I've Finally Done It! :-)

[timmystood]

So... for years i've wanted fish - didn't care what type etc. I just had to have them! So a month ago I finally got some room and a bit of money so decieded it was time! Went to my LFS and saw the wonderful rainbow that is the tropical fish section and decieded that tropics where for me (not doing any research ). Spoke to the guy who sold me a tank and a load of equipment and told me to come back the next day for the fish - so I got the tank home put it to temp and everything was hunky dory. Got told to build the tank up gradullay so the next day got a betta and 3 head + tail tetras (told to come back in two weeks for some more).
Got the fish home and everything was great... until the next day when the tank turned cloudy. Googled it and found this place! registered and got some brilliant advice! I was introduced to terms such as Nitrite, Ammonia and cycling!
Cut a long story short...
After doing daily water changes and spending vast amounts of money of test kits, plants, gravel vacs etc. I've finally got my Ammonia + Nitrite to 0ppm!!!! Guess this means i'm no longer a newbie!? I didn't lose any fish in the cycling process and i'm really proud of myself. But a special thanks to everyone who helped me to quickly learn the do's and don't of tropical fish care -- thanks everyone!!

Yay!

P.S. - Don't worry, in the future I will do fishless cycling!

 

[Durbkat]

I don't think tetras are compatible with bettas because one day either the betta or tetras will attack and you will find some dead fish. But thats great that this forum was able to help you.

 

[timmystood]

I don't think tetras are compatible with bettas because one day either the betta or tetras will attack and you will find some dead fish. But thats great that this forum was able to help you.

At the minute it's the corys he's more interested in. From all the sources I've read they won't get on with most tetras but generally head + tail tetras and lemon tetras are OK.

 

[Durbkat]

What does the betta do with the corys? Does he flare at them or nip at them or just chase them around? Because I've heard if they do anything like that, that your suppost to remove the betta or corys but I'd wait for someone more knowledgeable before you take my word on that.

 

[timmystood]

It's only with the bronze corys - he kind of trys to nip them but they just swim away before he can. He only does it in a certain part of the tank (guess this is his corner of the tank!) - he's doing it less recently though.