Couple Of Simple Questions I Think

[ghent_3rd]

Firstly,is there anyway you can perform too many water changes?? I have added 6 guppies to an 18x10x10, that will be all that is stocked in the tank, and I took some filter sponge out of my Uncle's 100 litre tank to clone the tank. I want to make sure that I am really staying on top of everything so want to be able to perform 3 or 4 20/25% water changes each week. Can this harm them in anyway??

Secondly, what is the best food for a crowntail Betta. I fed my last Betta flake but this one does not seem interested at all although I have only had him for 2 days. I also fed frozen bloodworm to the last 1 so will be giving that a go over the next couple of days aswell.

 

[mattlee]

3 or 4 water changes a week is going to do no harm. it may stress the fish out and isnt really required as long as the water stats are reading ok in my opinion. as its a new set up there is the chance of a small spike but 6 guppies isnt really a huge bioload so just feed them minimal for a week or so and you should be fine. the only other thing with doing too many water changes that i can think of is that the filter wont be removing the ammonia etc from the tank the water changes will so the filter may not get chance to be able to handle the bioload.

a small tank with 6 small fish i would be looking at 25% changes a week. there should be no need to do anymore unless you are overfeeding them.

 

[ghent_3rd]

OK Matt, thanks for the advice. Nice to see us fellow Leicesterites lookign after each other!! Where abouts in Leicester/shire are you Matt?

 

[walkers101]

i think 2 a week would be more than enough mate anymore would be overkill and will lead to stress

 

[mattlee]

OK Matt, thanks for the advice. Nice to see us fellow Leicesterites lookign after each other!! Where abouts in Leicester/shire are you Matt?

no worries mate

im in Broughton Astley, south Leicestershire.

 

[ghent_3rd]

Yeah, I know it well. Which shops do you use Matt or do you get stock from on here and the internet??

I'm just setting back up 7 tanks over the next few months so may need some advice on where you go. I went to MAidenhead at Rutland on Monday. I could have spent two hours there if it wasn't for the Mrs dragging me away!!!

 

[walkers101]

Yeah, I know it well. Which shops do you use Matt or do you get stock from on here and the internet??

I'm just setting back up 7 tanks over the next few months so may need some advice on where you go. I went to MAidenhead at Rutland on Monday. I could have spent two hours there if it wasn't for the Mrs dragging me away!!!

Dont bother going leicester aquatics or ocean commotion they are awful

 

[ghent_3rd]

Yeah not a big fan of Ocean Commotion now although when I went to Leicester Aquatics last week they had some decent fish in stock?? I don't think you can really look past Maidenhead at Stapleton or Rutland now though TBH. Don't think I will buy fish from anywhere else now I have been to these 2 places.

F.I.S.H sometimes have some nice cories and tetra in so will still pop in there every so often aswell but for something a little different I have defo found those 2 Maidenhead's the best. Where you live walkers101

 

[mattlee]

for the amount of lfs in Leicester the choice is pretty poor im affraid. maidenhead at stapleton is very well priced but its just not big enough..... great staff there too

now ive moved on to bigger cichlids etc a have to travel further a field. wharf aquatics in Pinxton is normally very good and oddball express in Stafford can normally get most cichlids etc.

i do like to see my fish before i buy them so try to avoid getting fish posted.

 

[ghent_3rd]

Yeah done Wharf a few times myself, I know there cichlids are excellent. Pretty much a catfish man myself which is why I found Maidenhead Rutland was pretty good. Staff weren't the most informative on the face of it but would happily go and get the info I wanted and the tanks were in excellent condition.

 

[mattlee]

Yeah done Wharf a few times myself, I know there cichlids are excellent. Pretty much a catfish man myself which is why I found Maidenhead Rutland was pretty good. Staff weren't the most informative on the face of it but would happily go and get the info I wanted and the tanks were in excellent condition.

ive never made it to the Rutland MA as its a bit out of the way and i never seem to go that way to nip in.

i am a bit of a sucker for catfish myself do they have a good selection or is it just corys and the norm?

 

[mirrorpad]

Firstly,is there anyway you can perform too many water changes?? I have added 6 guppies to an 18x10x10, that will be all that is stocked in the tank, and I took some filter sponge out of my Uncle's 100 litre tank to clone the tank. I want to make sure that I am really staying on top of everything so want to be able to perform 3 or 4 20/25% water changes each week. Can this harm them in anyway??

Secondly, what is the best food for a crowntail Betta. I fed my last Betta flake but this one does not seem interested at all although I have only had him for 2 days. I also fed frozen bloodworm to the last 1 so will be giving that a go over the next couple of days aswell.

Hi there.
The tank size is fine for 6 guppies (hopefully atleast a 2:1 female ratio) although using "filter sponge" from another tank does not mean the tank is cycled and ready for fish. I would keep an eye on Ammonia levels and large regular water changes will be needed early on.

i agree with other comments that 3-4 water changes is a bit of overkill but the more the better and at 25% will not harm your specimens, as long as the water is PH/temperature matched and dechlorinated (preferably aged in a bucket with airstone for a few days)

With the crowntail, this should be treated as common betta's and provided with live foods,betta pellets, high quality flake foods and also try boiled peas and other greens.
If your Betta is not eating this may be down to stress of the new tank. What are water parameters? Any tank mates?

 

[ghent_3rd]

No other tankmates with the Betta and water tests showing all OK, no ammonia, tiny tarce of nitrite and the same nitrate,pH 7.1.

Surely if I have a whole filter full of fully cycled filter sponge then that is exactly what a cycle is isn't it?? I have done it this way with all my other tanks that I have set-up and have never encountered any catastrophes yet, touch wood!!

 

[mirrorpad]

No other tankmates with the Betta and water tests showing all OK, no ammonia, tiny tarce of nitrite and the same nitrate,pH 7.1.

Surely if I have a whole filter full of fully cycled filter sponge then that is exactly what a cycle is isn't it?? I have done it this way with all my other tanks that I have set-up and have never encountered any catastrophes yet, touch wood!!

A fully cucled filter Pad will speed up the cycling process but not cycle a tank fully. NitrIte should be zero and anything other than zero causes problems and will eventually kill. For Bettas the PH is fine. I would start with water changes and get the NitrIte down to zero and NitrAte under 10.

 

[ghent_3rd]

Having just re-read the fishless cycling thread from many moons ago I see what you are saying now, I misunderstood previously "mirror." With such a small bioload on both tanks I am pretty confident on everything being OK. Just going to really keep on top of water changes over the next 2 weeks especially and am going to practice the fishless cycling method on another small tank that I have before launching into the bigger tanks later this year.

My patience is going to pay dividends at the end of it all!!