[leveldrummer]

there are animals that spend there entire life in tide pools, but those tide pools have freshwater added back to them in rain, they also flood twice a day with the tides and get a huge water change. if some kid sets up a 5 gallon and forgets to top off ONE day, the specific gravity with spike and could crash the tank very fast. that thread about the ant farm is stupid imo. its just someone trying to keep a tiny tank alive. my purpose is to set up an aquarium to enjoy, not do the most challenging thing i can think of. so i have to work my ass off just to look at a hermit crab and a couple zoo's, and like mentioned before, that tank probably crashed in a week. this thread was intended to help people set up a nice tank, with low maintenance that they can enjoy. sure, setting up small tanks are entirely possible, but it is more work, and you cant say it isnt. if your up for the work, fine go for it. but you have a much higher chance at failing. if you want something low maintenance, thats nice to look at. a larger tank is your best bet. these arent opinions, its pretty well documented everywhere. and it isnt some ploy by the local fish store conspiracy, its simple science. water params fluctuate to fast in a small body of water. (and fyi- even the bettas that are able to survive in a puddle of water. they get frequent freshwater changes and have large mangroves to keep the nitrates low. not something the usually person provides in a 1/2 gallon bowl)