Review on Aqueon Betta Castle Kit - Optimal for .5 Gallon Tanks by Dominique Brown

Absolutely gorgeous! The tank itself is plastic and has a steep upward curve as shown in the product images and the curve continues to the center of the base reaching the same peak as the outer rim. While this creates some interesting methods of decor placement because you don't want to add too much gravel/sand (I used my own sand because I wanted a black base for the decor), nothing else interferes. The upper is durable and fits close to the body. No locking or anything, instead it rests lightly on the rim, but it's not easy to knock off at all (thank god I have cats to use their ingenuity). The flags had to be twisted and pushed a bit to get into the holes, but that's good because I can be sure they won't fall out. It also came with a bag of white gravel and betta starter food and water conditioner (not used). All in all, that's what I did with it. The sizes are very small, about half a gallon. The tank only gives you about 6-7 cubic inches to work with. This is WAY too small for any fish for a number of reasons (with the exception of a small betta, adult size is less than 1 inch not counting the tail and has very few decorations in the aquarium) for a number of reasons: There aren't any Possibility to install a filter without undue effort so that it works properly. So there's also no good way to heat the tank unless you use something like a heating pad, and the size of the tank itself is too cramped as the fish tend to need to be able to socialize with everyone at all times moving speed. All three together make a list of livable freshwater fish species that are mostly optional. As I mentioned earlier, a small Betta would be ideal as they tend not to do much, preferring to lounge or lazily swim. This tank is large enough to accommodate a small male or typical female betta to lead a happy life. An alternative are invertebrates (snails or shrimp). I don't recommend slugs as the lid isn't slug proof and these little suckers love to explore, but shrimp are a fantastic option if you can create an environment for them, which you certainly can. Yellow Neocaridina lives in luxury. Shrimp feed on algae and scavengers, making them incredibly easy to feed and keep happy. The big plus is that you can even get a few shrimp, and they fit the size of this tank perfectly (they reach from half an inch to three quarters of an inch in length). The only problem with shrimp is that they are sensitive when it comes to the aquarium ecosystem. I was lucky and already had an aquarium set up with algae and live plants so it was easy to create another small environment from an established tank. a plant (max 4 inches tall, not one that says "Fight Algae") and some basic soil conditioners (the clerk can help you find these, these are small blocks of nutrients that fit under sand or gravel and keep your plant happy make) . ). You may also need some seaweed pellets (sinking variety) and if you want you can get some sinking pellets as well (very small betta pellets like the ones that come with this small tank are ideal). This creates an environment that keeps your aquarium clean (you have a plant that uses nutrients and therefore filters the water and shrimp doing cleaning chores) and requires minimal maintenance. Plus, shrimp are incredibly cute when they're running around in tight spaces. These are very busy creatures that are equally entertaining (they're a bit smarter than fish and more fun to watch). including lid. Do not put anything in it other than small bettas or shrimp. Other fish will be incredibly cramped and unhealthy. If you buy a shrimp, you can create a nano ecosystem for under $25 by visiting PetCo or PetSmart and buying the plant and some soil nutrient supplements. it's in this tiny fortress.