# Sale On Aquariums



## SerenityFL

I used to have an aquarium, nothing big, a 10 gallon tank but it was my first one and I really liked it. However, with moves and such over the years, I had to give up my aquarium to a friend.

It has been a very long time since I've had one and I've always wanted another one. And then posts started showing up here on DFC about aquariums and there were photos and talking and I just really wanted to get one again. But dang, man, that just costs so much money.

Well, today, I was in PetCo, of all places, looking for Nylabones and comparing prices on baby gates to ensure I got the better deal elsewhere, (I did), and for some reason, I do not know why because I was not even thinking of getting one yet, I walked over to the fish department.

I just happened to walk right to the aquariums for sale and found out that PetCo was having an amazing sale. They have 40 gallon tanks on sale for....

$40.

Yes!

Forty fricken dollars for a 40 gallon tank! (If you have a PetCo card.) Holy (bleep)!

Needless to say, I now have an aquarium at home again. Huge! I just need to get the hood and lights, (they were out of that size), and then, in a week or two, the fish. But I have everything else.

So, if you like aquariums and wanted another one, a bigger one or wanted to get started, go see if your local PetCo has this sale. My jaw is still scraping the floor.


----------



## chowder

Check out Craigslist for anything else you need like the lights and hood. We got our 55 gallon set up on Craigslist for pretty cheap. I just about gave away our little 10 gallon one that the fish totally outgrew because I needed the room in the garage for the new freezer so I stuck it on Craigslist.


----------



## SerenityFL

chowder said:


> Check out Craigslist for anything else you need like the lights and hood. We got our 55 gallon set up on Craigslist for pretty cheap. I just about gave away our little 10 gallon one that the fish totally outgrew because I needed the room in the garage for the new freezer so I stuck it on Craigslist.


Well, I am getting a whole lot of rebates as well on what I purchased, (oh yes, I do fill out those rebate cards, give me my money back!), and I also have 5 year warranty, (that came with the parts), in case things break down. 

In the past, when I first got a 10 gallon aquarium, I had set it all up at home and was waiting for the nitrates to build up so no fish yet. It had been just about two weeks. I was sitting in the room, watching t.v. when all of a sudden, >crack!< Sploosh!

It cracked right down the middle, not at the seams, right. in. the middle of the glass. And all 10 gallons of water came pouring out and on to my carpet. Because I bought it at the store, I got another one, free. I don't have that safety net if I buy off Craigslist. So, because of that experience alone, even though it might save money, I'm going to get everything at the store. 

And pray that this 40 gallon tank does not do what my first 10 gallon tank did!

Now I have to find those old posts because I want to talk about fish and plants!


----------



## swolek

I get most of my tanks on freecycle or craigslist, haha, but that is a good deal for a brand new tank.

What are you going to put in it?


----------



## chowder

SerenityFL said:


> Well, I am getting a whole lot of rebates as well on what I purchased, (oh yes, I do fill out those rebate cards, give me my money back!), and I also have 5 year warranty, (that came with the parts), in case things break down.
> 
> In the past, when I first got a 10 gallon aquarium, I had set it all up at home and was waiting for the nitrates to build up so no fish yet. It had been just about two weeks. I was sitting in the room, watching t.v. when all of a sudden, >crack!< Sploosh!
> 
> It cracked right down the middle, not at the seams, right. in. the middle of the glass. And all 10 gallons of water came pouring out and on to my carpet. Because I bought it at the store, I got another one, free. I don't have that safety net if I buy off Craigslist. So, because of that experience alone, even though it might save money, I'm going to get everything at the store.
> 
> And pray that this 40 gallon tank does not do what my first 10 gallon tank did!
> 
> Now I have to find those old posts because I want to talk about fish and plants!


We actually got our tank itself at Petco on sale. But we got the stand, lights, hood, glass covers, filters, vacuum, etc all from the same lady on craigslist. We just went ahead and got a new tank so it would be guaranteed not to leak. I've also gotten stuff on line from 'that fish place' when they've had a sale and surprisingly gotten filter media cheap online from Walmart. Petco online often has stuff cheaper then at the store with free shipping, and you can return it to the store if you decide you don't want it.


----------



## Porphyria

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I don't know where I'll be living in the next few years, so I have to stick with my little five and ten gallon tanks but I'd love to have a bigger one some day! What are you planning on stocking your new tank with?


----------



## SerenityFL

Well, not only was I getting good deals at the store, (so much was on sale), I'm also a bit of a clean freak and my stuff looks brand new even 10 years later. I have a hard time with used stuff...except SOME furniture. (But not couches, I can't stop thinking about what may have gone on, on that couch or how filthy their jeans were or how much food they dropped on it or if they slept on it with their dirty feet on one end, greasy head on the other...I think this illustrates what I mean by "clean freak".)

What am I going to put in it. I don't know! I do NOT know what I'm doing with salt water tanks so I have to stick to fresh water. Last time I had a pleco, and red tail sharks. But, red tail sharks are aggressive. Some will tell you to get only one, some will tell you to get odd numbers. I had two at first and they fought, constantly. I got a third and that cut down on the aggression. (Do I have a magnet for aggressive animals?)

This guy at PetCo told me I could get one but only get one, (well, I know better from experience), and said that they are only territorial with each other, not other fish. Anyone know? Cause I like red tail sharks.

I'll get two plecos because they keep the tank nice and clean, (my last one was named, "Elvis"). But after that? I have NO idea! Suggestions?

My tank will look purply when the lights go in, (a blue light and white light with black gravel makes it look purple), and I have a castle and my version of LOTR rock tower. (I'm a nerd.) I have a few live plants in there, will get more. But...what should I get that would look cool in there? I need a bit of color, and I don't want them to get over 3 inches because then I just start getting wigged out. Especially the plecos. Elvis got pretty big in my 10 gallon tank and while I adored Elvis...eeeesh, he kinda gave me the willies when I had to touch him. :::shudder:::

So, nothing too big, but I don't want a bunch of tiny fish either. A little color to go along with the decor, the two plecos and the one red tail shark.

Suggestions?


----------



## Porphyria

Gouramis are really nice. Most are good-sized but not super big (kissing gouramis get huge so stay away from them!), and they can come in very nice colors. Dwarf gouramis are particularly striking. Bettas are also very pretty, but of course you could only keep one male (unless you wanted to divide your tank). Females aren't as bright but they can still be lovely, and you could keep a sorority (no fewer than four, with six+ preferred) of them if you wanted more than one. I don't know how small is too small for what you're looking for, but if you're looking for bright colors, fancy guppies are very nice. 

As far as bottom feeders go, I'm partial to corydoras, but I'd like to have some otos at some point (unlike cories, otos eat algae if you have problems with that). What kind of plecos are you going to get? Common plecos get HUGE! I wouldn't really recommend them for anything smaller than 55 gallons at the very least, but some individuals get so big they need 125+ gallons! They can also be pretty aggressive to other common plecos. There are other species of pleco, but I don't know much about them, though zebra and candystripe plecos are really cool-looking! If you want to stay away from really big fish and you can't find a smaller pleco to suit your fancy, some species of catfish are good for algae control. Some snails are good algae eaters too.

I don't have any experience with red tail sharks though, sorry!


----------



## chowder

It sounds like it's going to be really nice to look at. We kind of just fell into the fish situation. My son brought home three tiny fancy gold fish in a 10 gallon (kids never move home empty handed!) so we got a big 55 gallon with lot of castles and volcano's and plants to make it all look really cool. Now we have three GIANT fish with only room for two little tiny plants with them. All the great toys we got them had to be removed to make room for the fish. 

Although I do like my fancy goldfish....they have great personalities and are really friendly. But, they get huge and you can't really have a great looking tank with them.


----------



## Scarlett_O'

Yes red tailed "sharks" should only be kept at a single fish if kept in a smaller tank. 

Gouramis as well, they are in the category as Bettas and shouldnt be kept in multiples unless you are going to have LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of cover!:wink:

PLEASE if you are getting a pleco ONLY get the smaller types, like a rubber lip!! The others get FAR to large, far too quickly and shed off FAR too much waste to be kept in a smaller sized tank(ESPECIALLY more then one!) Corydoras are cool, however they are happiest with quite a few, and should be a "last addition" type fish as they are sensitive! 



And please remember NO fish should be just a cleaner....thats your job, along with water changes and feeding everyone what they need naturally!:wink:

(I volunteered under one of THE top fish keepers in the US, if not the world and she taught me a TON, which Im always happy to share!:smile


----------



## SerenityFL

Porphyria said:


> Gouramis are really nice. Most are good-sized but not super big (kissing gouramis get huge so stay away from them!), and they can come in very nice colors. Dwarf gouramis are particularly striking. Bettas are also very pretty, but of course you could only keep one male (unless you wanted to divide your tank). Females aren't as bright but they can still be lovely, and you could keep a sorority (no fewer than four, with six+ preferred) of them if you wanted more than one. I don't know how small is too small for what you're looking for, but if you're looking for bright colors, fancy guppies are very nice.


Ok, I will look at Gouramis...are they aggressive towards other fish or just each other like the red tail sharks? No, I don't want Bettas. 

Too small to me is anything smaller than an inch. I have a 40 gallon tank, they have room. I'm not getting a lot of fish, maybe 5 or so. I want them to feel like they're in the ocean. 



> As far as bottom feeders go, I'm partial to corydoras, but I'd like to have some otos at some point (unlike cories, otos eat algae if you have problems with that). What kind of plecos are you going to get? Common plecos get HUGE! I wouldn't really recommend them for anything smaller than 55 gallons at the very least, but some individuals get so big they need 125+ gallons! They can also be pretty aggressive to other common plecos. There are other species of pleco, but I don't know much about them, though zebra and candystripe plecos are really cool-looking! If you want to stay away from really big fish and you can't find a smaller pleco to suit your fancy, some species of catfish are good for algae control. Some snails are good algae eaters too.
> 
> I don't have any experience with red tail sharks though, sorry!


I don't know what kind I had before. He was brown with black dots. But I'll keep in mind about sizing. The fish guy at Petco, surprisingly, seemed to know what he was talking about and we did discuss some fish while I was there. He mentioned certain plecos to get but it wasn't time for them so I pretty much forgot everything he said. I've never even heard of cories or otos..will ask!



chowder said:


> It sounds like it's going to be really nice to look at. We kind of just fell into the fish situation. My son brought home three tiny fancy gold fish in a 10 gallon (kids never move home empty handed!) so we got a big 55 gallon with lot of castles and volcano's and plants to make it all look really cool. Now we have three GIANT fish with only room for two little tiny plants with them. All the great toys we got them had to be removed to make room for the fish.
> 
> Although I do like my fancy goldfish....they have great personalities and are really friendly. But, they get huge and you can't really have a great looking tank with them.


Yah, had a gold fish when I was a kid. They're ok, just not my thing. And the ones with big eyeballs...that creeps me out. Let me guess, that's the kind you have? LOL They just weird me out so I can't get those.



Scarlett_O' said:


> Yes red tailed "sharks" should only be kept at a single fish if kept in a smaller tank.


And what do you consider a 'smaller tank'? Because going from a 10 gallon to a 40 gallon...I feel like I have a huge tank. Yes, I have seen enormous fish tanks before but this one is big, to me. 



> Gouramis as well, they are in the category as Bettas and shouldnt be kept in multiples unless you are going to have LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of cover!:wink:


I designed the tank so that there would be lots of cover. Again, I'll be getting more plants as time goes on but the castle and my version of the LOTR rock/mountain will provide quite a bit.



> PLEASE if you are getting a pleco ONLY get the smaller types, like a rubber lip!! The others get FAR to large, far too quickly and shed off FAR too much waste to be kept in a smaller sized tank(ESPECIALLY more then one!) Corydoras are cool, however they are happiest with quite a few, and should be a "last addition" type fish as they are sensitive!


What do you mean, 'only'? I'm not getting JUST a pleco. I'm going to have two plecos in addition to other fish. 



> And please remember NO fish should be just a cleaner....thats your job, along with water changes and feeding everyone what they need naturally!:wink:


Yes, I know that. Perhaps you missed my post where I talked about being a clean freak? I keep my tank clean. I don't rely solely on the fish to do it.



> (I volunteered under one of THE top fish keepers in the US, if not the world and she taught me a TON, which Im always happy to share!:smile


Good, I'll probably harass you for more info as time draws near.


----------



## Porphyria

Gouramis are related to bettas and they're similar to them in that they are (usually) fine in a community tank, but are aggressive toward their own species. They can be timid around a lot of exuberant fish, but if you're only going to have a few fish with lots of cover and space, I think one gourami would be fine.

