals will stay inside the container forever. That is why you NEVER use soap to clean an aquarium. Bleach, on the other hand, is non-residual, and the chlorine (which makes bleach so great for cleaning) evaporates as it dries. Please please do not use soap to clean anything related to fish, including decorations, filters, etc. Use a diluted bleach solution to clean these containers and they will be much cleaner than if you use soap.

[cpogo]

I am totally doing this today with a plastic Animal Crackers bear shaped container!!

[nevets_mcd]

I think I would have to sacrifice visibility of the fish and paint the bear except for the belly so it would look like the bear ate the fish.

[komecake]

I'm not a huge fan of this. If you stick a bottle of water that's been opened on your for a few days and try and drink it.... it tastes like plastic. Those chemicals are seeping into the water, which means into the fish. I like this idea, but I think it'd be better to find a large glass container this size instead, like maybe an old glass vase or something. I actually have one of my betta's in a 1.5 gallon vase. Anyways, nice instructable, but I'd honestly stick with glass.

[vic08191]

nice instructructable.beta fish are one of my favorite.

[nevets_mcd]

Thanks, they are certainly one of my favorites as well.