Plants

[Ebony951]

Hi I know this has probably been covered in another thread but I cant find it.
What types of plants are best for newbies like me? At the moment I only have an Aq3 52 litre tank the dimentions are:
15"L, 15"W, 14"H.
At the moment I only have silk and plastic plants. I was told by my LFS that most plants die in new tanks as they need fish poo to live and it helps them to root.
I have a male Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish), 2 female Colisa lalias (Dwarf Gouramis), a female Ancistrus Sp3 (Bristlenose catfish) and 3 Paracheirodon innesis (Neon Tetras).
I would like to get a female Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish), a Male Colisa lalia (Dwarf Gourami), a male Ancistrus Sp3 (Bristlenose catfish), 5 more Paracheirodon innesis (Neon Tetras) I have been told that they should be in schools of 5 or more.
I would also like to get a Male and female Poecilia velifera (Sailfin Mollys) and a Male and female Xiphophorus helleri (Sword Tails).
I'm not sure if this would over stock my current tank but I also have plans to get a larger 95 litre tank as soon as I have saved up enough money and I will be changing my substrate from gravel to sand.
I have no Idea what sort of plants these fish prefer as there are hundreds. and would like some advice on what plants would be best also if I could get some advice as to stocking my current tank with the fish I want, I would be most grateful. I have used Scientific names with common names in brackets in the hope that it will be easer to get good advice. I think it helps people identify the fish easer.
Thanx for all your help.
-Maz-

 

[waterdrop]

Look for dwarfgourami's post in here:
http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/23...ve-Real-Plants/

 

[Mikaila31]

Be very careful with the betta and don't get a female. Siamese fighting fish live up to their name and will attack other fish, I'm surprised he hasn't killed a gouramis yet as normally they don't get along. If you get a female and they breed its almost certain he will attack her and all the other fish in the tank in an effort to protect the eggs. He would really be better off in his own 2 gallon tank.

As far as plants go you should read the pinned threads in the planted section. The should have everything you are looking for.

Your tank is around 13 gal so once you get the neons I would consider it fully stocked. It would also be best if you get the larger tank as your 13 gal is a little small for the bristlenose pleco. He should be fine in it for now, but he'll need to be moved to a bigger tank eventually.

 

[Ebony951]

I was told the Betta was OK with the Gourami >.< I bought them at the same time. (They were in different bags though. I was asked if I only wanted 1 bag but I thought 2 would be less crowded.) I'll get another small tank for him then? Would a female be OK if it's just the Bettas and I put her in my community tank after spawning? (I won't get 1 yet not until my new tanks are established.)

If my tank is OK to be stocked with the fish I want then I might get some Cichlids for my new tank. Although I'm not sure what I'll get instead. If any of my fish need to go into the bigger tank. I'm not sure if Cichlids would eat any of my other fish.

 

[waterdrop]

So Maz, I'm sorry, I don't remember your previous threads but see you've been here all through April and I was wondering if you then had gotten through all the stuff of learning the nitrogen cycle and learning to use a good testing kit? Have you got a good 5x turnover rate going with your filter and feel good about the media types you've chosen?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Mikaila31]

If you want to breed the bettas I suggest doing A LOT of reading on it, cuz it is hard work. You could get easily get over 100 fry, who will all need to be sperated from each other once the reach maturing. A female betta should be fine in the community tank on her own.

With the pleco it depends on the chiclid, It would be best to ask in the chiclid section.

 

[Ebony951]

So Maz, I'm sorry, I don't remember your previous threads but see you've been here all through April and I was wondering if you then had gotten through all the stuff of learning the nitrogen cycle and learning to use a good testing kit? Have you got a good 5x turnover rate going with your filter and feel good about the media types you've chosen?

~~waterdrop~~

I lost several guppies on bad advice from the Lfs. (They told my I should add about 1 male and 3 females after 2 days to help cycle the tank and to kick start the filter I liked the way they looked, small and colourfull.)
Sadly it was after that I found This forum and I joined up. I found a topic about how to do the fishless cycling on here. So I sent my bf into Homebase where he works to get me a bottle of Ammonia. I added Ammonia untill the test said there was 5ppm. I use API liquid tests. I tested every few days untill I got a reading of 0 Ammonia (NH3 / NH4 ) and 0 Nitrite (NO2).
Then tested every day. Once my readings were back to 0 Ammonia (NH3 / NH4 ) and 0 Nitrite (NO2) after a day of adding Ammonia I began to stock my tank.
My Nitrate (NO3) is a little high at the moment but my water changes should help there and My Bristlenose helps keep away algae. Every where I have read has said DONT mess with PH.
I do a 10% water change once a week. My tap water contains 10ppm Nitrate (No3).
My filter and the media came with the tank. It is an Interpet internal power filter PF1 and uses carbon and foam. It seems to be doing its job now. It had never occurred to me to change the filter.

 

[Ebony951]

If you want to breed the bettas I suggest doing A LOT of reading on it, cuz it is hard work. You could get easily get over 100 fry, who will all need to be sperated from each other once the reach maturing. A female betta should be fine in the community tank on her own.

With the pleco it depends on the chiclid, It would be best to ask in the chiclid section.

I dont have any plans to breed the Bettas I was just wondering thats all. If I only have him will he be ok with my other fish? He fans out at the Gouramis if they get to close but they back away and he just carries on like their not even there. Would that change if I get a male Gouarmi?

 

[Mikaila31]

Its all depends on the betta really. The majority of bettas attack most other fish. I've been able to keep them with other fish while their young, but eventually they become aggressive and have to get moved to their own tank. Its not abnormal for them to suddenly turn on their tankmates.

 

[waterdrop]

So Maz, I'm sorry, I don't remember your previous threads but see you've been here all through April and I was wondering if you then had gotten through all the stuff of learning the nitrogen cycle and learning to use a good testing kit? Have you got a good 5x turnover rate going with your filter and feel good about the media types you've chosen?

~~waterdrop~~

I lost several guppies on bad advice from the Lfs. (They told my I should add about 1 male and 3 females after 2 days to help cycle the tank and to kick start the filter I liked the way they looked, small and colourfull.)
Sadly it was after that I found This forum and I joined up. I found a topic about how to do the fishless cycling on here. So I sent my bf into Homebase where he works to get me a bottle of Ammonia. I added Ammonia untill the test said there was 5ppm. I use API liquid tests. I tested every few days untill I got a reading of 0 Ammonia (NH3 / NH4 ) and 0 Nitrite (NO2).
Then tested every day. Once my readings were back to 0 Ammonia (NH3 / NH4 ) and 0 Nitrite (NO2) after a day of adding Ammonia I began to stock my tank.
My Nitrate (NO3) is a little high at the moment but my water changes should help there and My Bristlenose helps keep away algae. Every where I have read has said DONT mess with PH.
I do a 10% water change once a week. My tap water contains 10ppm Nitrate (No3).
My filter and the media came with the tank. It is an Interpet internal power filter PF1 and uses carbon and foam. It seems to be doing its job now. It had never occurred to me to change the filter.

Sounds like you are off to a great start in the water dept Ebony! Good luck finding the right plants, there are plenty of other threads besides the one I pointed to that discuss "easy plants!"

~~waterdrop~~