Cories are really cute; they're usually a couple inches long and do best in groups of four or more . They're very peaceful bottom dwellers.

Here is a video of my cories:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=3mVvBmUruEI


----------



## 3Musketeers

The one here in Miami (back when I was still working there) had that sale back in June I believe, I guess they do that every now and then. It's every 10 gallons for $10 or something like that.

And, get a Betta! (with other non-betta tankmates). But in all seriousness I just love them, they have so much personality. Mine eat out of my hand and they actually come out of their lil caves when I get home and all. Never really got attached that way with like.. goldfish and angelfish.

Edit: Totally didn't read that I'm not getting a Betta post, woops :biggrin:.


----------



## chowder

3Musketeers said:


> The one here in Miami (back when I was still working there) had that sale back in June I believe, I guess they do that every now and then. It's every 10 gallons for $10 or something like that.
> 
> And, get a Betta! (with other non-betta tankmates). But in all seriousness I just love them, they have so much personality. Mine eat out of my hand and they actually come out of their lil caves when I get home and all. Never really got attached that way with like.. goldfish and angelfish.
> 
> Edit: Totally didn't read that I'm not getting a Betta post, woops :biggrin:.


I keep telling my son that he should have come home with Betta's instead of Goldfish!! Do they live very long?


----------



## Scarlett_O'

SerenityFL said:


> And what do you consider a 'smaller tank'? Because going from a 10 gallon to a 40 gallon...I feel like I have a huge tank. Yes, I have seen enormous fish tanks before but this one is big, to me.


ANYTHING smaller then a 60gal is too small for multiple Red tailed "sharks", as they grow large-ish(6-or so inches) and are actually in the carp family so are VERY VERY dirty!:wink:



> I designed the tank so that there would be lots of cover. Again, I'll be getting more plants as time goes on but the castle and my version of the LOTR rock/mountain will provide quite a bit.


Anything smaller then 75gal, IMO, is too small for multiple Gouramis. 




> What do you mean, 'only'? I'm not getting JUST a pleco. I'm going to have two plecos in addition to other fish.


ONLY as in that is the ONLY kind of Pleco....a 40 is WAY too small for multiples of ANY plecos.




> Yes, I know that. Perhaps you missed my post where I talked about being a clean freak? I keep my tank clean. I don't rely solely on the fish to do it.


I wasnt stating that YOU solely rely on the fish...I was just refering to your saying that the pleco is for the algae...as they all also need specific food!:wink:




> Good, I'll probably harass you for more info as time draws near.


I will GLADLY help with what ever!!:biggrin:


EDIT TO ADD:

I LOVE me a school of 10-ish Rummy Nose Tetras, with a large(7-ish) shoal of Cory Cats!:biggrin:


----------



## 3Musketeers

chowder said:


> I keep telling my son that he should have come home with Betta's instead of Goldfish!! Do they live very long?


Mine have always lived 3+ years except for the odd one or two here which only lived a short time (genetics, stress, who knows?) This was on pellets/dried bloodworms. My most recent ones on a frozen diet (fish raw ftw!).
I think if they survive the initial going home and settling in for a few weeks they're good to go.


----------



## swolek

Maybe look into the various species of Rainbowfish . They're colorful, active, fairly peaceful, and not tiny. We kept Bosemani Rainbows but there are a bunch of great species. Ours did best in clean, fast-moving water and tolerated salt well (we had bumblebee gobies back then which needed it).

But really, it's hard to make suggestions when there are SO many options. I do second the idea of cory cats for the bottom, they're a lot of fun and very cute.


----------



## SerenityFL

Porphyria said:


> Gouramis are related to bettas and they're similar to them in that they are (usually) fine in a community tank, but are aggressive toward their own species. They can be timid around a lot of exuberant fish, but if you're only going to have a few fish with lots of cover and space, I think one gourami would be fine.
> 
> Cories are really cute; they're usually a couple inches long and do best in groups of four or more . They're very peaceful bottom dwellers.
> 
> Here is a video of my cories:
> 
> Cory Cats Synchronized Swimming - YouTube


Oh crap! You shouldn't have shown me that video. Not only are they indeed cute and actually the right color to spice up the dark tank, I also saw about 50,000 other fish videos...and now I'm going to start getting all kinds of ideas and spend more money on decorations getting things just right and changing things and getting this plant or that plant...oh boy. I'm in trouble now. So I am going to ask about corys. I like the way they look.



3Musketeers said:


> The one here in Miami (back when I was still working there) had that sale back in June I believe, I guess they do that every now and then. It's every 10 gallons for $10 or something like that.
> 
> And, get a Betta! (with other non-betta tankmates). But in all seriousness I just love them, they have so much personality. Mine eat out of my hand and they actually come out of their lil caves when I get home and all. Never really got attached that way with like.. goldfish and angelfish.
> 
> Edit: Totally didn't read that I'm not getting a Betta post, woops :biggrin:.


Admittedly, my ONLY experience with Bettas are the ones in little tiny jars sitting on peoples desk at work. I don't hate the Betta...I just hate that people do that to them and there is a negative in my mind when I think of Bettas because of that. I don't know Bettas. I was too busy feeling sorry for them to get to know them.



Scarlett_O' said:


> ANYTHING smaller then a 60gal is too small for multiple Red tailed "sharks", as they grow large-ish(6-or so inches) and are actually in the carp family so are VERY VERY dirty!:wink:


Well that is true, I remember they were dirtier fish. Ok, but I'm still getting one. I love them.



> Anything smaller then 75gal, IMO, is too small for multiple Gouramis.


What if I got one gourami, one red tail shark, a pleco and some corys and then maybe two or three other fish? 



> ONLY as in that is the ONLY kind of Pleco....a 40 is WAY too small for multiples of ANY plecos.


Had to go back and read. I paused after the "only", not before the "only". Now I get what you were saying.



> I wasnt stating that YOU solely rely on the fish...I was just refering to your saying that the pleco is for the algae...as they all also need specific food!:wink:


Yes, I know. Elvis did quite fine in my 10 gallon tank I had. In fact, he did better than all the other fish because I took good care of him. I know how to take care of a pleco. 



> I will GLADLY help with what ever!!:biggrin:


Good because it's been a long time, I'm venturing in to fish I've never had before and I'm taking a stab at live plants this time around. I reallllly do not want to do plastic plants. They get filthy and they look ridiculous, according to me.



> EDIT TO ADD:
> 
> I LOVE me a school of 10-ish Rummy Nose Tetras, with a large(7-ish) shoal of Cory Cats!:biggrin:


Will look those up.



swolek said:


> Maybe look into the various species of Rainbowfish . They're colorful, active, fairly peaceful, and not tiny. We kept Bosemani Rainbows but there are a bunch of great species. Ours did best in clean, fast-moving water and tolerated salt well (we had bumblebee gobies back then which needed it).
> 
> But really, it's hard to make suggestions when there are SO many options. I do second the idea of cory cats for the bottom, they're a lot of fun and very cute.


Yah, that's the problem. There's so many to choose from. And I already know how I'll be. Just when I think I've settled on what I want, I'll discover something else.

But really, with exception of my red tail shark, (although the red tail is striking), I want something with color that goes well with purple, (such as those cute little yellow corys), something that won't get over 3 inches, (normally), something that gets along with other fish, and because I know I'm getting a red tail shark and can only have one, I want to be able to get fish that can be more than one, and have little fish families. (I don't mean that literally, I don't want baby fish...been through that before...and I was a nervous fish mom...and most of them didn't make it which made me a sad fish mom, I mean, I want them to swim around together and play and look cool, too.)

Edit: OH! And most importantly, all the fish are going to have to have similar requirements for PH levels and the like. I can't get a red tail shark which needs a PH of 7.0, (if I remember correctly, been so long), and get another fish that needs PH at 6.5...they have to be able to live in "average temp" waters and same PH levels, etc. That might narrow my choices...I don't know.

Edit again: Man, you really can find anything on YouTube. Found a video with rummy nose tetras. HA! They're cute, look like they drink too much. Not sure if I want them, though. 

I like the look of the bosemani rainbow but one of the videos I saw says his rainbow is a punk and chases all the other fish. Is that their nature? I don't want a fish who is going to terrorize the other fish. It's supposed to be calming, the aquarium. Is it just this particular one who is a mean fish?

Found some videos on otos. One was eating a carrot...very cute! But no color. I mean, he's brown yah, but not colorful. Gonna have to think on that one because that sure was a cute fish.

Edit again: I may rethink the Betta thing. I just saw a video while searching on dwarf gouramis and the tank had the most beautiful...stunning dark blue and black betta fish. Omg, I want that! 

So! IF I get a dark blue and black betta...what other fish can I get with that betta? From my understanding, I should stay away from barbs because they like to nip at fins...and I do not want such a gorgeous betta fin to be nipped at until there's nothing left.

Also, since gouramis are in the betta family, (right?), can I get a betta and a gourami or would they go at each other?

Yah, if I can find a dark blue and black or even a purple, (do they make them), Betta...I would totally get a Betta. But I have to know what I can get that will get along with the Betta and that the Betta won't eat up. And also, anyone know the PH level a Betta needs?


----------



## Porphyria

I love bettas. They typically live 2.5-3 years if well cared for. Unfortunately, like goldfish (which can live to be twenty!) they are often seen as fragile fish that die if you look at them funny, simply because a lot of people don't really know how to take care of them properly. But as long as they're properly cared for, they are pretty hardy fish that can be used to cycle a tank and can adapt to a wide range of pH. Bettas are generally a much easier fish to care for than goldies, since they don't need massive tanks (I always recommend at least 2.5 gallons for a betta, and most people will say at least 20g for a goldfish, depending on species) and they aren't as messy. I'm partial to them, as they really seem to have their own personalities! But I know not everyone is a fan.


----------



## Porphyria

SerenityFL said:


> Oh crap! You shouldn't have shown me that video. Not only are they indeed cute and actually the right color to spice up the dark tank, I also saw about 50,000 other fish videos...and now I'm going to start getting all kinds of ideas and spend more money on decorations getting things just right and changing things and getting this plant or that plant...oh boy. I'm in trouble now. So I am going to ask about corys. I like the way they look.
> 
> 
> 
> Admittedly, my ONLY experience with Bettas are the ones in little tiny jars sitting on peoples desk at work. I don't hate the Betta...I just hate that people do that to them and there is a negative in my mind when I think of Bettas because of that. I don't know Bettas. I was too busy feeling sorry for them to get to know them.
> 
> 
> 
> Well that is true, I remember they were dirtier fish. Ok, but I'm still getting one. I love them.
> 
> 
> 
> What if I got one gourami, one red tail shark, a pleco and some corys and then maybe two or three other fish?
> 
> 
> 
> Had to go back and read. I paused after the "only", not before the "only". Now I get what you were saying.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, I know. Elvis did quite fine in my 10 gallon tank I had. In fact, he did better than all the other fish because I took good care of him. I know how to take care of a pleco.
> 
> 
> 
> Good because it's been a long time, I'm venturing in to fish I've never had before and I'm taking a stab at live plants this time around. I reallllly do not want to do plastic plants. They get filthy and they look ridiculous, according to me.
> 
> 
> 
> Will look those up.
> 
> 
> 
> Yah, that's the problem. There's so many to choose from. And I already know how I'll be. Just when I think I've settled on what I want, I'll discover something else.
> 
> But really, with exception of my red tail shark, (although the red tail is striking), I want something with color that goes well with purple, (such as those cute little yellow corys), something that won't get over 3 inches, (normally), something that gets along with other fish, and because I know I'm getting a red tail shark and can only have one, I want to be able to get fish that can be more than one, and have little fish families. (I don't mean that literally, I don't want baby fish...been through that before...and I was a nervous fish mom...and most of them didn't make it which made me a sad fish mom, I mean, I want them to swim around together and play and look cool, too.)
> 
> Edit: OH! And most importantly, all the fish are going to have to have similar requirements for PH levels and the like. I can't get a red tail shark which needs a PH of 7.0, (if I remember correctly, been so long), and get another fish that needs PH at 6.5...they have to be able to live in "average temp" waters and same PH levels, etc. That might narrow my choices...I don't know.


