Have I Been Misinformed

[Lizzie71]

Until recently, my smaller tank was divided to house 2 male bettas and 4 amano shrimp. After the two bettas died within 2 weeks, I took out the divider and did a 90% water change ready for something new. So the tank now houses just the shrimps and some plants.

Today I went to lfs intending to buy a few new fish. I wanted to do this before all the beneficial bacteria died off in the filter, and I intended to get either cherry barbs or zebra danios.

The guy in the shop told me because I had done a big water change, I can't put any fish in for 10 days. I said that virtually all the bacteria would be dead by then but he insisted I should wait. I then suggested buying some fish but adding some filter media from my other mature tank, but he didn't seem to think that would help.

So what do the experts think? Add fish now, either with or without some mature media from the other tank? Or wait 10 days?

I really don't understand the point in waiting at this stage, but maybe someone else will tell me differently?

 

[SharonCC]

Add them now, assuming the filter is cycled. LFS is wrong...Surprise!

 

[Dan81192]

Bacteria is not in water (well it is but yea w>e)

the bacteria needed is in the filter aslong as you didn't wash ALL your filter out in tap water your ok

Add the fish now

ONCE AGAIN THE LFS IS WRONG

 

[tenohfive]

The blokes told you a load of rubbish, but theres another question:

What size is your tank? Small tanks and danios (which are very active fish) don't mix well.

 

[minxfishy]

Aye get them in sooner rather than later before the beneficial bacteria in the filter start to die back too much

You should know by now that LFS speak out of their bottoms

As Tenoh says, what size tank, Danios need lots of swimming space.

 

[Lizzie71]

Thanks everyone. Tank is 34 litres, an aquastart 320.

The tank was cycled but the last betta died about 4 or 5 days back.

What I have done is moved 3 guppies and 1 platy from my main tank plus a piece of filter media. I will add my other platy when I can catch her!

Then I will probably keep the small tank for my livebearers and put something new into my larger tank. Maybe kribs or rams?

 

[smegforbrains]

I don't think I could honestly keep one Betta in a tank that small


IMHO, I don't think it is fair on the fish, but each to their own, i'm not having a go.


Have you considered three or four Corys? I think maybe something like the Bronze or Peppered would be more suited to a tank this small.

 

[tenohfive]

Might get away with rams in the 2ft tank - most people recommend bigger but I've kept a pair in a tank that size quite happily - as long as I did regular water changes they were happy.

Danio's are a no though, they need more room really.

I don't think I could honestly keep one Betta in a tank that small


IMHO, I don't think it is fair on the fish, but each to their own, i'm not having a go.


Have you considered three or four Corys? I think maybe something like the Bronze or Peppered would be more suited to a tank this small.

Corys should really be kept in groups of 5+

And most betta keepers recommend a minimum of 2 gallons (10L) so I don't see the original betta stocking as unusual or unfair. Bettas are an odd fish in that they are happy in small tanks. Mines positively agrophobic and I notice he's alot more sullen when he's kept in a big tank, and will hang around the same corner.

 

[Lizzie71]

IMO the tank was fine for 2 bettas. But that isn't the issue now.

Proposed stocking for 34 litre tank is now 2 platys and 3 guppies. Slightly over the inch per gallon rule, but not much.

 

[Lizzie71]

Actually, using the aquarium calculator it is a 10 us gallon tank. So 2 platys is 5 inches and three guppies is another 6 inches, so I would say I'm pretty much ok now.

 

[smegforbrains]

Corys should really be kept in groups of 5+

And most betta keepers recommend a minimum of 2 gallons (10L) so I don't see the original betta stocking as unusual or unfair. Bettas are an odd fish in that they are happy in small tanks. Mines positively agrophobic and I notice he's alot more sullen when he's kept in a big tank, and will hang around the same corner.

Fair comment.


I would say though that I have Corys in pairs (Bronze, Peppered and Albino) plus the 2 Upside-Downers and the 2 Doras. They all mix well and play with each other in the currents, although the Doras are very lazy and are only seen for a few minutes at dinner time


I must admit, from what i've seen Bettas all have different personalities. I'm only on my first Betta so i'm not completely au-fais on the subject, but Brinn loves having 100 litres of space to call his home and keeping a watchful eye over the Corys.

 

[Corleone]

The original stocking gave each betta almost 5 gallons of space - that's a nice spacious betta tank. I don't think I've ever seen 25 gallons considered a minimum. My betta's killed corys, dwarf frogs, and shrimp. IMO a bit pointless to have him in anything bigger than 5 gallons, as I certainly can't keep anything with him.

 

[Lizzie71]

I won't be getting bettas again. They were sooooo boring, just sat there doing nothing. No personality at all. The livebearers are livelier and more interesting to watch IMO. I got them for the kids but they soon lost interest.

My 8 year old is happy to keep the livebearers in 'his' tank so we're all happy now.

 

[tenohfive]

Betta's really are a fish with different personalities - mine sits there doing nothing until he see's someone there, then he's right up to the front of tank to see whats going on.

 

[OldMan47]

It sounds like your temporary stocking of guppy / platy is fine for maintaining the filter alive. If you like those fish, you are getting close to being done but in the meantime your bacteria are protected. The LFS is following what was once thought to be good advice but has proven wrong as we learned more over time. At one point in my fish keeping lifetime, water was thought to be best if it was never changed and certainly never changed in any quantity. That has been proven wrong in most situations but some people never learn new information after they once think they have learned an answer. Old dogs as it were.