Questions....

[lemans81]

I am not a complete newbie, but these are some easy newbie questions so...

OK first we will start with the most pressing question.

I have 2x 2 gallon tanks, with filtration and light. They each house one male Betta, algae is growing slowly and I want to add something to eat algae. I am thinking either 2xshrimp or 2xsnails, or 1xshrimp & 1x snail. There is a small place for snail/shrimp to hide and a plastic plant or two in each tank with gravel substrate. If the snail or shrimp was eaten, I could always buy another one so thats not so much the concern. I am more concerned with room and general compatibility, I realize there is always a chance. My wife just found a gift card for $10 that expires today so I need to make my decision today sometime.

OK on to less pressing questions.
In my tank currently:
55 gallon tank
2x dwarf Gourami
1x cherry barb
1xSerpae Tetra
1xraphael catfish
3xleopard danios
1xred tailed shark

I am using HOB filters(one is for 30 gallon tank from my old tank, one is rated for 60 gallon tank), 2x100W heater(looking for upgrades as we speak), 2x f15T8 lights(again when money comes around upgrading these too).

Now the questions:
1. Do I need more hiding places and plants?
2. Should I add live plants or wait until I have better lights?
3. At what point should I worry about fish chasing other fish?
(some of the fish chase each other its never for more than 10 seconds, and they lose interest before they even make it the length of the tank, I have yet to see any fin damage. The red tail chases the serpae, the red gourami chases the blue gourami, the serpae chases the red gourami no other squables. We had a CAE which went psycho when moved to the 55 gallon and he had to go he attacked everyone.)
4. After the tank is cycled (early January I would guess but I would rather be safe than sorry) What suggestions would you have as to the fish I could add. I have heard things like bolivian rams, or more serpae tetras...what do you think?

Pictures of tank
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k111/lemans81/IMGP0238.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k111/lemans81/IMGP0239.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k111/lemans81/IMGP0240.jpg

[Abbeys_Mom]

I would get snails for your betta tank, I personally like them better and they will clean all the glass, not just the gravel. The only problem is that Apple Snails will outgrow your betta tanks. Since you have larger tanks that is not a problem.

They do eat plants, so I would stick to fake, is you want snails.

Shrimp in a small tank will need plenty of hiding places. When they shed they shell they are vulnerable to being eaten for a few days.

With shrimp I would go for 2 or 3. Snails, I would stick to one per tank.

As far as fish aggression goes, I don't worry unless fish are showing signs of stress from fighting, or there are constant battles between the same fish.

[jeffs99dime]

otto cats. best algae eaters around. they even eat brown algae! the tank in your pics is the tank you are referring to, right?

[kimmers318]

OK on to less pressing questions.
In my tank currently:
55 gallon tank
2x dwarf Gourami
1x cherry barb
1xSerpae Tetra
1xraphael catfish
3xleopard danios
1xred tailed shark

You say this tank is still cycling? Are you checking your water parameters? This isn't a real large load for a 55 gal so you might be okay, but remember as you decide to add stock, you will only have enough good bacteria for this stock, anything you add will increase the bioload and it will take time for the good bacteria to catch up.
My suggestions when you are ready to increase your load would be to definitely consider more of the barbs, tetras and danios...they like groups of their own kind. Adding quite a bit more fake plants and hiding spots should lower some of the chasing as each fish will find a safe place to retreat to when they feel threatened, and it will also make it harder to chase each other. Everyone won't feel the need to fight for territory in the open and constantly have to be on the look out.

[lemans81]

I am not a complete newbie, but these are some easy newbie questions so...

OK first we will start with the most pressing question.

I have 2x 2 gallon tanks, with filtration and light. They each house one male Betta, algae is growing slowly and I want to add something to eat algae. I am thinking either 2xshrimp or 2xsnails, or 1xshrimp & 1x snail. There is a small place for snail/shrimp to hide and a plastic plant or two in each tank with gravel substrate. If the snail or shrimp was eaten, I could always buy another one so thats not so much the concern. I am more concerned with room and general compatibility, I realize there is always a chance. My wife just found a gift card for $10 that expires today so I need to make my decision today sometime.

