My Tropical Tanks

[Symo420]

Hey to all Tropical Fish Forum users!

Fish have only recently become a hobby of mine, but I'm already hooked! I have 2 freshwater tropical tanks set up. One 21Lt Tank with a veil-tail Betta and 3 Neon Tetras, and only in the last few days I have set up a 69L tank which will be used for guppy breeding. I've placed a Bristle-nose Catfish in with 5 Crystal red shrimp, some java fern attached to volcano rock, and a mossball. I'm hoping this combination should work out fine with the guppies, as it's my first attempt at a breeding tank!

I've realized it can be a bit of trial and error with my Betta tank, trying to decide the perfect combination sometimes results in carnage.. I began with 8 tetras and the betta, which quickly became 5 due to my filter (that I have now swapped.) I then added 2 Albino Corydoras, one wasn't looking the healthiest from the beginning and within weeks had a permanent sleep. The other became depressed, and after reading that they need at least a school of 3, he was transferred to my girlfriends tank where he now lives happily with a bronze and panda cory. Still looking for the perfect bottom-dwelling companion, an employee of the local big chain pet store suggested a Bristle-nose catfish to be the best for excess food consumption. This was quickly proven to be incorrect as he just sat on the filter and hardly moved (and so has now been moved to the larger tank.) Finally I had come across some Colombian Tetras on a local trading site, assuming they would be great for the betta tank, and put them in. After mysteriously finding 2 half eaten neons at the bottom of the tank, and the Colombians harassing the remaining 3, They were also removed and placed into a turtle tank as a delicious snack

The 21L tank is mainly fed on betta pellets, the occasional bloodworms and also mosquito larve that I catch out of an old rainwater tank in my back yard. I've got some Algae Wafers for the catfish and CRS, but they also seem pretty content munching on the plants. I'll try to get some pictures up asap, as I'm fairly proud of what I've created and would like to hear what other people think. I'm also very open to suggestions and advice on the new breeding tank as I'm pretty much just going by what I've researched and heard from various people.

Thanks!

 

[Rynofasho]

They sound nice. Welcome!

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Morning.

Are we saying here you have or did have Colombian Tetra in your 21L ? Way too small a tank IMHO. Also, what was a 'snack' for your turtles, the Neon or Colombian tetra

 

[Symo420]

Morning.

Are we saying here you have or did have Colombian Tetra in your 21L ? Way too small a tank IMHO. Also, what was a 'snack' for your turtles, the Neon or Colombian tetra

I realized this so removed them. The Colombians lunch for a friends turtles, I don't own any.. Bit of a learning curve.

I also regretfully report that the shrimp are no longer with us. The LFS didn't inform me not to put them in during cycling. I managed to save 3/5 and place them in the Betta tank, but I have a sneaking suspicion the betta may have eaten them..

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Riiiiiight, so your friends' turtle got a free lunch off you like?

 

[Davehutton92]

you said in your 1st post that you recently bought a 69L tank and it already has fish in? did you cycle your tank? and as for your smaller tank i would personally keep the betta on its own or swap it for a shoal of tetra and some shrimp.

and

 

[micko]

I'm confused.
Did you cycle the new tank and if so, how did you do this?
Why would you have fed live fish to a turtle for a "tasty snack" when you could have rehomed them.
Neons need to be in larger numbers, 6 minimum and some of this forum would suggest 12 minimum.
Corys also need to be in groups of 6 minimum and its best to have them all the same.

 

[Symo420]

you said in your 1st post that you recently bought a 69L tank and it already has fish in? did you cycle your tank? and as for your smaller tank i would personally keep the betta on its own or swap it for a shoal of tetra and some shrimp.

and

Sorry about the confusion. I've just set the 69L up in the last few days, it had been sitting empty for awhile. The tank is currently cycling, and I'm guessing I foolishly jumped the gun by putting things in there already. You think I should take out the tetra? They have seem to be getting along fine with the 3 of them for the last couple months. I could probably give them away or place them in the new tank.