Fish-keeping can be very addicting! I started out thinking all I'd ever have was a single betta in a 5g tank, and now I'm dreaming about a future that includes a 125g tank with a black ghost knifefish! Cories are definitely cute! And they are very docile, so they get along really well with any fish that isn't big enough to eat them or aggressive enough to attack them. I know exactly what you mean about bettas; it's such a shame to see the way they are treated. I wish more people knew about proper betta care, but most chain pet stores seem to propagate the misinformation. I feel so bad for them, especially when I see them sitting in those miserable little cups. The thing to be careful of with bettas and community tanks is, you don't want to keep them with fish that are likely to nip fins (this might not be a problem if you get the short-finned plakat variety of betta though). It doesn't look like the fish you're interested in are particularly nippy (except the shark, I don't know anything about them), so that probably wouldn't be a problem for you. But you also don't want to get any other fish that have long fins and/or are brightly colored because the betta may mistake it for another betta. The fish you're looking at would probably be ok for the betta, though again I'm not sure about the red tailed shark, the tail color may make the betta wig out. And whatever you decide, don't get a betta _and_ a gourami. Since they're in the same family, there would likely be some aggression between them.

Most fish that are bred in captivity are pretty adaptable to a wide range of pH as long as you acclimate them appropriately. Panda cories tend to be a bit more sensitive to parameters than most cories. They prefer a pH in the 6.5 range, but my pH usually hovers around 7.8-8.0, and my panda cories are all healthy and thriving. As far as temperature goes, _most_ tropical fish fall in a similar range. Just to take the fish I have the most experience with for example, cories like water around 72-78, and bettas like 77-82, so I can definitely keep them together, but I have to make sure the temperature stays around 77-78. Temperature compatibility shouldn't be a problem for most tropical fish, you just have to make sure you know the "safe zone" that is optimal for all of the fish.

As far as stocking goes, this website can be a helpful tool. Not all of the info is 100% correct (their water change suggestions are really low IMO) but it can be a helpful tool in determining which species are/aren't compatible, and why. I'd definitely do more research than just using the aqadvisor, but I do think it's a great starting point.

Are you planning on doing a fishless cycle?


----------



## swolek

I'll try to answer all of your questions but let me know if I forget one!

I'm not a fan of Red Tail Sharks in smaller aquariums (yes, a 40-gallon is small for them IMO) and I also think getting one would limit the other fish you can have. They can grow up to be bullies, especially targeting slower fish and/or fish with long, flowing fins. You wouldn't want to house one with a gourami or betta.

Was the Bosemani being housed in a small tank or alone/in a tiny group? I could totally see one getting upset in those cases and turning nippy. Lack of hiding spots can cause some fish to get nippy as well. We personally never had a problem with our school, they were very peaceful and did great with bumblebee gobies and mollies. There are less rambunctious rainbowfish species, though, I just haven't kept them. I don't keep many freshwater fish now.

Bettas and gouramis shouldn't be mixed, yeah.

They do "make" (hehe) purple bettas. One of mine is metallic purple with some maroon on his tail fin.

Bettas are adaptable as far as pH goes but do better in softer water instead of harder water. Mine have mostly been maintained in the 6.8-7.0 range (I've had a LOT of bettas, they were what got me into fishkeeping) but I don't use additives to achieve that. Poor tank mates for bettas are related fish (gouramis and other betta species), fish with long fins that may resemble male bettas (fancy guppies, for example), or nippy/extremely hyper fish (zebra danios, some barbs, etc.). Mine have been housed with cherry barbs, oto cats (not a fish I'd recommend for a beginner unless you have a great supplier...they are wild-caught, ship poorly, and are usually literally starving by the time they're in the store), cory cats, white cloud minnows, Endler's livebearers, pristella tetras, neon tetras, platies, red eye tetras, kuhli loaches, and fancy guppies (I was lucky, don't try it, ha). I've also housed them with cherry shrimp, amano shrimp, apple snails, and freshwater nerite snails.

To be honest, it almost sounds like you want some platies or another livebearer. They're friendly, playful, active, colorful, hardy, and breed readily (but if you don't want babies it's easy enough to get all females or something). Platies were some of my first fish and they were a lot of fun.


----------



## SerenityFL

From what I understand cycling to be, yes, I'm doing a fishless cycle right now. Most people say to wait 24 hours, some say a week. I wait two weeks. I have it all set up, everything going and have some plants in there and am waiting for the nitrates and nitrites and all that to build up to proper levels.

Then, I'll do a PH test and nitrate test before going to the store. I don't know if I have hard or soft water but I would guess hard water. I've been around soft water one time and I just remember it felt like I could never get the soap off of me...the PH test should reveal, though.

Anyway, here is a list of fish I'm seriously thinking of:

Corys...I'm kinda really liking them now the more I see and hear about them. I do want fish on different levels: bottom, middle and top level of the tank. Corys would fit that bottom level. So, if I got maybe 5-6 corys, that would probably be good, right?

I WILL get a pleco just because. The fish guy was telling me about which ones get what size and I'll go over that with him again when it's time to buy.

Strongly actually considering a betta. We'll see. It has to be dark blue and black or dark purple. I know they fight..do females fight each other as well or can you place two females in a tank. (And how the hell do they know which fish, any species, is male or female?!?!!?)

I want a black molly. I would have to get males because I. do not. want. babies! Mollies seem to have fish babies just because you blinked in their general direction. But black mollies just look awesome.

I may get some neon tetras. Smaller than I like but, maybe if I get enough of them, it'll look good.

I want. a red tail. shark. I love them. The ones I had in my 10 gallon tank, (I had an odd number and they did fine as long as the number was odd), and they did not get that big in the three years I had them. They did not come anywhere close to outgrowing their tank. As with other things, I'm sure the environment plays a part in how big they will get. However, I would only get one red tail shark this time since I'm going to have other fish. I had them, some tetras and a pleco and they didn't give a fig about the other fish.

Platys, as was just mentioned...I'm interested in learning more. But again, NO babies!

Barbs I think are out of the question if I get a betta. From my understanding, barbs will nip at tails. I'm also scratching gouramis off the list because I like the betta look better than the gourami and like I said, I did see a video where the person said their gourami was a bully. I will ask the fish guy what he thinks about red tail sharks and bettas as well as do more searching for information. Again, he told me and I've witnessed, they don't care about other fish, they only get territorial with their own. Where I and the fish guy disagreed was the number. I had three. He says only one. Some of you say only one. I was told, many moons ago, that I must have an odd number of them. I experienced this. I had two to start. They fought. I got a third, the fighting stopped. Either way, again, I would only get one this time.

So I know I'm safe for sure with corys, they will mind their own on the bottom. The pleco will mind its own. The black mollies will have to be males and I've not know them to be aggressive, (correct me if I'm wrong). The platys will have to be males and they don't appear to be aggressive, (correct me if I'm wrong.) The betta will not matter unless it IS possible to get two but females...I don't know? 

Now, I'm not going to get all of these fish at the same time. I may start with a pleco, some corys and some neon tetras. I will then, slowly, add in other fish. And of course, this all depends on what PetCo or other fish stores have to offer. What I want and what they have may be different and this list will change.

But anyway, keep with the suggestions. I have two weeks until I get the first batch of fish and this is the time I figure out which ones to get.


----------



## Scarlett_O'

SerenityFL said:


> From what I understand cycling to be, yes, I'm doing a fishless cycle right now. Most people say to wait 24 hours, some say a week. I wait two weeks. I have it all set up, everything going and have some plants in there and am waiting for the nitrates and nitrites and all that to build up to proper levels.
> 
> Then, I'll do a PH test and nitrate test before going to the store. I don't know if I have hard or soft water but I would guess hard water. I've been around soft water one time and I just remember it felt like I could never get the soap off of me...the PH test should reveal, though.
> 
> Anyway, here is a list of fish I'm seriously thinking of:
> 
> Corys...I'm kinda really liking them now the more I see and hear about them. I do want fish on different levels: bottom, middle and top level of the tank. Corys would fit that bottom level. So, if I got maybe 5-6 corys, that would probably be good, right?


Corys would be great, they do tend to play where ever they want!LOL So they arent strictly a "bottom" fish....but of course they do dwell a lot towards the bottom!



> I WILL get a pleco just because. The fish guy was telling me about which ones get what size and I'll go over that with him again when it's time to buy.
> 
> Strongly actually considering a betta. We'll see. It has to be dark blue and black or dark purple. I know they fight..do females fight each other as well or can you place two females in a tank. (And how the hell do they know which fish, any species, is male or female?!?!!?)
> 
> 
> I want a black molly. I would have to get males because I. do not. want. babies! Mollies seem to have fish babies just because you blinked in their general direction. But black mollies just look awesome.



Yes all Bettas will fight, with each other and with fish around their own size. (Thus if you get a Betta then Mollys and Plattys should be out of the options!:wink

You CAN have what we call a sorority of female bettas, but you have to have TONS of plants, most of us hard core live planters even have fake plants in with our sororities!:wink:


> I may get some neon tetras. Smaller than I like but, maybe if I get enough of them, it'll look good.


Neons are cool...ESPECIALLY in a large school!:biggrin:


Oh an Mollys and Plattys are eaters...they WILL go after the Betta just for the heck of it...cause, well he COULD be nice to eat!LOL 
So along with the fact that they are close to the Betta's size, thus in small numbers could be a target for him HE could be a target for them...especally in large numbers!:wink: When working in mulitpul fish stores I would NOT sell either Ms or Ps if going in a tank with a Betta...that is what smaller tetras(there are LOTS of Tetras) and the smaller cat fish are for!:wink:

But you CAN make a nice tank of a mix of Ms and Ps, a type of long bodied Tetras(like neons,) some Corys and a rubber-lipped Pleco!


OHHH...and here are male/female examples, same rule applies to Mollys and Plattys!:thumb:


----------



## SerenityFL

Hmm. Damn. I didn't know that the mollies would go after bettas. Crap. Will Mollies go after other fish as well if they are the same size? I didn't know they were aggressive! 

Bah. I just really want a grand looking fish in there as well as other little fishies who are fun. Dang it.

Scarlett...help me out here. If I were to get a Betta...and a pleco and corys and neons...what other 2-3 inch fish that are nice looking and nice to other fish, could I get? Ones that won't attack the betta, (or other fish), and ones that the betta won't attack?

And I haven't looked at all the PH requirements yet for the corys, pleco, (well I know this one from experience), and bettas and tetras, (although they did well in the 7.0 PH range before), so...I have to consider that, as well.

Corys, neon tetras, (in a decent amount), and the betta would bring some color and "flourish" to the tank. What else would go good with them that isn't boring and ugly? (ie: goldfish with the big eyeballs...no offense to anyone but for me, just no).


----------



## chowder

SerenityFL said:


> a
> What else would go good with them that isn't boring and ugly? (ie: goldfish with the big eyeballs...no offense to anyone but for me, just no).


None taken ! :becky:


----------



## Scarlett_O'

SerenityFL said:


> Hmm. Damn. I didn't know that the mollies would go after bettas. Crap. Will Mollies go after other fish as well if they are the same size? I didn't know they were aggressive!
> 
> Bah. I just really want a grand looking fish in there as well as other little fishies who are fun. Dang it.
> 
> Scarlett...help me out here. If I were to get a Betta...and a pleco and corys and neons...what other 2-3 inch fish that are nice looking and nice to other fish, could I get? Ones that won't attack the betta, (or other fish), and ones that the betta won't attack?
> 
> And I haven't looked at all the PH requirements yet for the corys, pleco, (well I know this one from experience), and bettas and tetras, (although they did well in the 7.0 PH range before), so...I have to consider that, as well.
> 
> Corys, neon tetras, (in a decent amount), and the betta would bring some color and "flourish" to the tank. What else would go good with them that isn't boring and ugly? (ie: goldfish with the big eyeballs...no offense to anyone but for me, just no).


I wouldnt get any 2-3 incher in with a Betta, remember that is right around the perfect target size!:wink: 
Right now I have my Betta(he is pink, name Floyd!:wink in with a bunch of smaller tetras(ones that get 2-ish inches long and have deeper bodies...I think I have flame tetras and black neons...but Im not positive, I bought them nearly 3 years ago!LOL)

If your wanting a decent school of slightly larger fish you could go with cardinals or rummynose rather then neons, and then Mr. Betta and the Corys!:smile: (That is what my next tank is going to look like..with Rummys)

Goldies are never going to do well in the tank you are deciding on.....so dont worry about me pushing them!LOL (I dont care for them either!:wink

I also love harlequin rasboras!


EDIT TO ADD...

May I ask, how are you cycling it? (I dont remember did you get a filter when you got it? Or did you already have one?)


