Newly Upgraded Tank

[razberri]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum, my name's Anna and I'm lookingf orward to hearing from all of you

So background: I never liked fish and never wanted any. But then one day when I was working in a pet shop, a delivery of baby Bettas came in and I instantly fell in love with a white one with a slight blue opalescent tinge. I had to have him! I asked my partner if he could live in his spare tank (3 or 4L) and he agreed. And so Frosty started it all... (he's now pink with a spreading blood red stain on his bottom fin).

Frosty now lives in a 17L tank with a filter and heater, plants and hiding spots. I have gradually added tankmates: first a couple of western pygmy perch (native to south-western Australia. I live in Perth) but one was bullying the other so he was donated to the tank at work. Then came 4 black neon tetras. Today I went on a shopping spree and bought a mystery snail and 2 Julii cories who adapted very quickly! (though I'm still sceptical that the snail is alive).

I also bought: a 65L Resun DM-600 tank with inbuilt filter and lights (one of the bulbs os broken though! grr)

I had read about nutrient cycling before and so I set up the tank, filled it with water, and planted two plants. I then decided to do more reading on cycling... and am beginning to think I should empty the tank and pack it back up again for a few weeks!!!

My dilemma: I'm moving house in the first week of September. I'm reading now that it can take a month or more even to cycle a tank! Should I just wait until I move or is it worth cycling for the next 3 weeks, then empty most of the tank for transport and fill it up again - would the bacteria die from this process??

What's the best way of going about cycling anyway? I have the heater on 26C and the plants there.. will that be enough or should I actually buy some ammonia? I've also read about dropping fish food in to help.

Another question: I really, really want a flame dwarf gourami. Given I have a Betta and tetras should I even bother? I keep reading about gouramis dying and not being hardy at all. I've also read that Bettas and Gouramis don't mix but then I've also read that about guppies and yet my partner has a betta and a guppy who are quite happy together. Other than short dominance displays my betta isn't agressive at all. He did have problems with his fins being constantly nipped when the tetras first joined the tank but they've calmed down now and he's healing with no new tears. I haven't seen then nip in weeks. Do you think the tetras would nip the antennae of a gourami or do you think they've learned their lesson by now? Is it worth the risk? I love the look of them so much and they sound like great fish to have.

My other option was to get a couple of electric yellows and maybe a couple of blue dolphins but I haven't researched these at all. I basically just want colour in my tank.

Sorry for the long post and bunchinga ll my questions together but any advice would be apperciated soo much!

Thanks

 

[Keithoms]

Yeah, when you pack away the tank for shipment you will have to take the water out. When dry, the bacteria dies. Someone will have to back me up on this, but if you were to cycle then take out the filter media and gravel and put them in bags of their own tank water, they could survive. (Obviously you would have to set up the tank straight away).

 

[razberri]

Yeah, when you pack away the tank for shipment you will have to take the water out. When dry, the bacteria dies. Someone will have to back me up on this, but if you were to cycle then take out the filter media and gravel and put them in bags of their own tank water, they could survive. (Obviously you would have to set up the tank straight away).

Well I was thinking of leaving some water in the tank, but obviously not much so that it'd still be light enough to carry. maybe I could just leave some water in the bottom to cover the gravel and the roots of the plants and then just throw the filter medium into the bottom as well? The trip is only a 10 minute drive but with putting the tank in the car and taking it out etc it might take half an hour. Obviously the heater would be off for that time. Would cool water kill the bacteria anyway?

 

[minxfishy]

Providing the filter media is kept wet and not left without a source of ammonia for too long then you should be ok. Just make sure when you get to the other end you set up the tank as quickly as possible, fill up with water and re-charge the ammonia, you may see a small stall but nothing more

I would advise again a gourami with a betta, there could be some fighting between them.

The electric yellow and blue dolphin I believe are african cichlids and as such should only be housed with other african cichlids and also I dont think a 65L tank is big enough for them.

 

[razberri]

Providing the filter media is kept wet and not left without a source of ammonia for too long then you should be ok. Just make sure when you get to the other end you set up the tank as quickly as possible, fill up with water and re-charge the ammonia, you may see a small stall but nothing more

I would advise again a gourami with a betta, there could be some fighting between them.

The electric yellow and blue dolphin I believe are african cichlids and as such should only be housed with other african cichlids and also I dont think a 65L tank is big enough for them.

Ok thanks for the advice, I might try cycling the tank through and hope for the best. I just didn't want to waste all that electricity if it was for nothing! So now I just have to get my hands on some ammonia and a testing kit - tomorrow.

I didn't realise yellows and dolphins were chiclids Like I said, I haven't done ANY research on those.

I forgot to mention I'd like to get more tetras (I thought 4 was a good number butw hen researched further found out minimum 6 is best). I was wondering if I should get 2 or 3 more black neons or if I should get 4 tetras of a different species like those blue ones (I forget the name) or standard neons. Would they form one school or seperate into the two??

It's so hard to know what's best in a community tank! I didn't do my research on mystery snails (which I now regret) thinking they're justs nails! Surely you can put snails in any tank..? But after seeing my Betta take a curious nibble out of my snail I'm realising how stupid that thinking was. I'm now guarding it patiently and chasing the betta away with a ruler every time he goes near it. Maybe I can condition him out of picking on the snail??

If it doesn't work would it be safe to put the snail in the cycling tank until I figure out what to do with it?

 

[Axleuk]

For what my opion is worth. I would nto bother cycling the tank just yet. If you are moving in a matter of weeks i would be inclined to wait until you have got yourself in your new place. Yes, if you keep the bacteria wet you can keep it alive, but when cycling you need to be monitoring the water stats and then making adjustments until you ultimately have a fully cycled tank.

If anything does not go to plan you may find that you have wasted your time.

I would be leaving it for now and starting it in your new place. Use the time to make new friends on here asking and helping with questions and in general planning your new tank.

 

[minxfishy]

Sorry nothing more to add cept Axle - new sig ROFLMAO - nice one