I'm confused.
Did you cycle the new tank and if so, how did you do this?
Why would you have fed live fish to a turtle for a "tasty snack" when you could have rehomed them.
Neons need to be in larger numbers, 6 minimum and some of this forum would suggest 12 minimum.
Corys also need to be in groups of 6 minimum and its best to have them all the same.

I've started by cycling the tank by filling with chlorinated water, and doing about 20-25% water changes with fresh rainwater. Also I have put a java fern and a moss ball in to help the process.
Do you suggest removing the tetras altogether or getting another 3? I'n thinking the tank is too small for anything else to live happily in it.
The corys (girlfriends) are soon going to be homed in a 3ft tank, and we were thinking about 1 female and 2 males of each to encourage breeding.

 

[Louiseness]

I've started by cycling the tank by filling with chlorinated water, and doing about 20-25% water changes with fresh rainwater. Also I have put a java fern and a moss ball in to help the process.

Sorry, but just changing your water isn't cycling (although having fish in your tanks means you;re technically in the process of a fish-in cycle). Are you testing your water?

 

[Symo420]

Sorry, but just changing your water isn't cycling (although having fish in your tanks means you;re technically in the process of a fish-in cycle). Are you testing your water?

I have a basic PH test kit but otherwise nothing. I've sort of realized in the last 24hrs I should really have one of those expensive kits to test everything else. Isn't it great when you think you know what your doing, then find out your a complete novice!

So if I were to transfer the 3 tetras to the new tank, also with the catfish, would this help the process? I could always get more on the weekend, but I'm pretty sure the tetras aren't going to be ideal when I actually start breeding the guppies.

 

[Louiseness]

Sorry, but just changing your water isn't cycling (although having fish in your tanks means you;re technically in the process of a fish-in cycle). Are you testing your water?

I have a basic PH test kit but otherwise nothing. I've sort of realized in the last 24hrs I should really have one of those expensive kits to test everything else. Isn't it great when you think you know what your doing, then find out your a complete novice!

So if I were to transfer the 3 tetras to the new tank, also with the catfish, would this help the process? I could always get more on the weekend, but I'm pretty sure the tetras aren't going to be ideal when I actually start breeding the guppies.

Yeah, it's a bit of a pain isn't it? But the beginner's resource centre on this forum helps, and people are awesome with advice if you make any posts!

I don't know about 'help' the process as tetras are said to be quite fragile comparatively. But more fish will produce more ammonia which will in turn by converted into nitrite and then nitrates when your cycle is complete.

The main thing you need to be doing is testing your water (for ammonia and nitrites, preferably with a liquid kit) and changing water if you find any harmful levels. Boring and hard work doing all those water changes but not actually difficult

 

[Symo420]

Yeah, it's a bit of a pain isn't it? But the beginner's resource centre on this forum helps, and people are awesome with advice if you make any posts!
I don't know about 'help' the process as tetras are said to be quite fragile comparatively. But more fish will produce more ammonia which will in turn by converted into nitrite and then nitrates when your cycle is complete.
The main thing you need to be doing is testing your water (for ammonia and nitrites, preferably with a liquid kit) and changing water if you find any harmful levels. Boring and hard work doing all those water changes but not actually difficult

Like I said before, I've been doing daily 20% changes with rainwater since I set it up. I'll try to get a test kit asap, but getting to the shops is made difficult as I work all week. I'll also transfer the tetras to the new tank in the morning, but what should I do about them once cycling has finished? Is it going to be ok to keep the 3 of them with the Betta? I cant keep them in the new tank as im 100% sure they will eat the guppy fry.

Thanks, I really appreciate the help!

 

[Symo420]

For anyone interested, I've typed out a full report on my situation in the introduction forum, but no one has seemed to replied. If you have any advice for me then click the link below. Interested in as much input as I can get!

My Tank Thread