Best fish & aquatic pets according to redditors
We found 14,471 Reddit comments discussing the best fish & aquatic pets. We ranked the 2,936 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 14,471 Reddit comments discussing the best fish & aquatic pets. We ranked the 2,936 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Another betta picture hits /r/all! And no one else has already said it, so I guess it's my turn.
5 gallon is a good size for a Betta. Something like this. If you want any other fish as well, then you need to get a 10 gallon or larger. Just keep in mind Bettas can be picky about tank mates.
Get this:
https://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Python-Aquarium-Maintenance/dp/B000255NXC
​
The tank looks like a 2.5 gal. So here's a list of some inexpensive things you can grab to make him love his new home even more!:
If you get all of these from the links it should run you somewhere around $20.
Bettas really shouldn't be kept in bowls. There is no filtration so they are being poisoned by their poop. There isn't enough water so they cant swim and their waste is more toxic quicker. They are also tropical fish and should have a heater to keep the water around 78F.
I know you are on a budget but I STRONGLY recommend getting a much larger tank. Right now Petco is having a $ per gallon sale so you should pick up a 10 gallon tank (I don't think the 5 gallon qualifies) for $10. Get a good heater (The one thing you shouldn't skimp on...don't want any cooked fish) Also pick up a sponge filter like this and a cheap air pump. If you want some cheap lighting you could do desk lamps with normal light bulbs. This pretty much covers the essentials of what you need to buy. On a side note though if you buy any plants don't buy plastic as they will rip your bettas fins to shreds insted pick up some silk plants.
Also I would recommend reading up on some basic betta care and this quick overview Also read up on the nitrogen cycle and some general information
Side note- you should look into getting your dad a Python aquarium water changer. Hooks up to your faucet and can both empty and fill the tank for you. I got my dad one because he’s got a slipped disk in his back and couldn’t carry his buckets anymore.
Now slowly plant some real plants in the back over time like java ferns and it would look amazing. I love your design. Do you have a heater? If you live somewhere cold you’ll want to get your buddy one of those before the winter comes. https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Submersible-Aquarium-Electronic-Thermostat/dp/B000OQO69Q?keywords=5+gallon+heater&qid=1538425836&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3
I have this one in both my tanks and I like the way it works. If you need any help or advice I’m here. I’m still learning myself but I can try to answer.
Glad you seem so willing and ready to help your betta! Im gonna try to cover everything that you need to help your betta live a happy healthy life in one comment :)
Requirements -
Petsmart sells 5 gallon kits that come with filters and lids! A 25-50watt heater will work for a 5 gallon, preferably adjustable like the 50watt aqueon is common in pet stores and theres a preset heater that would also work the tetra 40 or something i think its 50watt as well
You will also need to cycle your tank! Ill explain that a bit more below and include links.
Fish-in cycling -
Basically the fish-in cycling process consists of 50% water changes daily using Seachem Prime (preferably). Do this until your tank is cycled, which I’ll explain how to know that below.
While cycling, add the beneficial bacteria directly into the filter daily.
A good filter set up is something with low flow, it can be baffled if needed. For filter media (or the guts of the filter) cermaic bio media, aquarium sponge, and filter floss would be great. Don’t replace any of this unless it starts breaking down, then you’ll need to seed new media, but you shouldn’t have to worry about that for a long time.
You’ll need an API Master Test kit, this is an accurate way to know your parameters (such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate). This is more accurate than strips, with test strips its super easy to get an inaccurate reading. The kit also lasts longer so you’ll get your money’s worth. I’ll include a link below to the kit.
When the tank is cycled, you’ll test and find 0 parts per million (ppm) ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, and ‘x’ amount ppm of nitrate. (Dont focus too hard on what parts per million means, its just how this stuff is measured. Nitrates should be kept under 20ppm, they arent as toxic as ammonia or nitrites but can be in large amounts.)
After your tank is cycled, you’ll need to do weekly water changes of 15-25% using a gravel vacuum preferably. Gravel vacuum/siphons allow you to get the dirt out of the gravel easily without needing to take it out. Highly recommend getting one of these! Its a necessity!
• Avoid large water changes, it could offset the balance of your tank. Never rinse the filter media in tap water, that can kill the beneficial bacteria (which I’ll send links to explain that more in a second). To clean the filter inserts aka media, just take them out and swish or squeeze in old tank water till the gunk is out. You’ll probably only need to do this once a month or so.
Links-
Information:
Nitrogen Cycle: https://fishlab.com/nitrogen-cycle/
Fish-In Cycling: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app
My diagram/explanation on the cycle:https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/c8evu4/nitrogen_cycle_art_by_me/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app
Supplies:
API Freshwater Master Test Kit 800-Test Freshwater Aquarium Water master Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cEpvDb8R85Q1K
Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner - Chemical Remover and Detoxifier 100 ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255PFI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_u-kKDbTMV2W8K
Northfin Food Betta Bits 1Mm... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M4Q5DQ4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
This is the best quality pellet I’ve found, here’s why:
• Nutritious, includes whole ingredients
• No fillers, hormones, or artificial pigments
• Packed with proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals
• Floating pellets, roughly 1mm (they float for a bit then drop, my bettas chase them down)
• Easily digestible to promote optimal nutrient absorption
up
(This stuff is advertised by seller, but if you read the labels its all good)
Helpful other supplies:
Seachem Stability Fish Tank Stabilizer - For Freshwater and Marine Aquariums 500 ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002APIIW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_k.kKDbDZMVD4J
(Bacteria in a bottle, it’ll help speed up the cycling process but it is optional)
Gravel Vacuum/Siphon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q97ZPSF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LblKDbFT79MAB
(Of course you don’t need this specific one, I just chose the best seller off Amazon as an example of what to look for. The local pet store should have these for around $10)
How-To Gravel Vac: https://youtu.be/LYv5n0a85OY
UPDATE: March 6, 2016 Sunday
Today I went to the store and grabbed a Fiji bottle. (No I don't endorse it, and think it is a terrible idea to ship water across the world, but it was THE ONLY WATER WITH electrolytes analysts and a PH value, which I replicated in the test).
Okay here is my imgur album for anyone who wants to scrutinize color as I tried used flashlight at different angles to give most accurate light (warning lots of photos): https://imgur.com/a/JzdQ7/all
ORIGINAL POST:
Ah, forgot to mention, I use API test kit: www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI
And here is the public report: www.dcwater.com/news/publications/DC_Water_Annual_WQReport_2015.pdf
EDIT - Thinking with all the Flint Michigan stuff fresh on everyone's mind: who else out there in DC independently from our utility tested the water we drink?
EDIT2 - a redditor suggested trying testing bottled water and posting the results. Some why the comment is now deleted, but I think this is a great idea and will come back with that tomorrow when I buy some bottled water.
Umm.. ok. Unfortunately, if that bowl is Liam’s permanent home, he won’t have the really great life that he deserves. No living fish should be forced to live in such a tiny bowl/tank permanently.
A 5gallon is the recommended minimum tank size to give your new pal the best possible quality of life... You can keep him TEMPORARILY in the bowl but you’ll need to change the water DAILY with fresh dechlorinated water (or pure spring water works too but is a bit more costly) since such a small container is going to foul up fast. Remove any leftover food/waste ASAP as soon as you see it.
A larger tank is going to be more stable and better for the betta in the long run. I really hope you’ll upgrade him sooner rather than later.
Some cheap ones can be had:
https://www.petsmart.com/fish/starter-kits/top-fin-essentials-aquarium-starter-kit-40713.html?cgid=300128 (manually click on and select the 5gal. It’s going for around $31.99 at the time of this comment)
https://www.petsmart.com/fish/starter-kits/top-fin-imagine-aquarium-kit-38988.html?cgid=300128 (be sure to get the 5gal. version currently priced at $25.99 at the time of this comment, DO NOT USE THE DIVIDER, I’m linking you this tank with the intent that you only put one betta in it, 5g for one single betta).
https://www.amazon.com/AquaView-6-5-Gallon-Power-Filter-Lighting/dp/B0182CAHWS
I recommend a sponge filter which isn’t included in those kits but would be gentler/more effective for a betta than those filters included in the tank kits. Also recommended a 25w heater (assuming you go for 5 g tank) with a manual temperature control knob since preset heaters are not accurate.
Once you have the 5g tank, sponge filter, and proper heater, you need to do Fish-in Nitrogen Cycle: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle
Must Have Items for your Nitrogen Cycling process + Additional Info:
https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-116012300-Stability-500ml/dp/B0002APIIW <-- Beneficial Bacteria blend, add 2x-3x the recommended amount of this directly into the filter, filter media, & tank water, especially after a water change. Add the bene-bacteria on a DAILY basis, for up to a week or longer if you like. Don't worry about "overdosing" on Bene-bacteria, the more the better when trying to kickstart a nitrogen cycle.
https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-116043304-Prime-500ml/dp/B00025694O/ <--Best water conditioner, also temporarily binds ammonia into less harmful form.
https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ <--- ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE, VERY IMPORTANT, liquid water parameters test kit. Three main things to check daily or every-other-day: Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Not cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0 Nitrate. Cycling in progress will read some ammonia and/or some nitrite, but little or no nitrate. Fully Cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 5-10 ppm of Nitrate, then when nitrate reaches 15-20 ppm in a cycled tank a water change is necessary to reduce said nitrates.
Other stuff:
Also... try getting NorthFin Betta Bits, they're one of the best pellets with high quality ingredients, little or no fillers, and absolutely no nasty toxic preservatives. My bettas love them so much that they inhale them like it's drugs for a drug addict or something LOL (or exactly like Kirby)! https://www.amazon.com/Northfin-Food-Betta-Pellet-Package/dp/B00M4Q5DQ4/
Beware of overfeeding, which is equally bad for bettas (they are gluttons and would eat till they burst if given the chance) https://i.imgur.com/4RR2LZ9.jpg. (save this pic for reference, feed betta as much as makes his belly match between 1st and 2nd photo, then let him digest back down to a normal belly before feed again.)
Filter - any as long as it have adjustable flow (or else you can make a baffle if the flow is too strong, google about that), or many here recommend a basic Sponge-Filter to have a gentle water output that won't be stressful and push the betta all around the tank (the ones with big fins have a hard time with strong currents in their tank).
Heater - Any heater, following the 5-watt-per-gallon power rating rule, with a manual knob for setting temperature (so for example 5g you want at least 25watt heater), don't go for preset heaters (they're not very accurate). Bettas like 78-80F (25-27C).
Plants - Bettas like to have a lot (like a jungle) of plants to hide in, swim through, explore, play, and rest on. Some beginner live plants that don't require special setups are Marimo Moss balls + Java moss, other live plants may have special requirements in order to thrive. Silk plants (cloth leaves) are fine too if you don't have a green thumb. I do a mixed hybrid tank; silk plants + lots of marimo moss balls + java moss. Make sure if using silk/fake plants that there's no sharp pokey bits, remove and sand them down if there are.
Decor - Bettas appreciate cave-like decor that they can hide in. Make sure there's nothing sharp on the inside of the cave, nor sharp edges or sharp parts outside. Avoid also any smallish openings that a betta can get their head stuck in if they get curious. Another nice decor is the ZooMed Floating Betta Log (for 5g or larger tanks), bettas like hanging out in there.
More info on Betta care & needs: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index
If after reading all this info it seems like more than you can handle, you should try to rehome him on r/aquaswap to a local aquarist with a big planted tank to give him the best life. He’s a living creature and you have to consider his needs as you are responsible for his quality of life. If you want to keep him, then you absolutely have to give him the best care and best environment possible so that he can live a long healthy life (bettas can live 3-5 years and sometimes more if you really treat them well). When there’s a will there’s a way! You can and should do it!
I mean, this is a pretty good deal imo. I don't think you should be dismissing and downvoting this post without doing the proper research. FYI did the math:
17lbs Seiryu rock - $32
Nano 511 Externa Canister Filter - $69
Jardli Glass Lily Pipe inflow and outflow - $49.90
JBJ Rimless 10 gallon - $159.99 cheapest I could find, it's 189.99 at petco
Glass lid - can't find one for 10g so I'd assume custom made $5+
GH & KH Test Kit & API Master Kit-$8.59 + $22.54 = $31.03
Tropica Aquarium Soil 3L - $49.60
5 Gallon Bucket w/ lid - probably like $3-5
Seachem Purigen - 2 packet is $19.49
Cleaning magnet - $5-20
Spider Wood - Depends like $10-25+
Siphon - depends probably $5-10
Test Strips - $5.22
By the way, these are all conservative numbers. The total comes to around $484.31, which is if everything is brand new. Even if some of the products are used, the cost is 52% off the conservative value of all the items in this package. So for the quality of the items here, I don't think it's a bad price at all. Now the question is, which items are new and which items are used?
Welcome to the sub and welcome to the fish-keeping hobby!
First off, I seriously can't thank you enough for being willing to learn and change to help out Draco and keep him healthy. I'm sorry the pet store gave you bad info, they really suck at that and that's why so many fish end up in this kind of situation. Unfortunately most of them don't get caring owners like you who are willing to get the adequate housing after finding out the pet store's recommendation was terrible.
Here's a link to the basic care sheet. Gives a good outline of what you need. Here's a link to the wiki as well. The basics you're going to need:
-A bigger tank (5 gallons is minimum, but 10+ is even better and tbh there isn't much of a price difference at all between a 5 gallon and a 10 gallon tank)
-Water conditioner (Tap water contained chlorine and/or chloramines, which are toxic to fish. New water needs to be treated before it's safe. I recommend Seachem Prime water conditioner, as it's very concentrated and also temporarily detoxifies ammonia which is useful during cycling)
-A lid (Bettas are naturally inclined to jump. Tank kits come with lids, or you can buy one separate like the versa tops, or if money is tight, you can get $2 plastic craft mesh and use that)
-A an adjustable heater (Bettas thrive at temperatures between 78-82 degrees F)
-A thermometer (gotta make sure the heater is doing it's job. Get a glass or digital thermometer, not those "stickers" they sell, as the stickers are super inaccurate)
-A gentle filter (Bettas don't like high current. If you get a hang-on-back style filter, you'll likely need to baffle it. Google "water bottle filter baffle" and you'll find really easy ways to do that. Otherwise sponge filters are a really great option, about as gentle as they come, and super cheap too)
-A water testing kit (You need to be able to test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. Safe values are 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, and 20ppm or less nitrates. Get a liquid testing kit as paper strips are crap)
-Some decor so he doesn't feel too exposed (Avoid plastic plants as they can tear fins. Stick to live or silk. If you're on a budget, clean ceramic mugs make cute little hiding caves! Just make sure there's no soap residue)
After all that, you're also going to want to check out the fish-in cycling guide. Absolutely vital for fish health.
I'm pretty sure that covers everything, feel free to ask any questions you come up with! Good luck and I hope Draco lives a long, happy life with you :)
hiya!
We have a care guide with all the basics, and a wiki with more detailed info.
Here, and here are a couple of guides on cycling. It's a process new fishtanks must go through to make them safe for fish.
For now, regular waterchanges and a heater are most important!
About 20% daily should be fine, make sure the new water is the same temperature as the old water, and to add the conditioner.
Seachem prime is a good conditioner, I'd stay away from the ones marketed towards bettas (they are not that good, and way more expensive).
other useful things you may need, but not asap:
I haven't seen anyone give an extensive, quick, and friendly guide so here's a quick one!
You're going to need a 5.5 gallon in order for him to thrive, otherwise you're gonna have a very unhappy fish who might live but will not be doing good. An aquarium is a tiny ecosystem in an enclosed space, so a .5 gallon gets very toxic, very quickly. It'll hurt his gills, it'll hurt his fins, just everything. The ammonia will buildup quickly and reach very dangerous levels, and although 100% water changes will decrease that, an established bacteria colony (made up of harmless ones) needs to be there for the fish to really be healthy!
When you see a happy and healthy betta, you will never want to go back!
Cheap quick solution for now: Five gallon Rubbermaid from Walmart, this filter, paired with this air pump, and this connector tube. It will run you about $20, and can hold for a while!
Long Term: Buy a 5.5 standalone aquarium tank from Petsmart (only $14.99) and a little pack of gravel, and some live plants of your choice! Check our r/aquaswap for some cheap plants from other Reddit users. Just move over the filter and heater, and you have the perfect set up! There are also some cheap lighting solutions that you can buy to help your plants grow!
Everyone gets tricked in the beginning, but making steps towards helping your betta will enhance his life so much! The whole set up, the filter/air pump/tubing and tank from petsmart, will cost you $27.48 since you've already got the heater!
If your heater is too small, I've got the link to a $6 one (which is $10 less than the cheapest at any pet store I've been to) on amazon that works perfectly and is recommended all the time on this sub.
A good local fish store, a place that specializes in aquariums, is a great ally to have. Related are local small pet stores (no dogs and cats) and local pet stores. The more specialized you go, generally the better you get. There are bad ones - the LSPS and LPS that are very accessible to me are awful. Sick fish in dirty water, dead fish drying up on the floor :'(
I mostly go to Petco because the good LFS is a one hour train ride for me. Mine is well managed: the fish are healthy, the plants are nice, and the department manager has a lot of experience. A chain store may be your best option, and if the fish seem healthy (the water is clean, minimal fin damage, no visible diseases) then go for it. Not all Petco are created the same.
Live plants: You can buy online (/r/aquaswap and /r/PlantedTank are two subreddits for this) or buy in-store. LFSs often have live plants. Petco sometimes has plants - buy the ones in the tanks, not the ones in the tubes. Petsmart only has tube plants, which have to go through an adaptation period after being submerged, and they may not survive that period. Awfully expensive on top of that! You can do a snail dip to clean up your plants before placing them in your tank.
As for tanks... whatever makes you happy. Betta prefer horizontal space to vertical space, but this seems to be a very popular tank on /r/bettafish. Buying tanks online can be a crapshoot; make sure that the price is competitive because often they'll jack it up to make up shipping costs for a large, heavy, fragile item. I suggest you look in person. I've been happy with this one but I would recommend going 5 or even 10 gallons if it's your first swing after you've been out for a while.
They have a betta care sheet at /r/bettafish, and if you search "tank recommendations" you'll turn up a whole slew of what's worked well for others :)
Good luck!
Beautiful fish, but you said the plants were plastic. If you aren't careful bettas might cut their fins on the plastic plants. I highly reccomend some silk plants, or even better, live ones! Live plants really bring the tank alive.
I have a five gallon tank, and I use [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1462643179&amp;sr=8- 12&keywords=betta+fish+heater) heater. You'll want a way to get the temperature like a floating or suction cup thermometer.
I never know if posts like these are troll posts or not. I'm assuming that by having to confidence to post a picture of your fish, you've at least browsed through other people's posts and seen the proper conditions that a betta fish should be kept in.
I'm really hoping that either this is a troll post, or that you just have no idea that the conditions you've kept your fish in are borderline inhumane. :/ He has horrible fin rot, and is missing the whole top part of his fins. Before you come back with "but he's been with us for FOUR years, he must be okay!" I can keep a dog in a closet for years with food and water and he'd probably live a long time too. Ever heard about that woman who was kidnapped and kept in confinement for 18 years? A being's conditions won't kill them immediately, but the stresses of their environments will cause them to lead miserable lives.
In case you care about him, he needs a few (super, SUPER easy) things.
The total cost of getting your friend an ideal setup is about $53. You'll notice a huge difference in the behavior of your betta, and he'll be much happier. I can't stress this enough; he is not happy, and your friend of 4 years deserves better. This post was NOT made in anger, but rather in concern for you and your fish. Please take this advice, and remember to cycle the tank!
It sounds like Swim Bladder Disorder, which, while alarming to see, is actually not life threatening in most cases. He will most likely heal on his own in time, if you give him a good suitable environment for him.
I recommend Seachem Prime as a water conditioner, it's the board favourite around here and the good thing about it is that it converts ammonia (produced from fish waste and anything else decomposing in the tank, is toxic to fish) into a harmless form for 24 hours. Since you do not have the Nitrogen cycle established in your tank, this property will be very useful in keeping your fish comfortable while the cycle gets started.
If you don't know what it is yet, please read this article about the Nitrogen Cycle and then this guide to Fish-in Cycling. This is not optional information in fishkeeping!
By the way, those fake plants you have--bettas have very delicate fins that are easily torn on the typical plastic aquarium plant; here we have something that's referred to as the "pantyhose test", which is basically what it sounds like--stretch a pair of pantyhose over your fingers, and run it over any tank decorations you have. If the decorations snag the pantyhose, they are rough/sharp enough to tear a betta's fins. For this reason, silk fabric plants are recommended for betta tanks over plastic plants. Make sure any hides you have for him don't have any holes small enough that he'd get stuck (I learned this one the hard way), bettas are curious fish and like to stick their heads in everything.
I posted this list of affordable but good tank supplies for someone else yesterday, so here you go:
Here is a list of affordable supplies:
Aqueon Quietflow Filter, $14. I replaced the filter cartridges inside this unit with ceramic filter media (gives nitrifying good bacteria a place to grow for biological filtration) and Seachem Purigen (absorbs organic waste) along with a good chunk of filter floss (way cheaper than buying filter pads) to make it more effective, but it's not strictly necessary if you're on a budget.
Hydor Theo Submersible Glass Heater, $20. This is my favourite heater, I've set up five tanks so far using this model. It heats up well, holds the temperature steady automatically, and it's adjustable, so if you ever need to turn up the temperature (sometimes needed to treat illness), you're all set.
Seachem Prime, $5
API Master Testing Kit, $19. This is extremely helpful to have when setting up your tank, so you can test the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your water. All three are toxic to fish in high quantities, in order of most to least bad.
If your betta is sulky or a picky eater, you can try tempting him with freeze-dried bloodworms (but feed very little, as they expand when they get wet and are super fattening) or soaking his pellets in garlic juice.
Edit: Also, yeah, do not feed him "generic" fish pellets. Bettas are carnivores and need to be fed as such. I suggest Hikari Bio-Gold betta pellets.
I was in your shoes not too long ago, it's overwhelming! Here's a list of things that I bought, but I am not an expert so if others have better input go for that:
Equipment
Shop for whatever is cheaper, I have a huge heater because I had an extra one from before. I've read that it's not necessary but also have read that if you want them to breed you need to stimulate warm water. For now, I keep the heater off and leave it at room temperature of 72F. They seem very happy! Most important in my opinion, add plenty of plants and a marimo ball or 2.
Lastly, I'm unsure of the siphon, I think it's good to have a bucket and siphon just in case your water parameters are looking bad so you are prepared to do a water change. From what I read, shrimp have a very low bio load and should be able to sustain themselves. Make sure to do tests regularly.
EDIT I just read that this is your first aquarium, so here is a detailed write up:
Setting up your tank
After your tank has cycled
Please don't skip the important step of acclimating your shrimp! They are very sensitive to water changes and this ensures that they will survive.
Here are my water parameters, people have all kinds of ranges but this is what works for me:
I hope this helps... again, I was in your shoes not too long ago, it was really overwhelming. But after a lot of research I think my tank is in a good place :). Other users, if there's anything in my list that seems incorrect please let me know!
Welcome to the sub! There is lots of misinformation out there about betta care and I'm going to help you set things straight.
Bettas are tropical fish and require three things:
Filter
Heater to keep the tank at 78-80 degrees
2.5 gallon (absolute minimum) or larger tank (5 gallon is strongly recommended)
Once you meet these requirements you have a better chance of saving your fishy friend.
If you haven't already take the time to read the care sheet. It's full of info to get you started on the right path. Also check out the nitrogen cycle. This will help you keep track of the health of your tank. You're going to need a water test kit to do this. Fish keeping is more about keeping water than fish.
I'd be delighted to answer any and all questions you have about anything.
For the moment you need to get him into a bigger container and do more frequent water changes. It's possible he's suffering from ammonia poising. He appears quite swollen, it could be that he is bloated. How often and what do you feed him?
I use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit (Amazon link).
Congrats on the new fish! Bettas are my favorite fish, they're active and have a lot of personality, and they're very curious. I know you're starting off, but here's some info I hope will help :)
Bettas do best with a heater, between 75-79F / 23-26C, it helps them prevent illness and it keeps them active. I might consider upgrading him to a small tank you can put a heater and maybe a filter in, he'll be very active and fun to watch. I use this little filter for healing tanks if you're looking for a simple little filter.
Also, if you've heard or read anything along the lines of "bettas can live in vases by eating the plant roots" this is a lie - bettas are obligate carnivores, they only eat plants out of desperation when they're starving, and it can't sustain them. Make sure you have betta pellets, or freeze dried brine shrimp or blood worms :)
Make sure he always has access to the surface - bettas are anabantoids, or labyrinth fish, which means they need to breathe air from the surface. They can actually drown if they can't access the air, I've heard of this happening in vases where the plant blocked surface air access.
https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-20-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FVG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504219125&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=aquaclear+20
PetSmart has a 5 gallon kit on sale right now. All you would need is a heater.
I also recommend getting the API test kit and Seachem Prime for dechlorinating the water. Some silk or live plants would be good too. Take a look around the subreddit over the next week or so to see what else you should get. But the tank, test kit, and prime are pretty essential imo!
Welcome to the wonderful world of Betta fishkeeping! 🐟
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.
HOLY CRAP.
Okay, I'm going to save you from a dead fish here, alright?
Water contains a few chemicals for treatment to make it safe for us to drink, one of them is chlorine, in that same family...there is also chloramine.
These burn the hell out of fish's gills. Its dangerous.
Get yourself a bottle of seachem prime. Its a dechlorinator. This will make it safe your fish to even exist in the water.
Second, read about fishless cycling
Since it sounds like you're getting the betta soon. You can read about fish in cycling
You can use that handy dandy bottle of seachem prime dechlorinator to also detoxify ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate for about 48 hours per dose. ONLY PRIME DOES THIS, not any other dechlorinators.
You see, filters on fishtanks contain a happy little bacteria colony that takes fish waste (Ammonia) turns it into a harmful nitrite, then turns it into relatively harmless nitrate. It keeps your fish stress free and also, if those toxin levels get to high--it kills them/ or makes them susceptible to disease. You can check the levels with this test kit
Bettas enjoy low flow in their fishtanks because they aren't the strongest of swimmers. I recommend a sponge filter. They also like their tank between 78-80 degrees. So a good heater is a MUST.
It's very kind of you to not just let him die! If you get him spiffed up you may be able to find someone who likes fish to take him in, so you don't end up feeling burdened...
but in the meanwhile, there is some basic stuff you can do. If your measurements are correct, then he's probably in a 2 1/2 or 3 gallon aquarium, which while not the best, will certainly suffice. This means the main things you'll need are a filter and a heater.