This is in reference to the 2x 2 gallon betta tanks, the rest of my post is relating to the 55 gallon tank I also have. In the betta's I went with one bamboo shrimp per tank but could add another next week if they need more than one. The betta's do not care about the shrimp what so ever. If something does go wrong I will move the shrimp to my 55 gallon. The shrimp are about 1.5-2 inches long and are about the same size as all my fish in all my tanks(including the betta's).

[Lady Hobbs]

Hello.
I agree completely with Kimmers. I would also add no more fish to that tank until the cycle is complete. Ammonia 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates under 10. Gouramis' are not good fish to cycle with at all. Do you have a Master Test Kit so you can check your levels? Those are very important so you know what's in your water.

High ammonia levels will kill your fish as well as high nitrites. You can bring those levels down to a safe zone but only by doing water changes but that will also slow your cycle some.

You definately need more plants. As Kimmers stated, they need that security from the others. They also want they cover for sleeping at night. I have a lot of artifical bamboo in mine and when I turn the light on at night, I can't find one fish. They are all hiding for the night.

I take it there is no filtration in the Betta tanks? If not, their water must be kept clean. Nitrates will also cause algae so make sure you aren't over feeding them and getting high nitrates in those tanks. You may need to also clean the gravel to get rid of some of the excess food there if a lot has accumulated. Don't rinse it in tap water, tho. Just in a bit of tank water when you are changing it to rinse out some of the debris. If it's clean, you need to do none of that, of course.

You said you are new but not really new so one more tip just incase you don't know. When cycling that 55 tank, don't clean the gravel or change the filters until it's cycled. Once again, filters can be rinsed in some tank water but chlorinated water will kill the good bacteria that you want there. And always use a water conditioner to make sure the chlorine is removed from your tap water.

[lemans81]

I do not have a master test kit...I just came on the internet for info in the last couple of weeks, as my local lfs's have said pH is really the only important one.....you can see what they know.

My tank is cycling I think. I set up the new 55 gallon 3-4 weeks ago, let it run with filters for 3 days(also de-chlorinator was added before filters). Then I added the rocks from my established 20 gallon and some water from it as well, I let that stay without fish for 24 hours then I added the fish currently in my 55 gallon.

The betta tanks do have an under gravel filter and an incandescent light, they don't have heaters but I know its not that cold in there tanks because of the light.

Any live plants you guys can suggest for low light?

[Incredulous_Ed]

Any live plants you guys can suggest for low light?
Yes, You can get these "aponogeton" bulbs at your LFS. They're also sold as "wonder bulbs". Anyway, they look like seed and you would drop them in your aquarium and wait for them to sprout. They really grow very good with low light.

Keep this rule in mind: Red plants require very intense light, while dark green should be okay with low levels.

[Lady Hobbs]

lemans, your tank can not cycle without the ammonia your fish produce or you adding pure ammonia yourself from a bottle and doing a fishless cycle. There is a very good product now called Bio-Spira that you can get from a LFS that is kept refrigeratored. It is natural bacteria that helps that cycling along but that ammonia is still needed. (If that product is not available, Stress Zyme would help.)

Ammonia from fish make a bacteria grow that will eat the ammonia. Then it turns into nitrites and another bacteria forms to also eat up nitrites. Both ammonia and nitrites in high levels will kill your fish. These are very important tests to do during a cycling period and your fish store information was incorrect. Eventually, when ammonia is 0 and nitrites are 0 and you have nitrAtes, your tank is considered cycled.

Ammonia=Nitrites=Nitrates

Bacteria is in the gravel and hardly any exist in the water itself. You can add used gravel to this new tank to help seed it or if you don't want this gravel in your new tank, you can put it in a nylon stocking and just leave it in the tank for a while for seeding it. A used filter will also speed things along as that bacteria is also established on that as well.

Never clean the gravel or change filters during a cycle or you will disturb the bacteria growing there and you'll set your cycling back.

It is important to test that water daily for the ammonia and nitrites during this time so those fish do not die. If those levels raise too much, you will have to do numerous water changes to keep it in the safe range.

If you had a big die off of fish previously, it probably was due to infrequent water changes. You may have had ammonia levels raise too much and the fish suffocated. Water changes are very important in caring for fish and weekly water changes are necessary even after you have a cycled tank.

[jeffs99dime]

also. if you're doing live plants you have to continuously monitor your nitrate levels