# 5G Wild Betta Tank



## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Figured I'd start a journal for this tank...
Started in the DIY area here

Will be using it to house a betta, until I upgrade the betta to a bigger tank....

This tank I have had forever... or so it seems  
It has been kicking around here or there for the past 18 years or so, full/empty/etc. I was most recently using the tank as a temporary setup for a breeding trio of blue strain guppies... until the chipped corner started leaking (after I moved the tank...). 
I replaced it with another 5g, was going to give it away... then thought I'd just reseal it, and put to use the small bits of glass I had leftover from making tops for the other tanks... my custom built-in corner box filter idea started to become reality (on a small scale).

Tank right after removing everything;














Resealing edge;
Inside - triple thickness













Added extra piece on outside








Will continue posting pics as more happens... 
Here and on the DIY thread...


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Siliconed in the bottom glass for the filter box today;
Prepped







Bead down & masking removed




















Continuing on with the other 2 panes tomorrow, possibly the support braces aswell. All depends on how long it takes me to mask it up.
Then a leak test (don't think it'll be necessary), and plastic mesh sizing/siliconing (for intakes/output).


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Here's a pic of a small sponge on the bottom pane, might use a taller one, might not. 








Siliconed the front pane last night, went fairly smooth. 
Used a masking tape web to hold it straight, seems to have done the job 
Prepped







Webbed







Masking & webbing removed














Going very well so far


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Looking good!!!


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## scott tang (Jan 29, 2012)

nice ! where do you got the sealer your using in the corners ? and sand plants wood shrimp frogs with the beata or just the beata


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

dabandit1 said:


> Looking good!!!


Thank you! 



scott tang said:


> nice ! where do you got the sealer your using in the corners ? and sand plants wood shrimp frogs with the beata or just the beata


Thanks! I am using clear silicone: Permatex #66BR
Should be available at most hardware/automotive parts stores.








I will be using Seachem Black Flourite as substrate, with some plants, driftwood, rock. Not sure if I'm gonna risk my hitchhiker blue mystery snail or not, will depend on the temperament of the particular betta I get. I might also stick one of my many blueberry shrimps in the filter box, I'm sure the betta wouldn't mind some live food once a month... though the shrimp probably won't like it.

[HR][/HR]
Got the side pane in place, just need to wait for it to cure, and add a "decorative" bead of silicone to tidy it up.
Prepped







Beads down & masking removed














Almost halfway there..., just the mesh screens to cut & silicone in place, the shelf to silicone in place, leak test, then substrate, filter, heater, cycled water, rocks, driftwood, plants..., then I can shop for a betta 

The particular betta that inspired me to do this was obviously sold right away, I am hoping to find one somewhat similar... 
Though you all know what happens as soon as you walk through the door of an lfs....


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Added "decorative" beads to the side pane, siliconed the shelf in place.
Corner "box"







Prepped







Bead down & masking removed








One piece of glass left to silicone, then mesh screens.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Decided I didn't like the look of how the mesh "meshed" together at the corner, went back to using the support braces 
Front Piece;
Masked with bead down







Masking removed







Side Piece;
Prepped







Bead down & masking removed














Will be siliconing the mesh tomorrow, then the side pane for the shelf.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Mesh is now in place. Decided to leave a 1/8" gap between the mesh and glass walls to the box. 
Prepped



















Beads down & masking removed


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

........


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Last piece of glass is in place. Was very sloppy the first time around, cut off the extra and re-did the bead a second time. Happy with it now.
Prepped













2nd Bead


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

All siliconing in the tank is now done  Time for a vinegar scrub down and overnight leak test....














Adding mesh to the 3/4 lid to create a full cover with air flow (to prevent jumping...)


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Gave the tank a vinegar scrub after letting the last bead of silicone cure for 36hrs. Filled it with ice cold tap water (to test the silicone under contraction) and let sit overnight, no leaks  (used an excessive amount of silicone though). Added the 50w Jager heater last night, temp is sitting at 77F, will adjust from there depending on what I end up getting.... 
Today I will do a 50% wc using wc water from the 33G tank, adding the cycled sponge filter and 2 almond leaves. Also a branch of japanese maple and a couple plant clippings with an anubias. I am aiming for a pH of 6.5, maybe lower.
No substrate until the bag gets in at the lfs.... for now I will just use mini plant pots with substrate in them from the 33G for the rooting plants.