----------



## Porphyria

To complete a fishless nitrogen cycle, you will need to add an ammonia source (some use a shrimp from the seafood counter, some use fish food, some use pure, surfactant-free ammonia). Keep the ammonia around 5 ppm (this is why I like to use the pure ammonia, you have more control over how much is actually addedd) until you see nitrites spike. The ammonia levels will begin to drop quickly. You will want to continue adding ammonia, but now make sure the water's ammonia levels read 2ppm. You will eventually see your nitrates spike and your nitrites will start going down. Once your tests read 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites, and high nitrates, your cycle is complete. Do a water change or two to bring the nitrates down to around 10 ppm. The whole process takes about a month, sometimes two. You can speed it along by adding some substrate from a healthy, already cycled tank, but I've never heard of a cycle completed in a week, much less a day! Some fish (like cories) are very sensitive to parameters and need a tank that is completely cycled before being added. Bettas and other hardy fish don't necessarily need a fully cycled tank (just do an extra water change every week); the tank will eventually cycle on its own if you stock with hardy fish (this is the "fish-in cycle"). I've done fish-in and fishless cycles. Both work fine, but you can only do fish-in with certain species.

Once your tank is cycled, 5 or 6 cories sounds great!

You could have a sorority of female bettas if you wanted. No fewer than four, but preferably six or more. The more females in the sorority, the more the aggression gets spread out. It can be pretty stressful for the first few days, because they will nip each other a lot as they establish their pecking order. If you do a sorority, keep a close eye on them because sometimes you will just get one that is extremely aggressive (or on the other end, extremely submissive); these fish will need to be removed and kept singly.

Aquabid.com is a great place to find some really lovely bettas! Some of them can be really pricey. I only look at American breeders because shipping on Thai fish costs a fortune! But there are some really good breeders there. Hopdiggity and Chard56 are well-known for producing quality fish. If you prefer to buy from a fish/pet store (I always feel the need to "rescue" those poor little guys from PetSmart/Co!), purusing aquabid can give you some ideas regarding what you might like to look for. I had no idea bettas came in such fin types/colors/patterns until I saw that site!

I've heard of people having success keeping endler's livebearers with bettas, but I don't know much about them so I can't endorse it, I can only offer it as another option for further research! You're going to have a lot of swimming room and it sounds like you're planning on plenty of hiding places, so I think tetras would do well. In smaller setups they can sometimes get a bit nippy, but a 40 gal with just a few species sounds really nice. I prefer cardinals to neons.


----------



## swolek

SerenityFL said:


> From what I understand cycling to be, yes, I'm doing a fishless cycle right now. Most people say to wait 24 hours, some say a week. I wait two weeks. I have it all set up, everything going and have some plants in there and am waiting for the nitrates and nitrites and all that to build up to proper levels.
> 
> Then, I'll do a PH test and nitrate test before going to the store. I don't know if I have hard or soft water but I would guess hard water. I've been around soft water one time and I just remember it felt like I could never get the soap off of me...the PH test should reveal, though.


Just having the tank set up won't cycle it, you need to add ammonia in some form (I usually just add some fish food, it breaks down into ammonia).



SerenityFL said:


> Anyway, here is a list of fish I'm seriously thinking of:
> 
> Corys...I'm kinda really liking them now the more I see and hear about them. I do want fish on different levels: bottom, middle and top level of the tank. Corys would fit that bottom level. So, if I got maybe 5-6 corys, that would probably be good, right?


5-6 would be good, just stick to the same species if you want them to shoal. Sometimes different species will hang out together but they usually segregate based on appearance.



SerenityFL said:


> I WILL get a pleco just because. The fish guy was telling me about which ones get what size and I'll go over that with him again when it's time to buy.


What species are you thinking of?



SerenityFL said:


> Strongly actually considering a betta. We'll see. It has to be dark blue and black or dark purple. I know they fight..do females fight each other as well or can you place two females in a tank. (And how the hell do they know which fish, any species, is male or female?!?!!?)


Females can often live in groups with enough hiding spots but I'd never recommend a pair...normally one ends up as a bully and the other gets beaten up or has trouble getting food. The females won't have the long, flowing fins that you want, anyway. Sexing a fish depends on the species and some are tricky. Someone gave great pictures for livebearers below.



SerenityFL said:


> I want a black molly. I would have to get males because I. do not. want. babies! Mollies seem to have fish babies just because you blinked in their general direction. But black mollies just look awesome.


The black mollies are some of the most sensitive so you'd want to add those once the tank was mature and stable. They also do best in hard, basic water. I had the most success keeping them in brackish and marine conditions. They can be kept in freshwater, it just needs to be perfect, clean, and fast-moving. Platies are much more adaptable.



SerenityFL said:


> I may get some neon tetras. Smaller than I like but, maybe if I get enough of them, it'll look good.


Test your water first. You'll have endless problems if your water is as hard as you believe. Neon tetras require water on the acidic side. They're also rather sensitive fish and should be added last or near last. I'd actually look into cardinal tetras. They look and behave similarly but are hardier. I loved my neon tetras but very few people have luck with them these days.



SerenityFL said:


> I want. a red tail. shark. I love them. The ones I had in my 10 gallon tank, (I had an odd number and they did fine as long as the number was odd), and they did not get that big in the three years I had them. They did not come anywhere close to outgrowing their tank. As with other things, I'm sure the environment plays a part in how big they will get. However, I would only get one red tail shark this time since I'm going to have other fish. I had them, some tetras and a pleco and they didn't give a fig about the other fish.


They didn't outgrow the tank because they were stunted. It could have been poor petstore genetics or the fact that they were in a 10-gallon, it's hard to say. Did they die after those three years? I ask because the lifespan is normally 5-6 years with some living longer (I know of specimens that are 8+ years old). You got extremely lucky with your set-up or ended up with stunted fish. I'm not saying this to be mean but to help prevent it from happening again.

I would never keep a Red Tail Shark in anything less than a 50-gallon. If you are set on getting one, scratch the betta from your list. They get nippy when full-grown and bettas' fins are irresistible. Also scratch neon tetras, they've been known to eat them.

And don't rely on past experience with the sharks too much. You had them for 3 years, not enough time for them to totally mature. Our Colombian Sharks, for example, took a few years before they started becoming more territorial (and predatory). They're still growing now and I'm confident they'll get worse, ha. They were originally community fish, now they live in a large marine tank with a tough pufferfish .



SerenityFL said:


> Platys, as was just mentioned...I'm interested in learning more. But again, NO babies!


They're basically smaller mollies but hardier, haha. Not much to know about them, any particular questions? 



SerenityFL said:


> Barbs I think are out of the question if I get a betta. From my understanding, barbs will nip at tails. I'm also scratching gouramis off the list because I like the betta look better than the gourami and like I said, I did see a video where the person said their gourami was a bully. I will ask the fish guy what he thinks about red tail sharks and bettas as well as do more searching for information. Again, he told me and I've witnessed, they don't care about other fish, they only get territorial with their own. Where I and the fish guy disagreed was the number. I had three. He says only one. Some of you say only one. I was told, many moons ago, that I must have an odd number of them. I experienced this. I had two to start. They fought. I got a third, the fighting stopped. Either way, again, I would only get one this time.


Not all barbs are nippy, remember that it's a huge group of fish. Cherry barbs are some of the most peaceful fish you can have, for example. I'd check them out, by the way, the males are gorgeous!

Remember that the "fish guy" wants to sell you fish. That's the bottom line. Be wary and always research on your own, too. I'm very suspicious that he told you to buy more than one...and with a betta!



SerenityFL said:


> So I know I'm safe for sure with corys, they will mind their own on the bottom. The pleco will mind its own. The black mollies will have to be males and I've not know them to be aggressive, (correct me if I'm wrong). The platys will have to be males and they don't appear to be aggressive, (correct me if I'm wrong.) The betta will not matter unless it IS possible to get two but females...I don't know?


Male mollies can be boisterous but they won't do damage to most fish. The only fish I've seen them actively bully were extremely sedentary fish like dragon gobies. Platies are peaceful, yeah. The betta's gender won't matter but I think you'd prefer a male.



SerenityFL said:


> Now, I'm not going to get all of these fish at the same time. I may start with a pleco, some corys and some neon tetras. I will then, slowly, add in other fish. And of course, this all depends on what PetCo or other fish stores have to offer. What I want and what they have may be different and this list will change.


I'd add the neons after the tank is set up for a while but the cories could work as early fish .

But anyway, keep with the suggestions. I have two weeks until I get the first batch of fish and this is the time I figure out which ones to get.


----------



## SerenityFL

chowder said:


> None taken ! :becky:


I knew it. I'm glad that you are happy with them and it's a great photo.



Scarlett_O' said:


> I wouldnt get any 2-3 incher in with a Betta, remember that is right around the perfect target size!:wink:
> Right now I have my Betta(he is pink, name Floyd!:wink in with a bunch of smaller tetras(ones that get 2-ish inches long and have deeper bodies...I think I have flame tetras and black neons...but Im not positive, I bought them nearly 3 years ago!LOL)
> 
> If your wanting a decent school of slightly larger fish you could go with cardinals or rummynose rather then neons, and then Mr. Betta and the Corys!:smile: (That is what my next tank is going to look like..with Rummys)


Will have to rethink the rummy nose then. I just thought they looked like a bunch of heavy drinker fish. Will also look at cardinals. Or maybe I won't get a betta. Gah.



> I also love harlequin rasboras!


Will look those up, as well.



> EDIT TO ADD...
> 
> May I ask, how are you cycling it? (I dont remember did you get a filter when you got it? Or did you already have one?)


Like I said, it's all set up. That means, it's all running. That means, I have everything that is needed and it's all running AS IF it were filled with fish but it is not yet filled with fish.



Porphyria said:


> To complete a fishless nitrogen cycle, you will need to add an ammonia source (some use a shrimp from the seafood counter, some use fish food, some use pure, surfactant-free ammonia). Keep the ammonia around 5 ppm (this is why I like to use the pure ammonia, you have more control over how much is actually addedd) until you see nitrites spike. The ammonia levels will begin to drop quickly. You will want to continue adding ammonia, but now make sure the water's ammonia levels read 2ppm. You will eventually see your nitrates spike and your nitrites will start going down. Once your tests read 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites, and high nitrates, your cycle is complete. Do a water change or two to bring the nitrates down to around 10 ppm. The whole process takes about a month, sometimes two. You can speed it along by adding some substrate from a healthy, already cycled tank, but I've never heard of a cycle completed in a week, much less a day! Some fish (like cories) are very sensitive to parameters and need a tank that is completely cycled before being added. Bettas and other hardy fish don't necessarily need a fully cycled tank (just do an extra water change every week); the tank will eventually cycle on its own if you stock with hardy fish (this is the "fish-in cycle"). I've done fish-in and fishless cycles. Both work fine, but you can only do fish-in with certain species.


Yep, that's all being taken care of. I have the ultimate test kit. Has for PH, nitrate, nitrite and ammonia levels. In the past, I was able to do that in two weeks. Yes, really. And again, I'm not going to be adding all of the fish I want right away. From my understanding, you're supposed to add the hardier fish first anyway, even if you have waited a month or more for cycling because it's always a test, anyway. So yes, I would start with the hardier fish first. Wait a week or so, add more. Etc.



> Once your tank is cycled, 5 or 6 cories sounds great!


I thought I read here to add them last? Maybe I misread that.



> You could have a sorority of female bettas if you wanted. No fewer than four, but preferably six or more. The more females in the sorority, the more the aggression gets spread out. It can be pretty stressful for the first few days, because they will nip each other a lot as they establish their pecking order. If you do a sorority, keep a close eye on them because sometimes you will just get one that is extremely aggressive (or on the other end, extremely submissive); these fish will need to be removed and kept singly.


I think that if I do get a betta, I will go with one. If I ever find out, in the future, that I really like them, I'll try more but one will be the start.



> Aquabid.com is a great place to find some really lovely bettas! Some of them can be really pricey. I only look at American breeders because shipping on Thai fish costs a fortune! But there are some really good breeders there. Hopdiggity and Chard56 are well-known for producing quality fish. If you prefer to buy from a fish/pet store (I always feel the need to "rescue" those poor little guys from PetSmart/Co!), purusing aquabid can give you some ideas regarding what you might like to look for. I had no idea bettas came in such fin types/colors/patterns until I saw that site!


I'll use it as reference, thanks, but I will "save" the ones from Petco and the like because...well, you know why. I used to have 20 rats because I wanted to save all the animals from those stores...most of them are full of people who don't have a clue about animals. (Trust me, I used to work in one.) But this guy seems to be fairly knowledgeable. Still, I'm going to look for more fish places around here because this store didn't seem to have much of a selection.



> I've heard of people having success keeping endler's livebearers with bettas, but I don't know much about them so I can't endorse it, I can only offer it as another option for further research! You're going to have a lot of swimming room and it sounds like you're planning on plenty of hiding places, so I think tetras would do well. In smaller setups they can sometimes get a bit nippy, but a 40 gal with just a few species sounds really nice. I prefer cardinals to neons.


