SunSchein89's 5.5 gal. betta journal

[SunSchein89]

So I finally got around to getting some pictures of this tank after it's been up for probably 2 months now. I'll have to look back to see when I actually started it. The driftwood I had in there was rotting like no other, and still kind of is, but I gave it a good scrub down along with my filter today during the water change, so I figured it was time to get some pictures up.

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_9381.jpg
Day ?

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_9372.jpg
Day ?

The thing I like about this tank is that it can be viewed from both sides, so there's no real background to it. It's sitting on the little wet bar between our living room and kitchen so you can see it from either side you're on.

I actually had some hornwort in there up until today but took it out and replaced it with some of the trimmings of mystery plant I have that's doing so well in my 10 gallon. That hygrophilia compacta is really starting to take off and get bushy now too. It was just one of those 4" tubes from PetCo to get you an idea of how big it has gotten. The leaves on it actually move all the time. During different parts of the day, you can see them either spread out as flat as possible or pointed nearly straight up.

Something else cool I like about this tank is I actually have a sponge filter in there hidden. It's behind the larger piece of drift wood on the one side of the tank. The sponge is sitting on the bottom of the tank under the wood with gravel sloped up around it and the little tube that the air bubbles come out of is hidden behind a seemingly perfectly shaped cavity that I have it wire tied to.

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_9379.jpg
http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_9378.jpg

And, just some pictures of the lucky homeowner :). This was the betta I had to rehome from my 20 gal. after he got nippy.

Don't mind all the water spots and such, I was in a hurry, have to go to work soon unfortunately. I'll have to get some better pictures next time.

[aquariums+me=happy]

Stunning!!!! betta paradise

[troy]

Excellent tank.thumbs2:

[korith]

Very nicely scaped.

[ohmikeosh]

Looks great!!thumbs2:

[SunSchein89]

Well this tank was long overdue for an update. So far, I've added an anubias plant, ditched the banana plant, added a little clipping of my one plant from the 20 just today to see how it will do, and added all the snails that I keep finding in my 20 to help mow down the wood rot.

I never really found out when I started up the tank, so we'll just call those first pictures day 1.

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_0052.jpg
Day 36... don't mind the tacky window, it came with the house lol. We're in the process of redoing a few things

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_0055.jpg
Day 36

Obviously had a good bit of growth in a month, who wouldn't :rolleyes:.

Here's some snail eggs: been getting a bunch of these lately...

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_0057.jpg
Hopefully they don't take over the tank, but it's a lot easier than having to take out all the wood and scrub it off, especially when one piece is attached to the filter.

[SunSchein89]

Quoting myself here from my other thread because I'm lazy...

"Well, my old betta, Alpha, died on me out of nowhere . All parameters checked out, didn't look bloated, was eating fine up until he passed away. I just noticed he seemed a little lethargic about 12-24 hours before he died. I've had him for about 6 months I think with no problems other than losing a piece of his fin every now and then. Going to miss the little guy."

So here's pics of the new betta who does not have a name just yet.

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_0236.jpg

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_0235.jpg

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_0240.jpg
Day 58

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/IMG_0234.jpg
Day 58

You can kind of see through it better now that I took a picture in the day time. Water's a little low due to being just before a water change and having a screen top lid.

Let's see what's new... well the snails made awesome work of the wood, there's not a single piece of fuzz anywhere to be found, plus now they're breeding like crazy. The breeding is really a good thing, because now I have a breeding ground to feed my dwarf puffer snails in my 10 gal. I trimmed up the plants quite a bit and finally planted my first clipping of the compacta. The java fern hasn't attached itself to the wood yet, but I think it looks kind of cool floating just above it at the same time.

That's about it for now I suppose. Thanks for lookin'.

[CrazedMichael]

Nice looking Betta mate.

Was the old one a juvenile when bought? If not, maybe it was old in years at the time of purchase!

[taralm13]

I'm sorry your old Betta died. But the new one is really pretty :ssmile:

[Gisela]

If I was a Betta I liked to move in there! Beautiful Tank!

[SunSchein89]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

The old betta was also bought at petco. Unsure of the age, but I can't imagine it could be that old even if it sat in the store awhile, I'm sure the vendor ships them out fairly young. From what I understand, bettas can live for the better part of a decade if taken care of properly. Just wish I knew what happened because I would hate to do the same thing to this one unknowingly.

[AbbeyRanda]

I know you haven't posted to this thread in a while, but... What ever happened to the tacky window? I love it! If you haven't re-homed the cow skull window, I'd take it off your hands...

[SunSchein89]

heh, still there... been a lot of other projects around the house that took priority.

Have actually turned this tank into a dwarf gourami and african dwarf frog tank... along with whatever fry I decide to put in there temporarily.

[SunSchein89]

:lol: just looked at the last picture I posted of this tank. You should see the moss wall now :ssmile: Can't even see the wood anymore really.

[AbbeyRanda]

Would love to see new pics! I have a particular fondness for dwarf gouramis :). As to the window, if you happen to get around to re-doing that part, and are still looking to get rid of it... I'd buy it and give it a good home!

[SunSchein89]

Ok, here's some better quality pictures finally...

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/DSCN0080.jpg
View from living room

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/DSCN0089.jpg
View from kitchen

Should have probably waited to take the pictures until after the water change when I could tidy up the moss and have the tank full to the trim, but oh well. Got excited to be able to use the camera :lol:.

If you really do want the window, if we can get it out in one piece, I could try to figure out a price, but shipping alone would be murder, I'm sure.

Edit: yeahhhh, looking at the pictures again, I'll definitely be putting up some new ones after I do a little tidying up.

[AbbeyRanda]

I think it's lovely! Dense vegetation, but that's not a bad thing necessarily. What is the red plant in the middle (in the first pic)? I like the hint of red among the big green leaves.

Also, handsome little dude you got in there...

Definitely keep me abreast of the tacky window situation. I'll PM you my email if you ever get rid of it. If the price on the window is fair, Shipping would be worth it :18:

[SunSchein89]

Ok, here we go, better pictures!

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/DSCN0106.jpg
Living room

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/DSCN0110.jpg
Kitchen

http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt160/sunschein89/5%20gallon%20betta/DSCN0109.jpg
And a new addition! Bumblebee goby :19: . Will now be removing the platy fry to take down the bioload a bit. Just forgot to take them out before I filled the tank to the rim with water... oops...

Added a ghost shrimp, too, but wouldn't have been able to get a good picture of him. So the final stocking list should be....

1 neon blue dwarf gourami
1 bumblebee goby
1 african dwarf frog
1 ghost shrimp

Quite a diverse little 5.5 gallon tank... little different than just a betta, anyway.

[SunSchein89]

Oh yeah, the little red plant is some type of ludwigia species I took from my 20 gallon tank. Forget the exact name. It hasn't done much of anything since I put it in there. I snipped off the tops of the plant that turn a nice red when they reach the surface of my 20 right under the light.

[Rue]

Nice!thumbs2: Love the goby...:1luvu:

[Fishkeeper]

Aren't bumblebees brakish water? Great tank! Wish I could get Java moss to grow like that.

[MLBfan]

This is a pretty old thread...