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Im still not seeing how water is pulled in and out of the filter box.....show the the dang equipment pics already the suspense is killing me lol


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

dabandit1 said:


> Im still not seeing how water is pulled in and out of the filter box.....show the the dang equipment pics already the suspense is killing me lol


Patience is a virtue, as "they" say ;p
"Equipment" pics will be up when the "equipment" is in place. Even then, I won't be putting any dyes in the tank, so you will still need to use your mind and visualize 
I also don't know if it will pull in water or not, I will find out later, and I am getting rather impatient about it....
In any case this tank will have multiple other uses for me if it doesn't work the way I intended


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

It works! :bigsmile: The way I wanted it to anyway 
Once I cleared the air bubbles off the intake/output mesh, I was able to see (thanks to the floaties from the cycled sponge) that (as kacairns mentioned here) most of the filter action is inside the box, with water re-circulating around, though that re-circulating action is in-turn pulling water in (very slowly) from the intake and part of the output mesh, and water is exiting mostly from the hole I placed in the output, aswell as the upper portion of the output mesh. The surface agitation from the bubbles breaking the surface has been reduced by (roughly) over 60% from inside the box to the main tank. Also the proximity between the front panels of glass is causing a (very limited) venturi effect, which is keeping water circulating around the tank, and through the "cave". 
:lol: Happy Happy Happy :lol: It's great when something goes well, and works as you want it to 

(Pictures will be posted later - other things to do at the moment...)

Tested pH; 5.5 (tap water 36hr sit) Removed 2.5 gallons of water, added 2.5 gallons from the 33G tank (pH 7.0), cycled sponge, new filter frame, 2 almond leaves, 3 potted plants (1 pygmy chain sword, 1 giant hygro clipping, 1 anubias), 1 Male Blue Pearl Shrimp (in filter box), and 1mL Flourish. Tested pH; 6.5 (before adding flourish/almond leaves) right where I wanted it  Shortened the uplift tube for the filter, and replaced the bottom piece with an old one (was trapping air and releasing big bubbles).

Will wait till tomorrow to add the branch of japanese maple, and some floating plants/moss. Also testing pH/No2/No3/GH/KH.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

The water has turned a nice tea colour now (what I was after). Some very small particulates floating around are allowing me to see the "water flow" in the main section of the tank. Very slow, almost still, though it is moving in a specific pattern around the tank. Water in the filter box is very turbulent, as expected. Surface disturbance in the main area is minimal, thanks to the fine mesh (with round holes) that I used for the output. I'll find out tomorrow how well it actually filters particulates out of the water, though the foam I'm using isn't fitting well on the frame as it's stretched out from being on the koralia for awhile, might be causing some "bypass" past the foam, re-circulating debris rather than filtering it out. If that's what's happening, I'll just squeeze out the filter into the tank and put a new foam on. 
Here's where I got the idea for the potted plants. Thanks 
Now some pictures 

"Equipment Shots"


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Colour change of water over 4 hours...



















Lots of tannins...

Tank before almond leaves








Top finally done


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested Parameters this morning;
pH 6.5
NH3 0.6-mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 7.5mg/L
GH 3.36d/60mg/L
KH 1.68d/30mg/L
Temp 77F
Ammonia level has me a little concerned, though probably just due to me cleaning the foam a little too much when I transferred it. Thinking it's just a mini cycle, will test again tonight and do a wc if it has risen. 
Turned the heater down 2deg (aiming for 75F), my current thermometers are reading between 74 and 76 after turning it down (hope it's at 75 or within 1deg...) 
Went over to Fantasy Aquatics for a Betta shopping trip today (thanks to the *videos* jobber posted), ended up getting some white crystal shrimps from waynet for the tank aswell (yeah, I know, probably will be expensive food ) I will be keeping the shrimps in a breeder net until they are big enough to be released into the filter box (will easily fit through the gaps I left at their current size).

Currently acclimating...:lol: will keep you all in suspense until I have finished acclimating and taken some photos


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

From what I can tell, the filter is filtering particulates out of the main tank, or, the water is too dark to see any particulates 
It should work just fine based on what I saw when the water was clear.

Taking pictures in a "blackwater" tank, with no light and no flash, has proven to be extremely difficult. So no photos after acclimation (if I tried I think it would stress them even further) I have a couple photos during acclimation....
The plan for the shrimps changed a bit, the breeder net is too big for the tank (thanks to the filter box), so are the floating containers I have. For now I will just keep changing water in and out of the bag, kinda like a consistent acclimation, until the small ones are big enough to (hopefully) stay in the box. Shouldn't take too long....
Posting what few photos I have after another water test.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

...(TDS reading from this morning: 155ppm)...

Tested;
pH 6.5-
NH3 0.6mg/L
No2 0+mg/L
No3 10-mg/L
TDS 158ppm
Temp 75F
Seems like a mini cycle to me, I will test again in the morning and see where it is. Most likely a 20% wc aswell.

I was originally going to try to find a male emerald halfmoon dragonscale betta for this tank, though you may have guessed that that's not what I did. 
After seeing the above mentioned videos, I was intrigued by the betta rutilans, and did a some research about them. Turned out that their natural environment was more like the parameters/conditions I was going for in this tank, and I can house a pair rather than just one  I could also possibly try to house a softwater caridina species with them...
At first I got one pair, then after leaving I turned around and got one more female (really hard to tell, wanted to increase my chances of having a pair). 
Very interesting behaviour so far, they seem to be settling in quite quickly, even without half the plants and the driftwood/rocks/substrate I am going to put in. 
Saw all three of them about an hour ago, together for the first time since I released them into the tank. Based on dorsal fin length, body colour, and behaviour, it looks like I do have 1 male and 2 females. They seem to be getting along quite well so far, hope it stays that way 
They are eyeing the crystal shrimps that are in the bag, it may be safe for me to put them in the filter box tomorrow, the shrimp seem to know to stay away from them...

