Back to the hobby after a long break...need advice!

[vti-chris]

Hello everyone.
It's been 10+years since my last aquarium.
I've been on and off regarding tropical aquariums since i was 12 (over 40's now). I've built several ~30-40gallon tanks through all these years but never really managed to grasp the whole concept about maintaining, aqua scaping, getting the right fish etc.
I always loved this hobby for the engagement it has and i could spend hours sitting, enjoying and relaxing next to my tanks.
About a month ago my wife and daughter came home with a dumbo betta...and here we go again!!!!

Went out bought 2X 2gallon bowls(thought of trying something different this time) since these were the largest i could find at the time(a week later my local store brought some 3 gallon bowls...i'll get back to this later)
I didn't want to spend a lot this time since i don't know what i really want to do...stay with bowls...build another tank...
Anyway...both bowls have fine gravel, drift wood, anubias petite, limnophila sessiliflora, java moss, marimo moss ball and duckweed (planning on adding Dwarf Sagittaria as well).
My daughters, has the betta and 2 nerite snails
After cycling for 3 weeks the 2nd "experimental" bowl i added 2 endler guppies and 4 red cherry shrimps.

I currently run them with mini powerheads i had in my garage from the past with no heater.
I'm doing 30-50% water changes every 2 days.
Temps here in Cyprus / Mediterranean range from 115F(46C) in the summer (now) to 46F (8C) in the winter.
The bowls now in the middle of the summer are at 27-28C (80-82F) with the AC running all day. Powerheads do increase the temps by 1-2 degrees C so i just ordered 2 sponge filters and 2 air pumps to replace them.

I don't want to run any heaters...i know i won't be able to do so with the betta fish so that will need one. My home in the winter goes as low as 65F (18C) at night a couple of weeks each year ... all other days are above 19-20C (66-68F).

I've been told/read, endlers will be OK without a heater.
I was planning on buying 3 X 3gallon bowls...replace the existing ones and use the 3rd to separate male/female endlers as i beleive i will have endler fry in the next few days.
I made some research for fish that could survive the winter(and summer) with room temperature as new additions and could go with endlers:
-gold ring danios
-celestial perl danios
-bloodfin tetras
-chili rasboras
-medaka ricefish

If i go without heaters i'll be placing the 2 bowls on a shelf i made OR I could build a 10gallon long, narrow rectangular tank and place it on the small table in the living room which could run a heater if it's required although i'd rather skip it as i will need the 3rd tank(bowl) to separate the endlers thus complicating things.

Sorry for the long post...won't happen again!!!

 

[Circus]

I would definitely upgrade to a larger size for all of the fish, if at all possible. I wouldn't keep the endlers in anything smaller than a 5 gallon, and even then only a pair. The female endler, I believe, will continue to produce 5 to 50 fry every month for about 10 months after the last mating with a male. I would consider the minimum for a betta to be 3 to 4 gallons, if it is a long container rather than square, round, or tall. That being said, most livebearers can withstand the stated temperatures.

The betta will definitely need a heater, and will likely require a lid to keep the air moist and warm. If the room air and temperature are too dry or cold, it could damage his labyrinth organ he uses to breathe air.

That is just my advice, based on what I have dealt with in the past.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Hello everyone.
It's been 10+years since my last aquarium.
I've been on and off regarding tropical aquariums since i was 12 (over 40's now). I've built several ~30-40gallon tanks through all these years but never really managed to grasp the whole concept about maintaining, aqua scaping, getting the right fish etc.
I always loved this hobby for the engagement it has and i could spend hours sitting, enjoying and relaxing next to my tanks.
About a month ago my wife and daughter came home with a dumbo betta...and here we go again!!!!

Went out bought 2X 2gallon bowls(thought of trying something different this time) since these were the largest i could find at the time(a week later my local store brought some 3 gallon bowls...i'll get back to this later)
I didn't want to spend a lot this time since i don't know what i really want to do...stay with bowls...build another tank...
Anyway...both bowls have fine gravel, drift wood, anubias petite, limnophila sessiliflora, java moss, marimo moss ball and duckweed (planning on adding Dwarf Sagittaria as well).
My daughters, has the betta and 2 nerite snails
After cycling for 3 weeks the 2nd "experimental" bowl i added 2 endler guppies and 4 red cherry shrimps.

