Betta Beginner

[Forestpisces]

Hi you guys planning on getting my first betta in the next few months, so i am converting my 35litre coldwater tank (dont even ask i bought it as a goldfish tank and being a newb i fell for shop advise losing two beautiful fish in the process ). I have a few questions to ask as i want to get this right soo badly.

1. Would my stingray 10 filter be ok with a betta? i know they dont like strong water current and as far as i'm aware the stingray isnt too bad but id still like advise.

2. Would i be able to keep any cories in there with him? And if not are there any other bottom feeders that i could?( i know they prefer being alone but i was just wondering as i like cories)

3. Would fake plants with sand substrate and a few rocks plus coconut cave be a good tank set up?

4.How long will i need to fishless cycle?

And on a different subject this may sound stupid but can i use my gravel vac on sand? . All help greatly appreciated. And may i say how beautiful all of the bettas on here are! .
FP X

 

[balapickerel]

just from reading around i can say that you should get lots of real plants in your tank for him to rest on and hide in, and also some cave like structures for him to hide in, not only will the plants look nicer, keep him happier and possibly healthier but they could also slow the current if placed right, i think cories should do allright with him, but you'll need to get the water temp at a good balance for both species, here is a link to fishless cycling http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861 have fun

 

[CeeJayy]

1. Would my stingray 10 filter be ok with a betta? i know they dont like strong water current and as far as i'm aware the stingray isnt too bad but id still like advise. I have a Stingray 10 with Indi, its submerged and the water is facing the back.

2. Would i be able to keep any cories in there with him? And if not are there any other bottom feeders that i could?( i know they prefer being alone but i was just wondering as i like cories) I think Cories will need a bigger tank, im no expert though, so wait for some more advice.

3. Would fake plants with sand substrate and a few rocks plus coconut cave be a good tank set up? If your going for fake plants, get silk. Not plastic, try to get some tall ones your betta can rest on. Real plants like Cabomba are easy to keep though.

4.How long will i need to fishless cycle? No one can answer this question, however long it takes your filter to get rid of 5ppm of ammonia in 12 hours.

And on a different subject this may sound stupid but can i use my gravel vac on sand? Hold the gravel vac about 1/2cm above the sand and it should pick up the gunk off the surface.

 

[Forestpisces]

Thankyou guys so much! i think my stingray should be ok. Il just face it towards the back of the tank as said. . Can anyone tell me if i could have some cories? I really like the little guys and they seem fun to have in a tank my tank is 35litres. Thanks for the plant info, ive never kept plants berfore and im a relative begginer (this will be my first ever heated tank).

 

[CTlovesKS]

1. the fliter shold be fine, but if you notice him hving differculties with the current, try firing the current flow into the side of the tank or plants to break it up a little bit.

2. Corys should be fine, try to get little ones, if its a small tank or if you have enough space then what ever ones you like. You can also get away with plecos and some catfish (Depending ize of tank as these grow big)

3. fake plants are fine, but have to be slik as plastc break there fins. Live plants re bettafor the tank though... An seem to make the betta happier.

4.Sand is fine too.

5. 2 to 3 weeks I believe but double check.

 

[Honeythorn]

35 litres is around 8 gallons. Pygmy cories would be your best bet. A group of 8 would be fine in there. If the filter has an adjustable flow nozzle ( so you can point the flow in many directions ) try to aim it downwards so the flow is along the substrate. Don't turn the actual flow rate up though .


I've noticed that my pygmies like the current , and with it aimed down at the lower portion of the tank they can swim and enjoy it, while the betta can enjoy the slower flow near the surface which is easier to swim in for them. Since you want to use silk plants, get plenty of tall ones that pretty much reach the surface so your betta can rest on those . Real plants are better though as they use up a little bit of fish waste, look better and provide some oxygen during the time the lights are on.

A fishless cycle will usually take around 4-6 weeks. HOWEVER - If you have some mature media from another running filter in a stocked tank, you can take some and put it in your new/empty filter. If you can fill the filter with mature media from the beginning, then you won't need to do a fishless cycle as the full load of mature media will mean you have enough bacteria to add fish at once.

 

[balapickerel]

2. Corys should be fine, try to get little ones, if its a small tank or if you have enough space then what ever ones you like. You can also get away with plecos and some catfish (Depending ize of tank as these grow big)

ohh, does that mean that next week when i get my betta for my ten gallon tank that i can have a glass catfish or two with him? i love thos4e guys soo much, i've just never had them

 

[Honeythorn]

NO. Glass catfish prefer to be in large groups and have been known to reach 6 inches. A group would require more than 10 gallons.

 

[balapickerel]

ok, hmm, maybe i'll try some in my 2.5 foot tank... when i find a new home for my goldie that is

 

[CTlovesKS]

I dont know about adding glass catfish with a betta. Glass fish arent catfih they are a type of tetra. so best betis asking a few people before adding them

 

[Forestpisces]

ok so il buy plenty of silk plants nice and tall . Any ideas as to how many normal cories i could get in there? and if not il deffinately go with pygmys there just so hard to find around here. My tank will be cycling for at least another month as i want to get the fish AFTER ive been on holiday as oppose to getting them then having to get somebody to watch them for two weeks.

Keep the great responses coming!!!

 

[CTlovesKS]

ok so il buy plenty of silk plants nice and tall . Any ideas as to how many normal cories i could get in there? and if not il deffinately go with pygmys there just so hard to find around here. My tank will be cycling for at least another month as i want to get the fish AFTER ive been on holiday as oppose to getting them then having to get somebody to watch them for two weeks.

Keep the great responses coming!!!

better safe then sorry with making sure your tank is ready... get different size plants but make sure you have a corner with loads of tall ones in... they like that i have noticed. i wouldnt want to tell you about how many corys you could get in there. as im not good with tank size and how many fish. all i know about corys is that they like a groups of 4

 

[LauraFrog]

'Normal' corys get too big for the tank and wouldn't be comfortable in it TBH... if the range of species is an issue (which it sounds like it is if you can't get pygmies) then most of the common species are just too big. Paleatus (peppered), aeneus (bronze) and albino (which is aeneus) are all too big. If you can get panda corys you could have those, but if you can't get pygmies then generally pandas are even rarer.

 

[Forestpisces]

ok. Il keep an eye out for pygmies. Anybody know where i can get hold of some in my area?!

 

[Honeythorn]

I have no idea of fish store in your area ( I'm in the West Midlands ) but you could try asking your usual store or any LFS' in towns near you if they could order some in for you . Most fish stores should be able to, they aren't that rare to be honest.