Overstocked, Understocked, Or Fully Stocked?

[black_bull]

Here's my tank data, as of right now:

tank: 15 gallon tall (20"Lx10"Dx17"T)
substrate: pebbles, average size 1 cm
filtration: Penguin 100 BIO-Wheel
heater: Rena TopLight Excel 100W
plants: artificial silk

fish:

4 zebra danios
4 rosy tetras
1 adult molly (f)
1 1"molly fry
1 adult guppy (f)
5 1" guppy fry
2 betta splendens (m), separated with a large floating plastic breeder cage

water stats:

NH3 (ammonia): what do you think?
NO2 (nitrite): again, zero
NO3 (nitrate): currently 5-7
pH: 7.1-7.2 (pH test not very accurate)
hardness: I have no idea
temperature: a little high, about 82-3 F at the moment


Well?

Sorry about the small tank for the danios, I bought them as a newb, athough its not
that small. Please give your input!

 

[Durbkat]

Can you post a pic of this "floating plastic breeder cage"? You mean like those green breeder nets for live bearers, if so why not just remove both bettas and give them their own 2.5g's or divide 1 2.5g with plastic canvas. Because none of those fish are recommended for bettas because they are to nippy and will nip the long fins of the betta.

 

[black_bull]

http/leesaqpet.com/PICCAT/product_index/item/10250/

Except while the one pictured is the small size, the one I have is large (around 10" wide). The picture is bad, but the thing is divided in half by a vertical piece of plastic. In my tank, I have one betta on each side, so they are separated from each other and the other fish. It seems like it would be cramped, but each betta has a pretty big area to swim in, and although confined, they have the benefit of living in a large volume of water. It also protects them from the filter current and the current from my airstone, which is considerable.

 

[Durbkat]

This is to small for one betta yet alone two. Trust me just get a 2.5 gallon tank and some plastic canvas so they will have more room than a 1/4 a gallon of water.

 

[black_bull]

Except while the one pictured is the small size, the one I have is large (around 10" wide).... although confined, they have the benefit of living in a large volume of water.

After you read that, consider this:

I just measured the container and calculated the volume. It is 10"x 6"x6", giving each betta 5"x6"x6" or 180 in.^2 There are 230.4 cubic inches in a U.S. gallon, which means that each of my bettas has 180/230.4 or .78 gallons of water to live in. I realize that it is small, but it is a far cry from a quarter gallon.

You also said that it is "too small for one betta, let alone two." Well, if I only had one betta in it, he would be living in about 1.5 gallons of water, which is (coincidentally) a quarter gallon more volume than each of your bettas live in. AND although they are inside the breeder box, my bettas are still living in a 15 gallon tank, which means that they have better water quality than most bettas kept in 2.5 gallon tanks (my nitrates right now are about 7 mg/L).

I realize that its not the best situation for the bettas, but to me you seem a little overzealous, and I think my bettas are living in conditions superior to those they would have living in a divided 2.5g.

 

[black_bull]

Can anyone tell me whether the temperature my tank is at (about 82) is too high for any of the species I keep?

 

[black_bull]

Anyone?

 

[black_bull]

Come on people, I really want your opinions. I've only heard one person's opinion. If you don't feel like explaining you can just type yes or no. I just want opinions...

 

[soritan]

Well, I don't know, so I don't reply?

82F doesn't seem all that bad, to me. I know your bettas are enjoying it.

 

[black_bull]

Thanks for the reply. By the way I usually do two 20% water changes per week, and I feed two to three times per day.