It would also be nice if you got him some stuff to hide in, so he doesn't stress. They make aquarium decorations, but a clean, well rinsed ceramic coffee mug or unpainted terra cotta planter will do the trick for cheap.
By the way, can you post the name of the water conditioner that you found in the tube? It will help me be able to figure out if it's a dechlorinator or not, which is the most important thing.
Also, does the tank have a lid? Bettas will jump out of water, especially if the water quality is bad.
Anyway, there is plenty of inexpsensive, decent equipment for a tank that size:
I personally happen to like this filter for a tank that size, and it's very easy to install/maintain.
Here's a nice little heater that's worked very well for me. You'd want to maintain his water between 75 and 80 degrees, so it's always a good idea to have a thermometer to make sure the heater is doing its job properly.
From there, maintenance is pretty easy. Feed him just 3 or so of those little food pebbles a day, and once a week give him some of the bloodworms for variety. The main thing is to not overfeed, because they have very small tummies.
Once a week, change out about 25% of his water, and rinse out your filter pads with old aquarium water if they need it. They make little syphons especially for this, because the suction they create helps you vacuum poo out of the substrate.
A great air pump is $4.19 right now:
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-77851-Whisper-Pump-10-Gallon/dp/B0009YJ4N6/
Thanks to /u/happuning for pointing that out to me!
The two biggest challenges with all-in-one setups for shrimp is light (not enough) and waterflow (too much.) Shrimp really require live plants to thrive, and those plants need enough light to grow. It's hard to judge from pictures, but that tank's light seems like it MIGHT be adequate for low light plants. Shrimp also require very low waterflow. High waterflow will blow them around (they're tiny and light swimmers compared to fish) and they will easily get sucked onto the intakes of most filters. The tank you linked would need some modifications to be suitable for shrimp: at the very least it will need sponges or pantyhose covering the inlet and outlets, and the flow will need to be turned down to the lowest setting, probably.
So, it might work. But if you're interested in shrimp specifically, you might as well spend a small amount extra and build a custom setup that is tailored to them. You'd need:
I think all of that will run you roughly $75, give or take. Obviously, more expensive than the all-in-one, but it would result in a tank that would be easier for a beginner to succeed with.
You'll also need to get some non-equipment essentials, like subtrate for planting in, a test-kit for monitoring your water, and obviously food, and a petri dish for feeding is highly recommended.
Then you can get into plants and stuff. Whew! Sounds like a lot, I guess. It is, but it's worth it, and shrimp are definitely a good place to jump into aquariums.
You're gonna likely want one of these, there are a few different kinds to choose from beyond this. Hell, you could even make your own. But it will make your life much easier.
http://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Python-Aquarium-Maintenance/dp/B000255NXC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405905674&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=aquarium+water+change
Step one is to learn and understand the nitrogen cycle! Having its gills burned away by ammonia is a horrific and agonizing, torturous death for a fish. Processing the ammonia out of the water is a vital necessity, not an option.
Purchase a master test kit, and learn how to read and interpret the results. I have taught children how to do this, it should be a breeze for you. Don't be intimidated by the numbers, it is simply a matter of making the numbers from the test match what your fish need to thrive.
Plan ahead! The more planning you do while the tank is dry, the better. It is far easier to erase a line from your notepad than to rip out a substrate you hate and replace it. It's easy to let impatience get in the way and to charge forward, but that will lead to mistakes. Too many mistakes will discourage you and may push you out of the hobby, and I want you to be a lifelong fishkeeper.
YouTube, hobbyist websites, and /r/Aquariums of course, are all good sources of information. Use them. There are a lot of good people right here who will jump in to answer any question you have moving forward.
I envy you. Setting up my first tank was an amazing experience, and I wish I could feel it again. I wish you the best of luck, OP.
It would certainly be easier to answer "What did you already know" before you started this. Nothing.
This list will inevitably be incomplete but here goes:
And probably another 1000 things.
If you can get it, seachem prime will help heaps because it will neutralise ammonia for 24 hours and its one of the best water conditioners out there, also a master test kit will help you know how much ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph. If you do get the master test kit try and keep ammonia under 0.25ppm (parts per million)
I'm sorry, this all sounds very stressful. :(
Just as a heads up, your tank is overstocked. Those inhabitants would be okay in a 10+ gallon tank, but it's a heavy bioload for a 5 gallon. Also keep an eye on the guppies with the betta. Sometimes they don't get along. 5g is generally too small for a betta and other fish, and apple (Inca) snails can get very large and produce a lot of waste. You should definitely consider upgrading your tank size. I would be concerned with the amount of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate in the water. Pick up a liquid (not paper) water testing kit when you get a new heater if you don't have one already.
Moving the heater next to their tank while you're gone and hoping for the best is all you can really do in this situation. Because it's so cold where you live, getting a higher wattage of adjustable heater might be okay for you. (100 watts is good for a 10 gallon tank.) Can your husband get a new aquarium heater for you? If he can't get to a store maybe you can order one online with express shipping and ask him to install it.
This test kit is pretty much a staple of the hobby.
Without some frequent water changes, expect a lot of those fish to die. Get yourself a water testing kit ASAP (like this one) and monitor the heck out of those water parameters. Those that do a fish-in cycle usually only do so with 2 - 3 fish. It can take a month or more for a tank to fully cycle, and in that time you will have ammonia spikes, nitrate spikes, and nitrite spikes -- all of which are harmful to fish and must be managed apropriately (generally, with water changes). Having live plants will work in your favor, but it will not erase all the effects of cycling a tank. The shrimp may or may not survive.
You also seem to have some high-maintenance plants in your tank (such as the dwarf hairgrass). Unless you have high enough light, fertilizer, and possibly CO2 (it may grow without, but I doubt it will thrive), this plant will most likely die. You also may want to rethink your DIY filter -- Bubbling items are not usually recommended in an aquarium with live plants since it helps disperse CO2 instead of letting the plants use it.
Make sure you have a good water conditioner on hand, as well.
Before you continue any further with aquariums and fish-keeping as a hobby, I definitely recommend you visit the "Helpful Links" section of the sidebar and read most of the things there; the e-book, the guide to aquariums, fishless tank cycling (even though you're cycling with fish, it will educate you about what your tank is going through), lighting guide, and stocking levels are a good place to start.
right here. Python No Spill Water Changer. attaches to your faucet. pulls the water out of the tank into the sink and then sends water back into the tank to refill what you've removed.
Hey all
Thanks to this sub and after a ton of research here and elsewhere, I finally got my first planted/aquascaped tank set up. This is an update to my hardscape post HERE
You’ll notice that I got a different rimless tank. I wasn’t happy with the number of stocking options a 5g tank was going to limit me to, so I found a slightly larger (and $$$) option. Also, now I’ve got an extra tank laying >:) I’m super stoked with how it turned out but I might setup CO2 in the future to get it to really pop. I’ll put specs for the tank below since I always find that helpful from other posters. Almost everything was bought through Amazon (since North America sucks for aquascaping materials):
Tank: Landen 10.7 Gallon Rimless
Light: Fluval Planted 3.0 Nano LED (Petsmart purchase)
Filter: Penn Plax Cascade 500
Lily Pipes: JARDLI Glass Lily Pipe
Heater: Tetra Submersible Heater 50W
Substrate: Fluval Stratum (Petco purchase)
Inert Substrate: Carib Sea ACS05839 Super Natural
Some kind of rock from my LFS, spider wood
Ferts:
Seachem Excel: .75ml every morning before the lights come on / Seachem Flourish: .75 ml twice a week
8 hours of light/day
Plants (sorry, I don’t know Latin names, and I’m lazy):
Java Fern, Anubias (of varying kinds), Java Moss, Christmas Moss, Dwarf Hair Grass, Micro Chain Sword, Crypts, Subulata (?) (the tall grassy one in the back right)
Livestock:
1 Dwarf Gourami, 5 Ember Tetras, 1 Otocinclus, 2 Ghost Shrimp (if they haven’t gotten eaten yet)
Buy a sponge filter for your tank when/if you get another betta.
I use this one with the tetra brand air pump in my ten gallon and I am very happy with the results.
I recommend this bad boy:
https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hydor+theo&qid=1566856882&s=gateway&sr=8-1
&#x200B;
Heating such a small tank is difficult and you run a lot of risk of over-heating using heaters that aren't adjustable and/or don't have thermostats. This little one should be small enough to fit in the tank, is a reliable good brand, and with the flexibility of being able to adjust accordingly you should be able to get better, more consistent heating. Just make sure you're carefully monitoring the temperature with a reliable thermometer and checking it periodically throughout the day to make sure your heater is working correctly and you have it on just the right setting!
Also get ready for comments about decor, filtration, and upgrading. The recommended minimum on this sub is 5 gallons. I won't get onto you for the size, though if you plan on keeping this tank as his permanent home you will want to consider a few more live plants, popping in a sponge filter, and reading up on the nitrogen cycle if you haven't already. Small tanks like this are tricky and require a lot of upkeep, but it is doable with the right equipment, lots of live plants, and enough knowledge......though if you're a less experienced aquarist you may want to consider an upgrade to something easier to cycle and manage for yourself. Good luck!
Hey there!
Since space is a concern, I'd highly recommend starting with a fish who prefers to live alone. The humble betta fish is very hardy.
You could get away with a three gallon tank, but your fish would be much happier in something with 5 gallons. The 5 gallon cube tanks do not take up much space and would be perfect! There's actually some concern within the hobby that bowls may stress fish out because of the shape, so it's not just a size thing.
I would not count on an external radiator to keep your fish comfortable. a 25-50 watt heater isn't terribly expensive and would do a much better job of keeping it consistent. Fish are cold-blooded animals, and sudden swings in temperature that we might not even notice because our bodies regulate our temperature internally could be lethal to your finned friend.
So. I'd recommend starting with a 5 gallon aquarium This one is a little pricy but it comes with a light and a filter, so all you'd need is the heater and whatever you want to decorate the tank with. You will also need a good water conditioner. I like Seachem Prime.
Look up the nitrogen cycle. I would highly recommend cycling your tank before the fish goes in. If you do fish-out cycling, you could realistically get it done in about a month, especially if you use a substrate like Eco Earth.
Lastly, give your fish friend some places to hide. And plants! Easy live plants to keep are anubias and swords, and they will help keep your water tidy in between changes.
It’s a api test kit I got it from amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PojVCbZ7VC1T5
I just bought a 17 gallon tank Fire Aqua and a Fluval Light. The fluval light is the new bluetooth one and looks amazing. You can choose the sunrise, and sunset with your phone which automates things for you.
Here's some advice. Rocks, substrate, tools, plants, and wood is expensive. So don't be surprised at a hefty bill when you get what you want. Do some research on how much substrate you can put in the tank. I wasn't sure how thick I was able to lay it at the bottom, and I don't think I did enough. Research how you can give the tank more depth by adding height in certain areas and proper ways to do that. (Maybe lay down big rocks firs then add substrate over top) to create a mound.
Get a complete testing kit. I forgot to get one and I'm waiting for it to come in the mail. Also some ammonia to start your tank cycle when it starts to get cloudy. Info here.
Depends really what your budget is. My light costed more than the tank itself, and all the other stuff doesn't come cheap. Especially plants and decor.
Let me know if you have more questions.
http://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Python-Aquarium-Maintenance/dp/B000255NXC
That is most likely a snowball pleco, which are nice little guys that are pretty hardy, good omnivores, and get to be about 4-6 inches. There are quite a few babies like this currently available in my LFSs, and I have a few that have done quite well in a community tank.
I agree with the other commenters that you are getting an ammonia/nitrite/nitrate spike from the addition of new fish. I recommend Seachem products to help (not affiliated, just long-time freshwater and saltwater tank hobbyist). First, use Seachem Prime as a water conditioner to help - after doing a water change. Your tank will need to do a mini-cycle to recalibrate the bacterial load for the addition of new fish. You will likely need to do frequent water changes until the cycle ends. Test with something like API master test kit to track the rise and fall of ammonia/nitrites/nitrates. Ammonia and nitrite spikes kill fish very quickly, while high nitrates shorten the lifespans of the fish by more slowly harming their organs (regular water changes help keep nitrates down long term). Add a bubbler to the tank to help with the stress by making sure there's not additional stress from low O2. For the fin rot, clean water can cure it. You likely will need to treat the fish as well with something stronger. Seachem makes paraguard, which I use all the time for quarantine and mildly ill fish. You can add an antibiotic like Seachem kanaplex to ParaGuard or treat separately with kanaplex to help with fin rot. Both medications work by being added to the water (rather than feeding to the fish). The best thing about Seachem products is that they affect the pH much less than any other products I have tried. Note the additional oxygen is usually necessary when treating with medications. Seachem Stress Guard can also help transition fish to a new tank. All these products are available on Amazon and usually are at Petco/Petsmart/LFS.
For future fish additions, I recommend 1) adding only 1-2 fish at a time to limit the cycling problem and 2) QUARANTINE your new fish, so you can treat any diseases they may have before adding them to your community tank. Even a small tank with just a bubbler can work as a quarantine for a small fish for a couple weeks, and can be a literal lifesaver for your other fish.
Also - there are a lot of great online communities for different types of fish that you can check out to learn more about these things. For plecos, start with this one. :) Good luck with your new guy!
It's 19.99 on Amazon too!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_JhiSybTCDQNKH
I'm getting him this for his birthday :) Along with some tankmate friends.
for an office aquarium i would suggest finding a 5 gallon tank of any shape you like. how about this one. then you can aquascape it in any manner you like. you can put killifish of your liking or a betta. or you can have a shrimp only aquarium with different colors of shrimp.
Hey Phantomsgf! I also have a fluval tank and man those filters are strong! I hunted around for ages and I found a really easy, really cheap solution: buy a pre-filter sponge and pop it onto the filter output. Make sure, of course, that the filter motor is at the lowest setting, but even that is too strong for a betta. You really need the sponge.
If you're having trouble with the filter intake, which are the vertical cuts in the plastic, I guess you could put some mesh over it to, again, slow down the flow. I don't have my betta yet so I'm not sure if this will be a problem.
You might also want to get a thermometer and verify your water's temperature. If it's always about 100 degrees inside your house, even at night, then yes, I'd believe that the water is warm enough for your little guy. But it has to be really really really hot to keep a fish tank at 80 degrees.
As for cycling, you're basically going to have to do a lot of water changes really often. My instinct, which is amateur, says to do 50% a day every day. I also learned from experience that you should let water sit for a while to warm up before putting it in the tank or the temperature drops like crazy.
You can check out products like this that claim to add the bacteria to your tank that eat fish waste. Do they work or is it a myth? I don't know. But for tiny tiny tanks like the fluval you have, you will definitely need a water dropper that can measure a tenth of a millimeter to put this stuff in your tank.
Anyway. Those are my tips. And when you do get a heater, you can fit it where the filter output plastic tube is! So cool!
Oh: look at this leaf. So cute.
5.5 gallon tank from petco - 12 dollars (or if you can go today 10 gallon for 10 dollars plus tax)
Heater - 12 to 15 dollars (I like this one but there is also this one here)
Filter - 13 dollars to 25 dollars (It may need baffled or This one though it's a bit more expensive but I prefer it just remember a filter is just something to push water through it. Also can look into sponge filters)
Substrate - 0 for bare bottom or 10 dollars for some cheap sand at petco This sand to be exact.
Light - 42 dollars This is what I'd buy but you can find cheaper or just do grow lights in little plug ins
I'd keep at least 30 for plants but you can get some cheaper live plants or maybe find some cuttings for free.
Total is 47 dollars for a proper set up not including plants since I don't know what you can do in your area. With my over priced light for your set up it's 89
I bought these that fit on my aquaclears..http://smile.amazon.com/Pre-Filter-Sponge-Pack-Fluval-Aquarium/dp/B004K9A15G/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1425919054&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=fluval+prefilter. They work well and I always catch my shrimp eating off them.
Buy tank separately, filters, heaters, and lights that come with tanks tend to be low quality so buy separately. I'd say go with 10 gallon for two reasons.
I buy all my supplies on amazon cause i have prime and it's cheaper, i'm a college student so cheapness is everything. This is a good cheap filter and this is a good heater i also recommend a digital thermostat cause it's easier to read the temp rather than squinting your eyes to see the tab thermostats.
I run 4 aquariums in my house and have grown indoor for a couple of years. My tanks are 80,55,15,10 gallon. I use a lot of water for those and for my plants. I use this and this for dechlor my fish water. I also use the same treated tap water for my plants. I have noticed no difference in my plants.
Necessities
api liquid test kit
sponge filter
airline tubing for sponge filter
air pump for sponge filter
thermometer
fluval spec v kit. Comes with filter, decent light that can grow some lowlight plants, idk what else but I hear it's pretty good, I would look around on other sites to find it cheaper
dechlorinator if you don't already have it
heater, I happen to live somewhere where the temperature of my tank floats right in the bettas range, but if this isn't the case for you then you'll need a heater
You'll need something for a lid, can't find anything on amazon but you have a few options: going to a petstore and looking for a 5 gallon lid, going to other websites to look, or making a DIY lid, which can be done with greenhouse panels, or even wood if you don't mind cutting.
Substrate is optional, but if you want it you can either get pool filter sand, which you can find at your local Home Depot or lowes (assuming you're in the US), you'll have to rinse it first but it's really cheap, $8 for 50lb which is more than enough.
I would buy the tank in person at a store or on some site like Craigslist where you can find used tanks for cheap
Also, don't forget to cycle your tank, if you don't know what that is I would do some research on it, it's possibly the most important thing in keeping any aquatic creature
Off the top of my head, will continue to edit to add stuff
marineland portrait I got it on amazon for 50$ last year. It’s 77$ now, I believe petco has it on their website for cheaper
We recently got this 5 gallon tank for our betta. It’s portrait style so the footprint is smaller and doesn’t take up much space.
MarineLand 5 gallon aquarium
Sure! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0191EWII2
It’s a Hydor 25W. I’ve got no problems keeping it at 78F. I keep my house at 70F in the winter and it’s been fine.
Hydor 25W Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_JouwGeQvRRrUk
Depends on how much you can spend, but I really like this tank for a 3gallon tank. It's attractive, reasonably priced, real glass, and it comes with the filter and a light that is strong enough to grow the lower light easy plants that are popular in betta tanks (anubias, java fern/moss, marimo balls, whatever)
You will also need a heater, unless you live somewhere where the ambient temp where you keep the tank is going to be in the mid to high 70s year round. It is kind of tough to heat a tank as small as 3gallons without overheating, but I have had really good luck with this heater. Its the smallest heater with a thermostat ive found, so it will turn itself off when it reaches the desired temp. Bettas are tropical fish and will do best with their water around 78 to 80 degrees.
Easiest way to change the water is going to be buying a siphon, or just a ~3' long piece of fountain tubing from the hardware store, and using it as a siphon, and then pouring clean, treated water back in with.. whatever thing you wanna use to pour water in your tank :P
A 40 gallon will be much better than a 5 gallon. Be sure to put a good filter on it. (I would choose an Aquaclear 70 if your mom isn't bringing you a filter). It will give you a lot more wiggle room since they won't get to be 12 inches overnight! People do budget stands made from cinderblocks all the time, if you're not getting a stand. I'd stick to bare bottom if you are on the budget. It's cheaper, safer, and easier to clean than any substrate would be. You can buy some cheap peel-off paint and paint the outside of the tank black and do something like this and it will look pretty luxe for not a whole lot of cash. (I would skip the live plants and do driftwood myself, since my goldfish seriously chow down on any plant life in the tank.).
For now, I would do daily 50% water changes. Drain half the water with a gravel vac like this. Add your dechlorinator (again, SeaChem Prime is the best choice, especially in a too-small tank). Add in water that is the same temperature. If you absolutely can't do a thermometer, feel the water and make sure you cannot feel ANY difference. Not perfect, but it shouldn't kill your fish. I would still strongly encourage you to buy a water test kit, since you will be doing something called fish-in cycling. The toxic ammonia and nitrite are not immediately visible, but can cause serious damage to your fish. You want your parameters to be 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, less than 20ppm nitrate. Yours are not going to be that, and testing your water is the only reliable way to know when to do a water change, and how serious things are. The best of the reasonably priced is API Freshwater Master, which is usually around $20 on Amazon.
Unfortunately, I wish that the practice of giving away goldfish (or any live animals) as prizes was illegal, since I agree that it is absolutely not fair to you to ask you to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a hobby that you didn't intentionally choose and didn't know anything about until someone gave you a life to care for, and it's certainly not fair to the fish to send them home with people who are not prepared for them! I'm glad you are working on providing a better home for your fish.
P.S. I'm always happy to talk about goldfish, so you are welcome to PM me in the future if you have more questions!
Craigslist is your friend.
So is making a lot of the things yourself. (diy!)
For a start, here's a good site for making your own stand.
Discus are not really a good starter aquarist fish..... They need pristine water conditions and a very exact pH. I don't entirely recommend that particular fish for you at this time. But if you do decide on them, good luck. They are a lot of hard work, but can be a very rewarding fish.
Seriously, if you have the skills, make your own filter. It's possible, and fucktons cheaper than anything you're going to get new. Your best bet for filters would be to make/buy a canister filter or to make a sump for your tank. Protip for sumps: Build your tank stand around the design of your sump. You'll save yourself a lot of heartache in the long run.
I can tell you, for buying a brand new 75 gallon tank and everything that I needed for it, was over 1200$. And that wasn't even with super awesome filters, which is what you're going to need. (Although I love the ones I have, they just wouldn't cut it for Discus.) So yes, you're going to want to seriously craigslist for the things you want, or make them yourself. You'll get the most bang for your buck that way, I promise. So yes, realistically and for what you want, you're going to need to buy used and make everything else yourself. Especially with your budget, and the fact that you just can't get the Discus fish themselves cheaply. If you make everything, they could potentially be the most expensive part of your setup.
Please switch to chemical testings for your water parameters. The test strips are not nearly as accurate, and you'll want to know exactly what's up with your water if you really want those Discus. For the most part, this is the best kit you can get. You'll thank me in the long run.
For 4 Discus and friends, you're going to need AT LEAST a 55 gallon aquarium, and even then, I think that's too small. I've never actually had them though, but be warned. It will be a large tank.
If you want to plant the tank (Do Discus tear up plants? That one I don't know.) you're going to want to go with the Walstad Method. You'll get the best plant growth, for the least amount of work. And the cheapest. AND you might even be able to skip out entirely on CO2 dosing. If you do want to CO2 dose, there are a billion ways to make a reactor thingy from scratch, and could potentially cost you less than 10$. The only problem with those though, is unless you built one into the system, you don't entirely have a way to perfectly and minutely adjust your control, and you don't want to blow out your tank. CO2 reactors are also not cheap, but if you want to buy one, this is apparently one of the best you can get.
You could always start collecting and building all the pieces your going to need, but since you're moving so soon (and because you're going to want to completely cycle your tank before fish, seriously, picky Discus) you most likely better off waiting until after you move to set it up. Like I said though, might as well start making and collecting the pieces for it now.
Hopefully, I think I've covered all your questions. If not, feel free to ask. :)
What?
You mean pumps? Yes there are pumps that can lift water into your aquarium...
That being said, the Python water changer is a highly popular product for simplifying water changes.. Just run a mix of warm/cold water into the tank when you top up.
Doesn't have to be exactly the same temp, so long as the tank isn't swinging around wildly in temperature.. A few degrees either way is OK...
Well, then you'll love this even more.
Ever tried one of these out? They make water changes way easier
if you want to keep track of parameters get this. https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI as for filtration i would just get a super small sponge filter to use in place of your airstone like this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DT1XXJW/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp_3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_p=3171424582&amp;pd_rd_wg=YSSS6&amp;pf_rd_r=SP3Q161R7EV6JCMT1THS&amp;pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&amp;pf_rd_t=301&amp;pd_rd_i=B00DT1XXJW&amp;pd_rd_w=rOp3K&amp;pf_rd_i=mini+aquarium+sponge+filter&amp;pd_rd_r=68WZ029GH257ZD7YAPA0&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504099606&amp;sr=3 you can tuck it back on the corner and the shrimp will absolutely love to feed on it. just make sure your tank is cycled before adding any shrimp to it.
Too small for a bristlenose, and you want 6 neons (this tank is too small for them as well). I don't know much about kuhli loaches, but this is probably a tight fit for them too.
This is also a very, very heavy stocking for a 13.7 gallon aquarium. As this is your first tank, I highly suggest going for a small stock and getting a feel for it - solving problems with a low bioload is much easier, and will give you much needed practice for when things occur down the road.
I would recommend that you get solely a male betta for now. Your decor choice is good, and I applaud you for going with sand over gravel. It's much better, objectively.
If you can find them at your local fish store (LFS), pick up some Malaysian trumpet snails (MTS). They'll aerate the substrate and cycle waste into the sand, as well as eat uneaten food and decaying plant matter.
In terms of filtration, you could probably get away with an air pump and a sponge. If you have a fair chunk of money to dedicate to this aquarium, my filter of choice for tanks under 15 gallons is the ZooMed 501. If that is outside of your budget, an AquaClear 20 would be great. I would have the outflow disperse over your driftwood to avoid churning up your sand. If you need creative ideas, feel free to post here again and we can help you figure something out. The primary advantage of the canister is that it is dead silent, and comes with a spray bar which greatly helps to disperse the flow (bettas do not appreciate lots of flow in their environment).
I would do your damnedest to keep the tank out of sunlight, as this will contribute to rampant algae problems. It should have a dedicated light. You can purchase a clamp light and 6500K CFL bulb from home depot for about $15 total. Very wise investment, and this allows you to grow plants!
You need to keep the tank (for a Betta) at 78-80F. If your ambient temperature is not this, you will require a heater. My personal favourite heater for small aquariums are manufactured by Hydor. Aim for 50W for the set up. Here is a link to one.
There is a very good link regarding cycling in the sidebar. It can be found here.
While I do not know your water's composition, I would still recommend treating it with SeaChem Prime. This helps out with some heavy metals as well. While I am not sure if it will benefit you, it is fairly cheap and you'll get a ton of uses out of it for the cost. Hopefully someone with a similar water source to yours will chime in, as I myself am on municipal supply and must dechlorinate my water.
Earlier when I mentioned lighting, I mentioned plants. These are a great addition to your aquarium and your fish will appreciate them. For beginner plants, I would recommend looking into Anubias and Java Fern. They do not grow in substrate, but rather on decor and can be fastened to your driftwood with zip ties or string. They absorb nutrients from the water column, helping to clean your tank while providing refuge for your fish. I would also recommend a floating plant, as it will dim the lights and provide your betta with cover. Frogbit is great, and very cheap in my experience. It grows very well. None of these plants require you to do ANYTHING extra aside from get that light I mentioned. There are fancier alternatives, but they are not necessary for this set up with the above plants. I highly recommend setting your lights up on a timer and keeping them on for 8 hours a day. If you notice algae, reduce light.