I'm thinking the neons will look pretty neat in the lighting I have planned. But, again, this is all preliminary, my list may change completely. Who knows! What I really wish is that I knew how to keep (and afford), a salt water tank. But that is going to have to be some time down the road...like when I win the lottery or something. (Which means I would have to actually buy a ticket.)


----------



## SerenityFL

By the way, what about Electric Blue Rams? Kuhli Loaches? Can we get them here and does anyone know anything about them?


----------



## Scarlett_O'

SerenityFL said:


> By the way, what about Electric Blue Rams? Kuhli Loaches? Can we get them here and does anyone know anything about them?


My friend breeds rams...they are AWESOME...they would be a cool thing to have(a pair) if you want to go with something other then a Betta as the larger route!:smile:

Kuhlis are a slightly different thing...loaches in general are more sensitive...and are sold as different names then they actually are...you would want to read up and learn about the different kinds that way you know what you are looking at and for when you go to the fish store!:smile:

Oh...and I think what Porphyria meant by "Once your tank is cycled, 5 or 6 cories sounds great!" is that once the tank is well established and ready for them then that would be a decent number!:wink:


----------



## swolek

SerenityFL said:


> By the way, what about Electric Blue Rams? Kuhli Loaches? Can we get them here and does anyone know anything about them?


We posted before at the same time so I don't know if you got my reply about bettas, mollies, etc.

Blue Rams in pet stores are so poorly bred and sensitive now it's ridiculous . Most don't seem to make it past 6 months now! I'd instead check out Bolivian Rams if you like how they look. Bolivian Rams are much hardier but still need excellent water quality. Rams in general are not fish to be thrown into a standard community tank, I'd do a lot of research. I've kept them and can answer specific questions, though.

We have Kuhli Loaches now in a community tank. We have four and have kept them for a couple of years. They're very easy to care for but spend a lot of time buried in the substrate. They aren't too active, haha. If you want an active fish you'll see a lot, stay away from any loaches that bury themselves .


----------



## SerenityFL

Oops, I missed this one earlier.



swolek said:


> Just having the tank set up won't cycle it, you need to add ammonia in some form (I usually just add some fish food, it breaks down into ammonia).


That's what I meant when I said I have it all set up and acting like there are fish in there when there are no fish in there. One of the items I bought came with fish food and I put that in there. I have "invisible" fish right now, setting it up and cycling. So yes, what I thought cycling was, is what I'm doing. I also have plants in there, so that is going to help with getting levels right as well, (and I mean with all the levels I'm trying to reach, including nitrates, nitrates, etc.)



> 5-6 would be good, just stick to the same species if you want them to shoal. Sometimes different species will hang out together but they usually segregate based on appearance.


Wha..?? Racist fish!? No, I would have stuck with one brand. The ones in the video looked yellow but I'm thinking that had to do with the decorations? I like the panda corys...wondering how they'll look in a purplish tank?



> What species are you thinking of?


I think you were talking about plecos here. Like I've said, it's been a LONG time since I had an aquarium and the fish guy was telling me which ones get what size. He recommended one that would not get too big but again, it wasn't time to buy so I forgot pretty much everything he said in regards to them.



> Females can often live in groups with enough hiding spots but I'd never recommend a pair...normally one ends up as a bully and the other gets beaten up or has trouble getting food. The females won't have the long, flowing fins that you want, anyway. Sexing a fish depends on the species and some are tricky. Someone gave great pictures for livebearers below.


Ah, ok, if I get one, I'd want one with the showy tail.



> The black mollies are some of the most sensitive so you'd want to add those once the tank was mature and stable. They also do best in hard, basic water. I had the most success keeping them in brackish and marine conditions. They can be kept in freshwater, it just needs to be perfect, clean, and fast-moving. Platies are much more adaptable.


Well of course they are. All the fish that I like are not easy. Naturally. It's just like when shopping. Everything I like turns out to be the most expensive. It's a matter of law.



> Test your water first. You'll have endless problems if your water is as hard as you believe. Neon tetras require water on the acidic side. They're also rather sensitive fish and should be added last or near last. I'd actually look into cardinal tetras. They look and behave similarly but are hardier. I loved my neon tetras but very few people have luck with them these days.


For grins I looked at some cardinals and to be honest, I believe those are the ones I had before, not neons. They did really well, were easy peasy fish to take care of.



> They didn't outgrow the tank because they were stunted. It could have been poor petstore genetics or the fact that they were in a 10-gallon, it's hard to say. Did they die after those three years? I ask because the lifespan is normally 5-6 years with some living longer (I know of specimens that are 8+ years old). You got extremely lucky with your set-up or ended up with stunted fish. I'm not saying this to be mean but to help prevent it from happening again.


No, they did not die. They were still going strong but I moved from Seattle clear across the country and that was too much to put the fish through. I gave them to a friend...the whole aquarium, that is.



> I would never keep a Red Tail Shark in anything less than a 50-gallon. If you are set on getting one, scratch the betta from your list. They get nippy when full-grown and bettas' fins are irresistible. Also scratch neon tetras, they've been known to eat them.


Ok..something to think about.



> And don't rely on past experience with the sharks too much. You had them for 3 years, not enough time for them to totally mature. Our Colombian Sharks, for example, took a few years before they started becoming more territorial (and predatory). They're still growing now and I'm confident they'll get worse, ha. They were originally community fish, now they live in a large marine tank with a tough pufferfish .


Something to think about. Hard for me though because I did have great "luck" with them and I did NOT know wth I was doing back then except to constantly check levels and kept their tank clean, fed them what they were supposed to get and made sure not to have even numbers. They did pretty good.



> Not all barbs are nippy, remember that it's a huge group of fish. Cherry barbs are some of the most peaceful fish you can have, for example. I'd check them out, by the way, the males are gorgeous!


I'm not saying you are wrong, I just want to know if everyone here is in agreement with this because what I read, (sorry, been to so many fish sites lately I can't remember which one), said that they were nippy. Didn't specify type.



> Remember that the "fish guy" wants to sell you fish. That's the bottom line. Be wary and always research on your own, too. I'm very suspicious that he told you to buy more than one...and with a betta!


No, no...I said nothing about bettas. That wasn't until I started this thread. And he told me to get only ONE red tail shark, not more than one. I told him that the fish guy in Seattle, many moons ago, said I could do fine if I had odd numbers. This fish guy was actually talking me OUT of buying things. He was even honest about some of the plants. Said, "don't get those, they are about to die" and was telling me that this fish or that fish would not do well in the tank or would do well in the tank or that this one would get too big or that one would be eaten if I got this one, etc. He's actually trying to get me to buy the RIGHT kind but not just trying to sell me everything under the sun. He seemed offended that I had three red tail sharks. LOL! I think he's pretty knowledgeable but of course I research as well. One, so I have an idea of what I can get and two, so I don't look like a moron when I go back in.



> Male mollies can be boisterous but they won't do damage to most fish. The only fish I've seen them actively bully were extremely sedentary fish like dragon gobies. Platies are peaceful, yeah. The betta's gender won't matter but I think you'd prefer a male.


Still thinking about these. Like I said, this list could change entirely the more searching I do. Right now, I'm going on looks. Once I have my giant list of fish I like the look of, I will narrow it down by PH and temp levels. I cannot have a fish who needs a lower PH level with one who needs a higher level, for example. After that, I will narrow it down by temperament. After that, I will narrow it down by size. So right now, I'm just making a list of everything I want or would like to have and the more I learn, the larger that list grows. That's why I keep saying, "continue with the suggestions" because this is in preliminary stages and this is when I need to decide what fish to try to get, not while I'm at the pet store.



Scarlett_O' said:


> My friend breeds rams...they are AWESOME...they would be a cool thing to have(a pair) if you want to go with something other then a Betta as the larger route!:smile:


Yay! Cause they are so neat looking and so colorful!



> Kuhlis are a slightly different thing...loaches in general are more sensitive...and are sold as different names then they actually are...you would want to read up and learn about the different kinds that way you know what you are looking at and for when you go to the fish store!:smile:


Yah, I saw clown loaches and kuhli loaches and etc, but I like the way the kuhli looks. Like having a mini eel. (I know it's not an eel.) I also like that they do a bang up job of keeping things cleaned up. And if they come out at night, that's fine with me.



> Oh...and I think what Porphyria meant by "Once your tank is cycled, 5 or 6 cories sounds great!" is that once the tank is well established and ready for them then that would be a decent number!:wink:


Right.



swolek said:


> We posted before at the same time so I don't know if you got my reply about bettas, mollies, etc.
> 
> Blue Rams in pet stores are so poorly bred and sensitive now it's ridiculous . Most don't seem to make it past 6 months now! I'd instead check out Bolivian Rams if you like how they look. Bolivian Rams are much hardier but still need excellent water quality. Rams in general are not fish to be thrown into a standard community tank, I'd do a lot of research. I've kept them and can answer specific questions, though.


I like the Blue Rams much better. What about Blue Rams, some corys, some khuli loaches and maybe one other type of fish, (a few of those)? And what about getting them shipped instead of getting them at a pet store? Would they fare better?



> We have Kuhli Loaches now in a community tank. We have four and have kept them for a couple of years. They're very easy to care for but spend a lot of time buried in the substrate. They aren't too active, haha. If you want an active fish you'll see a lot, stay away from any loaches that bury themselves .


Naw, I don't need all of the fish to be out swimming around all day and night. I like the look of them, I like that they keep things cleaner and I like that I don't see them in every single fish tank. If they come out only at certain times, that's fine with me. The lighting will be lower and from what I read about loaches, that's the ideal. (It is not going to be harsh, bright white light.)


----------



## swolek

I have to be honest, I just can't recommend Blue Rams right now in good conscience. A few years ago I would have said "It's a challenge but go for it, just do your research". Now I never recommend them, that's how weak the current stock are. I don't know of ANY that were purchased in the last few years that made it a year...actually, I can't think of any that made it over 6 months (not that it'd be an accomplishment, these fish are supposed to live for years). They're ridiculously susceptible to all sorts of disease, get bullied easily, and die young. Believe me, it depresses me so much as they were some of my favorites when I was a newer hobbyist . I had to switch to Bolivian Rams.

If you're determined, look for a local hobbyist breeding them as opposed to a pet store or online fish supplier (normally I'm quick to recommend online suppliers but Rams are an exception as you don't want any "farmed" ones). They're gorgeous fish with the usual interesting cichlid personalities...but that makes it even rougher to have them die (besides, look at how much they cost!). Any information you find recommending these fish is probably outdated, same with Dwarf Gourami species (the current stock have developed what's called "Dwarf Gourami Disease"). It's always important to see if anyone is _currently_ keeping the species you're interested in and when/where they got their stock. When I got into reef keeping, the Elegance Coral was considered hardy and great for beginners. No one knows exactly why but now the new stock are sensitive and tend to die...it might be the result of a new collecting method, who knows. The fact is that fish considered "easy" or "hardy" can change, sometimes for seemingly no reason .

Edit: Oh, then you'd like Kuhli Loaches. They swim like eels. Ours come out sometimes at night, often after the lights are off. Maybe get a moon light so you can enjoy them easier . I wish we had one over that tank!


----------



## SerenityFL

Today I'm going to go in and see if they have my hood and lamps in and take another look at the fish while I'm there. I'll make a list of the ones I like, come back here, (much, much later as I have something else I have to do today), and ask for feedback about those choices.


----------



## Scarlett_O'

SerenityFL said:


> Today I'm going to go in and see if they have my hood and lamps in and take another look at the fish while I'm there. I'll make a list of the ones I like, come back here, (much, much later as I have something else I have to do today), and ask for feedback about those choices.


That sounds like a GREAT plan!:thumb:


----------



## Porphyria

Another fish I didn't mention, largely because they're not brightly colored particularly attractive lol, are hatchetfish. They're very docile and make great community tankmates, and they're also very fun to watch. They occupy the same tank region as bettas, but I know most of the people on a betta forum I'm on who keep both species have never had a problem. They are really funny-looking, and they're hardcore jumpers, so a secure lid is a must if you do decide to consider them!

Oh and your question about the cories in the video...yes, the lighting and video quality are what made them look yellow. Panda cories are a sort of beige-ish color with black patches. 

I can't wait to see your setup when it's all ready serenty; I love vibrantly colored tanks!


----------



## SerenityFL

Welp, I'm back. I have more time before I have to get ready to do my other thing today so I will put the list here now. On one hand, they had some interesting looking fish and I think I can find some good color and combinations. On the other hand...meh, not a whole lot of variety as far as types. Oh well.

