My Horney Male!

[Luke_emma_23]

Hi, I have had my Red, male Betta Splendens, who is about 1 year old, for approx 3 months now, he was from my local pet shop where he was kept in a tiny plastic box, he looked very sorry for himslf, as did the 4 other males who were stacked along side him.

I would have loved to have adopted all 5 of them but, space & hubby were an issue!!

We took him home and put him in his own 19 litre tank and he loved it!!

I had him for about a month then hubby decided he wanted one too, so off we went to buy another 19 litre tank, and then brought a tiny 3 month old red & blue male, who flares at his own reflection, pots of Pringles and anything else colourful that is placed near his tank!

Anyway, we have recently got into marine fish so now in addition to the 2 betta tanks, 35 litre Goldfish tank & 130 litre tropical tank, we now have a 94 litre marine tank.

The 2 bettas are now temporarily sharing a 19 litre tank (as the other one is being used as a marine quarantine tank) which has a divider down the centre, they can hardly see each other but must 'sense' each other because my Betta is flaring more now than he has ever done and has also built a huge bubble nest!!

Does this mean he thinks the other is a female???

 

[Forestpisces]

Bettas flare at each other to make themselves look more intimidating to other males, so no it isn't because he thinks that there is a female there

One of my concerns is that you say you have a 35litre goldfish tank, i am sorry to say that 35litres is not big enough to house even one goldfish of any description, goldfish produce alot of watse and grow to be very very large with the minimum recomendation being 30 GALLONS for onr fancy goldfish and non fancy breeds being really only suitable for ponds due to the size they grow to.

19 litres each is fine for a betta as long as the tank is heated and filtered and i hope you are investing in another tank to put one of the bettas in soon to lessen their stress levels and increase their swimming room.

I assume you know about cycleing and test kits as you are venturing into the brave and exciting world of marine so please i urge you to be vigourus with your testing and water quality and invest in a much bigger tank for your goldfish, is it a common or fancy breed?

Best of luck these forums are brilliant for finding correct and accurate advise and i'm sure you will be made to feel very welcome

 

[Luke_emma_23]

The goldfish are still very small and are due to upgrade to the 135 litre aquarium when we upgrade that to a 175 litre. Then the largest of the Bettas will have the 35 litre tank.

We studied marine for approx 6 months before taking the plunge, have all the required test kits ie, Ca, Mg, PO4, Ph, NO2, NO3, NH3, Kh. Salt levels are checked daily as is temp.
temp at 26C and salt at 1.024-1.025.

Tank has correct amount of live rock to litre ratio & has live rubble filter, also running rowaphos and a skimmer.

CUC is 4 hermits, 3 turbos, 1 cleaner shrimp added 2 weeks after cycle, 2 Clowns added 2 weeks after CUC.

Water parameters are also checked at LFS before any sale is made.

Emma

 

[Forestpisces]

Do you check your freshwater stats?

How many goldfish do you have and what type?

The marine tank sounds good

 

[Luke_emma_23]

Yep we have all the test kits for fresh too ie nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, ph, kept at 27c.

Have live plants & flora glow & power glow T8 lights 20 watt.

We have 2 fancy goldfish, who have 25 % water change weekly which incudes hoovering the gravel, which they are very nosy about!!

 

[Forestpisces]

You will have to over filter the 135litre, for two but it shouldn't be a problem.

As long as your bettas arnt stressed or in bad water then they will be fine they flaring at each other to "fend off the enemy" so to speak lol.

One of my bettas attacks the gravel vac everytime it's in the tank and he nibbles my fingers whilst i'm doing tank maintinance such curiouse little fish.