Two dead Bettas...

[NannaLou]

I forgot to add that you need to keep your filter running so there is some water surface agitation (always low flow for bettas) since the beneficial bacteria need oxygen.

Filter running on max at the moment but it will need to go WAY down when I put another Betta in it - I still have a little smile when I read they a poor swimmers!

I’ve just been googling and Cherry shrimps are lovely, one YouTube video has 10 and one Betta in a 24 ltr tank, looks really lovely, but is this a realistic amount long term..? It also says they need moss to hide in... I don’t have any moss at the moment...
just going to search through TFF for moss advice ?

 

[Essjay]

They don't need moss, just lots of hiding places - plants, decor with holes in. Floating plants with masses of dangly roots are a good hiding place.

I've had one betta which ignored cherry shrimps, both adults and babies. Another betta ignored the adults but ate the babies; and a third killed adult shrimp. Unfortunately you can't know which type you have till after you've bought him - and see what he does to the shrimp.

 

[NannaLou]

I can see this tank ending up with a hamster in it ???

 

[QiQi]

There are so many fish I would love to keep but I have only 2 tanks atm one 70L community tank and the 2nd one is a small shallow tank that has only plants and some shrimp for the betta that is in the 70L in case he goes on a killing spree or starts struggling with swimming. So technically one tank and a back up plan (I secretly pray that he does go nuts so I can move him and get some honey gouramis or sparkling gouramis for the 70L )

 

[NannaLou]

@QiQi, yes, if space (as much as money) wasn’t an issue the things I would do...I used to love watching those big designer tanks being made in America (can’t think what the programme was called).

The other thing I have discovered today (and I’m going to blame @Essjay because he mentioned something about Walstad planting) are the micro environments that can be put together...need to get this one sorted first though...

 

[QiQi]

I think it will be fine once you cycle and get a couple of shrimp to make sure everything is running smoothly. If I come across a reliable store to get bettas from I will let you know. Keep us updated!

 

[NannaLou]

I will - thank you so much for your help and support ?

 

[Essjay]

and I’m going to blame @Essjay because he mentioned something about Walstad planting

I didn't specifically mention Walstad as I don't really understand that method just using plants to cycle a tank


And I'm a she

 

[NannaLou]

@Essjay - It was in your document about silent cycling? I’m getting a bit muddled with all the reading....and it is exactly that - enough plants and you don’t need a filter they do all the work so you can have small desk top microscapes.

I’m so sorry about the gender muddle - I’m old enough to still think men do the “science stuff” ?

 

[Essjay]

Ah, it was mcordelia's silent cycling sticky! I gave a link to that in an early post.


The number of girls in the sixth form back in 1971 who said to me - you can't study chemistry, that's a boys' subject!

 

[Udanghantu]

Hello NannaLou! I live about 15 miles away from you - in West Chiltington. I saw your posts and started looking for info. about tap water quality in our area. If you do a search for ‘Portsmouth Water Ltd. Public Record - Water Quality Summary’ it will tell you everything you would ever want to know about what comes out of your tap. It will give you an informed base line condition - then you can decide what you want to add, remove etc.
PS My betta seems to be doing fine with just Tetra Aquasafe added for water changes.

 

[NannaLou]

@Udanghantu - I used to work in West Chiltington, what a very beautiful place to live ?
Thank you, I’ll look that up this evening- I’ve had to go back to work today ?

@Essjay - it’s very odd that anyone “grown up” my age get lumped into those stereotypes but I’m forever pushing the grandchildren not to be defined by them!!

 

[NannaLou]

Good morning ?!
Something is happening in my tank!
I have an ammonia reading of .25ppm (pale green after the zero). I’m hoping that this means some sort of cycling will be starting...?

 

[QiQi]

That's great! You can dose the filter starter everyday now to help build the bacteria colony.

 

[NannaLou]

@QiQi - Amazon have literally just delivered a bottle of ammonia!

Lots of questions....

should I do a water change (Nitrates as 40ppm) and then add filter starter? Do I need to change water every day and add filter starter?

Do I need more ammonia, or is the 0.25 ppm enough..? (Sorry ?)