One long thread of betta questions so I don't clutter the forum

[Utar]

Dang, 29G?
What a lucky betta, lol....he has a kingdom...

PS It's awesome to see some fellow Texans here...

Yeah, there are not many of us here.

 

[black_cat]

After doing some thinking, planning, consulting, googling, and more thinking, I've come up with a plan:
I'll accept the offer of the large tank.
I'll wait until the next dollar per gallon sale at petco and get a 20 gallon tank for my hermit crabs. I'll move the crabs into that tank, leaving their current 10 gallon tank empty and all ready for a betta to move it. I'll set up a single male betta in that 10 gallon tank, using the rock decoration and heater (maybe also the substrate) from the big tank. Later, I'll set up the large tank on a cinder block/wood base. I haven't measured it yet, but from the proportions and a standard tank chart I looked at, it looks to be either a 29 gallon or a 40 gallon high. I was thinking of maybe using it as a betta sorority tank, but am worried that that would be too advanced for me because they're aggressive? How many bettas would you keep in one of those? 2? 3? The other thought I had was two or three fancy goldfish. Is that too many? The ones at the pet store near me are called shubunkins. A third option would be different types of tetras. There are lots of different types available.

 

[black_cat]

Where do you get the substrate cleaner tube things? how do you do it without disturbing the fish?

 

[Circus]

You can get gravel vacs at almost any petstore, wlamart, or on Amazon. Just swish the tube around and the fish will swim away. Most fish are also strong enough to swim out, even my shrimp are. Here at PetSmart. And how to use a Gravel Vac.

If the tank is 30 gallons or more, you can do 2 fancy double tailed goldfish. Shubunkin get too big as a single tailed. They will get over a foot long. Tetra are really cool as a shoaling fish.

 

[black_cat]

You can get gravel vacs at almost any petstore, wlamart, or on Amazon. Just swish the tube around and the fish will swim away. Most fish are also strong enough to swim out, even my shrimp are. Here at PetSmart. And how to use a Gravel Vac.

If the tank is 30 gallons or more, you can do 2 fancy double tailed goldfish. Shubunkin get too big as a single tailed. They will get over a foot long. Tetra are really cool as a shoaling fish.

I don't think they have any double tailed....how do I tell? the other options are comets, ryukins, and black moors. (also those ones with the puffy faces that I don't really want lol)

 

[Circus]

I don't think they have any double tailed....how do I tell? the other options are comets, ryukins, and black moors. (also those ones with the puffy faces that I don't really want lol)

Moors are double tailed. Unless you have 125 gallons plus, or a pond, I wouldn't recommend the other two. Goldfish like being around other goldfish, in general. You can buy suitable goldfish online if your Local Fish Store doesn't have any, but you would be paying $30+ for shipping. Also, it is easier to find fancy, a.k.a. double tailed goldfish, in the spring and summer since that is pond season.

Late this spring my LFS is going to special order some Red Cap Orandas for me, to go in my 80 Gallon. Other easy to keep fancies include Fantail, Black Moor, and Lions Head. They come in quite a few colors. Just remember that Goldfish are poo factories. Expect to do extra water changes.

 

[black_cat]

The tank has been measured and turns out to be a 29 gallon.

 

[Circus]

If you are really set on goldfish, you could probably manage it, but with a tank that size you wouldn't be able to have anything else in the tank and would have to be very on top of maintaining it.
I have two 29 gallon tanks and really like them. You have a lot of options. I actually have a community based around my calmest betta in one of them. 1 Betta, 7 Ember tetra, 3 Dwarf Chain Loach (soon to be 7). In the other I did a brackish water setup with 5 Orange Chromides, a Dalmatian Molly, a pair of Wrestling Halfbeaks, and a female Guppy.

 

[black_cat]

If you are really set on goldfish, you could probably manage it, but with a tank that size you wouldn't be able to have anything else in the tank and would have to be very on top of maintaining it.
I have two 29 gallon tanks and really like them. You have a lot of options. I actually have a community based around my calmest betta in one of them. 1 Betta, 7 Ember tetra, 3 Dwarf Chain Loach (soon to be 7). In the other I did a brackish water setup with 5 Orange Chromides, a Dalmatian Molly, a pair of Wrestling Halfbeaks, and a female Guppy.

I am not really set on goldfish, I just like them. I just made another thread called 'Stocking a 29 gallon?'