I hope this helps. If you have anymore questions feel free to let me know. Really great of you to come and ask for advice BEFORE purchasing an animal, kudos to you.
Be sure to check out /r/bettafish and /r/plantedtank. Within you'll find lots of guides and extremely knowledgeable people. I would highly recommend reading the majority of links from the side bar in those two subreddits, as well as this one. There's a trove of information at your disposal. Here's a link to /r/Aquariums' wiki.
Finally, here's a care sheet specifically about Bettas!
Hopefully that wasn't too long winded for you. Best of luck in the hobby.
Okay, well first of all you need this, not the strips. The strips can be very inaccurate, and a higher price is well worth months of use and actual correctness. Second of all, is your tank cycled? Your strips don't even have an ammonia reading, so he could have died from ammonia poisoning if your tank wasn't cycled. How long was he in there? If it was more than a few weeks, it very well could have been the ammonia. If it was a few days, then something was probably in the water that was toxic, like maybe cleaning chemicals (soap) or chlorine.
I have discovered a great little sponge filter which allows you to put in ceramic beads to host good bacteria. Currently I have one in my 10 gallon with a HOB that I occasionally turn off.
https://www.amazon.com/Corner-Filter-Aquarium-Internal-XY-2008/dp/B00HSCB9GC/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_199_bs_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=1RZTNWYQA649ZNXA71YV
The biggest factor that made me buy it was that most of the reviews were from betta owners with plenty of photos to back it up. So if you get that you will also need an air pump and the tubing. I use the recommended Tetra air pumps for 10G.
You will also really want a heater, betta fish prefer roughly 78f degrees. You will also want a substrate, I have noticed my betta fish have preferred sand over gravel. If you put some driftwood in there, it will lower your PH. Certain rocks will increase you water hardness. Lastly, get an API water test kit;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI?aaxitk=MfNb8FLf9eGj3GLSaNDlFA&amp;pd_rd_i=B000255NCI&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_p=3525547702&amp;pd_rd_wg=8L5hB&amp;pf_rd_r=95NS5B0QQWVRY2D3W4V0&amp;pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&amp;pf_rd_t=301&amp;pd_rd_w=FvEoY&amp;pf_rd_i=api+water+test+kit&amp;pd_rd_r=fea43153-5be8-4228-a143-71acc8c606de&amp;hsa_cr_id=2853308870301
Stay away from test strips.
Both pop eye and fin rot are usually caused by the same thing; bad water conditions. High ammonia, high nitrites, high nitrates, high salinity.
What are the parameters of your tank? (API Master Test Kit can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI )
Hoooo boy. Okay so here's the deal. You have waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much fish for your tank. The minimum recommended size for one goldfish is about 75 liters, and it increases as you add more goldfish. For two goldfish, you'd need 113-151 liters (depends who you ask). And your filter needs to be moving 10x the capacity of the tank per hour. So for example, if you had a 75 liter tank, you'd need a filter that's moving 750 liters per hour. Anything less than that is going to cause problems.
First things first, though. Your water quality is not good. I can almost 100% guarantee it. Your tank is not large enough for your fish, and you don't have a filter, so your water is going to quickly become lethal. This isn't a scare tactic. It's the truth. This is why your new fish died. It likely already had a weakened immune system from the stress of moving, and the poor water quality quickly overwhelmed it. Goldfish are some of the messiest fish out there, thus they need a lot of water and a lot of filtration, otherwise they will literally die from breathing their own toxic water.
Don't use chemicals to regulate your water quality. You need to get a water test kit and start learning how to keep track of your water parameters yourself. As of right now (is in like, today), you should be testing your water every day, and changing 50% of it every day, and make sure you're using a water conditioner like this one every time you change the water, since tap water isn't safe for goldfish.
So, to summarize, go get at least a 75 liter tank (but larger is always better with goldfish), get at a minimum a filter that moves 750 liters per hour, get a water test kit (drip test, strips are not reliable), and get a water conditioner. Do a 50% water change every day, adding water conditioner to the new water before adding it to the tank. This stuff is all going to be expensive. But once you have it, the cost of keeping the fish is quite low. It's a small price to pay for the health and wellbeing of living, feeling animals.
If you have more questions, be sure to ask.
You need to do a fish-in cycle. Here is a guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3l48fz/tifu_by_impulse_buying_a_fish_fishin_cycling/
You want water that is not lacking in minerals. If your spring water does not have minerals it's not safe to put your fish in. Tap water after conditioned is fine.
I would separate the females. The idea that they can live together is a complete lie and in a 10 gallon 3 females will absolutely shred each other. They are just as aggressive as males. Petco's fish care is a complete joke.
You need to do daily 25-50% water changes daily until your tank is cycled. After the tank is cycled, you can cut down to 1 25% change a week. Do not use test strips, they are inaccurate. You want the liquid test: https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=api+test+kit&qid=1566328093&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Also side note as most people tend to forget, but Bettas live in heavily planted areas in the wild so some plants definitely wouldn't hurt. Silk is fine but live will make maintenance easier.
Do you have a heater? They need water that is close to 80 degrees. They need a filter, either a sponge filter or something with a gentle flow that doesn't knock them around. Do you use Prime or another water conditioner to remove chlorine when you do water changes? You'd benefit from an API test kit to make sure that your water in the tank is healthy for him.
r/bettafish can give you a lot of help. Post pics and give details about him and they will be glad to help you sort him out.
Also I saw that you weren’t sure what cycling is. A lot of people don’t realize what it is until after they get their fish, but cycling is important.
Basically the nitrogen cycle starts when there is waste. This can be in eaten food, waste given off plants, or fish poop. This very quickly turns into ammonia, which is toxic for fish.
Good bacteria then eat that ammonia, turning it into nitrite.
Nitrite is less toxic, but still very harmful.
Then another good/beneficial bacteria comes in and eats the nitrite, turning it into nitrate, which is not toxic in small amounts.
The nitrate comes out of the tank through water changes.
But in a newly established tank like yours, there is no beneficial bacteria yet, which is why it’s dangerous for the fish, because there is nothing breaking that ammonia down into less toxic chemicals. Many fish can get illnesses like fin rot, which is where the fins rot away from being in an uncycled tank. New tank syndrome is common, it’s when a fish dies from being in a new/uncycled tank.
Fortunately, you can cycle your tank, which is where you build up that beneficial bacteria. You will need a water test kit to test your water, and Seachem Prime water conditioner which conditions and detoxifies the water. You will also need to do some more research, here’s an article about how to fish-in cycle . Best of luck! I hope this made sense and helps. :)
http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415120655&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=api+freshwater+master+test+kit
this is what you want, and it's on sale! :P it's usually around 28-30ish.
Might wanna see if any fish stores or /r/AquaSwap in the area will rehome your fish instead of you trying to save them. I'd say your best bet is to rehome the non-betta fish and then keep your betta in the tank alone (like it should in that tank) and keep the water quality pristine with daily water changes and get yourself a freshwater testing kit https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ref=asc_df_B000255NCI/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=198072615033&amp;hvpos=1o1&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=14506176137279092008&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9008162&amp;hvtargid=pla-348697791053&amp;psc=1
So today's important lesson is that fish stores, especially the larger chain stores, are notoriously awful at providing accurate information. They often either don't know, don't care or are just trying to make a sale.
Topfin filters are not the most popular, and you always want to lean toward over-filtration. This stuff about the filter is kind of an aside at this point, but as you increase stock in the future it's something to consider. This isn't an immediate issue.
I would recommend getting the API Freshwater Master Kit and taking control of your own testing. The paper strips are not very good at all. The nitrate test is often done incorrectly because people don't read and follow directions and assume it is done like the other tests.
Properly cycling your tank is going to be the most important step for the health of your fish.
The tldr of it is that you feed fish and they produce ammonia waste. You need to have enough media (gravel, hydroton, etc) to support enough bacteria to convert the ammonia before it kills your fish. Ammonia is extremely toxic to fish so any detectable level of ammonia will cause stress, disease, and eventually death.
The bacteria converts the ammonia to nitrIte and then eventually nitrAte. NitrIte is toxic to fish as well but not as toxic as ammonia. NitrAte is what the plants consume so this is where another aspect comes into play. Too much nitrAte is...you guessed it...also toxic to fish. This means you need to have enough plants to keep your nitrAte in check.
So it becomes kind of a dance to get the right balance in your system.
You absolutely will need this test kit and in the beginning you will need to be testing the water every day. You will eventually get extremely good at it.
My advice to you is to start small. By a 20 gallon fish tank and cycle it for 30 days. Add 1 fish and do a Styrofoam floating raft with plants on top. This will do a few things. First, it will make sure you actually want to get involved in aquaponics. Second, it will make sure you kill the least amount of fish. I haven't met a single person who hasn't killed fish in their system. It's going to happen. At least this way you get the hang of it and get a better understanding of how it all works on a smaller scale.
Before I answer your questions, I want you to know that getting more advanced meaning spending a lot more money and time. A lot us learn by making mistakes, and that's how I started, by making a lot of mistakes.
I don't know what level of planting you want to do. It can be as easy as adding a few amazon swords into your tank right now, or as difficult as buying new light, CO2 equipment, fertilizers, etc.
If you want to save a lot of money from mistakes then here is what you should do:
The rust from the clip could definitely be a factor, but I would bet that ammonia toxicity is the likely culprit.
Please take a moment to read these 2 links:
https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3ow6vz/info_betta_care_sheet/
http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm
The main takeaway from this is cycling your tank. Your betta "exhales" ammonia through its gills and its decomposing waste gives off ammonia. Ammonia is EXTREMELY toxic to fish and can easily kill them. Some of the first symptoms are fin rot and lack of appetite. When a tank is cycled you have a colony of good bacteria growing in your filter. Your filter pumps water through these bacteria and they convert the ammonia to nitrite(less toxic, but still toxic), then they convert the nitrite to nitrate. Nitrate is pretty "non-toxic" compared to ammonia and nitrite, but if it builds up too much it can hurt your fish. Most people do a 25%-50% water change every week to keep the nitrate from building up too much.
A second take away is your tank needs to be heated, a betta needs to be in the range of 75-80F, with 78F being the agreed upon optimal temp. I don't think your tank includes a heater is why I mention this. I not sure the best way to get a heater into it, looks like that may be difficult. EDIT: Looks like this user was able to had a heater. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R25RHCBC3WB1Z2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B00CN52TRM)
Regardless of whats going on, you will need a product like get a product like (https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-116043304-Prime-500ml/dp/B00025694O/ref=sr_1_1?rps=1&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1468413904&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=prime+water+conditioner). It will detoxify ammonia for 24 hours after dosing, please will make "new" water safe for your first. It also removes harmful chlorine and chloramines found in tap water, and can also detoxify metals.
So now, what to do with this knowledge? You will need to do several water changes to correct the rusty water and potential ammonia toxicity. First thing is to verify that your water is high in ammonia. You can either by a test kit like (https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1468413667&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=api+master+test+kit), or take a sample of your water to a local pet store and they will test it for free. You want to test this water before you do any water changes. The reason for this is sometime if the water is REALLY BAD and the ammonia is high and the PH is low, the ammonia can be less toxic. Then you do a 50% water change, half the ammonia is still there but BOOM the PH is back up in the normal range and this make the ammonia SUPER toxic again and could shock and kill your fish very quickly.
If you verify the ammonia is high, Do you could:
If your ammonia is NOT high, you can simply:
And as a final though, if the fin rot isn't associated with ammonia or the rust, one of the best treatments for it is super pristine water. So doing a 25-50% water change (with dechlorinated water) daily until it resolves would be a good course of action.
EDIT: I seem to have overlooked something. If your ammonia is high, that means your tank isn't cycled yet and that you don't have a good strong colony of beneficial bacteria. So after getting the ammonia and nitrite level down, you will need to test for ammonia and nitrite DAILY and be sure you are doing daily water changes of a size large enough to keep the ammonia/nitrite very near zero (less than 0.25PPM) and that the water is always treated with prime. Once the bacteria take over you will see the ammonia and nitrite will stay at dead zero and nitrates will rise. At that point you will only need to do water changes large enough to keep nitrates below 10PPM. This is usually 25%-50% weekly as stated above.
I know you are worried about your betta, but with a few steps, I think he may be able to recover. Best of luck!
Just take your time. I always see people trying to rush this stage and end up failing miserably. Also the strips arent very accurate, try these instead. oh and keep soaking the driftwood its most likely leaching tannins.
You need at least a liquid test kit. This will have the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph tests you need. You can get a GH/KH test and TDS meter, but those aren't as essential as the aforementioned unless you're keeping higher-grade shrimp.
EDIT: I would not get the test strips... they are notorious for being inaccurate. I have tried using them before, so I am speaking from experience. The liquid test kits are much, much better and impossible to screw up if you follow the directions.
I hear test strips aren’t very accurate, I would recommend the API Master Test Kit
Also with the food freeze dried isn’t great, I would recommend frozen bloodworms or at least the Fluval Bug Bites
Also how often are you doing water changes?
I would say to fast him for a couple days and see if that helps.
You shouldn't add new fish without quarantining them - especially when you suspect there's an issue in the tank. Don't add any more right now.
When in doubt, water changes are a good idea so that was a good move.
Is the tank temperature okay and is it possible you forgot to use a dechlorinator to treat tap water? Could any chemicals have been introduced from your hands, aquarium equipment, room sprays, etc.? Are the filter and heater working, and is the filter media overdue for a cleaning?
You should really get a water testing kit. The $22 API test kit is better than strips and more cost-effective long term. A fish store can test your water for free too. Without testing you can only guess what's happening in the water, and something's clearly wrong. I'd bring in a sample ASAP and pick up a test kit.
Okay, you have my attention. Is this hose all I need? https://www.amazon.com/Python-Aquarium-Maintenance-System-50-Feet/dp/B000255NXC?th=1&amp;psc=1
Oh dear. Is this your first big fish tank? Or first fish tank?
I would highly recommend getting a Python Water changer. It is a little pricy but it is worth the cost.
Other things you will probably need with your python for doing water changes/filling the tank.
- Some 5 gallon buckets from home depot (Great for all sorts of things, they just come in handy in the hobby, a must-have) Very cheap
- A Digital thermometer for water to help temperature match to your tank before adding the water.
- A fish saver cover for your python water changer to help you save fish when you're doing a water change.
Sounds like the tank is not cycled. Do you have an established tank that you can take water from? If not, I'm not sure what you can do. I hear seachem prime is a great detoxifier.
https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-Prime-Fresh-Saltwater-Conditioner/dp/B00025694O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=53516084582&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwm4rqBRBUEiwAwaWjjGpoavEwM2peBhcJiFLbaU0nttxL6AbgCLjx12LaSQtHoEu_QEB7NBoCcjsQAvD_BwE&amp;hvadid=274839984684&amp;hvdev=m&amp;hvlocphy=9012056&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvpos=1t1&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=15375568893439015765&amp;hvtargid=kwd-301601457983&amp;hydadcr=12192_10197807&amp;keywords=seachem+prime&amp;qid=1564654655&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;psc=1&amp;spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzNk5ZWk1HTVc0Q1BBJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDUxMjIxVFJWUFBLUjNDMzUmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDI0ODQwMzkxVzI3TjZBVlJaNSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
FILTER
Nothing fancy. A basic "hang-over-back" filter is all you need. Make sure to get one rated for your size tank! If you get one that's too big, you'll create way too much flow in the tank and it will tire out the fishies. This one on Amazon is rated for a 10-gallon tank.
HEATER
Again, nothing fancy. You just need a basic heater for your size tank. Don't get an "adjustable" heater because those take time to calibrate. Just get a "pre-set" heater. Pre-set heaters always keep the tank at about 78-degrees, which is perfect for guppies. Again, don't get one that's too big or too small. Too big will heat the tank too quickly and too small means the heater will get over-worked and eventually wear out. This one on amazon is good for a 10-gal tank as well.
WATER CONDITIONER
Tap water often contains chlorine to keep bacteria from growing in the pipes and making people sick. Its a safe level for humans, but it kills anything that lives in water (e.g., fish and plants). Water conditioner contains chemicals that neutralize the chlorine in tap water, making it safe for fishies again. Just follow the instructions on the bottle. Its OK to add the conditioner straight to the tank itself. As long as you have a filter circulating the water, it'll quickly make the water safe for fish and plants again. This is the water conditioner I use in my tanks.
OTHER COMMENTS
Employees at these stores often give some really stupid advice for more complicated issues, like the best way to make your plants grow or how to breed fancy fish, but they usually do an OK job with recommending the most basic stuff like a heaters, filter, and water conditioner. Its really hard to fuck this up because all of these products say what size tank they're rated for right on the box. Just double-check to make sure you're buying a product made for your size tank.
Once you have these three things, just follow the instructions that came with each product. Its super straight-forward. When you finally have all of this set up, come back here and we can give you some more advice for the long-term care of your guppies.
EDIT: Just to add a few things. The most likely culprit at the moment is either the chlorine in the tap water or the water temperature. If you used tap water and you didn't treat it, the chlorine that's often in the water is probably burning the guppies gills and making it harder and harder for them to breathe.
If you did treat the water or if you're using filtered/well water, then the next most harmful condition is the cold temperature. Guppies are tropical fish and will die if left in cold water for too long. They can survive for a little while in cold water, but they'll eventually die if you don't get the water into the high-70s.
Finally, the least likely problem right now is the lack of a filter. Fish excrete their waste directly into the water and over the course of a few days the tank will gradually buildup a concentration of ammonia. This ammonia will poison the fishies when the concentration get's too high. Conveniently, there are bacteria all over the place that love to eat ammonia and turn it into a less toxic chemical called nitrate, which is very safe for fish even at high concentrations. The filter provides a medium for these bacteria to grow and constantly circulates the water through the bacteria colony so the bacteria can constantly turn ammonia into nitrate. Once the bacteria colony is established, they convert the ammonia into nitrate faster than the fish can excrete more ammonia, effectively keeping the concentration of ammonia at a constant zero. All you need to do to culture a colony of ammonia-eating bacteria is to set the filter up using the instructions that came with the filter. Nature will do the rest: The bacteria are everywhere, so once the filter is going those bacteria will move in to the filter and start growing all on their own. Another benefit of the filter is that it oxygenates the water column. This is important for tanks with lots of fish, but because you only have two guppies, lack of oxygen probably isn't an issue.
He might stand a chance if he gets into a larger body of clean, conditioned water and you step up water changes.
If the fish is in a small vase, ammonia levels will build up very fast, which means he would need his water changed daily. I can see where you’re coming from but the acute stress of a new tank would be less damaging than the ongoing stress of living in dirty water. It has been slowly killing him and making him more weak. Imagine how you’d feel entering a warm, clean room after being in a freezing cold one with smoggy air. You’d instantly feel better even if it was unfamiliar.
They can survive in small water quantities but that doesn’t mean they will do well or live their proper life span. They are only meant to survive in puddles to get to bigger puddles, and make it to the next rain which brings fresh water.
I would say get him into a new, minimal 5 gallon container ASAP! Get a 5 gallon tote from a store if you can’t get a tank right away. It’s better than what he’s in. You can probably find a kit that comes with tank, and filter together.
Change out 20-50% of that water daily. Use a gravel vaccum to suck up the waste. Make sure you add enough conditioner for the whole tank, not just what you’re adding.
After that, read up on the nitrogen cycle, which should be enough to convince you to get a filter. A ~$5 sponge filter is fine and has a low current. You’d need an air pump and tubing for that. Or just get a canister filter. Like i said you can probably find a kit at a pet store that has light, filter etc for a good deal.
If you plan to fish-in cycle definitely make sure you have Prime, Stability and a liquid API test kit
Amazon has them, pet shops too.
Also a heater is important. High 70s-82 is the best for their little cold-blooded bodies.
Most importantly yes, your instinct is correct, get him into a bigger tank. Good luck!
I’ll edit and link some of the stuff I mentioned.
Your parameters are vital information, because unclean water could be causing this lethargy. What's your ammonia and nitrite level? If you don't have a test kit already, most local fish stores will test a sample for you.
How old is the tank, and how often do you perform water changes?
Meanwhile, north of the border, test kits are still $50. +15%
tax
I love you Canada, but damn pet-keeping hurts :')
You really need to get a proper test kit. It is probably the most important tool in aquarium care. The API Master Kit is affordable, and will last a long, long time. I agree with above, it sounds like a swim bladder issue - but fish will also surface if they don't like the water quality. Are the other fish displaying any strange behavior?
First, welcome, I hope you enjoy this subreddit we have. The first thing to know is the nitrogen cycle. You MUST understand this like the back of your hand before getting a fish, otherwise the fish wont be happy, or it might die. Figure out what your tap water is, in terms of pH, and other things in the water. To test this water you will need a test kit. A really high quality and highly recommended one is this. You can also use test strips but I dont know any good ones. Secondly, the smaller aquarium you have, the harder it is to maintain stable parameters. Stable parameters means happy fish. A good small starter aquarium is a 10 gallon for $10 at petco. With a filter, light, HEATER <---(All of these are needed), it should be around $30-$40. Remember, this is a pet, take care of it. Yes, you can buy fish online, I would do some research and see if there are of good quality. Another thing to be aware of is maintenance. Maintenance includes water changes and overall health of the aquarium. Do some research to make sure you have a cycled aquarium (cycling refers to the nitrogen cycle, that needs to be monitored). Aquarium fish cannot live from just straight tap water, which means you need a water dechlorinator such as this. In summary, to keep a fish alive and healthy/happy you need: heater, proper size aquarium, filter, light,water dechlorinator, and basic knowledge of the nitrogen cycle.
The API Master Freshwater test kit is the go to for most aquarium-keepers here. They work better/more accurately than strip tests. Your list is pretty good in terms of what to measure.
Please be careful that you do this in a way that doesn't harm the fish.
For goldfish, you should ideally have a 20 gallon tank for just 1 fancy goldfish and a high flow filter because goldfish are messy. Instead, I'd recommend zebra danio. They're hardier, more active (which means more fun to watch), and you could have many in a 20 gallon tank, but you'd still need a filter, as well as a heater since danio are tropical.
How much time does she have before the project is due? People here tend to advocate for a "fishless cycle" since ammonia and nitrites are toxic to the fish and will stress them. If you have a couple months, I would do a fishless cycle where you add ammonia and you watch for the bacteria to develop to turn that ammonia into nitrites and nitrates. If you have less time but know someone with a tank or a local fish store, then you can ask for filter media from an established tank which will help jump start the cycle, then you might be looking at under a month (depending on how much filter media you get).
If you really want to do "fish-in cycling" the zebra Danio are pretty hardy and can probably handle it, but this subreddit doesn't tend to support fish-in cycling since the ammonia and nitrates can be bad for the fish, so again, try to ask for filter media from a friend/store.
If she wants some other stuff to talk about/try to create a plan to measure: plants use nitrates from the aquarium water. Maybe study aquaponic systems and compare a plant watered with plain water compared to a plant watered with nitrate-containing aquarium water. Still requires a cycled aquarium though :)
Feel free to ask any other/follow up questions and I'll do my best to help!
Aside from thanking everyone who replied, I want to take the time to update on whats going on.
After I posted, I was leaning into purchasing a Fluval Spec V to house Fishy. 170). I started looking for other options such as buying another tank, buying at a LFS or commissioning a tank.
A reputable tank maker quoted me US$45.00 to make a 15 Gallon tank, with the following dimension 16.25''x16.25''x13.25'' (LxWxH) made with .88 mm glass or aprox 1/3''.
In turn, I would have to buy a filter, a heater and light (as well as substrate and plants). Here is what Im leaning towards, advice would be very much appreciated, as its my first tank in about 10 years:
Heater: Eheim 25 watt.
Filter: Aquaclear HOB Power Filter 20.
Light: Finnex Stingray 16'.
An acquaintance suggested I buy this filter instead:
Aquaclear Power Head + Aquaclear Powerhead Attachment.
Even suggested I fit my tank with two of those instead of the HOB filter.
Being a noob, I dont really know much about those types of filters.
For plants Im thinking something like this:
Fluval Anubias 12'.
Fluval Lizard Tail.
Substrate: Im looking forward to adding real plants in the future.
Soil - ADA Africana.
Sand - something along that color.
I already own an APC UPS, similar to this one or even the same one (i dont really remember).
Again, any tips or suggestions are welcome.
You could get some better substrate...
CaribSea Eco-Complete 20-Pound Planted Aquarium, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DH0QM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_k5mwDbRK9SQVR
I am using Dr Tim’s ammonia chloride here. It has dosing instructions to reach a specific concentration of ammonia. That being said, I am still working on processing nitrite and the tank has been cycling for about a month so be patient with it. Hope this helps!
This is a really handsome tank right at what I'd consider the absolute minimum for a betta fish, that seems like it'd be great in an office environment. If you've more room, here's the 5-gallon version.
I'm a sucker for bettas. My last one had a ten gallon tank with live plants because I spoil my charges, but yeah.
I'm pretty sure that although scientists and teachers often keep axolotls in pretty small set ups, that they actually deserve tanks larger than what would be reasonable in an office environment, though they're my next dream pet personally.
Check out /r/aquariums!
What kind of look are you going for?
You could probably perch one of those cone-shaped aluminum work lights on top, but it will have an industrial look.
Something like this, but used without the clamp.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001KDVY42/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1463959589&amp;sr=8-6&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=clamp+light+10+inch&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41hFYMDpfcL&amp;ref=plSrch
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B7PJHU6/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1463959589&amp;sr=8-4&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=clamp+light+10+inch&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51ivgMwycLL&amp;ref=plSrch
I'm not sure how that would work long-term with moisture, and you'd have to set it up in a way that it wouldn't fall in.
Another option might be a clip-on desk light.
Or this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LIL7YPE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1463959903&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=finnex+fugeray
The problem is the cylindrical shape. If the clamp doesn't go on well, you might have to improvise.
On the aquarium I got a Fugeray Planted+ cliplight and on the terrestrial plants I'm using a growlight
It's not bad, but I would HIGHLY recommend that you get a larger aquarium, at least five gallons. For example. It is even on sale and comes with an overflow filter. A larger tank ensures that the betta will have enough space to swim and help you to maintain the tank as a larger volume of water is more forgiving in terms of water parameters. Also I would get different plants, this is because the ones that you listed are plastic and plastic plants will often have sharp edges that could damage the long fins of a betta. Instead get silk plants as they won't damage the fins. Also with the gravel you are getting, it is a very small amount, so either get more bags of it or go to your lfs, petco, petsmart or even walmart and see for yourself. Also the water conditioner you are planning to get is only 50mL which is really small, you might as well get a medium sized bottle instead of having to buy multiple small ones, save some $$. But otherwise everything is good.
