Try for the "blackwater" look
- Thread starter Demeter32
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The room is dark and the lighting in the videos is just a 17 watt florescent tube so it isn't very bright in the first place. I'm honestly surprised at how well they turned out considering I took the videos on an iPod touch 
We'll see how the videos turn out with the new LED lighting.
Also, I thing I've learned is if you take pictures/videos while the lens is angled at the lighting, like from underneath, things don't turn out as well. Try taking shots with the lens angled down, so it's sorta pointing at the bottom of the tank rather than the light. No idea if I'm explaining this very well.
We'll see how the videos turn out with the new LED lighting.Also, I thing I've learned is if you take pictures/videos while the lens is angled at the lighting, like from underneath, things don't turn out as well. Try taking shots with the lens angled down, so it's sorta pointing at the bottom of the tank rather than the light. No idea if I'm explaining this very well.
I've been testing the water in the dirted 20gal every day and there has been no ammonia or nitrites. The nitrates also seem non existent (I'm guessing the plants are using it all up). It's been just about a week so I went ahead and moved the bettas around.
The girls are in the 20gal and the plakat is in the 10gal. I put the mystery snails and pleco in the 20 as well. Looks like the girls need to reestablish the pecking order as there is a little bit of chasing going on. Still keeping a close eye on the levels.
The plants seems to be getting on alright. There's new growth on the Rotala and Ludwigia but the crypts and dwarf baby tears are still taking their time. I won't add the corydoras until The baby tears take root, replanting them would be a pain.
Videos/pictures coming soon
The girls are in the 20gal and the plakat is in the 10gal. I put the mystery snails and pleco in the 20 as well. Looks like the girls need to reestablish the pecking order as there is a little bit of chasing going on. Still keeping a close eye on the levels.
The plants seems to be getting on alright. There's new growth on the Rotala and Ludwigia but the crypts and dwarf baby tears are still taking their time. I won't add the corydoras until The baby tears take root, replanting them would be a pain.
Videos/pictures coming soon
Grey hasn't been getting any attention/updates lately so I took some pics of him. He's doing well, but his fins are doing some less than great things. I doubt it's fin rot as the water is pristine and the things his fins are doing isn't happening quickly. I think it's just because he is a low quality betta, like his rays are no where near as lovely as your high end crown tails. I still love him though, I love my blue and white bettas. After switching lights the pictures of him are so much better, now I can plant his tank (eventually). His tank looks awful ATM, all fake ornaments and a few fake plants. He does have a piece of wood and a few oak leaves though.
The more I observe the girls the more I see problems arising. Nova (the VT) tried taking a bite out of the blue snail's foot. Rose is stalking the red rams
Why is it only the girls that ever go after the snails? Taiga (blue HM) was being bold and flared at Rose. The unnamed CT is the most well behaved, she's doing her own thing and checking out her new home.
I put the pothos vine back in but am thinking of taking it out and potting it. The mother plant looks pretty sad recenlty and I don't want to end up with zero pothos in the house.
Otabek is right at home in his planted 10gal. There's more baby crypts popping up every time I take a good look at things. Grey's tank is the next one to be dirted and planted so he will get some crypts too.
The ludwigia is doing really bad so I'll probably pull it and put in the 20gal. It hasn't grown at all and is slowly dropping its leaves.
The more I observe the girls the more I see problems arising. Nova (the VT) tried taking a bite out of the blue snail's foot. Rose is stalking the red rams
Why is it only the girls that ever go after the snails? Taiga (blue HM) was being bold and flared at Rose. The unnamed CT is the most well behaved, she's doing her own thing and checking out her new home. I put the pothos vine back in but am thinking of taking it out and potting it. The mother plant looks pretty sad recenlty and I don't want to end up with zero pothos in the house.
Otabek is right at home in his planted 10gal. There's more baby crypts popping up every time I take a good look at things. Grey's tank is the next one to be dirted and planted so he will get some crypts too.
The ludwigia is doing really bad so I'll probably pull it and put in the 20gal. It hasn't grown at all and is slowly dropping its leaves.
Nice crypts
Yeah, everyone seems to love the crypts including the people on fishlore
I've had a few offers on them but I haven't a clue on how to ship them properly. There's plenty of them and I still need to do some thinning in the 10gal, they just keep popping up
DutchMuch
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ill buy some from your right now if you are willing to sell, how much would you want per plant? I can tell you how to ship, just sent some L.arcuata out today for 50$ (without shipping)Yeah, everyone seems to love the crypts including the people on fishlore
I'll keep that in mind the next time I start pulling plants. I want to wait till the little ones develop a few roots of their own to ensure they do well on their own.