I currently run them with mini powerheads i had in my garage from the past with no heater.
I'm doing 30-50% water changes every 2 days.
Temps here in Cyprus / Mediterranean range from 115F(46C) in the summer (now) to 46F (8C) in the winter.
The bowls now in the middle of the summer are at 27-28C (80-82F) with the AC running all day. Powerheads do increase the temps by 1-2 degrees C so i just ordered 2 sponge filters and 2 air pumps to replace them.

I don't want to run any heaters...i know i won't be able to do so with the betta fish so that will need one. My home in the winter goes as low as 65F (18C) at night a couple of weeks each year ... all other days are above 19-20C (66-68F).

I've been told/read, endlers will be OK without a heater.
I was planning on buying 3 X 3gallon bowls...replace the existing ones and use the 3rd to separate male/female endlers as i beleive i will have endler fry in the next few days.
I made some research for fish that could survive the winter(and summer) with room temperature as new additions and could go with endlers:
-gold ring danios
-celestial perl danios
-bloodfin tetras
-chili rasboras
-medaka ricefish

If i go without heaters i'll be placing the 2 bowls on a shelf i made OR I could build a 10gallon long, narrow rectangular tank and place it on the small table in the living room which could run a heater if it's required although i'd rather skip it as i will need the 3rd tank(bowl) to separate the endlers thus complicating things.

Sorry for the long post...won't happen again!!!

I'll let others play nice for a while...I've just been transported back into the Dark Ages!

Please stop buying fish and throwing them into wholly unsuitable accommodation and slow down. Take some time to play 'catch-up' and do some more research.
I'll suggest your first ports of call be;
Aquarium CoOp
KGTropicals
Rachel O'Leary

 

[itiwhetu]

Get back into it, Buy a tank. You know you want to, 10 gallons or more. Set it up and lets go from there. White Cloud Mountain Minnows are the best fish for your situation. They will breed and be a wonderful addition to your family. But buy a tank first.

 

[vti-chris]

O'Leary...not my type!!!!
Yeah i know about the size being at the small side and that's why i'm looking into something bigger. The thing is i can't find anything bigger than 3gal at any shape apart from tall cylinder shape decor...
I do really like the looks of them and are way easier to maintain(by being small)...at least for me.
Regarding the endlers...i'll keep the males and take back to the shop all the females if that will work. Being hardy fish overrun the bunny births and that is a mistake which although i knew i was carried away by my enthusiasm!!!

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

O'Leary...not my type!!!!
Yeah i know about the size being at the small side and that's why i'm looking into something bigger. The thing is i can't find anything bigger than 3gal at any shape apart from tall cylinder shape decor...
I do really like the looks of them and are way easier to maintain(by being small)...at least for me.
Regarding the endlers...i'll keep the males and take back to the shop all the females if that will work. Being hardy fish overrun the bunny births and that is a mistake which although i knew i was carried away by my enthusiasm!!!

No.
...And what do you mean O'Leary...not my type!!!!"?
She knows what she's talking about and that should be all that matters!

Small is not easier to maintain.
Coldwater fish, like goldfish, are even less easy to maintain.

3g is not appropriate for your fish. They will suffer and they will die, whether you like the look of them or not.

The first mistake was your wife and child bring home a fish they knew nothing about, with no means to care for it.

I suggest you stop until you get a tank that is the right size for fish, or your child will see her new pets die in front of her.

Sorry to be so blunt, but you really do need to understand what you are doing and I do not want language difficulties to get in the way..

 

[vti-chris]

I understand what you are saying.
I know i need to provide the best possible living environment for my fish.
I also know that it's not nuclear science if someone is willing to learn.

The way i see it since i've done it wrong when i was a kid, small or large doesn't guarantee the good wealth of the tank if someone doesn't know what he is doing.

 

[itiwhetu]

I understand what you are saying.
I know i need to provide the best possible living environment for my fish.
I also know that it's not nuclear science if someone is willing to learn.

The way i see it since i've done it wrong when i was a kid, small or large doesn't guarantee the good wealth of the tank if someone doesn't know what he is doing.

What are you wanting from this forum site

 

[ClownLurch]

Buy at least two bigger tanks. 10G minimum.