Also, since this is your first aquarium, please do lots of research(if you already have then great). Especially look into "how to cycle your aquarium"
Sorry for writing so much lol.
Sponge filters are the best for shrimp. It's only $2.81 cents shipped.
Here a amazon link where to buy it:
https://amzn.com/B0056XVF82
Here a youtube link about it:
https://youtu.be/Rc5aICDyorM
But you do need an air pump for it.
The shrimp will glaze off the sponge and it will help encourage breeding.
I would not recommend no filter unless your tank is heavy planted but water movement is beneficial to spread out nutrients/co2 to plants.
You should not start out using any PH regulating chemicals. Especially so in such a small water volume. What's your PH from the tap? PH crashes will reset your cycling. I don't know exactly how neutral regulator works but it could be stalling your cycle. Have you tested your tap water before using a conditioner? Check it for ammonia, you might have chlorimines to deal with. This will make cycling take longer.
Too much ammonia can stunt the growth of your bacteria. do a 50% water change and get it down to 2ppm. Then get this: https://www.amazon.com/DrTims-Aquatics-Ammonium-Chloride-Solution/dp/B006MP4QG6/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3BZ1CMMNFZIB7&amp;keywords=ammonium+chloride&amp;qid=1572890565&amp;sprefix=ammonium%2Caps%2C146&amp;sr=8-9
Dose your tank back up to 2ppm ammonia once it's consumed, Once you start seeing Nitrite then you know your cycle is going
Are you testing with strips or a drop kit?
Get that pothos plant out of there, it's not aquatic and it's polluting your water. Most people stick them in the HOB filter so only the roots are immersed.
Equipment: IMO aquaclears are the best HOB filter. Canister filters are a little more expensive and can be a little more difficult than HOBs at first as far as cleaning and setting up. However, they are superior to HOBs in most ways. Eheim and fluval make great canisters, then sunsun have been hit or miss from what I've heard.
I suggest getting two heaters, one on each side of the tank. That way if one fails your fish won't be fried or frozen.
Substrate: pool filter sand is easy and cheap, it can grow plants fine if you use root tabs. You can try the walstad method, which involves putting down a layer of organic potting soil then capping it with sand. It is cheap and very effective for growing plants if done right. The downfall is that it can be messy and its very very hard to rescape. Other options are plant substrates. Eco complete and flourite are two decent substrates for growing plants, moderately priced too. If you have extra money to spend then you can use some type of aquasoil. ADA, Mr. Aqua, ST are all high quality plant substrates, but again pricey.
Lighting: Finnex makes great LEDs for growing plants, a little expensive, but they are very good. For 20" height, the planted+ or original Fugeray should be fine without CO2 and not promote too much algae.
Plants: For plants, you probably won't be able to carpet dwarf baby tears without a strong LED and pressurized CO2. You can do a dwarf hair grass carpet, but it might go slowly without investing in a good light. aquaswap is a great place to buy plants. Butteredscrimp puts out a monthly sale and can help you assemble a plant package. I can vouch for him as being reliable. Just have to give him a price range, some details about your tank such as lighting and size, and some plants you like!
Decorations: Driftwood is a great way to fill space and make your tank feel a little more natural. Spider wood and manzanita are my favorite. Check your LFS to see if they have any pieces you like first. If not, there are several good places you can get driftwood online. Driftwood will release tannins (won't harm fish) into your tank when placed in water and might take a while to sink depending on the piece. I suggest putting it in while your tank is cycling.
You can also go with rocks/stones. They should be scrubbed under hot water before going into the tank. Some rocks can break down and affect your water chemistry. To test if they will you can do the vinegar test. Take the rock and add a few drops of vinegar or a stronger acid. If it fizzles or bubbles then it should not be placed in the tank because it can raise the pH of the water.
Fish: For shrimp amano shrimp are great, they eat hair algae and scavenge leftovers. They won't breed in freshwater though. Red cherry shrimp come in different grades (all very attractive) and are a relatively easy shrimp to keep, they will breed like crazy if provided an adequate environment The babies will be small and can/will be eaten by most fish.
For snails, nerite snails are regarded as some of the best algae eaters, won't reproduce in freshwater, and they are very cool looking. But female snails will leave unattractive, hard to remove, white eggs everywhere. You need a metal blade to scrape them off. u/gastropoid is your go to for snail info.
For a schooling fish you can go big or small. some of my favorite bigger schooling fish include congo tetras and bosemani rainbowfish. There are lots of other good sized rainbowfish if you decide to go that direction. Some popular small schooling fish include harlequin rasboras, neon tetras, cardinal tetras, and rummy nose tetras. Other tetras and rasboras will work too! Some rasboras are tiny though, maxing out at about 1 inch so those are a little less compatible usually. Barbs are another good schooling fish, but they can be nippy and semi-aggressive. Otocinclus are a schooling fish, but they are algae eaters and can be a little sensitive when brought into a new tank.
Fish I would avoid are common plecos, they get massive. And chinese/siamese algae eaters. They are fantastic algae eaters as juveniles, but they become aggressive when they grow up.
final thoughts: if you're going planted, look into EI dosing and root tabs, it will help plants thrive. You said you have experience with freshwater tanks so I assume you know about the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling. If you don't there is a site under the helpful links tab at the top of the page. Look through the other links there too! great information. Visit plantedtank for more plant info, inspiration, and guides.
Good luck!
Here's what you'll need:
Fluval Spec 3
Best tank I've ever used. Built-in 3-stage filter concealed in the back, plus space for a 25w heater in the same compartment the pump is in.
If you get this tank I reccomend two things:
Get a Fluval Pre-filter sponge to place over the pump-output to diffuse the current
Set the pump to the lowest possible flow (It's still pretty strong so that's why you'll need the pre-filter sponge)
The only noise from a DWC would be the air pump. If you look specifically for a pump that bills itself as silent you can keep the noise reduced to a very quiet hum which should be all but unnoticeable against outdoor background noise. I have a small DWC unit on my desk at work which uses this guy and my cubicle neighbors can't hear it.
Looks great, good work. If you want to speed up growth, buy a small aquarium air pump, and a cheap airstone. They have a lot of combo's on amazon for under $15.
I too started because of Jeb, humorously enough and now I have 5 foot tall plants in my man cave. Grow for the stars.
Here's the air pump that I bought
Tetra 77851 Whisper Air Pump, 10-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YJ4N6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lSQxybNT7AE1N
And the filter
Bio Fish Aquarium Mini Cylinder Soft Sponge Water Filter, Black by XINYOU https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009V3KUOS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tTQxybTDESDSD
I think I accidentally ordered the filter a size up. Mine takes up a bit of room but it should have the same effect as this one that won't take up as much. I think it's more about the air flow than the size of the sponge.
I also got some check valves to protect the pump in the case of a power outage. They're super cheap, and I got mine at a petco nearby. If you want a little bit more control over the air flow, I got an air control valve there too.
Like these
Plastic Aquarium 2 Way Air Line Tubing Flow Control Valve 3mm Dia 5pcs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WW6LSWY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_p5Qxyb33GC6V2
Uniclife Aquarium Air pump Accessories Set for Fish Tank, 2 Air Stones, 2 Check Valves, 4 Connectors and 6 Suction Cups https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K4AZKNW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_M7Qxyb9GZRACN
And some airline tubing.
Many of these things were actually cheaper at a petco than on Amazon besides the filter and air pump
Looks more like a heater.
Edit: yup. it’s a heater.
Buy a cheap 20 dollar tetra heater :) it keeps it at 76 which isn't great but it's better than no heater.
Edit: its even on sale right now on amazon! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_ph_1?qid=1449305138&amp;sr=sr-1&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&amp;keywords=tetra+heater
Get a [sponge] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LL32RY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_zLL2wbKA1P1B7) like the kind they use for sponge filters or a pre-filter like the one I linked and put it on your filter intake and that'll keep it from being a problem.
[Source] (http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f60/how-to-stop-your-filter-from-sucking-sand-67489.html)
EDIT: I was on mobile and my link was formatted incorrectly lol.
I would suggest using Fluval EDGE Pre-Filter Sponge. It slips over the nozzle creating all the turbulence in your tank. I use it on my spec v and have no problems.
I personally wouldn't risk that. I would go with something like this. I've had horrible luck with things like it but they were recommended on here before for situations like this :)
It definitely looks like fin damage, not fin rot. The damage is more thin and narrow than I would expect to see with fin biting. For now I would recommend putting a sponge over the filter intake (something like this). I have also successfully made sponge intake protectors by sewing sponge together with fishing line... but I'm weird like that.
At the very least this will help you rule out damage from the filter.
Yes! Prime. It is the hobby standard and is liked because it removes chlorine, chloramines, and detoxify's ammonia. It is the only water conditioner you should be using.
nah man youve got the wrong stuff trust me
http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-67104330-Prime-500ml/dp/B00025694O
this is the only conditioner youll ever need
Cloudiness (especially with a smell) typically means the tank is undergoing a cycle of bacteria. This means that the bioload the tank was presented with (whether the goldfish or mollies) was too high and the tank mini-cycled. You should see a spike in nitrites, followed by nitrates after this occurrence.
Try to buy a liquid test kit such as the master freshwater API test kit as they are way more accurate than strips.
Also, do not follow recommendations on that pamphlet. Nitrates should always be <20 ppm, ideally 0-10. You can accomplish this through periodic water changes with a water conditioner.
Nitritres and ammonia should always be 0 when tested, given the tank is properly cycled for its given bioload.
At this point you'll want to do daily water changes at the proper temperature and with water conditioner to keep nitrites and ammonia as close to 0 as possible for fish health. Cloudiness should dissipate typically in a week or less depending on the extent of the mini-cycle. DO NOT disturb filter media at this time, you'll only make the cycle take longer.
Lots of live plants are easy to do; my amazon swords, moss ball, and cryptocorynes are doing really well, and I suck at keeping anything alive.
Seachem Prime is the most comprehensive and money efficient water treatment I've found so far; you only need a few drops per gallon. I usually add 4 or 5 drops; easy to poke holes in the plastic lid for drops to come out in a controlled way instead of using an eye dropper.
You have to cycle the tank first. To start the cycle you need to add ammonia. Typically take around 6weeks for a full cycle.
Read this to learn how and why to cycle.
Here is ammonia drops
Here is API Master Test Kit which you will need to monitor water while cycling and afterwards.
I never imagined that I would be a fish owner, but I have found myself with one, and I have a huge soft spot for all animals, so I can't stand to see them neglected so I want to provide the best home the little guy I can! Here is the list of what I've gotten so far. Let me know what you think and if I have made any mistakes!
Aquarium Rocks
He already has ~5lbs so I figure 10 lbs should cover a 5 gallon tank pretty well.
Betta Balls
Gravel Vacuum
Seachem Prime
Thermometer
Heater for 5 gallon tank
5 Gallon Tank
API Freshwater Test Kit
He already has a betta log, betta hammock, a small decorative plant, Tetra betta pellets, and some bloodworms for treats. Hopefully this covers all bases for little Zazoo! (Yes, my gf named him after the bird from the Lion King. Lol) If you have any other tips for a complete beginner, I'd love to hear them! Thank you for your suggestions!
Yes you will need a testing kit for ammonia (preferably the api master test kit) https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000255NCI/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1539754070&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=api+test+kit+freshwater&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51FQhbpfB0L&amp;ref=plSrch wait until your ammonia and nitrites are zero and your nitrates are 10-20 and you’re goood to go
I'll list off the things you need in order of importance
First is bigger tank! Your bowl isn't cycled anyway so more water volume can only help. I have the same tank that you linked and I like it but I don't really like using filter cartridges so I just changed it out for this stuff
Next, heater. Warm water has been in my experience the biggest difference between a healthy and unhealthy betta. You want one that has an internal thermostat and you can manually set the temp to a number. You'll want a thermometer to go along with it
Filter is important but not as important as heater imo. You'll still need it if you don't want to be doing multiple weekly water changes to keep the quality perfect
Finally are the comfort items: plants, caves etc. If you want plants decide how into it you want to get. Regular gravel would be fine with some plants but if you really want to go for it get something like ecocomplete or fluorite that's designed for plants. I'd recommend at least a couple live plants (Anubias and crypts are easy) because they go crazy for them.
Everything else is mostly to make things easier for you or for decoration.
When you have it set up you'll want to do weekly 20% water changes. A test kit will help you make sure that you're on the right track. If you have any ammonia: water change. If you have any nitrite: water change. If nitrate gets to 20: water change.
I’m sorry to say the above comments are right. Common goldfish get over 1 foot in length and are incredibly messy fish. They really belong in a pond, but you could theoretically keep one in 75 gallon (but a 90 gallon is the same footprint with a little more height, offering more water and therefore easier to keep clean). Really, they should have a tank that is at least 6 foot long and 18 inches wide, but a 75 (4 feet and 18 inches wide) would be the bare minimum. Anything narrower and the fish will have trouble turning around as goldfish get over 12-14 inches long if they are healthy. They will stay smaller if their growth is stunted, but this is extremely unhealthy for them and results in a much shorter lifespan. With a 75 or 90 gallon, be prepared to do 30-50% waterchanges every week (which should be pretty easy with a system like the python. You won’t need a heater, but you will need a great filter. I recommend a canister filter, but if that is out of your price range two of these or better yet two of these will work well. Goldfish are plant eaters so you won’t have to worry about plants, so you can get whatever light you like/what’s cheapest. Big tanks are expensive, but you can often find them used along with the stands (which saves a ton of money). You can also get a 75 gallon half off from Petco during the dollar-per-gallon sale, and then build your own stand (tons of plans online). For substrate, I would buy pool filter sand (very cheap and great for goldfish, it can’t get stuck in their mouths like gravel and it looks awesome, it’s easy to keep clean too). There are a lot of ways to cut costs, especially with a goldfish tank that doesn’t need a filter or fancy light. Feel free to ask any questions, and please do some research on the nitrogen cycle (introduction ) it’s the most important thing you can possibly learn as a new fishkeeper! You will need a test kit too, to test your water. Don’t bother with test strips as they are very inaccurate, go ahead and get this. If you want to cycle the tank quickly and without a hassle, this is the only one that really works. Welcome to the wonderful world of fishkeeping! Best of luck with your pet! Goldfish are lots of fun.
Edit: petsmart has a 75 gallon tank with stand, lid, and light for half off today for Black Friday (at $249 a screaming deal for a brand new tank!!) if you are interested.
http://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-MASTER-TEST-KIT/dp/B000255NCI
This is the best bang for your buck. It lets you test everything you want to. If you want to test just ammonia, or just nitrites you can buy the individual test kits, but API makes the most for the least amount of money as far as testing, that I have seen.
Hold off on the food. Adding food means adding poop and increasing potential for ammonia problems. These large fish should be fine for a week without food, and snails can hibernate for weeks without food. Don't feed too much of the food either, go slow so you can catch ammonia problems.
Buy a water test kit. It needs to test: Ammonia (NH4), Nitrite (NO2), and Nitrate (NO3). The API Master Test Kit is one of the best. Something like the API 5-in-1 test strip is not good because it does not test ammonia (NH4).
EDIT: Subreddit wiki is a good resource: https://www.reddit.com/r/Aquariums/wiki/index
I hear strips are not very acrurate, I use this guy instead.
I like your driftwood.
Fish in cycling is totally possible. Just buy some seachem prime (seriously, this stuff is the top of the top, get it), make sure you're doing regular (every other day is what I did) water changes of ~40-50% (side note, get one of these doesn't have to be the same one but something similar. This lets you do the water changes without taking the fish out of the tank which stresses the fish).
And most importantly, get a complete test kit one like this, not the strips they're inaccurate and make sure the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels don't go too high. If they do, do a 60% water change and add some seachem prime and check back in a few hours.
You can also get something like this to jumpstart your bacteria growth. Putting filters from previously established tanks also works
He should be fine as long as you do all this! Love the setup btw!
Ah I see. I would really suggest you get a water test kit and see what the ammonia is and what not. He definitely would love more plants and less bubbles for sure! Do a water change too if you have done one.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_l8kNxb3XWRZBB
Go buy this. Do the test. Report back with your water quality parameters.
Okay, that changes a lot of things. I read some of your other comments too and I think we may have a couple problems.
Honestly, 3gal isn't exactly too small but it's also too small. We recommend no less than 5gal. I too bought my first tank under the rule of 1gal per 1 inch of fish and I noticed a huge difference in Finnegan's activity when I went from a 3.5 to 5gal years ago. Now. all of my fish are in at least 5gal and I'm actively upgrading those to 10gals too. The larger the tank, the more wiggle room you get on water quality because it takes longer for toxins to build up and cause major issues. So, if you can go bigger, you should.
When we say cycled, we mean the nitrogen cycle, not moving water (although that is important too). Since the odds aren't great that your tank is cycled knowing what we know now, we have a couple action items. We need to test your water parameters first and foremost. A liquid test kit is absolutely necessary here. If you don't have one, they're usually only $22 on Amazon or Petsmart.com. It'll cost a lot more at the store so load one of those links and have either Petco or Petsmart price match it for you so you can pick it up at the internet price today. Test strips are notorious for giving values lower than they really are. Plus, those liquid test kits give you far more tests than test strips will for that price.
&#x200B;
It is very possible that you have some water quality issues that are making your little guy sick. The easiest way to fix this is to identify the exact issue and fix it. You're likely going to have to do a water change today. I'll be honest, the betta water conditioners are a scam at the least. They're just a watered down version of other water conditioners so they don't work nearly as well and cost much more. If you can, grab a bottle of something like Seachem Prime, it'll only take a few drops to get your water conditioned and it works instantly. Make an effort to get your new water for your tank around the same temperature as your tank currently is to reduce stress on your fish. Sometime like Seachem StressGuard will also be helpful here.
As a bigger picture fix, we have to get that tank cycled. Since you already have the little guy, we're going to be doing a "Fish-In Cycle" which is outlined here. Unfortunately, that's how I've had to cycle most of my tanks so if you need help, I can work with you through that too. I personally use Tetra SafeStart Plus to start the cycle although I use Seachem Stability regularly too. Neither of those products are guaranteed to start your cycle though.
Also, I personally strongly advise against plastic plants. Betta fins are delicate and plastic tends to rip them. I'd swap them out when you can for either live or silk plants. Live plants come with the benefit of helping control nitrates but they are a bit more work. Silk plants are the simplest to execute. I'd make a larger tank and different plants the next priority behind getting the water quality under control.
&#x200B;
Edit: At this point, can you also include a picture of your betta? I want to make sure we aren't also developing some fin rot, if so, we want to make sure we take steps to treat that too.
you can try this not sure if it’ll test O2 levels, but the snails may just like the light
In order to have fish, you need to do a fishless nitrogen cycle. You need to get API test kit and liquid ammonia in order to make your tank hospitable to fish (add ammonia daily to about 3-4ppm). It will take several weeks to complete, it is done so you build up enough of beneficial bacteria which break down the waste produced by the fish. Only then get the fish. Otherwise they may die from ammonia/nitrite poisoning.
The recommended tank size for a betta is at least 5 gallons. They like to swim around a lot and like places to hide and explore.
A heater is important because bettas live in tropical areas. I believe the recommended temperature is around 80F but I have mine set to 78F because I have shrimp in my tank and I don’t want to cook them.
A super important thing with fish is cycling the tank, which means beneficial bacteria is grown in the filter to convert harmful chemicals from things like extra food rotting at the bottom or the fish’s poop. Those things create ammonia which is very toxic to fish. The bacteria convert ammonia to nitrate, which is still toxic to fish. Another type of bacteria converts nitrate to nitrite which is okay for fish at low levels. Completely changing the filter and water will disrupt the bacteria growth and start the cycle over. To test the chemical level, a great test kit is the API Master Kit which is about $18USD on amazon as opposed to $30USD at Petco.
For the filter, I use the one that came with my 10g tank I got at Petsmart for $30USD. I did have to put an aquarium sponge in the hole where the water comes out because the current was too strong and it can stress out the fish. I know Petco has dollar per gallon deals on tanks but they do not come with lids or filters.
For cleaning the tank, I use a gravel vacuum which helps pick up food and poop from the bottom as well as take out water. I generally do 25-30% water changes every week to week and a half.
With regards to the decorations, if it’s a silk plant made of cloth, it’s okay. Plastic plants can rip betta’s fins which are super delicate. A good test is to take a pair of pantyhose or tights and run them alon the decoration. If they snag, the plastic is too rough and could rip the fins. I have sanded down a couple decorations that were too rough.
I hope Beta-Ray Bill is happy and if you have any other questions, feel free to message me! I am putting some links to some of the things I talked about below.
Tank I have: https://www.petsmart.com/fish/starter-kits/grreat-choice-aquarium-starter-kit-37513.html?cgid=300128
Cycling info: https://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm for fishless cycle
Or
https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle?st=JSMPRQXH&amp;sh=11bbe966 for a fish in cycle
Other information: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tank?st=JSMPSDAG&amp;sh=7e5a10b3
Edit: the API master kit is $21USD on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BwHDCb18WDCK4
Yeah definitely - I did a fishless cycle for about a month, using only the Fluval overflow filter that comes with the tank. This was great for getting the bio filter stabilized, but the water flow was too strong for a Betta and the mechanical filtration was weak. So I went to my LFS and purchased a KollerCraft TOM Mini Filter, and ran the Fluval system simultaneously with the KollerCraft to ensure the bio filtration transferred to the KC. Since then, I unplugged the Fluval filter and have only run the KC - and it's much more effective filtration. As for lighting, the 7000k LED light that comes with the tank is fantastic, but it's too close to the water line in my opinion. I had nasty algae blooms for a couple weeks, then came across a fellow Redditor who 3D printed the extension for the Spec III. I immediately requested one and received it in the mail a few days later. The combination of the KC Tom Filter and the light extension has resulted in no algae for 6 months. The most important factor is water changes though, so you should be changing 20-30% of the water every few days to keep your water parameters in check. Does this help?
I have this tank! If you think the current is too strong you can get a pre-filter sponge to slip on output nozzle thing (I totally forgot what it's called) to slow it down. I got mine at Petco for like 3 bucks.
https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A1387-EDGE-Pre-Filter-Sponge/dp/B002LL32RY
Beautiful tank!! If you are going to put a betta there I hear that people say the current is to strong so they recommend this sponge so that your betta doesn't have a hard time swimming!
A sponge pre-filter on your filter intake should solve your problems, unless its broken beyond belief and can't even hold the sponge filter up.
One more piece of advice if you're going to go with a betta fish.
Since you have an airpump and stone, ditch the power filter and get a sponge filter. Bettas don't like a lot of flow and the filter that came with the tank will blow the betta all around the tank. To clean the sponge you just swish it in old tank water and put it back.
try the azoo mignon hang on the back filter. very small and discreet https://www.amazon.com/AZOO-AZ13097-Mignon-Filter-60/dp/B005VEWCMO
https://www.amazon.com/AZOO-AZ13097-Mignon-Filter-60/dp/B005VEWCMO/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1520309624&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=NANO+TANK+FILTER
THIS IS LITERALLY THE BEST.
You can alter the flow to your liking as well :)
If you don't have fish yet, pure ammonia is best. If you already have fish, feed daily and do 50% (or even 75% water change till ammonia and nitrites are 0 PPM and you see nitrates (unless you have a planted tank, where you might not see any nitrates at all).
https://www.amazon.com/DrTims-Aquatics-Ammonium-chloride-bottle/dp/B006MP4QG6\
or
https://www.amazon.com/Fritz-Aquatics-Ammonium-Chloride-Treats/dp/B00OTH5TAQ
Hey OP so I hate to be a bit of a buzzkill here, but you might want to check out aqadvisor, I looked at your stock list and for a tank that size it would be severely overstocked and you would be dealing with a lot of aggression from your fish.
I don't know much about angelfish, but I think they're supposed to be pretty aggressive, making it difficult to keep with other fish. Some gouramis might be great, but they can get pretty aggressive too. I have one right now and he doesn't play too nicely with my black phantom tetras sometimes.
Oh, are you doing a fishless cycle? Remember that Eco complete has no nutrients in it so it won't leach ammonia. This means that you will have to dose the ammonia yourself, I know Amazon sells Dr Tims ammonia chloride that is suitable for aquarium use. If you do use something else, make sure that it doesn't have surfactants in it, meaning that it doesn't make lots of bubbles when you shake it, surfactants are harmful to your aquarium!
Since your substrate won't leach ammonia, you will need to make sure that you dose your substrate too or your water column. I didn't know this going into my tank and I am having all sorts of algae problems now myself, I think that I've run out of nutrients in the substrate.
You also might want to take your driftwood out of your tank and scrub and boil it for a few hours to make it completely safe for your aquarium. This will also solve your floating problem!
Anyways, that was a lot and I hope you were able to bear with me! I think that you have a good start and it's looking pretty promising. I think that you've arranged the driftwood quite nicely and I hope you'll post pics when it grows it. Looking good, I hope this helps!
You should look into getting it filtered and cycled.
Get something like this and put in some of this in the tank. You can hook the filter up to something like this. There should be more info in the side bar and check out r/bettafish
Fluval Spec V 5 Gallon Tank. http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Spec-Aquarium-5-Gallon-Black/dp/B0089E5VLC?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;redirect=true&amp;ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
My company allows the employees to gift each other with points. The points can be turned into gift cards. I got the tank for free using my points.
I'd show a picture of the tank, but im embarrassed about how bare it looks. Once I get some plants in there I'll take some pictures.
try this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0191EWII2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_Q4SFzbGZVASP7
i just ordered the larger size for my new 20 long and its great. much more affordable too
I am running a Nicrew on my ten gallon, might go with it when I get a 20g long also. .
https://www.amazon.com/NICREW-Aquarium-Light-Extendable-Brackets/dp/B01C84SLRO?th=1
Hydor 25w adjustable heater. Heres a link on amazon. I've shopped around and this is the cheapest best small heater for a 5g and below.
http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-25W-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1382724963&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hydor+adjustable+heater
looks like they went up , I picked it up for 16 bucks a couple months ago.
Just purchased this for my Fluval Chi 6 gal: Hydor 25W Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9mYiybMJJ8980
Had someone ask for an inventory list and thought I'd post it up here for visibility.