You should make a thread on how to package and ship live plants
You should make a thread on how to package and ship live plants
So I went shopping and came back with 4 new bettas and an ivory mystery snail. I've got everyone situated for now, none of them bettas have been released into the 20 long yet. I've changed their water (after testing for ammonia, 2 cups were 2-4, one cup was around 1, and last cup was either 0 or a tiny bit) now the two larger bettas are floating in the sorority while the two "baby bettas" are in breeder baskets.
Pictures and details later, I have to go to work now I will say that I scored a female koi plakat, at least one HM and a double tail. My favorite one will be a secret for now. Look forward to it!
Pictures and details later, I have to go to work now
I will say that I scored a female koi plakat, at least one HM and a double tail. My favorite one will be a secret for now. Look forward to it!Okay, so I only planned on getting 3, but I couldn't resist. These are all picture of them in their cups, I'll add a video or something tomorrow after I release the HM and koi.
First and only one that caught my eye at Petsmart. Medium size HM, looks very healthy and ate a few pellets for me. For some reason she developed breeding bars while floating in the tank. Ammonia was zero in her cup.
The next three are from Petco. The first one was the koi plakat. She was the only koi there and has nice coloring and clean fins, she's as big as Rose. Ammonia 2-4 in her cup. I was a little worried about her slighly clamped fins but after getting fresh water she's plenty active.
I didn't even see the last 2 until a toddler starting getting excited while looking at the tiny fish.
This one was labeled as a "baby boy" but I see an egg spot and the pelvic fins aren't really that long. Could be wrong, we'll see. Ammonia was on the lower end, about .25-.5.
Lastly, my favorite one, labeled as a "baby girl" Fin type is unknown as of yet, almost looks like it might be a dumbo HM. It's hard to spot the egg spot on this one, not even sure it there is one...The pelvic fins look longer than the DT, might actually be a male. Don't care much about gender at this point. I love the color and he/she is very active and seems curious. Ammonia around 2-4 in cup.
First and only one that caught my eye at Petsmart. Medium size HM, looks very healthy and ate a few pellets for me. For some reason she developed breeding bars while floating in the tank. Ammonia was zero in her cup.
The next three are from Petco. The first one was the koi plakat. She was the only koi there and has nice coloring and clean fins, she's as big as Rose. Ammonia 2-4 in her cup. I was a little worried about her slighly clamped fins but after getting fresh water she's plenty active.
I didn't even see the last 2 until a toddler starting getting excited while looking at the tiny fish.
This one was labeled as a "baby boy" but I see an egg spot and the pelvic fins aren't really that long. Could be wrong, we'll see. Ammonia was on the lower end, about .25-.5.
Lastly, my favorite one, labeled as a "baby girl" Fin type is unknown as of yet, almost looks like it might be a dumbo HM. It's hard to spot the egg spot on this one, not even sure it there is one...The pelvic fins look longer than the DT, might actually be a male. Don't care much about gender at this point. I love the color and he/she is very active and seems curious. Ammonia around 2-4 in cup.
The HM wouldn't cooperate and kept zooming around the tank. She seems intimidated by all the larger girls. The koi seems to fit right in, no flaring from her and no one seems to mind either of the new girls. Just a tiny bit of flaring from Nova (VT) and that was it.
Grey keeps flaring at the DT in his tank, not constantly but every now and then. The lighting in Grey's tank is pretty awful and the light from off to the side from the window often messes with the pictures. I'll try harder next time. Both the babies have taken to the micro pellets, they're just the right size.
Overall the tank seems peaceful but I'm getting the feeling that the corydoras are too active for the bettas. At night when I turn on the blue light for a while to observe, the bettas calm down and go into their "sleep mode" while the corydoras and plecos are looking for food. They've bumped into the bettas a couple times and scared them a bit. Maybe I'll stop going African fry crazy and turn the 29gal into a little community for them, Very few plants, lots of driftwood, sand, leaf litter and maybe go into smaller peaceful American cichlids. Rams seem like a fun challenge.
Grey keeps flaring at the DT in his tank, not constantly but every now and then. The lighting in Grey's tank is pretty awful and the light from off to the side from the window often messes with the pictures. I'll try harder next time. Both the babies have taken to the micro pellets, they're just the right size.
Overall the tank seems peaceful but I'm getting the feeling that the corydoras are too active for the bettas. At night when I turn on the blue light for a while to observe, the bettas calm down and go into their "sleep mode" while the corydoras and plecos are looking for food. They've bumped into the bettas a couple times and scared them a bit. Maybe I'll stop going African fry crazy and turn the 29gal into a little community for them, Very few plants, lots of driftwood, sand, leaf litter and maybe go into smaller peaceful American cichlids. Rams seem like a fun challenge.
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