Redid The Chi... Again.

[McCool]

Moved around fish and plants tonight! Moved my Fluval Chi upstairs near a window, so hopefully my plants will survive this time. Switched around my fish, Moving my new Halfmoon Mio into the Chi and my crowntail Stang into the snail tank.

Chi residents: (5 Gal)
1 Blue Butterfly Halfmoon....Mio
2 Ghost Shrimp....Adding more soon
1 Assassin Snail.... Plus snails for munching on

Snail tank residents: (10 Gal)
Snails.... Lots. Of. Snails.
1 Marbled Crowntail Betta.... Stang
2 GuppyXEndler Hybrids.... Luckily, Stang eats most of the babies.
A few fry from the pair above.... Ones who were smart enough too hide!

Here are a few pics. I plan on more plants if these do well!

I think I'll make the background black. Not the best plant set up, but I hope to move them around when I get some more. Any plants y'all would suggest? I eventually want to get some red crystal shrimp, but ghost shrimp are the only ones they sell around here.
Comments? Suggestions? First time with live plants. I'd love to have some kind of plant that would cover the bottom like grass, but my knowledge on plants is really lacking.
What do y'all think?

 

[alstermania]

My betta looks EXACTLY the same!!! I love your setup too! I would have used gravel instead of sand though for 2 reasons : sand is hard to clean + the plants have a hard time creating a root system in a condensed substrate like sand. Overall, I love it!

 

[McCool]

My betta looks EXACTLY the same!!! I love your setup too! I would have used gravel instead of sand though for 2 reasons : sand is hard to clean + the plants have a hard time creating a root system in a condensed substrate like sand. Overall, I love it!

I find sand pretty easy to clean actually Just not much of a fan of gravel, plus I had extra sand from another tank
Thank you! I found him at my Petsmart a few weeks ago and fell in love! I've always wanted a butterfly Halfmoon, and I just couldn't pass him up!

 

[McCool]

So, I think I'll try and find a small piece of driftwood to attach the Anubis to....
Also, what do y'all think of dwarf frogs and bettas?
One of my ghost shrimp died a few days after the change, although I'm not exactly sure why... Levels are fine... No obvious injury.... Betta wasn't showing interest in him.... Stress maybe?
Now I've been on vacation for the last week, and I'm afraid the betta may have gotten hungry and taken out my last shrimp.... I guess we will see when I get home.
If the shrimp is gone, I was thinking about frogs. I know there are mixed opinions on them and bettas though, so I'd love to hear peoples experience with them. I plan on more plants and a piece of driftwood to make a cave for them.
What do y'all think? I'd love to add two if I could, but I'm not sure.

 

[crazyforcordoras]

I wouldnt keep dwarf frogs with bettas. They have very bad eyesight, and can easily attack the betta aty night. They are also very messy.

 

[McCool]

I wouldnt keep dwarf frogs with bettas. They have very bad eyesight, and can easily attack the betta aty night. They are also very messy.

Yeah, I'd really hate for his tail too get shredded.... Guess I'll leave out the frogs...

Know of any other bottom dweller that would work? Otos maybe?

 

[McCool]

Ah, after some research I think otos need bigger tanks..... I'm getting algae now too. )
I don't think their is, but can anyone think of a small algae eater that would fit in my tank? I may just have to get more shrimp, as I can't find anything else that would work.

 

[omega59]

Do you find that the light from your Chi is bad for plants? i had to remove my anabis plant bc it started getting holes, going yellow, and dying off. same with my marino ball.

 

[McCool]

Do you find that the light from your Chi is bad for plants? i had to remove my anabis plant bc it started getting holes, going yellow, and dying off. same with my marino ball.

Yeah, the lights are terrible. Even my Java Moss started dying. I just moved mine near a window without direct sunlight, and now my plants are growing great! I am getting an algae problem though

 

[omega59]

ah! Yeah it kind of stinks, I put my light on in the evening when I'm at my desk. I also re did my Chi as i got a new stone. The plants at the top are pieces from a Money Tree, I am rooting them in the tank then will be putting them in pots with soil (not in the tank lol).

 

[McCool]

ah! Yeah it kind of stinks, I put my light on in the evening when I'm at my desk. I also re did my Chi as i got a new stone. The plants at the top are pieces from a Money Tree, I am rooting them in the tank then will be putting them in pots with soil (not in the tank lol).

I love your tank! I never really thought about planting anything up top
I love my chi overall. I really don't see all the kinks people complain about. Great little tank if its properly set up and taken care of!

 

[omega59]

Yeah, the only problem i have is the light, and the water vapour. I need to buy the lid tho i hear it doesn't go down as fast with it. How often do you water change with 1 Betta and how much do you change with your Chi?

 

[McCool]

Yeah, the only problem i have is the light, and the water vapour. I need to buy the lid tho i hear it doesn't go down as fast with it. How often do you water change with 1 Betta and how much do you change with your Chi?

Yeah, I think the lid helps. It still has to be topped off every few days or so, but not a big deal.
I usually do 50% every 4 to 5 days, sometimes extra if I need to move a plant or something.
I probably don't need to change so much so often, but its just so easy and I always start to clean tanks if I'm bored
How about you?

 

[omega59]

Yeah once a week for me too. i was doing 50% but i started to think it could be too much bc removal of good bacteria in the water might not be a good idea. But when i first got my Betta he was okay until he started to develop fin-rot and small body fungus. I guess he wasn't in great conditions in the shop even though he was very lively in his small bowl. I medicated the tank for a 5 day treatment, and that did the trick once was enough

i forgot to also add he was very skinny in the shop too, now i think he's over weight LOL!