Coralife Biocube 14 - $199
Lighting System - $141
Filtration System - $122
Arline System - $32
Decor - $140
Flora - $114
Fauna - $46
Tools - $12
I guess I'm a little late on this, but I use Eco-Complete in most of my planted tanks and I wouldn't use anything else.
http://www.amazon.com/CaribSea-Eco-Complete-20-Pound-Planted-Aquarium/dp/B0002DH0QM
Most of what you list can be purchased second hand in Craigslist. For instance, I live in Houston and Craigslist has this available right now. That would drop almost the entire cost to $400.
I have a medium/heavily planted tank depending on who you ask. Here is a picture. This was done without any CO2. I use Eco-Complete as the substrate. I add one package of root tabs every 3 months. I spent a total of $109 for the mega-pack at liveaquaria.com.
If you were to purchase your tank and supplies second-hand, you could have a tank almost identical to mine for $500 or less.
https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484007071&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=hydor+theo
Your fishy would love a tank heater. You'll have to do a little research in order to get the right wattage. With a 20 gallon tank, you'd be looking at around 100 or more watts.
My Betta has a coco hut and he really likes to hide in it (make sure that the one you receive is the "correct" size - the first one they sent me was way too small, so I returned it and ordered a new one). Give it a good boil or two before putting it in your tank.
Also, I use Aqueon betta water conditioner and have had good luck with it. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_11?url=search-alias%3Dpets&amp;field-keywords=betta+water+conditioner&amp;sprefix=betta+water%2Cpets%2C120&amp;crid=AGT714XS0TZG
Omega One Betta Buffet pellets are great and so are New Life Spectrum Betta Formula pellets. :)
When you expand, this might be a handy tool for you: AquaAdvisor
Right now, if I were you, I would purchase:
HOB Nano filter
Siphon Water changer/gravel vacuum - Carry your aquarium over to a drain. Keep an empty two liter handy to pour freshwater back in.
You cycled your tank, right? If not, you may want to pour some of this in there to help.
Water Test Kit Keep track 2x a week. Small tanks are more difficult since water conditions can go bad quite quickly. Keeping an aquarium is not about fish, it's about chemistry.
Spiral CFL bulb to replace the incandescent you probably have. Incandescents suck and heat your aquarium way too much.
Thermometer Glass, with suction cup.
Light timer Trust me, keeping that light on all day is only going to cause algae, and won't make your plants grow quicker. 6 hours in the beginning, 8 hours max.
Heater 25 watt, keep at 80 degrees. The gradient lines will NOT be accurate.
------
Low-tech tank care Study this, and pay attention to the dry fertilization part.
Okay if he can eat them he probably is full when he stops. Don't feed him more if there are some at the bottom. Remove those or they will spike your ammonia and harm him.
Do you have a Petsmart near you? This is a 5.5g with a filter and light for only $30. Here is a heater get the 50W for only $17.
Those are the most important things and only about $50. You will also need a water conditioner if you don't have one already - don't waste money on a betta-specific one, just get something like AquaClear Plus. Anything else isn't critical.
Being removed from the tank (and needing to do 100% water changes) are very stressful on the fish. Normally you would leave the fish in and use a siphon to remove debris/poop from the gravel/substrate and ~20% of the tank water. Then get new water, condition and add. Fish stays in.
TBH fish will jump no matter how they feel. Some species are just notorious jumpers regardless of how the water/environment is for them. My LFS had some wrasse jump twice while I was there to buy corals and me and the employee both were trained for that particular-sounding splash lol. Some people train their bettas to leap for food! But yes, the fish can jump if it's unhappy. But not jumping does NOT mean the fish is happy, and jumping doesn't mean the fish ISN'T happy.
As far as equipment goes, get an AquaClear 20 (or 30) filter, an Aqueon (or other reliable brand, I've used Hydor with good luck) ADJUSTABLE heater. A thermometer. The lights you get depends on what you plan on doing with your tank. You're also going to need a water testing kit, a dechlorinator (most people will recommend Seachem Prime).
Is this going to be your first aquarium?
If it was me, I'd start by doing this:
I hope this helps! I know it can get a little pricey but it's more than worth it to ensure Flameo's healthy and happy.
Tank: I would suggest a 10G tank if you want tankmates other than ghost shrimps and snails. Petco $1 per Gallon sale is here until April 12. So a 10G would be $10. A 5G isn't part of the sale so the price of that is around $14. Cheaper to get a 10G!
Once of you an appropriate sized tank, some tetras would work or an ADF would work. What kind of tetras are you thinking of getting? Keep in mind that there are quite a few tetras that won't work with Bettas because they nip the long fins of the Betta.
Filter: I would suggest a sponge filter/air pump. That's what I use in my betta tank. It filters the water but don't create a current so the betta won't get pushed around and stressed.
What you'd need for a sponge filter:
Heater: I haven't used enough heaters to really recommend a brand but adjustable ones would work the best and you can control the temperature better.
I hope this helps!
I've kept Bettas on a budget before- there are some things that you really do need, and some things you can do ugly and cheap. The trouble is that you're starting with two and have limited space, a bad combination. I'd suggest you really try hard to rehome at least one, but proceeding on the idea that you're absolutely determined to keep both, I'll lay out the least expensive way to get things done in my experience.
To pick up now:
-Dechlorinater/water conditioner: In your grandma's days, there were fewer additives in water than they are now, and not all of them gas off when left to sit out. If you absolutely can't afford even a tiny container of prime, which can really help in small tank situations because it temporarily neutralizes ammonia- then pick up a cheaper water treatment. Most pet stores carry generic ones, or API is $4 and change on amazon. Can't emphasize enough how much better prime would be though. The smallest bottle should last you for a couple months, so don't worry too much about volume.
-If you can do it, Petco's dollar/gallon sale is the best value you're likely to get on a 10G, as mentioned. Failing that, check your local thrift stores. I think a 10G would be ideal for you if you can make it work- it'll be cheapest and the least amount of maintenance, if you use dividers. Here's a way to make mesh dividers for it yourself from things you can pick up at any craft store, for a couple bucks total (you can also make lids out of the same material). I've made these before and as long as you measure them right, they work fine. If you absolutely can't get or fit a 10g, you bare minimum need about 3g per betta in separate containers or you'll be courting ammonia burns and finrot super quickly. Bowls aren't ideal, but if you're doing a temporary setup they may be easier to find. Be creative if you have to- you want something with horizontal swimming space, rather than vertical (avoid anything taller than it is long), but there are all kinds of odd glass vessels at your average salvation army. A ~3.5 gallon spherical bowl is going to be 12" in diameter. Anything with flat sides, measure and calculate the rough volume in cubic inches, then convert to gallons. Whatever you get, clean it thoroughly. If you use bleach, let it sit out in the sun for a few hours before filling it with water.
-Hides: Cheapest part. In college I had a Betta setup with a half-buried coffee mug and some silk plants from Michaels in it. Grab a couple mugs at the thrift store or throw in your least favorites. You want ceramic not plastic or metal, minimal or no paint if possible. Bury them halfway in the substrate. Craft store silk plants are inexpensive and are fine in a pinch, just boil them first. You want at least some that reach up to the top of the tank, to give them cover at all levels.
-Substrate: Whatever's cheapest is fine. A 5lb bag of imaginarium sand will run you $5 or so at petsmart. If you have a local fish store, they may sell gravel or sand in bulk for cents to the pound, so you could call around and ask. Whatever you use give it a quick rinse before adding it.
-Here's a $10 adjustable amazon heater. If you're doing two 5 gallons, get two 25 watts. A 10 gallon divided, get the 50 watt. A heater goes a long long way to keeping your fish healthy- once you need to start buying medicine your budget is blown. You won't see many non-adjustable ones for much less than this, and they're less reliable since they heat at a constant rate regardless of water temp. Get a cheap glass thermometer with it, they're in any big-box pet store.
To pick up soon:
-Filters and pumps: Sponge filters are the way to go in small betta setups for sure, and they are extremely cheap online. Here's one for $2 for a 10G; here's the one I use in my 7G for $4. Make sure to carefully read the guide on cycling before you put a filter in, because things will get less stable before they get more stable, which is why in your situation I'd be vigilant about water changes (see the caresheet for frequency) and put off the filter til you can afford an API test kit. Because things can spike so so fast, it's really not advisable to run through a fish-in cycle blind in any small tank. You'll pair it with an air pump, this one's $7.
-API master test kit: This is the most expensive thing on the list, which is the only reason it's under later. API also makes test strips, but they're $10 for a pack of 25, wheras the master test kit has far far more uses in it for $20 and is much more accurate. Knowing your water parameters is good any day, but essential once you introduce any kind of filter.
Altogether I think you could get this kind of absolute barebones setup done for around $30 up front and $30 later if you play your cards right, less if you find a home for one fish. It'll still require elbow grease to put together, though.
something like this:
pump
sponge
air tube
Bubbles are great for both playing and helping a little bit with oxygenation in your tank (but not a whole lot). My oranda loves to play in them. You really can't go wrong by adding one I don't think, unless you find down the line your fish likes to eat bubbles.
I use Tetra Whispers. I have a 10g one and the 40g one - what you're seeing in the pictures is the 40g on a split air line, full blast. They're not that noisy - not that much if at all noiser than the filter you use at least. I have one on a non-slip pad and the other on a hand towel and they're quiet. The air stone is just a generic one I got offline, it's circular.
There's also this tank from Petsmart, which is a pretty darn good deal for 5 gallons plus tank plus corner filter (I got the Top Fin 5.5 gallon, and it comes with a sucky hang on back filter that was WAY too strong for my betta Drax) or if you wanted something a bit smaller, there's this option. BUT, that tank doesn't have a light, heater, or filter. I recommend the Hydor Theo heater for the 5 gallon tank, and the Hydor mini for the 2.5.
As for water parameters, are you conditioning your water at all when you do water changes? If not, the chlorine/chloramines in the water might be getting to him. I totally recommend Prime by Seachem - gets rid of chlorine/chloramines/temporarily detoxifies ammonia.
Otherwise, having live plants can do a world of difference for a betta; they tend to like more of a jungle environment; as long as the plants are "low tech/low light" and get some light throughout the day, they should survive in a tank with regular water changes. And the best part about all natural plants? They don't tear betta fins! :) I'd recommend ordering some from www.liveaquaria.com or www.plantedaquariumscentral.com - both are highly regarded among the planted tank community, and their rates are super reasonable.
EDIT: The reason I recommend these guys as opposed to getting plants from Petco or Petsmart is because both of those corporations tend to sell mis-labeled and non-aquatic plants as true aquatic plants - I fell for this and ended up having to get rid of at least three of my aquarium plants because of my mistake. >.<
Also, if you get the 2.5 gallon and think you can afford it, I totally recommend the sponge filter + air pump combo for filtration; excellent biological and mechanical filtration once the tank is cycled, and it's pretty cheap to boot. Well, cheaper than other options. (I think I paid...$20 for all of my sponge filters - 4 of them - then $10 for 8 feet of silicone air tubing + a set of 5 check valves to prevent back siphoning. The main cost was the air pumps themselves at $9/apiece for three of them. So...$57 grand total for four filter setups? I keep shrimp as well, and they need sponge filtration, so I jumped in feet first, I guess. :P) Otherwise, Marina's I25 filter would work well also, provided your betta can stand a little more current/won't get his fins caught in the intake.
In the meantime, if he's fighting his reflection, it can sometimes help to put some light-colored paper on the outside walls of the tank; it can reduce the reflections he sees.
Golly, sorry for the novel of a post!
Okay I see what your seeing now.
Okay so edit up in this bitch! OP, I read your strip wrong. Badly wrong.. You have no nitrite and no nitrate present in the tank based on this strip. Which means, you have noooo cycle at all started. You have "new tank syndrome" also known as your tank ain't cycled. (How long have you had this tank? Have you ever cycled a tank before?)You have no beneficial bacteria eating the poo and pee as it breaks down! And no ammonia test on this strip so we can't even tell for sure how bad the fish are. You need to get a master fresh water testing kit from either a pet store or from Amazon.. These come with little bottles of chemical plus little test tubes. Super easy. And 100% more reliable. Get yourself some seachem stability and if you don't already have a water conditioner/dechlorinater, get some seachem prime while your out shopping..all this should cost you about...50$ or less? I provided a link to the api master test kit. Apis a very reliable brand. I have their set as well. I posted links at the bottom of this comment for Amazon.
Follow what I said above about cycling. This is technically going to be fish present cycling, since at this point I'm sure you have a lot of fish and no other place to keep them so let's do this ;
Daily; Test water with master kit. You only have to test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. (Uonless you are using RO water, your pH should be fine for the fish you have. The pH on the strip is about average. The strips really only seem to be good for pH to be honest.), if you have any ammonia or nitrite values, replace the water with fresh dechlorinated water, add beneficial bacteria and then test again the next day until ammonia &nitrite are 0 and nitrate finally shows up. Once that shows, you're cycled and can proceed to just test weelyl or bi weekly and do 50-75% water changes biweekly or monthly depending on how high their nitrate levels are. Try to stick to less than 40ppm and change it if that goes higher.
But since you have no nitrate value at all, you have no cycle. Which means the fish are probably in an early stage of chemical burns due to high ammonia levels. Theyee gills are burning and are having trouble breathing. But since the test strips do not have ammonia on them as a testing option, we don't know how bad it is. We can only assume based on how they are acting.. OP please do a 75% water change of your tank today and continue with 50% changes daily until your cycle is built up to keep your fish from dying.
Master test kit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000255NCI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549134324&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=master+freshwater+test+kit&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51FQhbpfB0L&amp;ref=plSrch
Seachem stability ( beneficial bacteria)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002APIIW/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549134417&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=seachem+stability
Seachem prime ( water conditioner/dechlorinator)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00025694O/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549134471&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=seachem+prime&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41Q0rRc8NML&amp;ref=plSrch
( You can get the smaller bottles of seachem but it's better to get the 500ml price wise due to the fact you'll always need them. Total cost of all this, on Amazon at least will be about 49$ + tax)
Aquaclear filter! You can adjust the flow and it comes with a filter sponge and biomedia so you don't have to get anything else.
Edit: here it is
Honestly I wouldn't bother with a kit. They are usually not that great.
Get a 5 or 10 gallon tank from wherever, walmart, petco, etc. 5-10 gallon tanks don't get much better unless you want to go with a high dollar tank with built in filters etc. You do want a hood. A clear glass hood is best as you can grow plants if you want later. If it fits your budget and you have room, a 20 Long is an amazing assed tank. Petco/Petsmart sells them for $34.
Next, get an Aquaclear 20 . They are perfect for a 5-20 gallon tank and won't be too much for your betta. you can adjust the flow rate so it will work. Aquaclear is the best I've used as it's dead silent and most importantly uses real bio media. You don't need to buy stupid expensive disposable filters. Disposable filters are horrible as you throw away most of your beneficial bacteria when you change cartridges. Aquaclear has a rinsable sponge which should be able to be used for a decade.
You'll need a heater. Get one that matches the size of tank.
I highly recommend doing a planted tank. It adds a lot to the tank and your fish will like the plants. I suggest doing a dirt capped tank. Look at this. Don't worry about "mineralizing" if you hear people talk about this as it's pointless IMO. If you do this method, be sure to get some frogbit or water spangles (check /r/AquaSwap ) to keep water parameters in effect. Frogbit eats extra nutrients, without this algae can be a problem. I capped my dirt with black diamond blasting sand (available at Tractor Supply), but pool filter sand (well rinsed) works great too. A Walstad type tank makes plants thrive, and the soil releases a little bit of tannins which bettas love. The tannins aren't extreme, you'll not notice them as far as water clarity goes.
EDIT: Thought I'd add, the next tank I do will be a HMF (Hamburg Mattenfilter). They are very elegant in their simplicity and not even possible to harm a fish with. You can hide heaters in the filter chamber, a corner HMF basically disappears, plus I'll grow plants in front of it so it will be practically invisible.
The Aquaclear 20 is probably the best HOB for that sized tank that I've ever found. I clean it about once a month, but I never change the sponge or bio media, just rinse them out in tank water during water changes. I also have an Aquaclear 70 (same filter but bigger) on a 40 gallon thats ~15 years old and still going strong.
Hmm odd that the water fizzed up. Did you rinse out the tank and rinse off the carbon and decorations before putting them in? The fact that you can smell chlorine is probably a good indicator you are best of to switch to a different water conditioner. (I like Seachem Prime.) Betta's like a low flow filter so just keep an eye on the filter or even switch to a sponge filter, or filter with a sponge over the intake, etc. Remeber to test your tap water too! I will link some products I have used or similar to those I have used in the past and had success with. (It may be a good idea to compare prices at your LFS store to Amazon, as I know my local Petsmart/Petco charges a fortune for a lot of aquarium items without much selection.)
API Freshwater Test Kit (Amazon wow $19.99 right now!) or at your LFS -Don't buy the test strips.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255NCI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;psc=1
SeaChem Prime ($4-$13 depending on size from Amazon or at your LFS. I swear by Prime.)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002568S6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;psc=1
A thermometer is a good idea to make sure your heater does not create a major issue. I do not use this exact one but figured I would add it to the list with a link ($2)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQITK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;psc=1
Here I will just attach a link for a sponge filter I use in a 10 gallon (~$12). You will need some airline hosing and an air pump (tetra air pump works) if you get it, though I think it may be a little big for a 4 gallon. Also, an aquaclear is by far my favorite HOB filter if you go that route. Hopefully, your filter will workout!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXRDZPO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A316L92SV4DH0Y&amp;psc=1
Tetra Air pump (~$7)
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-77851-Whisper-Pump-10-Gallon/dp/B0009YJ4N6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506349229&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=tetra%2Bair%2Bpump&amp;th=1
Aquaclear 20 (110V ~$25): This may be a little big for your 4 gallon, not sure as I have the Aquaclear 50 on my 30 gallon but I will add it along just in case.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FVG/ref=twister_B00MO35VD2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Airline Tubing (a few dollars, great to have)
Household Ammonia without surfactant (to do your fishless cycle) see link http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm
If you decide to go with silk aquarium plants, they have few fun options online. I would also suggest really plants as they will help reduce nitrates in the future. Some good low-tech plants would be anubias, or java fern (and some others). These can be tied to a rock or driftwood as don't need to be placed in the gravel/sand/soil itself. (A small clip-on LED for an aquarium should work
if you go this route.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/plantsetc
I would provide food options, but r/bettafish has done a great job!
https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/food
Here are a few they have mentioned:
Ocean Nutrition Atison's Betta Food (~12)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/huc/view.html?ie=UTF8&amp;newItems=C38WET63RPACA8%2C1
New Life Spectrum Betta Formula (~$10)
https://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spectrum-Formula-Semi-Float/dp/B0038JTL1Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506350883&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=New+Life+Spectrum+Betta+Pellets
Hikari Betta Bio-Gold (~$13)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013EXTU7S/ref=twister_B00ZJZMXIS?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1
You should be able to find frozen daphnia, and frozen brine shrimp at Petco/Petsmart, and live brine shrimp at your LFS.
Will add on later! Happy cycling and keep us posted!
I'll just link the post I made in your other thread.
Get rid of the
red-tailed sharkrainbow shark, it gets too big for your 10 gallon, and it might kill your other fish when it gets bigger. Otherwise, your tank is fine after those deaths, and you could probably add another neon tetra and ~3 pygmy corydoras if you can find them IF you upgrade your filter.If I were you, I would replace that filter since it takes up so much space in your tank. Get an AquaClear 20, it will last you forever, and you'll never need to replace the media. Rinse off the biomax in some tank water (water you're removing during a water change OR dechlorinated tap water) and do the same with the including sponge every few weeks.
They're $24.55 on Amazon right now, and you will never need to replace the media. Keep the old filter running for a few days besides the old filter until the new filter has some bacteria growth, and remove the old one.
You do water changes right? In your other thread you said your nitrates were high. When was the last time you did a water change?
edit: Looked at the picture, that is indeed a rainbow shark, still not a good fit for the tank.
Best advice is to take your time and buy what will make you happy. You'll only spend more money in the long run if you compromise now. Luckily, not everything needs bought at once. Tank, filter, and heater are necessary purchases now. Lighting and decor can be figured out more slowly.
I can recommend what I'd get in your position.
If you're going to buy a kit, this is a good one. Personally, I like this heater, but they do sell a cheaper version. So, about $100 for the tank, heater, filter, and light.
If you want to buy the parts separately, you can get a 10 gallon tank for $10-$15 or cheaper checking craigslist. You'll also need some kind of lid to cover the tank. You can buy glass ones or some people get a piece of glass or acrylic cut to cover it. Tank + lid: $25-$30
Aquaclears are my favorite filters for my tanks, but you could use a sponge filter. You'd need an air pump for the sponge one. So, $20-$25 for a filter.
Real plants are nice, but not necessary. You can do fine with fake ones, just make sure the edges aren't sharp. If you do want plants, the Spec V light should be plenty for low light plants. If you want to buy the light separately, this or this would be fine. I've had a Nicrew one on my larger tank before and it's enough for low light plants.
Or you could just get a clamp on lamp from the store and a daylight bulb. That whole set up would be about $10.
Until you get a new set up, I would recommend water changes at least once a day, if not more. I would also strongly recommend buying a water testing kit.
This is the one i use. I like it because I can alter the flow. Just make sure to cover the intake. I just wrapped some filter floss around it with some thread. Although, they do make specialized covers for it.
If you're doing plants, you could look up on ada aquasoil
or eco-complete
or flourite
You could also mixup them
Thank you all so much for your patience! thoothsk is right, i should have given more information. I hate when people call me for tech support and say "my computer isnt working, can you come fix it" when they just need to load paper into their printer or some other equally as frustrating lack of detail. So here goes:
Pic Of Tank
1.10G Heater so the temp is about 78
So, i think that is all the answers, and again. Thank you for your patience. I should have given more details.
My main question is should i throw these 6 java fern plants out, or are they salvageable in the condition they are in, if i give them time? I believe i will not order from this vendor again.
EDIT: i have no fish in the tank. :) I have a 55G tank that i used to put lots of fake plants in because i love the look of plants, so this 5 gallon is my attempt at starting plants first. Fish when allll is well.
EDIT 2:
Also I recommend getting a 10g since they are probably cheaper and more stable since you have a larger volume of water. And stable water means a higher survival rate of your shrimp.
For example here:
10 Gallon tank for 14,99 http://www.petsmart.com/fish/supplies/aquariums-and-stands/aquariums/grreat-choice-10-gallon-glass-aquarium-2831264.html
A double sponge filter which is good for twice the aquarium volume (cleaner water double sponge is double bacteria). for 3,99
https://www.amazon.com/XY-2822-Double-Sponge-Filter-Aquarium/dp/B005VAFGKI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1478978662&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=sponge+filter
An air pump for 5,59
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YJ4N6/ref=pd_sim_199_5?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=CWY7AKPMJBQJY3AXT7X2
25 feet tubing 3.23
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002563MW/ref=pd_sim_199_2?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=CWY7AKPMJBQJY3AXT7X2
14,49 for a heater
https://www.amazon.com/Submersible-Aquarium-Heater-Freshwater-Saltwater/dp/B017UK0ZUW/ref=sr_1_25?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1478978931&amp;sr=1-25-spons&amp;keywords=10+g+heater&amp;psc=1
That's twice the size for 42,40. You will only need to buy a light and those can be as cheap or expensive as you want but this not required and purely aesthetic again.
So petsmsrt sells these 5 gallon kits for $30, (There's also a 10 gallon kit for $30, but my store doesn't usually have them). They have everything except a heater and substrate, but I've heard you can buy pool filter sand to use as substrate, which would be cheaper, and there are some heaters on Amazon you could get. I put some links and a total cost (other than substrate) below, and it comes out to about $90.
5 gallon: https://www.petsmart.com/fish/tanks-aquariums-and-nets/aquariums/top-fin-essentials-aquarium-starter-kit-40713.html?cgid=300129
Heater: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sAnVAb4BGEVMS
Thermometer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQIU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_IznVAbV5P8XSD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HwnVAbNSCPJWW
Total cost:
30×2 + 11×2 + 3.50×2 = $89
Definitely! The tank is a pretty standard rimless glass, which i bought from my LFS. The other parts I purchased online:
The substrate is pool sand, and the dark green moss is actually a marimo moss ball that i took apart and glued to the rock with superglue :)
I use this one in my 2.5g. Works well, small size, sucks up no shrimplets.
Any 2-5 gal AIO, where to top could be removed, would work, only you might need to upgrade light and flow, and make custom filtration media.
Reflex 15 and alike have too narrow back chambers, difficult to clean, not much space for custom media, no space for heater, and light holder can't be removed.
They usually cost around $100 or more, heater is not included, and many things should be replaced.
Low cost are glass bowls, if you can find them, how final result looks like see in the links here.
Hardware is limited to air pump, air tubing, heater and lid. If need less noise, smallest water pump. Tom internal filter for me, with rain bar and filter media cage removed, 45 gph.
Maintenance tools to hose, container and NanoMag (or DIY).
I know Indian Almond Leaves and weekly water changes is the cure. But I don’t know where he cut himself. I’m thinking maybe it’s the new filter I just put in there (Koller Products TOM Aquarium Internal Power Filter (45 GPH Flow Rate) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00176GKM8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_I8jKDb4E065GH). I just don’t know HOW he could cut himself on it. 🤔
The only other things I have in the tank are: driftwood (with no sharp edges), hairgrass (spikerush) and Amazon Compacta’s.
I guess I should try sponge filters again... But the one I had before didn’t really clean the tank and they make others, but they’re huge. Or too loud. My tank is 5 gallons, 9.6 in L x 9.8 in W x 15.3 in H and it’s just Semper with an otto.
Any recommendations on small sponge filters that clean well and quiet pumps?
As for Stocking:
-----------------
Edit: The title says "new", but this has been running for about 2 months since I put the driftwood in and started adding crushed food for cycling. I've been tweaking it over those 2 months. I added the plants in about a month ago, and upgraded the light to a CFL from a halogen about 2 weeks ago. The plants have all rooted and are now growing rapidly (rapidly for low light, low tech anyway). The snail population grew from an un-seen egg cluster to about 15 adult snails, and has stabilized around there. I don't feed very much, just a tiny pinch of new-life spectrum small fish pellets that I've crushed up into a powder every couple of days.
You're probably not going to find real quantifiable data like that because there are so many factors including growth media and I'm not sure it scales up and down linearly.
I have:
Imgur (left side)
Imgur (middle)
imgur
These are all stable systems that have lasted about two years a piece
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issues of any cruelty aside- this is fine as a starter/intro and you'll find that you'll likely want to upgrade as things work out- mostly because small systems are a lot harder to take care of.