Before I begin, I asked if they get kuhli loaches and he said yes, (same fish guy), they just didn't have any right now. He said they get them about once a month. He also told me that Blue Rams could be ordered but only if they could sell the other ones that I wouldn't buy. It may or may not happen because of that. So, how many Blue Rams could I have in a 40 gallon tank if I could get them to order some?

Did get one light, the white one and the hood were not in. Sigh. Will have to look next week. You can't have a fricken sale on 40 gallon tanks and then not have hoods to go with them! But he said they usually take a week AFTER the last one was sold and the last one was sold the day before I went in and saw the sale, initially. Bother.

Out of what they did have, (and we bypassed Goldfish and African cichlids or whatever they are called):

*Emerald green cory (no panda corys and he says they don't typically get them. =( Suck.)

*Bumblebee platy

*Panda platy

*Clown Pleco (this is the one he told me to get that would not get enormous)

*African butterfly (he said these tend to swim towards the top of the tank but that I have to make sure it is secure cause they like to jump)

*Marble hatchet

*Red top platy

*Red tail shark

*Variatus

*Dalmation lyretail Molly

*Marble molly

*cardinal or neon tetras

*Starfire red gofish

*Red way platy

*Long fin zebra danio

And then I saw the cutest, most adorable itty bitty King Betta, (male), who was dark blue, black and a bit of dark blood red on his tail. Daaaaw! I wanted to take him home and hug him and squeeze him and name him George.

I felt so sorry for those poor little bettas. I wish I could save them all but if I do that, they'll just order more. Sigh. If George is still there when it's time for fish, I'm going to save him, though.

Then I got a few more plants. This guy KNOWS his plants, he knows all of their scientific names, knows how to properly care for them, knows how to "plant" them, etc. But that seems to be a Maine thing...so many young people really know their plants around here. I'm amazed.

Anyway, yes, they had more fish than that, those were just the ones that caught my eye. So...your thoughts?


----------



## Scarlett_O'

SerenityFL said:


> Welp, I'm back. I have more time before I have to get ready to do my other thing today so I will put the list here now. On one hand, they had some interesting looking fish and I think I can find some good color and combinations. On the other hand...meh, not a whole lot of variety as far as types. Oh well.
> 
> Before I begin, I asked if they get kuhli loaches and he said yes, (same fish guy), they just didn't have any right now. He said they get them about once a month. He also told me that Blue Rams could be ordered but only if they could sell the other ones that I wouldn't buy. It may or may not happen because of that. So, how many Blue Rams could I have in a 40 gallon tank if I could get them to order some?
> 
> Did get one light, the white one and the hood were not in. Sigh. Will have to look next week. You can't have a fricken sale on 40 gallon tanks and then not have hoods to go with them! But he said they usually take a week AFTER the last one was sold and the last one was sold the day before I went in and saw the sale, initially. Bother.
> 
> Out of what they did have, (and we bypassed Goldfish and African cichlids or whatever they are called):
> 
> *Emerald green cory (no panda corys and he says they don't typically get them. =( Suck.)
> 
> Emerald Green Corys Cats(Brochis splendens) get larger then other Corys at about 3.5-4". They arent my favorite small cat...but they are pretty cool!:smile:
> *
> *Bumblebee platy
> 
> *Panda platy*
> 
> *Clown Pleco (this is the one he told me to get that would not get enormous)
> 
> Clowns get about 5"....which should be ok, at least until s/he is full grown!:wink:
> 
> *African butterfly (he said these tend to swim towards the top of the tank but that I have to make sure it is secure cause they like to jump)
> 
> They are also can be quite difficult to feed...depending on what they ahve been eating already and what other fish you have in with them
> 
> *Marble hatchet
> 
> They are pretty cool....I like Hatches!:smile:
> 
> **Red top platy*
> 
> *Red tail shark
> 
> Im still iffy about RTS in with a Betta....
> *
> *Variatus
> 
> *Dalmation lyretail Molly
> 
> *Marble molly*
> 
> *cardinal or neon tetras
> 
> I love them for a schooling fish with colour!
> 
> *Starfire red gofish
> 
> They can be an ok schooling fish, Ive never known any to live very long though
> 
> **Red way platy*
> 
> *Long fin zebra danio
> 
> Shouldn't be kept with Bettas...the "long fin" is going to cause the betta to be aggressive..and danios are notorious for nipping the pretty tails of others!:wink:
> 
> And then I saw the cutest, most adorable itty bitty King Betta, (male), who was dark blue, black and a bit of dark blood red on his tail. Daaaaw! I wanted to take him home and hug him and squeeze him and name him George.
> 
> I felt so sorry for those poor little bettas. I wish I could save them all but if I do that, they'll just order more. Sigh. If George is still there when it's time for fish, I'm going to save him, though.
> 
> Then I got a few more plants. This guy KNOWS his plants, he knows all of their scientific names, knows how to properly care for them, knows how to "plant" them, etc. But that seems to be a Maine thing...so many young people really know their plants around here. I'm amazed.
> 
> Anyway, yes, they had more fish than that, those were just the ones that caught my eye. So...your thoughts?


Ive added my thoughts on a few of the fish....and those that I made bold are the ones that, IMO, cant be mixed with Bettas!:wink:

And as far as the King Bettas...Ive not had any personal experience with them....but from what I remember hearing they can be more aggressive, and of course from being larger they have a larger mouth...thus smaller fish will fit!:wink:

And for German Blues I would only suggest one pair....any more then that and your looking for a fight to the death!


----------



## swolek

SerenityFL said:


> Welp, I'm back. I have more time before I have to get ready to do my other thing today so I will put the list here now. On one hand, they had some interesting looking fish and I think I can find some good color and combinations. On the other hand...meh, not a whole lot of variety as far as types. Oh well.
> 
> Before I begin, I asked if they get kuhli loaches and he said yes, (same fish guy), they just didn't have any right now. He said they get them about once a month. He also told me that Blue Rams could be ordered but only if they could sell the other ones that I wouldn't buy. It may or may not happen because of that. So, how many Blue Rams could I have in a 40 gallon tank if I could get them to order some?


I still wouldn't recommend farmed Blue Rams at all. I seriously wish people would stop buying them as that's the only way we're going to see change in the farming practices. As a dog person, how do you feel about breeds that are becoming so distorted and unhealthy...all because of "show standards"? Do you wish those breeders would focus more on health? Do you wish more breeders would do health testing? Is it sad to see certain breeds with extremely short lifespans because of poor breeding? It's the same as the Rams. And Dwarf Gourami species but that's another story for another thread .

If you did get them, you'd want a male/female pair. Keep in mind, though, that these are not typical community fish. They couldn't live with many other species (so no bettas, platies, mollies, etc.) and need very specific water conditions (your water pH MUST be acidic or neutral and the water has to be very clean and free of nitrate, for example), and they do best in a sparsely populated tank. Out of the fish you've been mentioning, you could maybe keep them with a school of neons/cardinals and a group of cories. All have similar needs and are peaceful. The small tetras are good dither fish for the Rams (without dither fish they'll hide a lot more).



SerenityFL said:


> Did get one light, the white one and the hood were not in. Sigh. Will have to look next week. You can't have a fricken sale on 40 gallon tanks and then not have hoods to go with them! But he said they usually take a week AFTER the last one was sold and the last one was sold the day before I went in and saw the sale, initially. Bother.
> 
> Out of what they did have, (and we bypassed Goldfish and African cichlids or whatever they are called):
> 
> *Emerald green cory (no panda corys and he says they don't typically get them. =( Suck.)


Emerald cories are pretty standard cory cats in the aquarium trade but are larger than Panda cories (but also a bit hardier, you seriously can't kill Emeralds even if trying, ha).



SerenityFL said:


> *Bumblebee platy
> 
> *Panda platy


These are just your standard platies with cutesy names. Adaptable as far as pH goes, good community fish, prefer being in groups, prefer cooler temperatures (they can certainly be mixed with tropicals but shouldn't be with a fish needing very warm temperatures...I wouldn't keep them above 75-76 F as it'd severely shorten their lifespans). They'll nibble on some plants but rarely do any kind of damage.



SerenityFL said:


> *Clown Pleco (this is the one he told me to get that would not get enormous)


This is indeed one of the smaller Pleco species. I've seen some specimens get a bit large for a 40-gallon (I've seen some that reached 5-6 inches) but most don't get that large. Like the Kuhli Loaches, you won't see this guy much...or at all, haha! I once read a post by someone who thought theirs had died. Years passed without them ever seeing the fish so you can understand why they'd think that. They were moving and drained the whole tank. The fish were all in buckets. They picked up a large piece of driftwood...and the pleco popped out and started flopping around! They're nocturnal fish who like hiding in/under decorations.

They do require driftwood as part of their diet so you'd absolutely need to provide that (and replace as needed). Other than that, the typical pleco diet applies (blanched veggies and sinking algae tablets). They don't always eat algae and are terrible cleaners, ha. In fact, they're pretty messy so you'd want strong filtration. They're very sensitive to nitrate.

I'd look into the Bristlenose Pleco. They're cute in an ugly way and are more active, smaller, and more likely to eat algae. They come in a few colors now thanks to easy captive breeding.



SerenityFL said:


> *African butterfly (he said these tend to swim towards the top of the tank but that I have to make sure it is secure cause they like to jump)


In my experience, these guys aren't always easy to wean onto prepared foods. You may have to feed live and/or frozen, at least for a while. They don't always get along with bettas.



SerenityFL said:


> *Marble hatchet


These guys are fun but occupy the same spots as bettas so you'd want some middle-dwelling fish to balance out the tank . Like the above fish, these guys are jumpers. A lid is a must and you'll also want to cover any openings (a classic spot for them to jump out is the gap where a hang-on-back filter goes).



SerenityFL said:


> *Red top platy


Same as all other platies. Think of all these as if they were simply coat varieties of the same breed of dog. The care shouldn't differ but some may be more rare/expensive.



SerenityFL said:


> *Red tail shark


You already know how I feel about this guy, ha.



SerenityFL said:


> *Variatus


This is basically a fancy way to say "here's a random fish variety that we don't know what to call" but I'm guessing it was another Platy.



SerenityFL said:


> *Dalmation lyretail Molly
> 
> *Marble molly


Both of these are hardier mollies. Mollies in general are not "easy" fish but will thrive with the proper care (clean, fast-moving water, higher pH and hardness, low nitrate, diet consisting more of vegetable matter). They will eat certain plants.



SerenityFL said:


> *cardinal or neon tetras


Already discussed and good choices. The cardinals are recommended more due to their hardiness compared to neons.



SerenityFL said:


> *Starfire red gofish


I'm guessing you meant "glofish"? These are just genetically modified zebra danios so standard zebra danio care applies...fast-moving, cool, oxygenated water. Too nippy to live with bettas and other slower fish (hatchets, butterflyfish, mollies, etc.). Very hardy fish but not great for a tropical community tank. They also look silly to me but that's opinion, ha.



SerenityFL said:


> *Red way platy


Yet another platy. This is a classic variety that's hard to go wrong with.



SerenityFL said:


> *Long fin zebra danio


See glofish care above as they're the same species. Not a good choice for a tropical community tank but awesome for coldwater set-ups.



SerenityFL said:


> And then I saw the cutest, most adorable itty bitty King Betta, (male), who was dark blue, black and a bit of dark blood red on his tail. Daaaaw! I wanted to take him home and hug him and squeeze him and name him George.
> 
> I felt so sorry for those poor little bettas. I wish I could save them all but if I do that, they'll just order more. Sigh. If George is still there when it's time for fish, I'm going to save him, though.


Bettas are always fun. I mostly keep marine animals now but still have some bettas...I value them just as much as my prized coral . I think I'll always have at least one!



SerenityFL said:


> Then I got a few more plants. This guy KNOWS his plants, he knows all of their scientific names, knows how to properly care for them, knows how to "plant" them, etc. But that seems to be a Maine thing...so many young people really know their plants around here. I'm amazed.
> 
> Anyway, yes, they had more fish than that, those were just the ones that caught my eye. So...your thoughts?


Live plants rock . Most of my freshwater tanks have been Walstad set-ups or similar.


----------



## 3Musketeers

I'll answer a few of the questions about bettas, only because it's the only fish I know anything about.


I too hate to see bettas in tiny spheres in cold offices, they always look so depressed and they barely move, like they're just tired of living (or probably just bored or sleeping all the time), I'm not against putting them in bowls, but they should have at least 2gallons to swim in and a place to hide. Bettas do get bored, they need attention or something to play with or hide in. The worst are the ones sold in vases with a plant that "feeds" them, uhmm because carnivores love to eat plants now, genius. They actually sleep, which would probably scare a new owner, but no they aren't dead, they do sleep at night and I have to say pretty heavily at that, especially for not having eyelids, I turn their lights off, can't imagine they'd like to sleep with bright lights on.

