Another fish thread

[havoKKKK]

I was thinking about starting a Pirahna aquarium but I am also thinking about starting a Betta one. I'm wondering what size to get and what I will need along with the tank? I'm pretty sure I want a male but with that I know you can't keep males with much of anything. I can get 2 tanks and what not. Any suggestions on what I should get, how many, and what all I need? My friends mom just offered me a 12 gallon..atleast the measurement calculator said it should be something like that with a light, a pump, and a cover. I think this is a good deal for $15USD?

[cocoa_pleco]

yep, thats a good deal on a tank.

bettas are easy to care for, a tank at least 5g, a heater, filter, and a few live plants and theyre happy

[havoKKKK]

Thanks! Any suggestions on heaters or filters for a 12 gallon tank? I think I should buy a larger filter right? Show me specific heaters and filters..thanks! This is a really good community. I think I will stick around for awhile :)

[cocoa_pleco]

for a filter, aquaclear minis are awesome, and if you have a good budget a Stealth heater is best

however, if youre just looking for a single betta, a sponge filter works too

[MandyL]

In a 12 gallon you could add 4-5 of the smaller cories, and maybe 4-5 small tetras as well (just avoid any that nip fins, or any with flowing fins themselves).

[Nick_Pavlovski]

Don't provide strong jetting filtration, Bettas don't like the water to move much.

[havoKKKK]

Well I have about $31 dollars at the moment readily available for a betta tank and $15 is going to the tank, itself, a cover, and a lamp/light not sure which one? That means I have $16 dollars left to spend on the fish, the filter, and the heater. I am pretty sure I'm going to order the betta online over paypal so I can receive a certain color. Plus I do not like the ones in pet stores. So I am on a tight budget but I'll see how it goes? Anyone know of places I could buy nice Bettas online? Mandy are you talking about adding those fish with the betta I will purchase or are you talking about just putting those fish in my 12 gallon?

[MandyL]

I am talking about those fish with the betta. It highly varies on the personality of the betta and the other fish, but I've had great success in the past with bettas in community tanks.

Be careful buying online and make sure you know the shipping cost ahead of time. It can be huge to ship a live fish.

[havoKKKK]

What are Cories exactly? I don't like tetras all that much..atleast the ones I have seen. (The silver ones with the red stripe.)

[cocoa_pleco]

corys are small little catfish, extremely peaceful and clean well

[havoKKKK]

The Corys do look nice..get about six of them for the bottom of the tank?

[MandyL]

Yep that would work. There are dozens of species of tetras if you want to look them up, but if you don't like them just the betta and cories would be nice!`

[havoKKKK]

Yea, I think that is a really good idea. How much should I spend on the heater and filter exactly?

I found the best looking Betta I've ever seen in my opinion..if you've seen one prettier, post it?

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]


Wouldn't I also have to buy an air system for my tank?

[Mvjnz]

I find that my betta also really enjoys having a small pot as a shelter. He would constantly swim around before, until I got him the pot, now he seems much more relaxed. He'll sit in the opening of the pot and just look around and overall seems much calmer and more relaxed. So definitely get him a small shelter where he can hide as well.

I keep mine with a bristlenose catfish and a mystery snail. Gives me a more interesting tank, and gives the betta something to follow around and study:)

[MandyL]

You will want a filter similar to this one: [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
and a heater like this: [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

You won't need an air stone or anything like that if you have a decent filter.

[themuffinbandit]

a 50w heater will do fine... i believe u can find those at petco rather easily. as for price and stuff... well the filter is like 20 something bucks if u want the aquaclear mini which is what i have and the heaters vary in price... zebra danios go nicely with my betta but they poo way too much... lol.. anyways... yeah... my betta is pretty aggressive so if ur betta is really aggressive, get the zebra danios... they are way too fast for the bettas to nip and it gives them something to chase around.. =) lol

[havoKKKK]

what size tank do you have? I'm thinking about just splitting the tank between one male and three females with a divider?

[themuffinbandit]

it used to be a 5.5g tank but i recently changed it to a 10g tank. so the 50w heater works for everything below 15g or something like that i believe.

[havoKKKK]

So can I split the 12 gallon among 1 male and 3 females?

[cocoa_pleco]

that might be a bit much to split by, i would split it between 3 males, or if you have lots of hiding spaces and flake plants you can have 2-3 females live together without dividers

also, i would get a 100w heater, if you get a 100w heater it will have to work less to heat the water than a 50w heater

[havoKKKK]

Cool, well I found a random pump in a bag at my house so I'm pretty stoked. I also received my tank today. I'm still wondering what type of bedding to use? Any suggestions on how to fill my tank up and how to treat the water? I do not have any chemicals and I have city tap water.

[cocoa_pleco]

by bedding do you mean substrate? sand or gravel are the most common/best. as for chemicals, you will need water conditioner, which takes the chlorine and heavy metals out of tapwater.

[havoKKKK]

These heaters any good?


[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]


[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Think I like the tronic one!

[havoKKKK]

Oh and can anyone find me a cheap filter on ebay? The one listed in this thread is a tad too expensive for me. I have $27.95 to go towards the heater and the filter!

[cocoa_pleco]

i would get the tronic, i have a 5 year old tronic 250w heater in my 90g, and it still keeps the water 82F after 5 years, theyre extremely reliable

also, this filter is good

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[havoKKKK]

Just bought these two
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

and

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Hopefully everything is good

[MandyL]

Yep looks good! I would just buy new media for the filter just in case of disease etc.

[havoKKKK]

Yep, well I sent an email to the owner requesting a media change. Also, I have my pump with nothing else with it? Should I put this to use somehow? How would I set it up with my tank or do I need an interior filtering system to use it? Should I even use it?

[cocoa_pleco]

like a regular air pump? theyre not needed unless you have a overstocked tank

[havoKKKK]

Is it ok to keep betta with a pair of GBR's or Convict Cichlids?

[cocoa_pleco]

definitely not convicts, they would kill the betta, but with a pair of rams it might work

[havoKKKK]

I'm thinking about one pair of German Blue Rams (Male+Female) and one male betta and three or four females. If things don't work out I will have another take for moving.

[MelonMan]

you wont be able to have a male betta with females and the GBR will become territorial when spawning and may rip the bettas fins

[havoKKKK]

Are you sure I can't potentially keep a male with 4 females?

[MelonMan]

it is very very risky but i think angelcakes?? had 1 female and 1 male togethre and they were allright but i truly wouldnt risk it. a tank of 6 females would look beautiful there is no need for male.

[cocoa_pleco]

usually the male will beat up the females