The thing with goldfish is that they put out a lot of ammonia (so in a small tank ammonia poisoning might be a thing) and the size of the container tends to cap their growth. But I wouldn't sweat the fish thing too much because a few of them might die due to the tank being new (although goldfish are extremely hearty) sketchy source: http://www.firsttankguide.net/newtanksyndrome.php
It's hard to tell you straight away about how many fish etc because this aquarium system looks fresh and not yet cycled- ie. your aquarium probably doesn't have it's fill of microscopic plant life living in it and in the growth bed material you are using. Be aware you'll likely need to treat the new water you add into the tank. (chlorine remover etc) and that adding new water will have a relatively large effect on your tank due to it being compact. sketchy source: http://nippyfish.net/2009/05/27/cycling-a-small-aquarium/
This means that you'll need to watch the amount of food you feed your fish carefully.
100 grams of fish food will generally support about one square meter of plant life.
sketchy source: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/aquaponics-knowing-the-fish-to-plant-ratio
The great thing about what you are doing (cycling, establishing your grow bed as a bio filter) is that if you start a new tank, you'll be able to use this water and material to start out a larger tank faster (largely what you did by getting some of their gravel).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nice tips/ways to scale up or automate things to make your life easier:
ie. http://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Fish-Feeder-AquaChef-Batteries/dp/B004249KFG
or
Note: most of these links are sketchy- just conveying ideas in an easy to read/digestible format.
> http://imgur.com/gQ9Fory
Thank you sooo much! Please let me know. I am actually quite new to aquariums. The tank has been cycled for new fish. The fake plans are approved for betta, I even did the "pantyhose" test with the plants and logs. As for algae, I don't think it is, It's a live plant, and I'll go see. I usually have the light on for at least an hour. As for the bamboo....I am sad it has to go... The filter is located behind the tank, you can see a bit of it over the left side, it's black and it's this filter.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00176GKM8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Please. Educate me. By the way, anything on custom made decors? Perhaps a sealant for toys? I know some paint on toys are super dangerous so I haven't added any.
I got this jar from Amazon. They have larger 2 gallon jars if you're willing to pay $10 more.
As for the filter/heater, I had this small filter and heater. You can attach them to the side of the jar.
However, you don't really need any of those if you're just putting few shrimps and snails. If you pack it with java moss, it should sustain by itself.
First, I would remove the male, leaving only the gravid female. Assuming the eggs are fertile, you'll slowly see them develop over the next few weeks until you can begin to see little crayfish inside each one. I don't think you need to swap out your filter; I prefer covering the intake with a sponge pre-filter (e.g.). I say this because you're going to want to keep your tank clean while minimizing water changes which could lead to you sucking up tiny crayfish.
Once you get to the point where eye spots develop in the eggs (two little black dots), you'll know the eggs are close to hatching. Monitor them closely as you'll want to remove the female shortly after the babies hatch and begin to move around freely. If you don't remove the female, she'll eventually eat the babies.
Once the babies are on their own, it's pretty easy. I feed them like I do adult crayfish, except that I grind the food up a little bit. For example, ground up algae wafers are always welcome. Make sure you provide plenty of hiding places for them to seek shelter when they molt, which they will do very frequently at first.
Good luck and keep us posted!
I'm not 100% sure this will fit, but I've used the fluval edge pre filter sponge on the an Aqueon Quietflow filter for my 10 gallon.
So you have a filter on a 6 gallon tank that's rated for 68 gallons per hour. This is great filtration (I use an eheim that's rates for over 120 gallons that's running on a 5.5 gallon tank here temporarily). However I myself found that i HAD to control the filter flow.
If you live near a PETCO they may have the Fluval sponges on clearance for 70.cents if not less. don't pay more than 2 bucks for one. I found out my Local petco had a a whole bunch of them on clearance for 70 cents so i picked up close to 30. lol
These sponges look nice, and work well. What you do is fit it over the outflow of the filter. if you get a couple you can cut them to your needs and even use one as an internal filter sponge if your filters design will permit it.
Bettas are used to being in still water. you want the water to have a very very gentle flow, it will look almost still. There's a good chance hes fighting the current and cant get up to the top to breathe regularly.
You mentioned your Nitrates at around a 5? i would prep some water (chlorinate it, maybe let it sit over night) and do a 50% water change, do this about twice a week until your filter is balanced and your tank is fully cycled. if you are seeing high nitrate levels you might be on the tail end of that cycle which is good.
As for clamped fins. Once the previous measures have been taken and your beta appears to be regaining health and vigor (give him a week or so) You can do "betta exercise" which is essentially putting a mirror in front of the tank for about 5-10 minutes once or twice a week. don't do it consecutively, so maybe Monday and Friday or something like that. This causes them to flare their fins and fan them out. preventing clamping and helping their muscles that they use for the fins get some strength. Just be sure to watch him and take it away after the 5-10 minute period. if he is in bad shape right now i would just do 5 minutes for a while and see how that works out.
That's about all i can give right now based on the info provided. Make sure the tank is not near a heavy sun window or an air vent.
Hang in there man and good luck. I know what its like to lose pets. Its a major let down and you feel like you failed. I've been there and im sure ill be there again at some point. I lost alot of dwarf shrimp in my early experiences, it will pay off once you figure out the nuances.
Best of luck and feel free to PM me if you need more help.
Fluval Edge PreFilter Sponge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LL32RY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RzHvDbTQG9SRH
One of these bad boys.
I use this, which is a just a discounted version of this.
Visually it's cumbersome, but it works like a charm. If my tank were facing the other direction (I have it so the return nozzle is at the "front") it would be a lot less noticeable.
Despite the space it takes, I feel like Touch has regained part of the tank that he wasn't really enjoying, because the return current was so strong that he was getting a little blown around in there.
He's lovely! His colors are so vibrant. Just a word of warning, you might wanna pick up a prefilter sponge to stick over your filter intake like these.
Bettas are curious little guys and are notorious for tearing their fins on that kind of stuff. Just figured I'd let you know, he's a gorgeous fish!
The tank looks like a fluval spec, right? Get yourself one of these, cut it to size, and stick it over the filter outflow nozzle. It will keep the flow gentle while still allowing your filter to work. You do need the filter on.
I would also suggest increasing the temp. He will get stressed out at lower temperatures, which will lower his immune system. You can also stick an indian almond leaf in there, which releases tannins that are beneficial to healing.
Before buying a whole new filter setup itself, try one of the sponge covers for a filter intake (I'll add a link in an edit in a second) they're just a couple dollars and they'll help a lot! My guy used to get stuck by the intake force alone. But he doesn't even get drawn to the thing now. I have them on all my filters!
Edit: you can probably find them cheaper but here's what I'm talking about! just put a rubber band right around it to keep it in place.
I highly suggest getting some type of foam/sponge thing to put over that filter intake. I lost a beloved ADF as a result of my oversight. His foot got stuck in one of the slats and he ended up drowning (they need to go to the surface roughly every 30 minutes to get air if I remember correctly). It was horrible taking his body off the intake :(
I'm only saying this because I don't want you to repeat what I went through.
I personally have 2 in a 2.5 gallon tank, but they are the only things living in it. So a question would be, do you plan on having other things such as fish? If you have fish, then probably 2 for 10 gallons. If not, then I could see 5 in a 10 gallon being fine.
And like u/numb3rb0y suggested, I would focus some more hides as well. Overall though, I like the tank set-up :)
I actually use that filter on one of my 10 gallons as well, provides lots of flow for the tank which is good, and good filtration as well. I would maybe suggest changing out the ceramic rings with ehiem media or seachem matrix media, somehting with a bit more surface area, and you would never need to worry about filtration issues. I also recommend putting one of these http://www.amazon.com/Pre-Filter-Sponge-Pack-Fluval-Aquarium/dp/B004K9A15G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1343104756&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=fluval+prefilter+sponge on the intake of the filter, this will keep the maintenance to a minimum, because it would clog less and the sponge provides additional surface area for beneficial bacteria, i dont have a single tank with out sponge prefilters.
they also make steel mesh prefilters.
check some out here
and here
I used these, same thing I think, worked perfectely on my Sunsun, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004K9A15G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
like this? - https://www.amazon.com/XY-2831-Sponge-Filter-Aquarium-10-gallon/dp/B0056XVF82
do you think i'll have any luck finding something like that in the retail pet stores or should i just get it off of amazon?
I would suggest a couple of things. I'm a cheapskate at heart, so take what I say with a grain of salt. A 10G tank is a perfect starting volume, but I think you can do it with way less up front cost.
First, I'd hold off on the CO2 kit until your tank gets established and you determine that CO2 is needed. For a 10G tank, you may find that a DIY kit is fine. I personally got a CO2 setup, but only because I found this one on clearance for $5 (http://www.amazon.com/Nutrafin-Natural-System-Activator-Stabilizer/dp/B00026058Y). It's essentially a commercial version of the standard DIY kit, and it bubbles for 2-3 months per charge.
Second, you may want to stay away from the HOB filter. I've got about a half-dozen of them around the house, but I have found that I really like the sponge filters way better, especially if you want to keep your cherry shrimp babies from getting sucked up. They do an excellent job with biological filtration, and if you just squeeze/rinse one of them out each time you do a water change, it will do a decent job at mechanical filtration as well. Can't beat the price either. http://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Biochemical-Sponge-Filter-Fish/dp/B0056XVF82
I think your fish selection is great, but just wanted to note to you that Glowlight tetras are "moderately difficult to breed", so if you'd like a nice sustainable colony it may be worth checking out some of the livebearers. Nothing like buying 5 fish and then having 30 in a few months... I'm currently raising Endler's guppies. The males really make the tank pop, and they stay small so having 20-30 in the tank isn't too much bioload.
For plants, I think you've got the right idea with starting with some HC and then add more later. I'd also search around a bit and see if there is a local aquarium group. Trading is way better than buying... after going to my local Aquatic Plant Club monthly meeting I always walk away with 5-7 plants that I didn't have before. Your job will then be to grow like crazy to bring more back to the group for the ever-present "new guy" to get started.
For 3D supports, you may want to check out using "egg-crate", or lighting diffuser. It's dirt cheap from Home Depot and will hopefully keep the water/sediment from stagnating underneath your mountains.
Hope this helps, I'd try to spend as little as possible until you identify areas that need improvement.
Can't say for certain if that will be good. It might create too much current. I've had good luck with https://www.amazon.com/XY-2831-Sponge-Filter-Aquarium-10-gallon/dp/B0056XVF82
If you go filterless try using a wood diffuser, they put out finer bubbles than the regular kind, which should cut down on the flow. Also go for the smallest air pump you can find, this will probably make the biggest difference.
I have this bubble filter, and if you put the spout above the water the bubbles pretty much pop on impact with the water.
I don't think it's the size of the bubbles that really matters, I would be more worried about making a choke point, if the bubbles start to build up, you're not going to be moving any water. But i've never tried putting something on the outflow of mine.
You could get something like this, or even something half that size, and then a super cheap air pump. Sponge filters are air driven. But yeah, for ten or fifteen bucks you could easily have a good sponge filter set up. They are great for shrimp and most serious shrimp breeders use them.
Good on you for taking the poor guy!
First, the spots don't really look like ich. Ich is more like the fish has salt grains sprinkled on them. The spots on the this guy look like either fungus or bacteria. Also, from the picture, it looks like he has some pretty bad fin rot and he's very pale.
I see an air pump, is it hooked up to anything in the tank? I don't see a filter, but you can use that air pump to set up a sponge filter.
The tank itself looks to be ok, although a very odd shape... I'm thinking it's probably 2.5-3 gallons which is alright for a betta (though 5 gallons is ideal)
Honestly, if there's no filter or bubble stone, I'd do a 100% water change, rinse the gravel really well to get any detritus out (judging by the state of the tank, I'm sure there's a lot...). Until you get a filter, you should do 50-75% changes every day. Look up fish-in cycling as well. I'm sure we have a link in our wiki. Scoop the little guy into a holding cup while you change the water, then slowly acclimate to the cleaner water. With his compromised immune system, too much stress may be a death sentence.
Like I said about the spots, it looks like a fungus or bacterial infection. Bacterial is more common and would fit with the MO of fin rot, so I'd start with that for treating. Any antibacterial would be good, but get him in clean water first.
Can you take a pic of the heater?
As far as buddies go, a single snail or a few shrimp would be fine with him. Nerite snails are one of my favorites. They eat all kinds of algae, lay eggs that don't hatch in freshwater, come in lots of colors, and stay relatively small. DO NOT do a mystery snail, they get huge and produce a lot of waste. Ghost or amano shrimp are good choices. Shrimp are much more sensitive to water quality though, so make sure you get the tank fixed before adding anything.
Finally, definitely get this test kit. You'll need it for cycling and is much more accurate and cost effective than strips.
Get a sponge filter like this: https://www.amazon.com/XINYOU-XY-2835-Aquarium-Cylinder-Sponge/dp/B005LMQCW2/ref=asc_df_B005LMQCW2/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=167154348866&amp;hvpos=1o1&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=46583133798037292&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=m&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9032191&amp;hvtargid=pla-307225004780&amp;psc=1
Get some gravel and maybe some plants like anacharis. Fill the tank, dechlorinate the water. Let the tank run for a week with nothing in it. Add some food when you start this. Dont fill the tank to the top, leave about an inch or an inch and a half at the top (for the mystery snail). (Read about cycling your tank).
Red cherry shrimp eat mostly biofilm and algae. So if you feed lightly, they'll clean up the tank. Mystery snails eat veggies so a blanched zucchini or spinach is definitely good for them. They need a lot of calcium so spinach and dark greens are recommended.
Change 10-20% of your water volume each week. Vacuum the gravel to remove poop. Dechlorinate before you add the water. If you put anacharis in there, prune them monthly. Throw away bottoms of the plants, as tops are where they actively grow. You can keep them in the gravel or floating. It doesnt matter. Monthly take your sponge filter out, and squeeze it out in the water you took out of your tank before you throw it away. Dont rinse it in tap.
If you want you can add some wood like oak or cholla wood into the tank. Make sure you soak the wood in a bucket for a good long time, maybe weeks, until it sinks and the water stops turning brown. Boiling can help it along faster. Wood will help bacteria grow and give the shrimp more food.
I have three 2.5 gal tanks and I would not go smaller with shrimp. I have a 1.5 gallon jarrarium but it only has Amphipods and snails. I would NOT put shrimp in anything smaller. It is extremely hard to handle temp variations especially is winter and summer. And I would not do shrimp for your first one.
I would go buy a 2.5 gallon aquarium at Petsmart. Get the glass lid at Drs Foster and Smith online, a VersaTop. And then I would get a little sponge fllter like this and/or a HOB like this, I used both. And a Cobalt Aquatics 5 watt heater. Or an Aqueon 10 watt heater. And be prepared to alternate based on how bad your winters are. But, I would not recommend it if this is your first tank.
Azoo Mignon 60
Here you go.
AZOO Mignon Filter 60 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VEWCMO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VRM0Cb8F305VV
Get a [check valve](Marina Plastic Check Valve https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQIAO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.jceAbW5X9VMS) for the sponge filter/air pump tubing so the water doesn’t go back into the pump.
You need an [API freshwater master test kit](API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT 800-Test Freshwater Aquarium Water Master Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5kceAb9WH26C1) to keep track of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate as you cycle your tank and throughout the life of your tank.
[Dr. Tim’s ammonium chloride](DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium chloride - 2 oz bottle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006MP4QG6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9lceAbCE3EDN2) is optional because you can buy pure ammonia for cheaper at the grocery store, but I used it. It’s an easy way to start and maintain your fishless cycle. Just add 4 drops per gallon of water to bring the ammonia up to 2ppm.
https://www.amazon.com/DrTims-Aquatics-Ammonium-chloride-bottle/dp/B006MP4QG6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dr+tims+ammonia&amp;qid=1551172849&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1
I have been using this with no issues
http://www.amazon.com/DrTims-Aquatics-Ammonium-chloride-Aquarium/dp/B006MP4QG6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1418867330&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=ammonia&amp;pebp=1418867343024
I've heard good things about this stuff but be aware that if you test your water using the API freshwater kit it won't be able to detect the low ammonium levels (NH4) only ammonia (NH3) so I would just follow the directions on the bottle and only test for nitrites.
Then it was likely just widely different water parameters. Anyways if you want to seed ammonia I recommend this 6$ thing off amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006MP4QG6/ . Yeah it's a smallish container compared to what you can buy in stores, but finding straight ammonia is pretty hard. (Alot of them have soap and crap in them). This stuff works pretty good for seeding it. Im currently cycling two 10g with it right now.
Also throwing fish in to seed ammonia is being impatient lol. You're risking fish for the benefit of not having to wait 3-6 weeks.
Thank you!
Mr. Aqua 12g Long Tank (standard glass)
Keynice Digital Thermometer
NICREW ClassicLED Plus
Hygger Submersible Heater
Fluval C2 Power Filter
Dr. Tims Ammonia Chloride (for cycling)
Vintage Dark Brown Console Table (for stand)
(Seachem Flourite, Standard Aquarium Gravel, Polished River Rocks, Black Glass Rock, Blue Glass Rock)
(Monte Carlo, Dwarf Hair Grass, Red Pearl Amazon Sword)
I personally like the Fluval Spec V for betta. Just add a heater and it's good to go.
The Fluval Spec 5gal and Fluval Flex 9gal are great looking all-in-one's and have nice large filter areas where you can add extra media and hide the heater. Build quality is good, lights are good enough to grow plants well and they are virtually silent. I own both of these tanks and I keep shrimp in the Spec 5. You will need to slightly modify the filter intake to prevent shrimp from getting into the filter area, I just cover the intake by gluing a square of black foam over it, it's barely noticeable and it works.
This is what I use on my 3 gallon half moon.
UNS now has lids
These TopFin 5 gallon kits include a lid.
Petco's Imagitarium rimless kits have lids.
Marineland Contour and Portrait kits come with lids.
5G Mainland Portrait... I really like it! And so does Bunty... https://www.amazon.com/Marineland-ML90609-Portrait-Aquarium-5-Gallon/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1499707516&amp;sr=1-7&amp;keywords=marineland
Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit, 5-Gallon w/ Hidden Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ej7vCbQKYF9MF
My boyfriend and I have two of these, and they seem like the perfect tank for betta fish.
Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit, 5-Gallon w/ Hidden Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_833DCbZGDSNEM says it’s 5 gallons but i think it’s closer to 3. comes with a light and filter, it’s really nice
Some people keep shrimp in small couple gallon bowls with success, judging by stuff I see on jarrarriums? The smaller the tank though the faster the water can go toxic. This portrait 5 gallon has been on sale for a while, it's what I'm using to make a shrimp tank. I haven't had success yet but that's another story... Cycling is hard x_x
As for plants, I've heard they love plants like Java moss, hornwort, and elodea, because the amount of surface area encourages the growth of biofilm and other things they eat especially as babies.
There are some commercial pellets out there, they can also eat some veggies. I hear that rotating different foods is best for them.
For water parameters, you just need to make sure there's enough calcium/minerals for them to molt properly.
This is all hearsay since I haven't had success yet but good luck!
So I have the marine land 5 gallon portrait it's about the same foot prints as what you have just a little taller. I love it . Check it out this might work for u . Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit, 5-Gallon w/ Hidden Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pkUXCbH6SZFQM
Your tank is beautiful tho. I really want to upgrade to some live plants
Very nice of you to rescue him! Poor little guy. Not enough people care about fish. As you can see on my profile, I'm a betta person :D
He'd probably love a 5-gallon tank with a filter. This was my starter tank and I really liked it! Only $45 and has everything you need as goldfish don't require a heater.
https://www.amazon.com/Marineland-ML90609-Portrait-Aquarium-5-Gallon/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=5+gallon+fish+tank+kit&amp;qid=1555020352&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-2
This tank seems really good looking :)
Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit, 5-Gallon w/ Hidden Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6v3XCb8PBJE0K
i would suggest this one instead. It has TONS of great reviews & the light is apparently fantastic. Same price as the one you linked. I also like the glo fish one too, & i have a minibow but i got a different heater for it. None of these tanks contain a good heater though so i would recommend getting a hydor 25w adjustable one, i use them in my betta tanks. They are $15 i believe
The filter I currently have is the Top Fin Silenstream 20 power filter. This is for a 20g tank.
&#x200B;
The filter he will be moving to is part of this tank https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
&#x200B;
Sorry but I don't see a name for the filter in that link.
&#x200B;
99% sure it was this one: Nicrew LED Aquarium Hood Lighting Fish Tank Light for Freshwater and Saltwater, Blue and White Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0191EWII2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YFiCxb3YJHNTV (on mobile, sorry)
I had a Nicrew 12-18 inch LED light on my 5 gallon for a while and it worked splendidly. Nothing spectacular, but it grew my Swords and Java Ferns. Great for low light, not so much for carpeting. Also it's cheap. But I don't know how much that matters to you.
You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0191EWII2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HiqIDbZ9F02HN
I've recently upgraded the tank to 10G and am now using a Finnex stingray on it. I have to say that it is one of the best lights I've ever used. It's just the right amount of light and is great for low maintenance/low light plants and high maintenance/high light plants, so it's good all around. I'm not sure if they have a model suitable for a 5 gallon but it may be worth checking out. It's a bit more expensive but worth the price IMO.
You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NAFQ6FK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Hope this helps a bit OP
I have this NICREW light on my 5.5 gallon and it's lovely, it's adjustable and has day (white + blue LED) and night (blue LED only) settings. For the price I think it's a great bargain especially if you don't have high light requirements for your plants.
NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light, Fish Tank Light with Extendable Brackets, White and Blue LEDs, 6W https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0191EWII2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ByE8AbA5JE4AM
^ This is correct.
Also, re: lights -
This little NiCrew light is only $18.99 and does wonders for lighting. It's sturdy, adjustable, super bright, has two modes (white and blue LEDs) and our plants grow like crazy under it.
We have two of them -- one on our 20G Long and one on one of our 10Gs, and we wouldn't trade them for the world.
No real advice on the decorations, but I purchased this light on Amazon a couple weeks ago and I love it! Not expensive at all either. NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C84SLRO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Check this out. Those are my two 10 gallons with those lights. Plants are thriving. I also put the link to amazon. They are 40$ CAD for a 20-27 inch long. http://imgur.com/a/1SHR5DD / https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01C84SLRO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kkHIBb11K3QDF
I use NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light, Fish Tank Light with Extendable Brackets, White and Blue LEDs, Size 20 to 27 Inch, 11 Watts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C84SLRO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_25MvCbQTZWCRA
its a medium to high light it’s really good
I think something like below for your tank would be a good start. I would read reviews to make sure the intensity is right for yours to avoid algae problems.
The reason I recommend this route is it’s often the cheaper option for someone in your situation. I’ve noticed people sell their used equipments for well over 50% on this sub, and with shipping, you’re not getting any deals. There seems to be plenty of cheaper options nowadays besides something like a Finnex. But it wouldn’t hurt to ask, of course, especially if you come across a local hobbyist.
NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light, Fish Tank Light with Extendable Brackets, White and Blue LEDs, Size 20 to 27 Inch, 11 Watts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C84SLRO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LEmTBbM7Q1NBW
Got it all on amazon!
Filter
Light
Heater
Edit: You might want to go bigger on the heater than what I got. I think mine is good up to a 10g.
For real, if your serious about the hobby, spend the ~$25 for this kit. It has everything you need, and the nitrate test (most used) lasted me about a year. I also have had a second tank for 6-7 months, so it could easily last you 2 years if you only test nitrate on 1 tank. If you think about it, tank, filter, heater, fish are the only major expenses. $25 more could save all that time, money, and effort if something goes wrong. Trust us, you dont want to have to keep going to the lfs to find out what your params are.
research "fish-in cycling", as this is what you are now doing. i'd advise picking up a decent water testing kit ASAP. until you have a testing kit to guide you, i would do DAILY 50% water changes to ensure safe water parameters. when you're able to go out and pick up a kit, you could also buy a couple low light plants like java fern or anubias to help just a little with water conditions and to give your fish some soft cover during the stress of fish-in cycling. keep feeding to a minimum, as any extra will only contribute to ammonia by 1) not being eaten and rotting in your substrate, or 2) being eaten and making extra poop. also, finding an appropriate pellet food would help your water quality greatly. flakes dissolve the second they hit the water and can contribute to bad water quality more then people might expect, especially if there is overfeeding (which is very easy to do and a common beginner mistake)... a gravel vacuum would also be a good buy and make it a lot easier to keep your gravel clean.
it sounds like you care about your fish, and if you're committed to learning about fish-in cycling and staying on top of water quality, your fish should be ok. i would wait until your tank cycles to add more fish, and even then i would only increase stocking levels incrementally. aqadvisor is a great resource for figuring out how much bioload your setup can handle. if you stick with the hobby, you'll find that good ole clean water will fix just about anything. you're getting a crash course in this now unfortunately, but you'll come out of this with tons of knowledge that 99% of people who get fish at the petstore never bother to care about. your future fish will thank you!
$16 on Amazon!
Mine comes tomorrow. It'll make me feel like a marine biologist.
Edit: http://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-MASTER-TEST-KIT/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1341272135&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=api+freshwater+master+test+kit
Start ordering this
The main problem is likely ammonia poisoning. Even though you have a filter, you don't yet have a "cycle". The others are correct that your current tank is too small, but the fish will die long before it grows and needs more space if you aren't able to keep the ammonia down.
The best product to get is Seachem Prime, and use it at each water change.
For now, yes change 100% of the water - daily - until you know that you have a cycle in place by testing your water with the API Freshwater Master Test Kit.
If this all seems too much to manage for a fish you weren't looking to own in the first place, you could always rehome it via Craigslist or surrender to a pet store. If you decide to keep it, you're in for a fun, rewarding hobby! :D
Ammonia is one of the most important things to test for. Plus, test strips are notoriously inaccurate. This kit is the thing you need. If you're hell-bent on keeping the test kit you have, at least buy an ammonia test kit. Your ammonia and NitrItes should read 0 ppm. NitrAtes can be present, as long as they are <20 (some people say less <40, but I always err on the side of caution). Did anyone at PetSmart educate you on how to properly cycle a tank? I'm really surprised they sold you a fish with a brand-new tank...That's pretty messed up of them. But I'm not surprised. They might have sold you a sick fish, too, that is just now showing signs of illness with the extra stress of being put into a new tank. Super sorry I can't be of any more help at this point! Could you try posting your photo of the fish again?
&nbsp;
***Edit: I got the photo to load. It's definitely not ich. That looks like some fungus...Maybe? It's so hard to tell. He looks really sick, whatever it is. It did not just start all of a sudden-I think they sold you a very sick fish. If it dies, do yourself a favor and do not ever buy anything at that PetSmart again. I'm so sorry. I hope he pulls through.
Hm. If you can, please try to buy an API liquid test kit right away. They're at any pet store that carries fish stuff, or you can get one on Amazon with prime shipping. Sometimes they go on sale even cheaper on other pet websites if you google around.
