Older Guy Who Is New Here

[metweezer]

I am starting up a freshwater aquarium once again after many years of FW and Reef keeping. I have a 20G long and plan on keeping peaceful fish (Cardinal Tetras, FT Guppies, Algae Eater and Cory Catfish). Hopefully after my tank is cycled I would like to see if I can place a Male  Betta in there also. I worry about placing the betta in the same tank as the fancy tail guppies. Any advice would be appreciated.
Steve

 

[fluttermoth]

to the forum, Steve.
 
While some people have had success keeping bettas and guppies together, it is not recommended. Usually either the betta mistakes the guppies for other bettas and attacks them, or the guppies nip at the betta's fins. Tetras can also be surprisingly nippy (even neons and cardinals, which aren't generally known for it!).
 
To be honest, male bettas are best keep either alone, or with some small catfish (like pygmy corydoras), which don't have the long fins or bright colour to set the betta off.
 
One other point; you don't say what sort of algae eater you're thinking of, but do be careful. I'm not sure if you're aware of this but many of the 'algae eaters' either grow very, very big (common plecs, gibbiceps), or stop eating algae as they get bigger (Chinese algae eaters; these can also develop a taste for other fish's slime coats)), so do research thoroughly before buying, or you could get stuck with a foot long monster that attacks your other fish!
 
Will you be doing a fishless cycle, using household ammonia? This is a fairly new method of cycling and one that is very much recommended.
 
Hope all that helps and again, welcome

 

[Ninjouzata]

 to TFF! Hope you enjoy it here.
 
Do you think you'll be doing a journal for the tank?

 

[Ch4rlie]

 
Hope you enjoy the forum and glad to have you on board

 

[metweezer]

Thanks for the replies and helpful advice. I will definitely be doing a fishless cycle using household ammonia. I don't plan on adding good bacteria, just daily doses of ammonia, air stones, heated tank and tank filled with 80% capacity with the tank illuminated and the filter running constantly. Hopefully this will work. I won't be posting a journal. I guess I should keep a male betta by itself in a 5 gal. tank. I surely don't want a large algae eater with the rest of my fish so I will have to get info on that.
Thanks Again, Steve

 

[Essjay]

 I will definitely be doing a fishless cycle using household ammonia. I don't plan on adding good bacteria, just daily doses of ammonia

 
Don't add ammonia daily or your nitrite will get too high. You need to add it according to this method following the dosing exactly.

 

[metweezer]

I respectfully disagree. I plan to dose daily with ammonia until I have a reading of 5 ppm. The next day I will test for ammonia and nitrites. I will add the same amount of ammonia that I added initially until I start getting a reading of nitrites. Then I will cut the amount of ammonia in half until the ammonia is gone. 
 
This is  not my own method but one that is highly followed by by fishkeepers over here. This method allows the fishkeeper to add a much heavier bioload immediately because the tank is equiped to handle it.

 

[metweezer]

The fish cycling link that I  am  following is below.
 
http/www.bluecrayfish.com/cycle.htm

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Hey sir welcome aboard!

 

[Ch4rlie]

The fish cycling link that I  am  following is below.
 
http/www.bluecrayfish.com/cycle.htm

 
 
 
I'd like to ask, why do you think that link is better than the one from this forum which essjay linked.
 
Personally i have followed that article from this forum and did not come with any problems at all and was cycled in about 5 weeks in all.
 
Just curious.

 

[metweezer]

Well following the way I prefer this way is faster (up to half the time) and when cycled you can add all your fish at once, if you are so inclined. 

 

[Ninjouzata]

I have no idea if that way is faster than the article used on this forum or not but wanted to mention you can add your full stocking at once using this one as well. It's of course your choice though. Good luck.