Pure-purple bettas, don't count on it, super rare because it doesn't breed true. However they exist in almost every possible color/pattern known to mankind, most commonly you will see fully blue, red or greens.
If you wanna see them I agree take a look at aquabid, here: AquaBid.com - Halfmoom Betta Auctions
Just click on random ones and try not too stay too long (LOL I hate aquabid, I get obsessed with pretty photos).

However, the salamander color generally has a nice amount of purple on them, I have only ever seen them online, they're definitely not a common color you can get anywhere. I love that color SO much.
Here's what they look like:











Males are more showy than females, they have longer fins and are usually more colorful (however there are breeders with exceptional longer-finned females), you will not find one of these females anywhere, probably only from breeders who focus on breeding the females to look nice, not just the males. Like this breeder in the following video. (I secretly want a fish from him, what am I saying... I want all his fish LOL)

Yes, this is a female:







Plakat, and king bettas are more aggressive than the fancy bettas. Also, this is more of an opinion, but the crowntails I've had were always the most aggressive. My Onyx, which is a halfmoon, doesn't even flare, he actually gets really stressed (turns pale and gets horizontal stripes) and hides, maybe he doesn't know how to be a betta, but come to think of it, I had a doubletail which also did not flare. I'd avoid doubletails though, they are known to be plagued with genetic problems like spine deformities.

Letsee, the water PH question, I have read that a neutral PH is good, to be honest I have never tested my water but what I have noticed is that they tend to do best in plain ol' water, the most I will add is the water conditioner (general one for all fish). The few times I have added something else to the water (like aquarium salt) is if I noticed something off, like fin-rot, and none of them have ever liked it, they would get a bit lethargic.

They're tropical fish, this means a warmer temperature is recommended. My first bettas I had in non-heated, non-filtered bowls, and they did ok for 3 years or so. My most recent bettas have their own little heated, filtered tanks, and they are MUCH more lively and energetic than any of my older ones ever were. It could be that the colder temperature causes them to slow down. Might also be the food, pellets/flakes have a lot of additives which these little carnivores don't need, and generally, bloating and constipation is seen mostly in bettas that eat pellets/flakes.

I would avoid ever using the medication melafix, I did with one of my bettas who had fin rot, and within a few days he started acting/looking rather strange and eventually died. Needless to say I googled the "symptoms" and what popped up? An article on melafix being more harm than good to fish with labyrinth organs, and more than a few forum posts where they exact same thing happened to other betta owners who also used the medication. It does help a lot of fish recover from tdiseases, but unfortunately it seems many bettas cannot tolerate it.

Where you get your betta might not matter too much, I mean, if you want a healthy, quality betta, then get one from a breeder on aquabid, if you're willing to pay $20+ and another $30 or more in shipping. If not, not all petstores treat them horribly, a small private-owned shop might be the best for a good betta. Although, when I worked at Petco, I can tell you most of them were kept in the tiny cups yes, but those cups were kept relatively clean and most of them got bought within days. Some were in the tanks with other fish, they were the lucky few.
I bought mine from there, cause heck, I was working there (first pick!) and they weren't treated horribly.
Generally they'd die AFTER they were in the hands of owners who, despite my warning, would buy the smallest bowl, and try and give them 7-day betta blocks because they wanted to travel, I felt worse when they'd return the fish and leave with another, than seeing them in the cups.

Plants, admittedly I want to add them in my tanks, but I have no experience with plants or which ones are best or anything, all I can say is some of them will make your life much easier by improving the water-quality. Since you have a 40gal, you have room to play, they make awesome hiding spots. Some people will intentionally rotate them to make different landscapes for the fish, so they don't get "bored".

And a picture of my boys, cause I like to show my fish off xD:
Sunshine is, well, yellow, with some blue, not sure there is a name for the color lol, and Onyx is a "Black Copper/Red" or a "Black Dragon Red" orrr, that color has like 5 names.








Obviously I chose the wrong names, Sunshine is a total grumpy pants, and Onyx is the opposite, very sweet (actually avoids biting me when I feed him), but a little cuckoo.


----------



## SerenityFL

Man...I want George! If they get bought up that quick, I'm gonna lose him. =( 

I wish I could take him now. Sigh.

IF George is still there, let's just assume I'll get a betta. 

So...that really narrows down my choice of other fish, then. I could go with the emerald green cories, the pleco, the kuhli loaches, George, and...maybe a few marble hatchets and tetras? 

Ok...40 gallon tank, George is the main star, I would have the one pleco, but then how many corys, how many kuhli loaches, how many hatchets and tetras? I don't want it to be overcrowded when everyone grows up. And how long is it going to take everyone to grow up?

And, if all of the above mentioned fish do well, temperament wise, and it looks like they should do well PH wise and perhaps temperature wise...do they have the same requirements for nitrates and nitrites? (I'm sorry, I'm tired right now and forgetting some of what I just read...but am trying to kind of summarize this in one post although I will be referring back to it quite often for future planning.)


----------



## swolek

SerenityFL said:


> Man...I want George! If they get bought up that quick, I'm gonna lose him. =(
> 
> I wish I could take him now. Sigh.
> 
> IF George is still there, let's just assume I'll get a betta.
> 
> So...that really narrows down my choice of other fish, then. I could go with the emerald green cories, the pleco, the kuhli loaches, George, and...maybe a few marble hatchets and tetras?
> 
> Ok...40 gallon tank, George is the main star, I would have the one pleco, but then how many corys, how many kuhli loaches, how many hatchets and tetras? I don't want it to be overcrowded when everyone grows up. And how long is it going to take everyone to grow up?
> 
> And, if all of the above mentioned fish do well, temperament wise, and it looks like they should do well PH wise and perhaps temperature wise...do they have the same requirements for nitrates and nitrites? (I'm sorry, I'm tired right now and forgetting some of what I just read...but am trying to kind of summarize this in one post although I will be referring back to it quite often for future planning.)


Platies can work with bettas, too, but tetras are a safer option. It comes down to the betta...I kept three of mine with platies at different times without any problems but I've also heard of bettas getting nippy because of the bright colors. So if you find that your betta is peaceful and easy-going with other fish, a few platies could be added.

Anyway, maybe something like this?

One betta
Four or five hatchetfish (utilize some floating plants to reduce the chances of the betta getting nippy)
One small pleco species
5 cory cats
6-8 cardinal tetras (or similar species)

The cory cats would be best as the first species added since they're hardy and not territorial towards newcomers.

I just realized I forgot the Kuhli loaches in the above stock list. Hmm. That seems like a lot of fish for the bottom. I guess maybe a pair of the loaches could work with the above if you have excellent filtration but it would start to push things a bit in a 40-gallon. If it was me, I'd pick only 2 or 3 of the following: Hatchets, Pleco, Cories, Loaches. It's easy to want to get tons of different fish but remember that aquariums look awesome when you focus on just a few species as opposed to a bunch of random guys. You could also just start with half your stock list and see how it goes, keeping track of pH and nitrate as the tank is stocked over several months to a year. Heavily planted tanks with good filtration and regular water changes can support heavier bioloads.

No fish needs nitrite or nitrate. Nitrite is extremely toxic to all fish while nitrate isn't as bad until it starts to build up. When I say that a fish is sensitive to nitrate I mean that they're poisoned by it at lower levels than other aquarium species. Out of the species you're interested in, the loaches, betta, and cory cats aren't too nitrate sensitive (no fish does well in high levels but you know what I mean). The tetras are moderately sensitive (neons more so than cardinals). The clown pleco and hatchetfish are the most sensitive. I would add the hatchetfish at the end once the tank is stable. They're wild-caught fish and won't do well with high nitrate. Spikes in ammonia or nitrite (which can happen in new systems) will quickly kill them.

Temperament wise, they all do fine together with the possible exception of your betta deciding he doesn't like the hatchetfish or wants to eat a small tetra (avoid babies for this reason, ha). Bettas are unique individuals so you never know what they'll do...this trait is also what makes them so fun to have, though . All of the fish will do fine in neutral to slightly acidic water and temperature in the mid-70's. Most will prefer meatier foods besides the pleco who should be getting veggies and driftwood.

How long they'll take to grow depends on the conditions in the tank, genetics, food fed, etc. It's impossible to predict. Bettas grow quickly, tetras are often adults/near adults when purchased, the cories and loaches will be full-grown or close to full grown within the first year or two of having them (I gave a range because I don't know what their ages are yet, of course), no clue on the hatchets (they're usually sold as adults here, already grown), and the pleco may take a few years to reach full size depending on species.


----------



## SerenityFL

The reason I picked that many for the bottom part is because there's room, for one, someone here, maybe you, said that while corys do tend to dwell near the bottom, they don't always, I know that kuhli loaches and the pleco may not always "appear", (heck, sometimes you don't see a pleco for months!).

The tetras I would get in a little school because I think it might actually look neat, even though they are small, in a school. (Small school.)

The Betta I was considering but after seeing the poor things in the pet store, it made my heart hurt and I want to save at least one from such a miserable life. (Although their bowls WERE very clean. But still...that's like fish jail. Ugh, I can't stand it. Let me save one.)

I DO have floating plants! They were some of the first I got. I got three...uh...japanese??? (Don't quote me on this), moss balls. Two are tied to a fishing line with a weight to keep them in place and one just bobs around the tank. (Because "plant guy" put them all in the same bag and by the time I got home, all the fishing line was tangled and while I'm patient, I'm not a saint. And I got frustrated with it all after getting one of the lines untangled and still had two to go...so I ripped the lines apart, retied one and just do not have the tiny hands and good view to tie the last one. And I informed, "plant guy" that I hated him for doing that. He felt bad. LOL)

I also have some other plants that I have labels to downstairs but am too lazy to move from my bed right now but will post about them later. And, because someone here said they had a fake plant in with their real plants, I got one fake plastic plant. Bright neon pink. Just for some color. That way, if I don't get to have incredibly colorful fish, I can still have something that pops out and accentuates the fish I do get.

I was going to order the hood and last lamp I need online but what the fish guy told me about the sizing and what the website tells me is not matching. Therefore, I need to double check with him and see if he messed up. If so, I have to return the one lamp I did get and try to get all the right sizes. 

Right now, my water is looking a teeny bit on the cloudy side...not sure why. I have a great filter and I also have an air stone plugged in to an air pump going so the water is definitely not stale and sitting. I have...7 or 8 plants? So that should totally do wonders for the tank. I do need to get driftwood. I looked for some there but I probably looked in the wrong spot. Will have to ask when I go back.


----------



## swolek

SerenityFL said:


> The reason I picked that many for the bottom part is because there's room, for one, someone here, maybe you, said that while corys do tend to dwell near the bottom, they don't always, I know that kuhli loaches and the pleco may not always "appear", (heck, sometimes you don't see a pleco for months!).


That's true as far as viewing goes but the tank can only support so many fish. That's why I recommended considering scratching one of the species off your list. Choosing one of the bottom-dwellers seemed like the natural thing to do but if you like them all maybe consider not doing hatchetfish for now? Since those will be the most problematic out of the species you listed. If you like all of the species equally then just start stocking and see where you end up, just don't go overboard . Which is hard since 99% of people do, ha.



SerenityFL said:


> The tetras I would get in a little school because I think it might actually look neat, even though they are small, in a school. (Small school.)


Sounds like a plan . Tetras basically have to be in schools to thrive.



SerenityFL said:


> The Betta I was considering but after seeing the poor things in the pet store, it made my heart hurt and I want to save at least one from such a miserable life. (Although their bowls WERE very clean. But still...that's like fish jail. Ugh, I can't stand it. Let me save one.)


Yeah, it's really depressing, I agree . What's amazing, too, is the transformation once the fish is in an appropriate environment. A dull, depressed betta colors up and begins flaring and building bubblenests .



SerenityFL said:


> I DO have floating plants! They were some of the first I got. I got three...uh...japanese??? (Don't quote me on this), moss balls. Two are tied to a fishing line with a weight to keep them in place and one just bobs around the tank. (Because "plant guy" put them all in the same bag and by the time I got home, all the fishing line was tangled and while I'm patient, I'm not a saint. And I got frustrated with it all after getting one of the lines untangled and still had two to go...so I ripped the lines apart, retied one and just do not have the tiny hands and good view to tie the last one. And I informed, "plant guy" that I hated him for doing that. He felt bad. LOL)


I meant plants that will stay floating, haha. What you have are Marimo Moss Balls (unless I'm misunderstanding), I have a few as well and they're awesome "plants" (technically algae, sorry, that's the ecology nerd in me). Squishy and cute . The floating one should sink so don't worry about that.