It's absolutely crucial that you have a way to test for these levels since they affect your fish's health.
Read this quick explanation on cycling so that you have a better understanding of what is going on in your tank, and what these chemicals mean for your fish. Most fish or pet stores will test your aquarium water if you bring a sample in, for free.
(And no problem with the cast, I had to wear a cast once so I know the struggle! Good on you for trying to help your fish anyway!)
It's possible he ingested gravel, but more likely he just needs clean water and time to heal. You mentioned in the post title you were using a medication, which medication is that?
Sometimes it's better to hold off on meds and put him in a hospital tank, like you have done, and treat him with aquarium salt. The general dilution is 1 tsp per gallon, and you do daily 25-50% water changes with freshly conditioned water. Don't do salt treatments for longer than about 10 days since it's a little hard on them but it helps with wounds and with general illness. When you do a salt treatment, dissolve the aquarium salt in a cup of tank water before pouring and mixing it in, it doesn't work as well if you just sprinkle it in solid.
Either way if he's in a smaller tank you'll want to do 10-25% water changes daily because their food and poop releases ammonia, which makes them sick. I just got a new betta and am keeping him in a 1 gal quarantine tank floating in my main heated tank, and after a single day the ammonia jumps up to 0.1 ppm. You want it to stay 0 and never ever above 0.25 ppm. It's a lot of work doing these water changes but you typically see a huge improvement in their health - you're acting as a river flushing out old water and letting new water flow in.
Do you know what type it is? Here are some pics of common ones:
Mystery snail
Nerite snail
Ramshorn snail
These can have different colors than the ones pictured but the shape should be the same. I don't have any experience with ramshorns so I can't give advice for them but I have mysteries and nerites.
Nerites eat algae off of the glass of the tank. If there isn't any algae, you can give them algae wafers or some cooked veggies like carrots or spinach.
Mystery snails will eat algae wafers and they also like veggies. Mine love zucchini. Blanch the vegetables to keep them from floating around the tank.
Snails need a source of calcium to keep their shells healthy. Cuttlebone can be found in the bird section of a pet store and it dissolves in the tank over time. You can also make 'snello' - snail jello. Plain gelatin, TUMS (for the calcium), veggie baby food and fish flakes is a nice way to provide food and calcium all at once.
Snails poop A LOT. I recommend getting a filter and a gravel vacuum to clean the tank out. Waste can cause ammonia levels to rise, which is harmful to the snails. You can test the water parameters (pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) using a test kit. The API test kit is kinda $$ but it's good. Mystery and nerite snails like water between 65-82*, although nerites like it on the warmer end. You might need a heater.
Snail behavior:
Mystery snails are pretty active. Mine like to crawl up the side of the tank and then float down to the bottom. This is sometimes called "parasnailing". It's cute. Nerites hide. They have interesting sleep cycles where they'll be awake for long stretches of time and then go to sleep for several days. If you have a nerite, I highly recommend getting a lid for the tank if you don't already have one. They like to sneak out which can lead to them dying. Leave about an inch of water between the top of the tank and the water line because snails still need access to air. Mystery snails have a siphon which allows them to get oxygen.
Mysteries and nerites reproduce sexually. If you have one you don't have to worry about your snail creating a million clones of itself.
Good idea doing a water change. Is the tank cycled and do you know the water parameters? If you don't, the api master test kit will tell you everything you need to know.
(sidenote: Herb is a great name for a fish.)
If you don't mind spending the money, you can get a test kit to check your levels of ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites, amongst some other things. I believe the usually recommended one is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI
It's pretty worth it and will last you a decent amount of time. You might have high levels of ammonia without realizing it, even if you follow your local pet store's instructions. And if that's not the case, then at least you've ruled something out.
I highly recommend reading FAQs or beginner recommendations from /r/Aquariums , /r/bettafish , and /r/PlantedTank (though the latter may not exactly apply to you). They will have the best sources available for you, and the communities are always super helpful when it comes to new questions. Below is my personal advice, but I've never tried aquaponics before.
First: Get a water conditioner! Chlorine and heavy metals from tap water are toxic to fish. API has a good one.
Secondly, I would recommend a heater! This will make your fish super comfy and also provide the added benefit of an increased metabolism so your plants will get more food. :) Also, bettas are more colorful when they're comfortable (i.e. in warm, clean water). Be sure to get an adjustable one so you don't accidentally fry your fish. This will be the best investment for your tank. Also get a thermometer to make sure the heater is working properly. I like this kind of heater from Aqueon.
Upon further reading about the product, it's listed at being 3 gallons which is about the minimum size for a single betta. This tank should cycle if given a proper filter and time. I would also suggest getting a filter of some sort. The kit includes a "pump" but unless it has any media for the bacteria to grow on, you won't truly have a "cycled" tank. [Read up on the nitrogen cycle. This is the difference between a fish living a week and 3 years.] Cycling your tank will take about a month. During this time, there will be no nitrates for the plants to use. Your fish will just be sitting in ammonia/nitrite water. This is unhealthy for the fish, and it's the leading cause of death in beginner aquariums. There are other fishless methods that will cycle a tank before the fish goes in. This is considered the most humane (and it's as easy as throwing in some fish food to rot) since the fish won't be swimming in essentially poison for a month.
I personally use hang on back (HOB) filters since they're easily available and easy to use, but I don't think this will work with the lid you have going. There are also under-gravel filters and sponge filters which I am very unfamiliar with. It's important not to change the filter media - that's where the beneficial bacteria live. The only reason you should ever throw it away and change it is if it's literally falling apart. /r/aquariums can give you a better suggestion on a filter than I can. Here's some from Petsmart. Get one with a low flow since a betta's long fins will act like sails! They don't like being swept away very much.
Also, you'll need to monitor the ammonia and nitrate levels in your tank. There's a $30 freshwater master test kit from API that will last you YEARS and help you keep your fish healthy. Regardless of what the website says, you'll also need to do water changes and clean the bottom of the tank. No tank is ever "self cleaning", but it is true that plants use harmful nitrates and can take some out of the water.
You may also want to keep some common fish meds on hand (fungus, bacteria, and ich meds) in case your fish gets sick. Some of these may harm your plants or make them inedible for humans though, so be careful!
A gravel vacuum is also helpful for water changes, but with that small of a tank, large cups could also suffice.
tl;dr Get some water conditioner, a heater, a thermometer, a filter and a water test kit. Find a nice, adjustable heater, a filter that will work with your lid, and get a test kit for your water that covers ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates.
You should cycle it. Buy a freshwater test kit like this one,and some pure ammonia (I got mine from Ace's hardware store). Essentially you want to build up nitrifying bacteria colonies in your filter, so your fish do not immediately die of toxic ammonia produced by fish, and nitrites. To do this, add enough ammonia so the concentration of it in the aquarium is 2ppm, and keep adding ammonia until all of it is converted into nitrate, and ammonia and nitrite read 0. This is a simplified explanation though, a more complete guide is here. After this, you can add fish.
My life became a lot easier and my tank became a lot cleaner when I removed the substrate. Your turtle doesn't care about the rocks on the bottom of the tank, and it may try to eat any that are small enough.
That being said - it sounds like you guys are doing 100% water changes, which is overkill (and removes the bacteria that make up a good environment). Most people recommend 20-50% water changes depending on how dirty things are.
If the rocks are river rocks, then I'd just fill up a bucket with the rocks and carry that to strain/wash them. You can use a traditional hose with suction to empty dirty water, or something like this python aquarium cleaner. Basically you hook it up to your sink and can fill up a tank OR drain it using suction. You may not have a sink that has the right threading though - I had 2 apartments where it wouldn't work and now I need an adapter, but its amazing.
You could also get a better filter. Getting an external canister instead of the internal ones that hang on the side (which never stay on...) was a huge plus for me.
There are probably also water vacuums that would help. But I don't know of any.
Easiest thing though is to get rid of the substrate. Stick to doing 30%ish water changes instead of cleaning it completely. Perhaps upgrade your filter (you should probably have a filter rated for a 80+ gallon tank).
Unfortunately people at pet stores are often more interested in selling you stuff than whether or not your fish lives :( Even though people think of goldfish as a beginner pet, they're actually much more work. They produce a ton of waste, can get quite big (8 inches or more), and can live more than a decade.
You can do one of two things to keep them alive - rehome them/return them, or get a much larger tank (40 gallons or more, so like ...150 liters? I think?) and a very high powered filter.
In the setup you have now they could very well survive for a few years, but they won't be thriving. That tank looks quite nice and could totally be used for other fish - a single betta would be perfect for that tank, or possibly some white cloud minnows (not sure on them though).
Continuing water changes will possibly keep him alive for now. Do you have access to a Freshwater Master Test Kit? If you can get one of these and test the ammonia every day it will help. If the ammonia gets above .25 ppm, switch out 20-30% of the water with treated water until it is lower. Eventually the good bacteria in the filter and gravel will build up and help control the ammonia so you will only need to do partial water changes a few times a month. This process is called the Nitrogen Cycle and it will take 3-6 weeks to complete. Whatever you decide to do with your fish, cycling is the #1 priority in a new tank. That test kit will allow you to determine what stage of the cycle you're in. Here's a link with a cute little graph.
The plant looks like cabomba, but I'm not 100% sure. But I think goldfish like to eat plants? I've only kept them with plastic plants. Either way, cool plant.
So it's up to you if you think you should rehome/return them, get a big tank, or see how long they last in that one. They're very cute fish! Hope Dennis feels better soon!
If you can't make a reading more accurate than that you need another testing system. I recommend http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI
Water changes won't damage your BB. Yeah I understand they are pricey, maybe if you can afford it, amazon has it for $23. But I would definitely get your water tested whenever you can, and make sure they're testing all 3 parameters. Also, I wouldn't trust anything they tell you when you get your reading (regarding how harmful it is, causes, etc. not the actual readings). If you have any level of ammonia or nitrite, it is poisonous and it is a 100% indicator that your tank isn't cycled. Sounds like you're really taking in a lot of information and trying your best, good luck :)
Instead of test strips, you might look into getting an API Master Testkit. It will give much more accurate readings, and will last longer, saving you money in the long run. Test strips can vary in accuracy depending on how much they're exposed to air. The first few from a fresh bottle tend to work well, but I've always noticed nitrates and pH getting harder to read the further I get into a bottle. A liquid test kit like the one API makes will give you more accurate readings.
Also, as hoodwin70 said, you can't rush cycling. It took about 5 weeks in my 29G, and around 4 weeks in my 5G Betta tank. The best I've ever done was 2 weeks in a Betta tank using filter media and substrate from an existing tank. Just make sure if you use bottled ammonia to start the cycle that it is clear ammonia and has no additives. The general idea for fishless cycling is that by adding ammonia, you help build up the necessary bacteria colonies that will convert the ammonia into less harmful forms, mainly nitrates, which you can then remove from the tank through water changes. Most fish can tolerate higher nitrate readings than they can nitrites or ammonia.
The quick and dirty run down is this: add ammonia to the tank (via bottle or decaying fish food), and wait for nitrites to show up (about a week or less). Once nitrites show up, the first colony is becoming established. At this point, if ammonia reads 0, add more to keep feeding the cycle. You should start to see nitrates after a while. This part usually takes the longest: waiting for nitrites to go away, and can take weeks. Keep feeding small amounts of ammonia to keep the cycle going, and when nitrites and ammonia read 0, you're done. Do a large water change to get the nitrates low (under 10ppm) and you should be good to add fish. Ideally, you'll never read ammonia and nitrites, only nitrates. You'll probably want to do a water change whenever they read around 20ppm (that's when I do mine). The link in the sidebar will have more detail, but that's the gist of how I usually do it.
As for the driftwood, to help with leaching, it's a good idea to boil it a few times before putting it in the tank. That'll get a lot of the junk out of it and reduce how much is leached into the tank. Although some people prefer that yellow color since it's not really harmful to the fish.
Good luck!
EDIT: Link to the testkit.
API Master Test Kit
Get rid of the test strips and buy a real water test kit Amazon has the API Master Kit for $22. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255NCI/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;psc=1
Not the snek, a Python
One of these
Heard good things about this: Python Siphon
Hooks right up to your faucet. This guy gives a pretty nice review about the set up and whatnot.
You may want to invest in a Python hose. It hooks straight up to your faucet. When you're removing water from your tank, it sends the water straight down your sink drain, but when you're adding water it connects to your faucet and goes to your aquarium.
No need for buckets, heaters or spilling water. Pretty easy.
They're a bit pricey but well worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Python-Aquarium-Maintenance/dp/B000255NXC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1467132484&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=python+aquarium+water+changer
> honestly, I wouldn't put him in there, get him something around 5g and he'll be soooo stoked. even a full gallon would be passable.
Agreed x100. Basing a 55 around a SINGLE FUCKING BETTA is a huge mistake imo. You can do so many cool things with a tank that size, why limit yourself to what gets along with the most basic of basic predatory fishes? You probably would not ever see the betta anyway, they become much less interested in you when they have a big tank + friends + things to look at inside the tank.
Also OP get yourself a python (for water changes) you'll thank me later.
I was intimidated by the line from the sink thing for years, and lugged 5 gallon buckets back and forth every week. I finally paid something like $40 for one of the large tubes that hooks up to your sink, and my life has been much better since -- as have my fish. Honestly, just get one of these (or something like it) right now: https://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Python-Aquarium-Maintenance/dp/B000255NXC You can save yourself a world of pain down the road -- I really wish I had done it sooner.
Brief exposure to chlorine while things are mixing up isn't going to hurt your fish. With all of the chemicals, I swirl them a few mls at a time in a pint glass full of tank water (I keep a "fish glass" next to the aquarium) then dribble that concentrated solution around the tank while I mix it in. My biggest concern is making sure the fish don't get a facefull of algae eliminator or something that could actually cause pain/damage them.
The water temperature is a little tricker. You can run back and forth between the sink and the tank and do water temperature comparisons before you actually flip the switch and send the water over. After it's flipped, I hold one hand under the "new" water coming out and another at the opposite end of the tank, and make any fine-tune changes I need to then.
First-timer in over his head here. Could use an assist with setup. The ultimate goal is setting up something my (soon-to-be) 2 year old daughter will enjoy watching.
Planning on purchasing:
Tank & Stand: Aqueon 45G tank ensemble - $250
Light: LED - Included with tank
Filter: MarineLand Penguin 200 Power Wheel - $21
Heater: Orlushy Submersible Aquarium Heater 150W - $18
Python: Python No Spill Clean and Fill Aquarium Maintenance System - $40, 24 inch adapter - $10, [hook] (https://smile.amazon.com/Python-Spill-Aquarium-Gravel-24-Inch/dp/B004PBHX4G/ref=pd_bxgy_199_img_2/146-3053739-1242457?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B004PBHX4G&amp;pd_rd_r=42a7c2bc-877d-414d-b0c9-2960fa629e40&amp;pd_rd_w=q7tkK&amp;pd_rd_wg=fjx36&amp;pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&amp;pf_rd_r=ZE4SB0SAMR7BKXT7Z4QW&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=ZE4SB0SAMR7BKXT7Z4QW) - $20, and this adapter for my non-threaded faucet - $12
Conditioner: [API Water Conditioner] (https://smile.amazon.com/API-CONDITIONER-Aquarium-Conditioner-16-Ounce/dp/B004LO9KSY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2SD31AR7OVW3V&amp;keywords=water+conditioner+aquarium&amp;qid=1567987105&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=water+condition%2Caps%2C159&amp;sr=8-3) - $7
Bacteria: [API Quick Start] (https://smile.amazon.com/API-CONDITIONER-Aquarium-Conditioner-16-Ounce/dp/B004LO9KSY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2SD31AR7OVW3V&amp;keywords=water+conditioner+aquarium&amp;qid=1567987105&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=water+condition%2Caps%2C159&amp;sr=8-3) - $4
Test Kits: [API 5-in-1 Test Strips] (https://smile.amazon.com/5-IN-1-AQ-Test-Strips-100CT/dp/B077YS7Y4Y/ref=sr_1_3?crid=VPPBFJ1NJSMG&amp;keywords=api%2Btest%2Bkit&amp;qid=1567987538&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=api%2Btest%2Caps%2C210&amp;sr=8-3&amp;th=1) - $26
That takes me up to $408. That leaves me about $100-150 in the budget my wife gave me to get decorations and the fish themselves. (It was supposed to be $500, but we always go slightly over budget)
Any recommendations on large and colorful fish that could attract and keep a toddler's attention? Preferably peaceful.
Any other recommended tweaks to the build? I haven't purchased anything yet, so I'm willing to completely scrap this and start over if somebody has a better idea of how to use the money.
I can't say much because you didn't specify what your parents are against and what you've done so far to try to convince them.
But from my experience (had to convince my parents too) collect as much information as possible and show it to them in a calm, non confrontational/emotional manner.
Info such as:
How much money do you have? Be prepared to use your own money. Look around on craigslist/letitgo/etc for good tank deals. If you're short on money and can't find any good deals, consider using storage bins or other alternatives.
Keeping it very clean, visually pleasing (eg live plants), and quiet (eg noise from the spray bar and air stones) also helps.
Who's going to keep up with water changes and care? How old are you? Do you plan to move out soon? Since goldfish tanks are huge, water changes can quickly become a drag (unless you have money for a python or a similar setup) .
Alternatively, find someone that will take the goldfish and get a betta or other suitable fish for a 10 gal. Happy fish and your parents still get to "care" for a fish!
https://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Python-Aquarium-Maintenance/dp/B000255NXC
&#x200B;
Yes I am being serious. Goldfish are messy fish, they require an active owner.
It’s less than 50 actually
I have five tanks: 38g, 20,20,20,10. It takes me ten to 15 minutes to do 50% changes on three of my EI dosed tanks and 25% on my low techs. 👌🏼 my husband got it for me when my back was hurting from buckets, and it totally saved me.
In theory you could get yourself a few A/B valves like this. The problem is that the only way you can "suck water back in" is if you push it through the canister filter. Obviously the problem there is that you can't treat the water.
Though I'd suggest just getting a python. You just connect it to the faucet, turn the water on and switch it to "drain mode" to remove water from the tank. When you're done, reverse the flow and it'll start putting water into the aquarium instead. After all the new water is in the tank, you treat it and re-engage your filter.
https://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Python-Aquarium-Maintenance/dp/B000255NXC
I use this and it helps a lot. No buckets
https://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Python-Aquarium-Maintenance/dp/B000255NXC
Not sure if its available in UK, it is a couple of pounds over your budget but a very good gravel vac otherwise.
You can also do a fish-in cycle since you already have him.
You'll definitely want him in at least a 20 gal tank, although I've started mine in 10 gallons and let them grow out. 20 gal can sometimes be tough on the budget, but be aware he will need one eventually.
You'll want a water testing kit of some sort. This one is probably the gold standard but you can get away with just some lfs test strips, as long as you're testing nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia.
Also, goldfish are social (not to be confused with schooling) so he'll probably want a buddy at some point if he start showing depressive-like symptoms.
Welcome to the hobby! The addiction now begins lol
it looks like nitrate poisoning. are you sure you've been shaking your nitrate test enough? the instructions say 30 sec on the second bottle and 60 sec on the mixed solutions IIRC, and they really mean it. you can get much lower readings if this isn't done properly.
that said, i also do not think the answer in this case is to change so much water at once, because it will shock the little guy even more. you are going to want to change a lot of your water, but gradually over the course of the day.
i would also suggest adding a little airstone or two to help him breathe a little bit easier while you try to deal with this.
it also bears asking: are you using any sort of water conditioner? chlorine in tap water can kill the good bacteria that lives in your filter. tho that wouldn't lead to excessive nitrates, it can lead to big big problems fairly quickly, so if you're not already doing it (and sorry for the lecture if you are!), i would suggest picking up a bottle of Seachem Prime asap. use it every time you change any water!
If you go to a local pet store they might be able to give you some cycled water or some filter media that you can put in. Don't put a goldfish in there, it will just stress out your remaining fish even more. If you can, get some Prime and some Stress Coat and add them to your tank. You will also need to get a test kit so that you can check the water parameters in your tank. Once you know what the parameters are, get back to us and I can give you some more specific information on how to level it out. (If you can't find a water test kit like the one shown, test strips are better than nothing but I would order a kit ASAP.)
Yes, they are. Read the label here: Seachem prime
Prime detoxifies ammonia, nitrite and nitrate for 48 hours. A little more info can be found here : http://www.seachem.com/prime.php
I'm positive prime is detoxifying the nitrites, I just don't know if I'm doing the growth of my biological filter a disservice by doing major water changes daily.
https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI
This is the one most people recommend and the one I use =)
i have a 150w in my 46 gallon and it barley keeps up, have to have it cranked to max (86 i think) to keep the tank at 78) I'm going to move up to a 200 soon, or probably just adding a second heater.
price difference is negligible between 150 and 200 for the most part.
I use this instead of the python adapter, half cost, same thing, add a $1 hose clamp if you want but you may not need it, the pressure doesn't get to high out of inside faucets honestly. You don't need the hook in all likelihood, I do my changes solo without the hook just fine.
If you want to save even more money, you can DIY the whole thing for cheaper as well, just search around on the youtube channel of a guy called king of DIY
Don't spend $26 on test strips, strips suck, spend $22 on the api liquid test kit, it will last longer anyway
the bacteria quick start is real hit or miss, all brands, so don't put too much faith in it, you'll still spend weeks cycling probably. remember to get a source of ammonia ($3 for a bottle, get pure stuff, without anything added, if you shake it and there are lasting bubbles, its not what you need)
plants get expensive FAST, so 150 for plants, decorations, fish is gonna be tough. Pool filter sand is great easy substrate though, so is black diamond blasting media if you prefer black, both are probably in the $10 range for enough to cover your tank to the proper depth. driftwood and nice rocks can add up fast.
/r/PlantedTank has a weekly giveaway thread but its not too filled ever, r/aquaswap can get you some good deals on plants too. aquabid.com is aquarium ebay and can get you some good deals too.
I just looked back up and saw you didn't actually say plants, but plants are cool and help your tank stay stable and healthy, you'll probably want some eventually. But you will probably want a better light for live plants as well. That can be down the road I guess.
If you are buying from petsmart, know that they will pricematch their own website, the instore prices are outrageous. Online has to at least compete with other places though, so have the products pulled up online on your phone when you check out. petsmart also has an app, make an account and play their dumb little treat game. Right now if you beat it on hard its 20% off a single item, which is great for your tank stand combo. Easy and medium gives you a 10 and a 15% off as well. Its a simple enough concept, but beating it on hard can suck, I definitely get the feeling it just lets you win after a while though (10ish tries, quit for a day and try again and you'll get it quick)
For stocking it, a couple dwarf gouramis if some kind, honey or powder blue or whatever you like. maybe a schooling fish like cardinal or neon tetras. mollys or platys are colorful and will breed, corys for the bottom. a nerite snail, play around on aqadvisor.com and see what you can safely stock together and the basic requirements. Dont take it as gospel, just a good baseline and jumping off point for more research.
https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ref=asc_df_B000255NCI/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=198072615033&amp;hvpos=1o1&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=17415959114647206744&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=m&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9018948&amp;hvtargid=pla-348697791053&amp;psc=1 this is one of the best values out there
Can i offer some advice?
https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=api+test+kit&amp;qid=1567993043&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=api+test&amp;sr=8-1
I'm not entirely sure what a snail cycle is, but let's go over a few things.
First, throw your test strips away and buy a liquid test kit. The most common one is the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. You can purchase from Amazon at the link provided. This is the most important part of what I'm going to tell you. Get it and test your water. You have no way of knowing what stage of the nitrogen cycle you're in (I'm guessing you're definitely not cycled) without knowing actual numbers. While the API kit has it's own shortcomings, it's so far ahead of your test strips that it's not even in the same class.
Second, filtration is a topic that can get very deep (no pun intended.) Suffice it to say, you absolutely do not need carbon in your filter. Marineland has a nice little moneymaking filter in their biowheel line. Carbon is meant to remove chemicals and smell in a tank. You really shouldn't have either. The only time I would ever recommend carbon is if you've been medicating your tank, and then only long enough to scrub the water of the chemicals. Besides, carbon becomes inert in a filter cartridge after a surprisingly short amount of time (less than a month.) Once that happens you have black powdered nothing in your tank - it serves no purpose other than to make Marineland more money.
Continuing on the Marineland topic...the biowheel does provide a nice surface for beneficial bacteria. The constant aeration makes it really good for growing and holding on to BB. There are two things to know about the biowheel, though - first, you need to establish the BB on the biowheel. Given the state of your tank I wouldn't be positive that there are any BB on your biowheel. Second, please don't rely on the biowheel to keep BB available for your tank...talk to any owner of them (myself included) and you'll find that after some time your biowheel will slow down and eventually stop spinning. This is for two reasons that I've found - the biowheel gets full of water, making it heavier to turn. Also, the spraybars providing the water to power the wheel get gunked up, which reduces water flow. That lack of water flow can't keep up with the biowheel in new condition, much less when it gets full of water. You have to clean the spraybars out frequently.
Now - on to the cartridge. The Marineland Rite-Size filter cartridges supposedly provide mechanical and chemical filtration. They do this by taking mechanical media and putting activated charcoal in it. It's like a pouch of sorts - you can rip it down the sides and the charcoal will pour out. You can put it back in sans charcoal and it's just a typical poly filter pad. Here's a hint - you can buy regular poly filter pads at a considerably lower price than Marineland sells their filter cartridges for and you'll have the option to pick what you put in. I don't think the 150 has the case that holds the cartridge like the larger ones do (I have a 400, it has room for 4 and they're all in a little cage/case thing.) But the filter pad media will just slide in there anyway...but what you should know is the you should very rarely change our your mechanical filter media - only until it just dissolves into nothing should it be replaced. When it gets dirty you should rinse it out in a bowl/bucket of tank water - washing it in anything else will kill the plentiful BB that are living in it.
The fact of the matter is, BB will build up on literally everything in your tank over time and this won't be quite as important. But with a new tank with a BB colony that is just being established, you don't want to kill/remove any of them if at all possible. When too much is removed it stops being self-supporting and will all die. At that point you have to begin the nitrogen cycle all over again. Side note - your filter doesn't "trap" ammonia - it grows BB that take that ammonia and convert it to nitrites and then to nitrates...the nitrogen cycle!
