New aquarium, Need stocking and handling advice

[NexusAstor]

Hi, I just got a new aquarium after years of having Koi carps and goldfishes (still alive and... swimming... and polluting...) in a big tank.
The new aquarium is a Askoll Fluval Edge 2.0 12 gallons / 46 liters. With custom made cap and external Askoll pratiko 3.0 100 Super Silent filter that is made for 40-130 liters aquariums, has max 550 L/h and Minimum 360 L/h. I will add a safety net in the intake (as I find it has too big gaps) and angle the outlet to minimize flux.
I already have 3 driftwood bound plants, two Anubias Barteri Coffeefolia and one little Pogostemon Helferi and I'm planning to add an Egeria Densa when my local shop will have it in stock, and anything that will give some shade.
As substrate I will use Fluval Stratum and this (https://www.amazon.it/dp/B018ICYHAA/?tag=) black sand unless not recommended.
As far as decorations goes, I'm planning to make 3 progressive layers:
A diagonal front and left one filled with small leafed Hemianthus Callitrichoides
A diagonal not parallel one to house the Pogostemon (front) and the smaller Anubias (back)
The third one housing the Egeria (back) the bigger Anubias (middle) and another plant in front if I find a smaller one that is cool to look at and compatible.
I will use aquarium safe silicon sealant to fix the walls to separate the levels, precisely the Juwel one.
As for rocks I'd like to use dragon rocks as I read that they are neutral and do not release harmful substances. Either that or resin fake rocks.
I will also put two or three rocks to have some shade and some other driftwood.
Is this too much complex?
I would like to add a Betta and some smaller fishes that are (as recommended) less flashy, less colorful, less tail length, less aggressive and much faster.
Which species are best to put with it?
I would like to add some cherry or Amami shrimps for algae control.
Two male Bettas are possible or they will kill each-other? Some says that it's possible, but they must be from the same batch or at least the same age.
Should I add an air bubble maker?
Thanks in advance,
Edoardo

 

[Sylvan]

I wouldn't risk 2 male Bettas together, they will kill each other.

 

[NexusAstor]

Ok thanks, are tetra neon fine?

 

[Byron]

Bettas are not community fish, so a single male Betta would be it for fish.

If no betta, then you could have one or more species of "nano" fish. A 46 lityer (12 gallon) is not sufficient size for neon tetras or any of the common tetras and such. Nano fish are fish like Ember Tetras (Hyphessobrycon amandae), Boraras brigittae or one of the other dwarf rasbora in this genus, pygmy corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus), and so forth. If you have soft water these will work in groups of 8-10 (of each species, though not all these species together), but if it is fairly hard then Endler livebearers would be better.

 

[Retired Viking]

I have a shoal of ember tetra in my tetras tank and they are very nice. I plan on adding some more. They like to hover in the middle to upper parts of the tanks and tend to school together more than my other tetras (neon, glow light). I hope you will post a picture of your tank when you are done.

 

[NexusAstor]

ok, thanks, I will look at what my local store has at disposal. 10 ember tetra and some shrimps either cherry or amano.
Will post a photo when I'm done setting everything up.

 

[JxsPxxle]