Check out a plant called "Water Sprite". Mine always did amazingly as a floating plant...and it did just as well planted into the substrate or tied to rocks! Very adaptable (the leaves changed shape depending on how it was planted which was neat). The bettas (and killifish) loved it.



SerenityFL said:


> I also have some other plants that I have labels to downstairs but am too lazy to move from my bed right now but will post about them later. And, because someone here said they had a fake plant in with their real plants, I got one fake plastic plant. Bright neon pink. Just for some color. That way, if I don't get to have incredibly colorful fish, I can still have something that pops out and accentuates the fish I do get.
> 
> I was going to order the hood and last lamp I need online but what the fish guy told me about the sizing and what the website tells me is not matching. Therefore, I need to double check with him and see if he messed up. If so, I have to return the one lamp I did get and try to get all the right sizes.


What kind of light fixture do you have?



SerenityFL said:


> Right now, my water is looking a teeny bit on the cloudy side...not sure why. I have a great filter and I also have an air stone plugged in to an air pump going so the water is definitely not stale and sitting. I have...7 or 8 plants? So that should totally do wonders for the tank. I do need to get driftwood. I looked for some there but I probably looked in the wrong spot. Will have to ask when I go back.


That's totally normal during the cycling process. What you're seeing is a bacterial bloom (I'm not sure how much you know about cycling but these bacteria are the beneficial guys who convert ammonia into nitrite). Keep testing the water and don't change anything else.

That air stone might not be so great for a heavily planted tank. I personally avoid them in planted aquariums. The plants and filter will provide all of the oxygenation needed for your chosen species while an air stone might deprive plants of CO2. It all depends on your plants, supplements, etc. though. I think it's OK to use for now, just be prepared to take it out if you want to focus on live plants.

Just as a warning about driftwood...some driftwood in pet stores isn't "cured" yet and may need to be boiled to remove tannins and make it sink. Even if it is cured, soak it for a while to make it waterlogged and remove any tannins still present (I've found that even cured driftwood tends to leach some at first if not washed). Tannins aren't harmful or anything but they will discolor your water and make the pH fall. I purposely kept certain tanks with tannins present (Amazon-themed aquarium and a few betta tanks) but the yellow/brown coloring isn't great for the average display set-up.


----------



## SerenityFL

swolek said:


> That's true as far as viewing goes but the tank can only support so many fish. That's why I recommended considering scratching one of the species off your list. Choosing one of the bottom-dwellers seemed like the natural thing to do but if you like them all maybe consider not doing hatchetfish for now? Since those will be the most problematic out of the species you listed. If you like all of the species equally then just start stocking and see where you end up, just don't go overboard . Which is hard since 99% of people do, ha.


I can see why. But, again, I'm going to add slowly...maybe start with a betta and some corys. (Thinking maybe 4 corys?) And then a school of tetras. From there, I'll just hold off awhile and see how things go no matter how much I want to add more. And, in time, I may discover I don't want those other fish. I don't know...there's so many to choose from.



> Yeah, it's really depressing, I agree . What's amazing, too, is the transformation once the fish is in an appropriate environment. A dull, depressed betta colors up and begins flaring and building bubblenests .


What is a bubble nest?



> I meant plants that will stay floating, haha. What you have are Marimo Moss Balls (unless I'm misunderstanding), I have a few as well and they're awesome "plants" (technically algae, sorry, that's the ecology nerd in me). Squishy and cute . The floating one should sink so don't worry about that.
> 
> Check out a plant called "Water Sprite". Mine always did amazingly as a floating plant...and it did just as well planted into the substrate or tied to rocks! Very adaptable (the leaves changed shape depending on how it was planted which was neat). The bettas (and killifish) loved it.


I don't think I have Marimo balls. I think those are different...albeit slightly, than what I have. I'll have to double check. As for the other plants, I don't have labels for all of them but some of them are:

Rotala Indica
Ludwigia Palustris (Water primrose)
Anubias species (Africa)
I have three of those moss balls that float
I have another that you can tie on to something with black cotton thread and I have a clover looking one, (it's not clover, I just don't know what it's called) and I have one that I got the first time around that is some sort of plant tied to a hoop coral/log looking decoration. The plant grows from the top of that hoop. I forget the names but will write them down when I go back.



> What kind of light fixture do you have?


Right now I have nothing because I'm trying to find the damn hood. The lights would, obviously, go in the hood. Natural light is what the tank gets for now. Once I figure out the right sizes, I will have an OceanSun 10,000 k white bulb as well as the blue bulb. Fish guy told me to get the 36" hood for the 40 gallon tank. He then said the light fixtures, (bulbs), would need to be 22". But, when I look online at that hood size, it tells me to get 30 something inch bulbs. I don't know who is right. I haven't seen the dang hood in person.



> That's totally normal during the cycling process. What you're seeing is a bacterial bloom (I'm not sure how much you know about cycling but these bacteria are the beneficial guys who convert ammonia into nitrite). Keep testing the water and don't change anything else.
> 
> That air stone might not be so great for a heavily planted tank. I personally avoid them in planted aquariums. The plants and filter will provide all of the oxygenation needed for your chosen species while an air stone might deprive plants of CO2. It all depends on your plants, supplements, etc. though. I think it's OK to use for now, just be prepared to take it out if you want to focus on live plants.


I'll keep it in mind. I don't intend to have it heavily planted because I don't want it too overcrowded but we'll see what happens in the future. For now, I'm going to keep the air stone because this is my first time at live plants. I have no idea if I'll be as lucky as I have been in the earth garden outside. (I literally planted, watered once a day for a few weeks, kept the weeds down and hoped for the best. And that stuff is thriving. I don't have a clue what I'm doing but it seems to be working.)



> Just as a warning about driftwood...some driftwood in pet stores isn't "cured" yet and may need to be boiled to remove tannins and make it sink. Even if it is cured, soak it for a while to make it waterlogged and remove any tannins still present (I've found that even cured driftwood tends to leach some at first if not washed). Tannins aren't harmful or anything but they will discolor your water and make the pH fall. I purposely kept certain tanks with tannins present (Amazon-themed aquarium and a few betta tanks) but the yellow/brown coloring isn't great for the average display set-up.


Good to know and I'll definitely soak it when I get one.


----------



## 3Musketeers

A bubble nest is basically a bunch of bubbles bettas blow in the top of the water, males usually make them when they are in breeding condition, but females make them too sometimes, so who knows? Maybe it entertains them. They look like this:











Word of advice if you decide to get George or a clone of him, make sure he can't get stuck anywhere, filter not too close to the tank corner, no tiny holes etc. 
I just had Sunshine get stuck behind my filter while away at my job today, god know how many hours he was stuck there *cry*. And I just started this job too, he never did try to go back there when I was able to monitor him 24/7.


----------



## swolek

Bubblenests are exactly what they sound like, nests made out of bubbles . Bettas and related fish blow them for the eggs to develop in. The males build them.

You picked out some light-loving plants so hopefully you get your lights soon. The Rotala and Ludwigia are going to start fading, they're both sensitive when first planted.

Anubias is always easy. Just remember not to bury its "roots" in the substrate or they may rot, killing the plant.

What is the length of your 40-gallon? They come in a couple of shapes. 36'' is probably right but the bulb length depends on the fixture in question. I would just buy a fixture that fits and then look at the bulbs it comes with.

Is the blue bulb because you like blue lighting? It won't do much for the plants which is why I ask. A couple of your plants need bright lighting. If you like a "dimmer", natural look than stick to low to moderate light plants from now on . Anubias (there are a bunch of varieties), java ferns, most mosses (I love flame moss and java moss is always easy), water sprite, water wisteria, anacharis (can be hit or miss, mine did better when floating), and Amazon sword plants are some that could work. For a low-maintenance planted tank, stick to a few species instead of a ton (since one or two species will just "win") and get species that don't require much supplementation or special substrates. I have a garden, too, that I don't do much with. I also have planted aquariums I don't do much with. They all thrive. BUT I used to keep more "complicated" planted aquariums with a variety of plants, some quite fragile or demanding. Those didn't thrive unless I paid attention to them...I remember having to constantly supplement, prune, trim, etc. I remember having to worry about the lighting (replacing bulbs before they burned out since the quality of the light diminishes long before that happens, needing specific wattages, etc.) and substrate (plain gravel won't work for many of them). After a while I decided that I preferred my nice, simple Walstad tanks with a few hardy species. Interestingly, I'm starting to feel drained in caring for my main reef tank...and I appreciate my simple "no coral over $20" nano-reef a lot more lately. I have a feeling that my main reef tank will end up just as simple, haha.

Then again, who am I kidding? I know deep down that I'll probably end up with something ridiculous like an octopus soon .


----------



## SerenityFL

Finally got my lamp thing and the bulbs today. Apparently there is no hood for the 40 gallon tank, I would have to get a piece of glass. They sell this but then I have to suspend the lamp holder thingie...and, well, that's not going to work. So I guess for now I'm going to have an open top tank. 

Anyway, got it all set up...it's not purple. It's very white light. I have a white and a blue bulb and it's pretty damn white. Not what I was going for. Sigh.

The cloudiness is slowly, (very slowly), starting to dissipate. It got worse for awhile there. I unplugged the air filter/stone for now because about two days ago I noticed a whole crap load of bubbles on the surface of the water. I have no idea what that was all about.

Just waiting for the cloudiness to go away...seems to be taking longer than it should. Am I doing something wrong?

THUS far, (knock on all available wood), the plants are still living. We're working on two weeks and a week...hope this continues.


----------



## swolek

To get purple light you'd need a couple of purple bulbs (yes, they sell those). Half white/half blue will always produce white light BUT you can make it appear more blue by positioning the blue bulb in the front. If you do that, move your light-loving plants to the back since blue light doesn't do much for them. This is all assuming your fixture takes two bulbs. If it takes more, you can mess with the color even more by re-arranging and mixing bulbs . Are these compact fluorescents or regular fluorescents?

They make hoods for 40-gallon aquariums, by the way, but I still don't know your tank dimensions (there are a few possibilities). I would at least get a cover or canopy since some of the fish you want are jumpers. For now it doesn't matter, of course .

You didn't unplug the main filter, though, right? I can't remember what kind of filter you have, is it a hang-on-back? The bubbles were probably just oxygen from the plants or related to metabolism from your bacteria. Hard to say without seeing. It was a good move to unplug the air stone, anyway, as it'll get rid of the CO2 your plants need.

What are your current ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels?


----------



## SerenityFL

swolek said:


> To get purple light you'd need a couple of purple bulbs (yes, they sell those). Half white/half blue will always produce white light BUT you can make it appear more blue by positioning the blue bulb in the front.


A-ha! I have it backwards, then. Also, since they each have their own switch, I turned off the white one tonight before work and it was a bluish...but I was going for something darker. I'll have to look for other colors. In the day, they can have both but at night, they get the blue and then when I get home or before bed, it will be turned off completely.



> If you do that, move your light-loving plants to the back since blue light doesn't do much for them. This is all assuming your fixture takes two bulbs. If it takes more, you can mess with the color even more by re-arranging and mixing bulbs .


It takes two, (to make a thing go riiiiight, it takes two to make it outta sight...oh, sorry...we were talking about fish...)

I think I will look for a purple bulb and do just that; mix them up.



> Are these compact fluorescents or regular fluorescents?


Uh....???



> They make hoods for 40-gallon aquariums, by the way, but I still don't know your tank dimensions (there are a few possibilities). I would at least get a cover or canopy since some of the fish you want are jumpers. For now it doesn't matter, of course .


I would prefer a hood...just have to make sure I get the right size. I think I found one on Amazon. I have the light fixture thing which is 36" and it fits on the tank exactly right. So I'm thinking I need a 36" hood. The glass top I could have got today wouldn't work because my filter hangs over as well as the cords for the heater and the air stone. It would never sit flat. Not sure why this guy tried to sell me that.



> You didn't unplug the main filter, though, right? I can't remember what kind of filter you have, is it a hang-on-back? The bubbles were probably just oxygen from the plants or related to metabolism from your bacteria. Hard to say without seeing. It was a good move to unplug the air stone, anyway, as it'll get rid of the CO2 your plants need.


No, I left the filter on, just turned off the air stone. There were a LOT of bubbles. A. LOT! Pretty much covered the entire surface of the water. Since I'm so afraid I'm going to jack something up, I figured I'd just turn off the air stone for now. Yes, the filter is a "hang-on-back" filter.



> What are your current ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels?


I will have this answer for you tomorrow. Just got home from work.


----------



## swolek

How's the tank going?


----------

