$50 budget Betta sorority tank

[ffsdaniel]

Hey guys!

I recently started a betta sorority nano tank. I had an aquarium 10 years ago but things have changed a lot since then, equipments, the theory in general. I decided to ask this forum for ways to improve my tank, some advice from experts, equipment wise, aesthetically, anything really, especially low budget ways because I am currently unemployed lol. My goal was to make a complete tank, with no more than the equivalent of 50 dollars in my local currency, and this is what I made.

Specs:
5 gallon tank (19L)
Basalt substrate
Ph ~7 temp. 26⁰C // 78,8⁰F
A very simple cheap internal filter
(sunsun HN 011)
6,5W Led lighting (around 20 lumens/liter)
3 female bettas & 1 mystery snail
Lots of plants I have no idea the names

Weekly 20% water changes and weekly 2ml of flourish excel

Concerns
- water not crystalline, sometimes green
- is it overstocked??
- is it necessary to change any equipment?
- the bettas keep biting each other
- any ideas to improve aquascape?
- one of the bettas jumped out, I barely caught her alive, she is almost dead in the tank, how can I help her recover?

 

[BrandoBn29]

Hey guys!

I recently started a betta sorority nano tank. I had an aquarium 10 years ago but things have changed a lot since then, equipments, the theory in general. I decided to ask this forum for ways to improve my tank, some advice from experts, equipment wise, aesthetically, anything really, especially low budget ways because I am currently unemployed lol. My goal was to make a complete tank, with no more than the equivalent of 50 dollars in my local currency, and this is what I made.

Specs:
5 gallon tank (19L)
Basalt substrate
Ph ~7 temp. 26⁰C // 78,8⁰F
A very simple cheap internal filter
(sunsun HN 011)
6,5W Led lighting (around 20 lumens/liter)
3 female bettas & 1 mystery snail
Lots of plants I have no idea the names

Weekly 20% water changes and weekly 2ml of flourish excel

Concerns
- water not crystalline, sometimes green
- is it overstocked??
- is it necessary to change any equipment?
- the bettas keep biting each other
- any ideas to improve aquascape?
- one of the bettas jumped out, I barely caught her alive, she is almost dead in the tank, how can I help her recover?

Very nice aquascape. My only concern is that the tank may be a little overstocked with 3 bettas. Maybe you could try 1 and just have a few larger shrimp like Amanos and some snails.

 

[ffsdaniel]

Very nice aquascape. My only concern is that the tank may be a little overstocked with 3 bettas. Maybe you could try 1 and just have a few larger shrimp like Amanos and some snails.

Thanks!! That number of fish might go down tonight because the betta that jumped out is not looking like she will make it ... really sad she was my favorite, great personality

 

[BrandoBn29]

Thanks!! That number of fish might go down tonight because the betta that jumped out is not looking like she will make it ... really sad she was my favorite, great personality

Always disappointing to lose a fish

 

[EllRog]

You cannot start a sorority in 5 gallons of water. Thats only enough space for one betta. For a sorority you need five, minimum and at least a 20 gallon tank to plant heavily for the benefit of the fish. Thats going to be a disaster, I'm afraid. If your third betta doesn't make it, I'd recommend you put a divider down the centre of your tank to split it into 2 to house your remaining bettas. Or return them so that you're left with 1.

I'd recommend upping the percentage of water that you change per week to between 50-75%

 

[ffsdaniel]

Makes sense to change more water in the tank per week, I'm gonna start doing that! But as for the betta that jumped out, she is better today, I used some tea tree oil and infused the food with garlic, she is looking better today, not fully recovered but way better than yesterday! Fortunately she will live! As for overcrowding, I think so too, too much fish poop, but I have no way to return it, actually no way to leave the house to get another aquarium either, bc covid is going strong in my country... Any ideas on how to lessen the effect of the overcrowding?

 

[FishGuest5123]

You cannot start a sorority in 5 gallons of water. Thats only enough space for one betta. For a sorority you need five, minimum and at least a 20 gallon tank to plant heavily for the benefit of the fish. Thats going to be a disaster, I'm afraid. If your third betta doesn't make it, I'd recommend you put a divider down the centre of your tank to split it into 2 to house your remaining bettas. Or return them so that you're left with 1.

I'd recommend upping the percentage of water that you change per week to between 50-75%

I agree. After my disaster with a sorority tank, I don’t recommend them at all but you need at least a 20G long to do this.