'new' Tank And Tankmates For Betta

[soritan]

one or two people might remember i was going traveling, and while i was going traveling, i was going to pick up a few purchases for a filtered tank i wanted to set up at home. i left, had a marvelous (if riddled with bad luck) birthday, and returned.

i did not rip all my purchases out of wrap and plop them in, instantly. i did turn on the power filter today (tetra whisper), and was annoyed to discover that it had a powerful current, which i'll have to kill. i was happy to discover that filters are SO much quieter than when i last kept a real tank. it's been eleven years since this tank held fish, and since i kept an honest to gosh aquarium.

unfortunately, i haven't made up my mind about a darn thing.

i think what i want the most in this tank, is for it to not be the slightly terrifying chore it was when i was younger. i had four goldfish in it then, i didn't know then that goldfish need at least 50g of water to thrive, and that the small tank was why it was such a constant worry. it was the early 90s then, and i was just a kid with Halloween carnival goldfish. i kept them relatively healthy, i think, since i only remember one instance of ick, and i even had to purchase a new tank for them once because the old one cracked (NOW i remember XD )

so i want a tank that i can simply sit back, enjoy, and occasionally poke at. i want a 'leisure tank',

the tank will definately hold one of my two bettas, furin -- a marble veiltail of relative youth. i was debating tankmates, mostly because i have a whole 10g, and it'd seem almost wasteful not to put a few other little creatures in there.

i was debating these guys:

kuhli loaches
african dwarf frogs
shrimps
an apple snail

i'm also having a hell of a time deciding on decorations. i like the look of floating plants, so i think i'll have a fair number of them, and i simply have a thing for living plants, so i'll probably have a few of those too. i read somewhere that around 70% cover is considered perfect for bettas. i imagine i'll provide "less than perfect", but i'll give it the old college try (try for a few years, lose a lot of money, and eventually quit?).

i don't know, what do you suggest?

i've liked the ADFs for a long time, i thought they were cute and spritely and whatnot, and i thought around 5 or so would be nice for a 10g tank. they also like simmilar foods to my betta, and that's a plus. but i also like shrimps, so they're tempting as well. i just like their little crab like nature.

the kuhli loach is a new little obsession of mine. i saw one at our only pet store and kinda went all googly over it, but i have sand phobia. i've never had to care for sand before, and i don't know that i'm the sort of old dog that'd care to learn new tricks.

apple snails, i have to admit, are my least favorite option, but they're on the list nonetheless.


i think i basically want a small bioload and relatively low maitinance fish. it's almost tempting to just put the single betta in it and leave it be at that.

tips? suggestions? sympathy? the odd kick in the pants?

 

[Karah's_Mommy]

think i basically want a small bioload and relatively low maitinance fish. it's almost tempting to just put the single betta in it and leave it be at that.

If you're looking for a small bioload, definately scratch apple snails off that list. They create more mess than any critter I've ever kept, and if I wasn't so darn attached to them, I'd throw them out the front door. I've not had any ADF's although I wouldn't mind having a few in my 10g with my betta. The loaches would be cool too, and a sand bottom isn't very hard to switch to. I've switched out 3 of my tanks to sand, and I love it! I find it a LOT easier to maintain and I think it looks better as well. Shrimp are great too, I have some in my 10g with my betta. Sometimes it works out well, other times they end up being betta food!

 

[osteoporoosi]

Frogs are enormous waste producers- you would scratch them off too. Shrimps and glowlight tetras or some other small tetra species could work.

 

[nino]

Frogs are enormous waste producers- you would scratch them off too. Shrimps and glowlight tetras or some other small tetra species could work.

a lot of people on this forum keep frogs with bettas and other fish in community tanks. i wouldn't scratch them off the list just yet. what about cories? i originally wanted kuhlies too but already had gravel so i went with three albino cories for my ten gallon. i've grown very attached and am glad i didn't get khulies since the cories are so active yet peaceful with the female bettas.

edit: oh yeah. i don't think tetras would work, i hear that tails get nipped in betta/tetra combos.

 

[soritan]

I'm going to have a pretty easy time getting the snails off my list... they're mildly fascinating to me, but I haven't fallen into "omgwtfLOVE" with them. i really find shrimps to be quite fascinating, and we do have some pretty cheap little ghost shrimp for sale over here... only 50 cents per each, I think they're selling them as feeders. I rarely see other shrimp for sale here, locally.

Loaches are fascinating and friendly looking, but I'm not sure about 'em. Cories, I haven't researched at all. I'll start poking around a bit, could someone please give me the full name?

Frogs are just fun. They're $4.99 each here, which isn't so bad. I think I could probably have around 6 in with my betta and enjoy their interaction? The bioload would be relatively small yet, I think...

I think I'm coin tossing between the shrimp and the frogs. I'm favoring the shrimp, mostly because they'd keep my moss balls in shape.



I've been monitoring my tank for a few days without a heater, and the darn thing is maintaining at 78 degrees. That means I won't need the heater most of the time, right? I almost feel like I wasted my money, but I know I shouldn't feel that way. It'll probably come in handy *alot* when winter sets in...

I can hardly wait until the tank is set up and cycled. It's going to be great. I think I'll enjoy watching my little Furin swim around and investigate. I only hope I can get that current killed enough. It seems far too strong for him atm. I'll have to try the soda bottle trick and hope it works.

 

[nino]

why not get both shrimp and frogs? cories= corydoras there are several types.

 

[soritan]

Hm, GrAH. Being indecisive is a horrible thing.

I'd never seen a Cory before, and they've charming little faces. I'll move my topic over to the 'beginners' area and start asking about bioloads and whatnot.


I started my fishless cycle today! With live plants, it takes a large amount of droplets to get 4+ ppm ammonia. I managed to get some seeded gravel today, and I put some anacharis in from someone else's tank. I wonder how long it'll take to cycle?

 

[bettaBetta]

Hm... I'd say you shouldn't try the frogs, I've had thembefore and they like different tank conditions than betta and when they need air they go up and down very fast which I'm sure would attract a betta's attention. Also, I've learned the hard way once they are sick, nothing seems to save them. Good luck with whatever you go with.

 

[soritan]

I actually think I've decided on the shrimp. I was thinking about 6 ghost shrimp in the tank. I wonder if that'd be too much?

I know there's a risk that my betta will eat a shrimp or two. I'm hoping that he won't, but I won't be heart broken if he does. Live food, you know?

) That sounds so heartless.