Hi, I just got a new aquarium after years of having Koi carps and goldfishes (still alive and... swimming... and polluting...) in a big tank.
The new aquarium is a Askoll Fluval Edge 2.0 12 gallons / 46 liters. With custom made cap and external Askoll pratiko 3.0 100 Super Silent filter that is made for 40-130 liters aquariums, has max 550 L/h and Minimum 360 L/h. I will add a safety net in the intake (as I find it has too big gaps) and angle the outlet to minimize flux.
I already have 3 driftwood bound plants, two Anubias Barteri Coffeefolia and one little Pogostemon Helferi and I'm planning to add an Egeria Densa when my local shop will have it in stock, and anything that will give some shade.
As substrate I will use Fluval Stratum and this (https://www.amazon.it/dp/B018ICYHAA/?tag=) black sand unless not recommended.
As far as decorations goes, I'm planning to make 3 progressive layers:
A diagonal front and left one filled with small leafed Hemianthus Callitrichoides
A diagonal not parallel one to house the Pogostemon (front) and the smaller Anubias (back)
The third one housing the Egeria (back) the bigger Anubias (middle) and another plant in front if I find a smaller one that is cool to look at and compatible.
I will use aquarium safe silicon sealant to fix the walls to separate the levels, precisely the Juwel one.
As for rocks I'd like to use dragon rocks as I read that they are neutral and do not release harmful substances. Either that or resin fake rocks.
I will also put two or three rocks to have some shade and some other driftwood.
Is this too much complex?
I would like to add a Betta and some smaller fishes that are (as recommended) less flashy, less colorful, less tail length, less aggressive and much faster.
Which species are best to put with it?
I would like to add some cherry or Amami shrimps for algae control.
Two male Bettas are possible or they will kill each-other? Some says that it's possible, but they must be from the same batch or at least the same age.
Should I add an air bubble maker?
Thanks in advance,
Edoardo

Two male bettas will always fight, sometimes to the death. It is possible to keep a male with a group of females however. But they may breed. As for other inhabitants many shrimp should do fine in a tank this size, I have amanis, cherry shrimp and blue velvet in a 60l and they do great. You should also add a couple of snails, such as nerite or mystery snails.

 

[seangee]

It is possible to keep a male with a group of females however.

It is possible. It is also possible that this will end up with dead fish. Do not try this in a 12G. If you want a betta in this size tank 1 is your limit.

If you are set on shrimp that is a lottery if you also have a betta. Some bettas will just ignore them and others will hunt them down and kill them.

 

[Sylvan]

Agree with seangee on the shrimp. I have one Betta who lives with 30+ cherry shrimp with no bother but I have another who will hunt and kill them if he gets half a chance. The shrimp are usually quite small when you get them so if you're set on them then it might be worth getting them first, letting them reach their mature size then adding a Betta and they may have a chance then.

 

[NexusAstor]

No fishies yet and maybe too much substrate, but I like it like this.
What do you think?

 

[Byron]

No fishies yet and maybe too much substrate, but I like it like this.
What do you think?

That is very nice indeed. You will need floating plants though, whether you decide on a solitary male Betta, or go with a shoal of one or two or three "nano" species. All of these need floating plants or they will be stressed. But this is an easy fix. Water Sprite, Water Lettuce, Frogbit, or a stem plant like Pennywort left floating all work well. Eventually the ferny-looking plant in the back (may be Wisteria?) will end up at the surface and can serve as a floater, but the lower leaves will invariable die because the plant will put all its energy into the leaves closest to the light.

 

[utahfish]

Id go with Amano Shrimp in my opinion they eat more algae and if one is worried about beta eating shrimp amanos get much bigger than cherrys.
If worried about shrimp could always get a nerite snail. Personally i prefer olive nerites they dont seem to go for walks outside the tank as much as zebras or tiger nerites, but Nerites are excellent algae eaters.

 

[NexusAstor]

Thanks for your replies. About the floating plants mentioned, the main problem is that the aquarium is a 360° view one, so I do not have free surface space to keep them.
The Anubias came with suction cups to keep them anchored on the side panels.
Should I move them up to create some shadows?
Thank you

 

[Byron]

Thanks for your replies. About the floating plants mentioned, the main problem is that the aquarium is a 360° view one, so I do not have free surface space to keep them.

I am not understanding this. Floating plants just float on the surface.

 

[NexusAstor]

I meant that I can't put them as the water reaches the upper glass and I have only a square hole that is covered by the light and the waterfall-like filter, I will post a photo when I can. The problem is that the floating plants will always be submerged except for the ones in the square hole, but in there the water current will drag them under. It's more of a design aquarium then most.
Here's the schematics