So - to answer your original question - your DG might be sick due to an uncycled tank or your DG might be sick because, well, that's kinda what DG do. They are one of the least healthy fish out there and are prone to disease. Even pristine water conditions can't save them sometimes - they are especially susceptible to dwarf gourami indovirus, which is 100% fatal. I don't know if your gourami are afflicted with it, just letting you know. At any rate, the only thing you can do at this point is to do a 50% water change, get a test kit as soon as possible, and test your water daily until you are sure it's cycled. It'll take a daily commitment, but it's worth it. Hopefully your gourami will make it.
Also - don't use melafix or primafix. You'll accomplish the same thing by putting a 5 dollar bill in your tank - you'll be rid of 5 bucks and your tank won't be any better than it was. Water changes are the best medicine.
/r/aquarium isnt even that good for really learning how to take care of fish. /r/PlantedTank is the best place. theyll tell you youre no good but then immediately list all the things you should do to become great!
also, you should really understand the nitrogen cycle in the tank. here is a simple overview that is worthwhile learning. and get real plants. they help with maintaining the water and by providing a natural and stress free environment for the fish which leads to happier and healthier inhabitants.
Hi there! I have some aquariums at home too, though I don't have any lotls. I find r/aquariums is pretty reliable for advice when it comes to tank care.
If you want to do some reading about the nitrogen cycle, check here and here.
These and other websites can be found by Googling "aquarium nitrogen cycle" or something similar.
If you have a local fish shop (LFS) nearby, I would suggest going there and talking to employees about getting a tank started, as well as any equipment you may need.
In terms of testing your water parameters, I and many others in the fishkeeping community recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit, which can be found here on Amazon or at your local Petsmart or Petco.
When I started keeping fish, I really didn't have anyone around me that could give me pointers. The internet is a great resource. I would definitely recommend joining a couple forums related to aquariums, as well as making good use of Google.
Hopefully this at least gives you somewhere to start!
Yes you need to separate them. Here is a conversation about why they can’t be housed together.
Here you can read about the care requirements of an angel fish. The only fish I’ve ever owned is a betta so I can’t do much more on that subject.
Your current tank is a perfect place to permanently keep your betta. They will love having all that swimming space to themselves. If you really want tankmates you can consider getting snails or shrimp. r/bettafish is a great spot to get the specifics of betta care.
Again you absolutely have to get a filter. I got this sponge filter for my 5.5 gallon betta tank. With this you also need a pump and tubing but you probably already have that with the air pump you have.
You will also need to cycle your tank(s). Basically your fish are producing waste, and the filter is home to bacteria that eats this waste; since you don’t have a filter you need to grow this bacteria from scratch. Get a filter and a liquid test kit like that one. Test your water daily and do daily water changes. You can read about how to fish-in cycle here.
It really depends what you are searching for in your water, but for a lot of things yes!
There are test kits available for aquariums that have reagents and instructions to determine levels of lots of important things in water, like ammonium, nitrite, nitrate and pH.
Complex kits like this
And simpler kits like this
Ammonium, Nitrite and Nitrate levels generally spike if things like Raw Sewage is dumped into the river, or fertilizer from fields has been washed off into the river due to heavy rain.
Understanding Nitrate levels in water is very important, due to it being toxic to human babies. It causes something nicknamed 'blue baby syndrome' by messing with haemoglobin. Nitrate in water is also toxic to animals such as horses and cattle, so keeping an eye on nitrate levels in their water and feed is important so they don't die from nitrate poisoning. Special care should be shown to pregnant animals with regards to nitrate exposure.
pH can also increase if rivers are being "limed" where their pH is being increased, in an effort to negate the acidity caused by growing crops.
For other more obscure ions and minerals you can get little handheld test kits from people like sigma, and Hannah instruments. These can range anywhere from €50 to a few thousand €.
Sorry for wall of text.
tl;dr; yes, aquarium kits on Amazon are useful if you are concerned about water quality.
This is the kit I use and I really like it: https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1485890675&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=aquarium+test+kit
Plus, you get to feel all science-y using the vials!
Do you have a water test kit like one of these?
https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI
But, it kind of looks like fin rot. How frequently do you change the water and since it is a live planted tank, what/how frequently are you adding to aid in the growth?
https://www.aquascapeaddiction.com/articles/fin-rot-treatment-causes-symptoms
Would this testing kit be worth it? Or would you have any one day amazon recommendations? The ones at the store seemed overly priced.
&#x200B;
https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=aquarium+testing+kit&qid=1563844775&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Lots of opportunities here:
Finally, do you treat the fresh water you use for water changes with a dechlorinator? If not, you need to get your hands on some. The chlorine that is added to municipal water supplies can kill the beneficial bacteria in your tank and lead to dangerous ammonia and/or nitrite spikes.
The API freshwater test kit is probably your best bet. It will test ammonia, pH, nitrates and nitrites. The strips aren't nearly as accurate.
https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI
do you know what the water paramaters are things like the ph ammonia nitrite and nitrate? if not get a test kit like this https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI it would help us alot if we could know the ammonia nitrite and nitrate.
> How and when should I start up the system and then when after that should I add tilapia and plants?
You should add plants after you get the system into a starting location and have been running the system for a 3-4 weeks. while adding either raw urine or pure concentrations of ammonia daily to the running water. The ideal is to have the nitrite/nitrate cycle stable before adding fish.
> > I'm in USDA zone 7a. People are already planting soil gardens here but I'm guessing our night temperatures aren't quite warm enough for tilapia yet.
Depends upon the breed of tilapia. Blue tilapia can easily live in 40+ degree water. They won't grow very quickly but its surviavable.
> I've heard various recommendations to get the bacteria going: add chemical ammonia and let it run for a while, add disposable minnows or fish and let it cycle with them for a while, or add pond water which will already contain bacteria. I do have a large, healthy pond on my property with many fish so I have easy access to pond water, minnows, bluegill, crawfish, and tadpoles. I'm ok with losing pond fish as the system balances itself but I'll be buying the tilapia from a supplier so I'd rather have the system stable and safe before I add them.
What chemical levels will I need to monitor? What testing kit do I need and where should I get it? Is there a good one on Amazon?
Get the master aquarium testing kit. petco has them and amazon.http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1458229467&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=master+aquarium. test for ammonia, nitrites, nitratesm and PH. If you have hundreds of dollars get the oxygen meter too. http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-HI9147-04-Water-Resistant-Aquaculture/dp/B0085X2GZ6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1458229571&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=dissolved+oxygen+meter
>What kind of fish food and where should I get it?
Feed your self real food from whole ingrediants and feed the scraps to the fish. NO HOTDOGS. course tilapia will eat almost anything. but the main thing to concentrate on is... are you wanting a heavy harvest of fish?
>How many tilapia for this system? I'm hoping to stock them small and then harvest them at the end of the growing season.
Well, thats a 300 gallon system tank. A realatively safe level would be if you stock for aprox 1 pound of fish per 5 gallons of water. 60 pounds of fish at the end of the season, depending on growth.
>What easy to grow, hard to kill plants would you recommend for a beginner in zone 7a? We like full-sized tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, poblano peppers, zucchini, strawberries, and squash if they're not to difficult. If they are I'll probably skip them for the first year. I'm open to suggestions on whatever's easy!
The fruiting stuff will need a couple ounces of phosphorus and potassium added to the media beds. you should consider dual-root zone aquaponics. It allows for amendments to be added to the root zone of the plant instead of indiscriminately to the system.
>The person I got the system from ran it without any aeration aside from the natural splashing as water runs into the growbeds, fish tanks, and sump tanks. Think I'll be ok with this or should I add an aerator?
You will be ok like this most likely... But growth of tilapia follows the 1-1-1 guideline. 1 pound of feed plus 1 pound of oxygen grown for 1 year equals 1 pound. More oxygen will allow the quick growth that your interested in.
I'm a little new to the hobby, had my betta for 7 months, but I will answer as best I can.
> 1. Should I cycle my fish tank while my betta is in the bowl, or should I just put him in the tank already and get rid of the bowl right off the bat?
Put him in the tank. A cycling tank will be better for him than the bowl. You need a test kit, this is a good one. You will need to test the water daily, someitmes twice during cycling and hcange the water if you can detect ammonia or nitrite. After that once a week to keep nitrates below 40ppm should be fine.
>2 I've had a fish tank before, and I was wondering if I could put up a bubble wall in the background or if that would be disturbing to him.
Bubblers in a small tank are usually too much for a betta. Someone else chime in about a buble wall, though, I have no experience in that.
>3 Are there any plants that are really low maintenance that I can put in with him?
Java fern, amazon sword, crypts, I believe are all hardy low light plants. /r/PlantedTank will have better advice for plants, I'm still strugling to keep mine alive.
>4 Are there any algae eaters I can put in with him? Can I give him a plecostomus roomie, or would they fight?
Plecos get huge. They are sold as small algea eaters but this and this are not huge for a pleco, they need large tanks and have a large bioload(poop factory).
Mystery snails are good with betta, and nerite snails are algae eating machines. Shimp can be fine with betta, though some betta will just eat them, some leave them alone. Depending on the size of tank you are willing to get, a small school of cory cats or otos might be fine, but you'd need something like 10-20 gallons.
Please be sure to read the info in the side bar. You should really get at least 2.5 gallons, preferably 5 gallons, a filter and a heater, and a bottle of dechlorinator/water condition(seachem prime is good). Cover or hiding place that aren't jagged, these can be live plants, silk plants or caves that don't snag panty hoes when ran across it.
It's so great you want to give your new betta a better home, update us with pics soon!
pH is super important. Basically, if it gets too high plants can't uptake crucial nutrients even though they're present in the water. Most plants that you can grow aquaponically struggle to thrive at around 7.4 and higher. Some, like strawberries, won't grow much above 7.0. Goldfish and algae are much more forgiving about pH - they have no problem up to 8.0+.
The nitrification cycle will naturally lower the pH over time, but if the grow media you're using contains limestone, it will dissolve and raise the pH faster than nitrification can bring it down. Additionally, your city water may have a high pH that you need to balance when topping up water. I use hydrochloric acid from the local hardware store to pH balance my top up water. It's about $8 for 32 oz, and it goes a very long way.
Most people use the API test kits for pH (consensus seems to be that the strips aren't very accurate). There's a low range kit and a high range kit, you'll probably need both. You can also just go for the full test kit. Most fish stores will have these kits as well.
Unfortunately, as /u/vortex1324 said, there is just so many variables to consider at this point that it's really not meaningful without any direction.
You should probably upgrade your filter, its only rated for 20 gallons. The general rule for turtles is you want filters rated for 2-3 times the gallonage of the tank. The tank is also a bit small for a red eared slider generally adults need 120 gallons of water, or a 4'x2'x2' tank. The stuff on the shell seems to be a fungus or plant of some sort. I would also suggest picking up a water testing kit like this one https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI. Since turtles live in water most of the time poor water quality can effect them quite severely.
invest in a liquid test kit like this, it will open your eyes to the conditions inside your tank, and you might be surprised how fast ammonia builds up (particularly in a sub-10gallon tank). and yes, I think most here would agree that 4 gals is too small for anything but 1 Betta..
Yeah, hopefully it's not as bad as I'm imagining (I occasionally browse craigslist for aquarium stuff... which might warp my faith in humanity a little bit). It's all applicable to moving an aquarium generally though. The idea being to go with as little change as possible during a stressful event like moving.
My approach would be to simply drain off all the water into buckets (a handy tip for the budget fishkeeper is to hit up your local ice cream shop for some of their empty tubs) with the fish and filter media. I don't usually bother with substrate for a smallish tank (which is light enough for two people to move without any difficulty even with substrate). At the other end, simply fill up the tank from the buckets (gently pouring the fish bucket in last), plug in the equipment and you're done. You can sell it as the easiest, most stress free way to move a fish tank (coming highly recommended from some random guy on the internet). Tell her you don't mind it being a bit dirty; as it'll be less stressful for the fish that way.
API is the usual go-to for test kits. Their master test kit covers all the basics.
So the filter wasn't cycled? That would be a problem.
While adding the 50% cycled water was definitely a good idea, it wouldn't be enough to avoid recycling.
Do you have a test kit? If not, purchase one. (Don't get the strips, they are useless). You will have to monitor your tank every day, to make sure that the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels don't exceed what the fish can handle. (see the links to the nitrogen cycle on the side bar)
It will be some work, but you can cycle your tank with the fish in it, and keep him healthy, if you are diligent.
Then once the tank is cycled you can stick to water changes every week, and testing it before you change the water to make sure everything is good.
This and this is what I have, but for about the same price you can get the gold standard. I honestly wouldn't be using the strips, except I got them to test my water for hardness before I had any tanks (it's liquid rock) and the Walstad setups I have have a different ecology than a traditional tank.
First, buy one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI
Once you have that data you should be able to figure out what is wrong in your tank.
Secondly what sort of heating, lighting and filtration are you using? How often do you do water changes?
Just removing water is fine. If you like you can purchase a siphon to help remove some waste from the gravel.
As for cleaning the sides, I find these very useful.
For a 3 gallon tank I would definitely do 20-30% water changes twice a week. I would not add any more fish, aside from maybe a snail. Adding any more fish would overstock your tank, causing it to get dirty faster and upping the chances of illnesses.
No. Cycling takes at least a few weeks. (read the article I posted in an earlier comment) You can keep track of where it is in the cycling process by doing daily water parameters tests. Here is a really good kit.
Water parameters are super important! You can pick up a testing kit on Amazon for a good ten dollars cheaper than I've seen in stores, and I can't even begin to tell you how much of a lifesaver it is! ( Also it's just good to have for peace of mind. )
I was really new to keeping a fish tank when I first got my guy, and quickly learned aquarium decor is ridiculously expensive. Terra cotta pots are a pain to find on Amazon in my experience, but if you have the opportunity to pick a few up in a gardening store ( basically for pennies! ) they make excellent hides. ( Of which you want at least two per axolotl! ) I have four in my tank; two normal, one sliced in half to make a kind of cave a bit lower to the ground. ( Just make sure you sand down all the edges! ) The last one is wide, but only a couple inches tall, so I filled it up with sand to give him a little raised platform. PVC pipe can also be used as an inexpensive hide, and I've seen people do some really cool stuff with it. Also, plants! I grabbed these off of Amazon and my axolotl loves them, but in terms of live plants, you can't go wrong with marimo balls. ( Though there are other live plants that work well with them! Java fern and java moss are just two examples. )
Also, Axolotls are messy little guys. I'd highly recommend getting a turkey baster to clean up their waste and any uneaten food they leave behind. Personally, I feed my axie nightcrawlers with a big pair of tweezers and it helps keep the tank neat and tidy. ( Plus, it's a lot of fun! )
At a glance, she could stand to eat less. Obesity is unhealthy for fish too. Their stomach is around the size of their eye, and bear in mind that dry foods will increase in size when they absorb water.
The issue is most likely to be water quality. Get a liquid test kit (strips are more expensive long term AND unreliable) to monitor your parameters; you want to aim for 0 ammonia (very toxic), 0 nitrite (somewhat toxic), and low levels of nitrate (safe in small amounts) to ensure the health of your fish. Meanwhile you should do frequent water changes (don't forget dechlorinator!) to improve the water quality so she can recover. The tissue will be transparent when it begins to grow back; that is not a cause for concern.
While not strictly necessary, it's highly recommended to have a thermometer. It's not uncommon for heaters to malfunction and get stuck in the 'on' position, leading to a cooked tank. The stick-on-the-glass ones aren't really that accurate, but even one of those is far better than having none at all.
Like they said, depends on what you're looking for.
With a 10 gallon, you could try something like
1 Betta (males are prettier)
10 ember tetras
A couple mystery snails
You could use plastic plants as well. The cycle is always important, but with these fish, it's less important. If you make a mistake, ember tetras, a betta, and snails will likely survive.
Things you'll need: 10 gallon tank, a filter (hang on back filters are generally the cheapest and easiest for beginners), a heater, water dechlorinater (water conditioner). DO NOT BUY FISH YET
When you hear "cycle your tank", people mean that you need to have to correct concentrations of bacteria in your tank. There are 3 biproducts of these bacteria, but we'll just say that the bacteria is the biproduct for simplification. Those 3 bacteria are
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Ammonia is toxic to fish, even in small amounts. By the time your tank is "cycled" Ammonia should be at 0 ppm (parts per million), but as you begin your cycle, it will be much higher. Ammonia is created from fish poop and uneaten food.
Nitrite is also toxic to fish, but less toxic than Ammonia. A cycled tank also has 0 Nitrite in it. Nitrite eats the Ammonia, effectively converting it to more Nitrite.
Nitrate is only toxic to fish in amounts greater than ~35 ppm. Nitrate eats Nitrite, converting it to more nitrate. When you change the water in a tank, you're just removing the nitrate before it hits concentrations that become toxic to the fish.
You might be wondering how you can tell how concentrated these substances are. There are water test kits for sale. They seem a bit pricey to a beginner, but they're worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_t6bADb0C3414S
There are instructions on how to test your water inside the kit.
So on to the how to cycle your tank section.
To cycle a tank (dont buy your fish until it's cycled, but have everything you need like a filter and heater running in the tank), you need to somehow get Ammonia into the tank so that your Nitrite can have food so that your nitrate can have food. You should drop a pinch of fish food into the tank every day and let it rot at the bottom. That'll make Ammonia. Once there's a consistent supply of Ammonia in the tank, your Nitrite will start to eat it and start reproducing, lowering the Ammonia to 0, and raising your Nitrite. As Nitrite builds up, Nitrate will come into the tank to start eating the Nitrite, and start to reproduce. Normally the process takes at least a month. You'll drop a pinch of food in every single day for that month, and as long as your filter is running, the bacteria should grow. Make sure that any water you ever put in your tank (including the first time you fill it up) has been treated with water dechlorinator. Chlorine kills the bacteria you want to have in your tank, as well as the fish.
Some people say you should change 20% of the water every 7 days while cycling. I would personally test the water, and if the Ammonia or Nitrite is over 2 ppm, change 30%. You should test the water at least once a week to make sure that Ammonia or Nitrite isn't so high that it has taken over the cycle. If either of those get too high, they take up all of the room and there isn't enough space for the others to grow. If your Ammonia or Nitrite is above 4ppm, you should change 50% of the water so that some of the bacteria starves and makes room for the others.
Once your tank is cycled, your Ammonia and Nitrite should be 0 (or extremely close to 0), and your nitrate should be 20-40ppm. After that, it's safe to add fish. With the fish I mentioned earlier, it's probably safe to add them all in at once, but with fish with a bigger bio load (fish that eat and poop more) you have to add them over time, but ember tetras don't eat or poop a ton, and a betta won't either. So just cycling the tank should make it stable enough to handle the fish.
I think I've explained it all, but if I forgot something, someone could chip in.
Honestly there are a lot of very opinionated people in the hobby that tell you that you HAVE to do it a certain way (which fish work, how much filtration you need, what substrate is best) but I've found the best way to learn is trial and error. Everyone in the hobby makes mistakes, each fish has a unique personality, and it's a ton of fun. There are general guidelines on what works and what doesn't, but sometimes what people say on here just isn't correct. So don't get discouraged, be patient, be ready to make mistakes (but do your best to not make them), and study up on the fish you want! The bigger the tank, the easier it is to keep the fish happy, but if you have any questions I'd be happy to help!
Water testing kit for my aquarium! I really want to finally get my fish and snail and more plants, but I don't want to kill them. That would be the most disappointing pet experience yet.
I would get a master kit from amazon, pet stores charge twice as much.
http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1370067199&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=api+freshwater+master+test+kit
For starters, my thought is that your tank is not fully cycled. Check the sidebar on the right for more information.
Basically, a colony of beneficial bacteria exist in every healthy aquarium - they process fish waste (ammonia - toxic to fish) into nitrites (still toxic to fish) and ultimately into nitrates (not toxic in "normal" levels).
If you tank was not fully cycled, and it likely wasn't after just a few days, adding such a large number of fish at once will possibly cause ammonia poisoning. If you look at your fish - are their gills red/irritated?
A basic test kit will give you numbers for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. I like this kit - stay away from test strips. Ideally, you want ammonia and nitrites to be at zero. Up to maybe 30ppm is acceptable for nitrates.
Nitrates are not removed from the water by the bacteria, and they do not evaporate. The main purpose of weekly or bi-weekly water changes (depending on bio load) is to remove some of the nitrates and "water down" the concentration with fresh, clean water.
Basically, you added way too many fish at once to a too-new tank, and incompatible fish to boot. Now, I don't think anyone can blame you for that, as you were given inadequate or poor information at your store. However, you're at a good resource here at /r/aquariums! The sidebar has great info and links about stocking levels as well. Good luck!
https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI
Buy this test kit, don't waste your time with strips, just buy this kit. It is well worth the investment.
Do not put anymore livestock in your tank until you have proper readings on the test kit. The side bar has instructions on properly cycling your tank.
As merfish said Corys are without a doubt a schooling fish and in my experience pygmy corys are especially in need of a school. I would try to take him back or find someone who has an established school.
OK, so here's one problem - you are not going to get accurate results with test strips. But, I don't know what your finance situation is, so maybe you need to use them for now and anything is certainly better than nothing. If you have a few bucks to spend, get a test kit like this one, which will test much of what you want to know about except water hardness, but this one does that.
Your nitrates aren't bad. Before we talk about things to try, I have to say the following: if you change more than one thing at a time you will never know what's working and what isn't. Try one change at a time, give each change two or three days to make a difference, keep a written record with dates (and time, if you're obsessive like me), and don't just write down what you change. Try to include things you observe, and try to take cell phone pics so you can accurately measure change. Be patient, observe the tank daily, be patient, and try to be patient.
An 8 hour split may be too much with the Nicrew, but it really isn't way overboard. I do a 7 hour split but I have no experience with Nicrews, I have two Finnex Planteds and a BeamsWork, and I don't know when you changed to the Nicrew and your 8 hour regimen. You could try a blackout for a few days, and then back to your current regimen.
If your light is sitting atop your tank you can try raising it a bit. A 10 gallon is what? 12 inches tall? You can jerry rig something to raise the light, or you can get something like this, or you can hang the light from the ceiling with fishing line. If you have aquascaping tweezers you can pull algae out manually, or you can use a toothbrush; not to brush the leaves, but to grab the algae in the bristles and pull it out. I've tried all of these things in different tanks, with good results. I've also used Seachem Excel, but only once or twice a week, not daily as the directions say. It definitely helps, but it isn't a cure and it only kills the algae, like the Algaefix you are already using. If you use Excel, wash your hands afterward. There are some scary and, to my mind not very scholarly, articles on the web about the chemical used in Excel, which Seachem claims is a different isomer than what it actually uses. But wash your hands afterward anyway - it's a simple precaution. Keep this in mind: if you use either one, it will make it harder to tell if the other things you are doing are having any effect. So, maybe bite the bullet for a couple weeks to try the other things, and if you start making headway you can use just a bit of the Algaefix or Excel to help push things along.
You should also consider how heavily planted your tank is. More plant load is better to out-compete the algae. If you have a lot of plants, you also want to provide them with nutrients or the light is next to useless. A good way to increase the plant load inexpensively and relatively fast is floaters. Check the AquaSwap forum here on reddit - /r/AquaSwap/, but keep in mind that you cannot be certain that you will not get snails with the plants, even if the seller claims the plants are dipped before shipping. Snails are not a bad thing, and would probably be helpful for you. Another inexpensive way to beat algae! And, if they get out of hand you just stick a stainless steel fork in a hunk of cucumber, put it in the tank for about two hours, grab a zip-loc baggie and hold it in the tank, grab the fork, put the cucumber and snails in the bag, pull the fork out of the cucumber, and close the bag. Into the garbage with it. It will be covered with snails.
Getting back to the floaters, they will suck up nitrates, provide shade for your anubias, and you'll be pulling handfuls out of the tank in no time (into the garbage! don't take a chance of letting them into the wild by throwing them in your yard). You can keep the floaters corralled with clear air line tubing and suction cups. Make sure the diameter matches, like these do. Cut a length of hose, heat near one end while holding the end so you can pull it until it comes off, leaving a pointy end that you can now stick into the other end of your length of hose, creating a circle. I use the silicon repair stuff to "glue" it together. This guy shows you a better way to do it, in his second video in the series at 2:45. But if you want to get motivated for your algae war, watch the entire series. You will never be the same. And after that, go learn here.
There are a lot more things you can do, but maybe start with these and keep reading about this stuff whenever you get a chance. Good Luck, and let us know how you make out.
you take a sample of water on a test tube and add liquid tester, you usually shake the tube afterwards, and then it'll give you the test result, don't worry, most will have instructions. here's the api freshwater test kit, most people here use it
That's a small change, so it wouldn't be the ph or temp. The strips are notoriously inaccurate, here is what I use (and most of this subreddit from what I've seen)
http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411513290&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=api+test+kit
Although it doesn't sound like the water parameters are your problem either, since it happened when you did the small change. I would look at the hoses or bowls that you used and make sure to disinfect them. Or maybe he swam right under it when you were pouring it in and got a dose of ammonia.
There's debate about whether test strips or liquid test kits are better. Most recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit (liquid tests are usually more accurate, and probably more economical than buying test strips, but it's hard to properly clean the test tubes). Test strips work just as well (Cory from Aquarium Co-Op uses strips; they're quicker, easier to use, and don't require cleaning test tubes).
So, uh, like, if you didn't test your water, um, how did you cycle your tank? >:[ Seems like everything turned out OK in the end, though. Fish-in cycling just isn't very popular in this subreddit. Or maybe you took your water to a LFS (also not a very popular practice here).
Your vet friend does indeed sound like an awesome person, which is why I think it's shitty to rely on him to take your pets when you move away. Having a vet pet-sitter is great. Having a vet you can schlep all your unwanted pets onto is great - for you, not for him. The right thing to do would be to not get pets you can't care for, IMO.
I'm a nano-fish gal, myself. Currently obsessed with pseudomugil rainbowfish at the moment (I have several pseudomugil gertrudae, and I'm planning to get some pseudomugil luminatus in the coming months. I currently keep 1 female plakat betta (unfortunately I recently lost her beautiful mate to dropsy), 2 powder blue dwarf gouramis, 12 spotted blue eyed rainbowfish (pseudomugil gertrudae), 1 bamboo shrimp, 12 amano shrimp, 12 blue velvet shrimp, and 8 blue dream shrimp in a heavily planted 60 gallon community tank. I'm intentionally very understocked as a way to ensure my feesh have lots of space, and used plants, rock caves, and driftwood to ensure they had lots of hiding spaces for when territorial disputes occurred (bettas and gouramis can both be territorial/aggressive). Keeping smaller species allows me to get more fish (hehe), and I just generally like the look of a big jungle tank with appropriately sized smaller fish darting through it.
22 dollars API Freshwater Master Test Kit 800-Test Freshwater Aquarium Water master Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WQ3sDbAG43DZD