Here's some pics
Lid in place







Water colour at 11am







Tank at 6pm














White Crystal Shrimp (3/7)







....


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

....
Bettas during acclimation 
(had to use flash a couple times, didn't want to...)


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested Parameters;
pH 6.5-
NH3 0.6-mg/L
No2 0.1+mg/L
No3 10-mg/L
TDS 155ppm
Temp 77F
Ambient room temp went up overnight, hopefully it doesn't go up too much today, I will have to keep an eye on it.
The male Blue Pearl got out of the filter box again, first time with the bettas in the tank. Very interesting to see them interact, the shrimp is about half the size of the bettas  They both seem unbothered by each other, though there is a different look in the bettas eye when they go to the bag with the crystals in it... I'm just going to have to put them in the filter box tonight, and hope for the best. I can't really scape the tank until I remove the bag...
So far I am very happy with the species change from my original plan, watching the three interact has been very interesting so far, will probably be even more interesting once the tank is scaped and they are fully settled in... it has been less than 24hrs after all. 
They seem to really like the potted plants, hanging out under the rim near the roots. I will have to add some more, after some further research to suitable rooted plants for the tank conditions. 
I just found one of the bettas inside the filter box, apparently if a shrimp can fit so can the betta. So it doesn't matter where I put the shrimps, they will probably just move in and out of the box as they please (which is what I had originally intended), and the bettas may just follow.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

The one in the filter box looked like it was trying to get out, so I netted it back into the main tank, it didn't like that very much. An hour later it is back in the box. I am thinking it either wants to be in there, or, I have two males and it needs to be in there. Hmmm...

I have decided to release the two largest crystal shrimps into the main tank, and leave the rest in the bag for now, to see how the bettas react to them. If they are both still there in the morning, I will release the smaller ones into the filter box (after removing the betta if it is still in there).

Got the gravel today, will have to wait until after I have released the crystal shrimps to add it. Will be a very thin layer of Black Flourite, with an eventual top layer of broken down almond leaves. I think the bettas and shrimps will like what I have in mind for them...

Now I need to set up a brine shrimp hatchery .... next project


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Not sure why, though 3 out of 4 thermometers I checked the temperature with (2 digital 1 glass) read 77F and the new glass one I got today is reading 72F (where the heater is set at). Checked the temp by dipping my finger in, and the back of my hand against the glass, definitely colder than the 5G that is at 76F, so I'm going with 72F as the current temp. Lower than I wanted it to be, and it was probably at 74F this morning when I thought it was at 77F. Thinking I should raise it back to 74F slowly.
Released 2 of the larger crystal shrimps into the main tank, they went under the almond leaves right away (where I can't see them). Got a pic before I released them, and one right after.
Added some floating plants from the 10G - pcs of Hornwort, Pearl Weed, and moss (java and christmas I think), moved the thermometer to inside the filter box. Just turned the heater up to 73F.
Saw the female (I think) checking out one of the crystals in the tank, still just eyeing it out, hasn't made a move yet (that I've seen). Still picking at the bag near the smaller ones though. Probably going to transfer them to a smaller bag, to make it possible to scape the tank.
Took only 1 photo of the pair today:







Here's the shrimps I released


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

The one in the filter box made her own way out this time, I say her now as all three were in the same spot - slight differences and similarities tell me I have 2f1m, I keep confusing myself when they are seperated. She did go straight for the smaller crystal shrimp I put in the tank, no nipping, just straight to it to check it it. They seem to love exploring, and as long as I am calm about it, they will probably enjoy the process of tank scaping/layout change


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested;
pH 6.5-
NH3 0.6+mg/L
No2 0.3mg/L
Temp 72F
Doing a 30% wc later, testing again in the morning.

One of the females made a move at the smaller crystal shrimp, first just a test "kiss", then came in a second time for an attempted bite. The shrimp shot away so fast I didn't see where it went. Definitely not releasing the rest until they are bigger, will transfer them into a slightly smaller bag later with some moss for now. I may drop a couple pinhead crickets in later when I feed the 33G....


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Those are some giant sized almond leaves! Fish love them. Helped me get my ill fish back to health.

Great journal. Love reading the updates and specs.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

jobber said:


> Those are some giant sized almond leaves! Fish love them. Helped me get my ill fish back to health.
> Great journal. Love reading the updates and specs.


They are actually 2 of the smaller leaves I had, they do look big in this tank though  I was inspired by your 75G, I liked the look of that tinted water, and the timing worked out just right to end up with the fish/shrimp that I did  Also what I found out about the rutilans natural habitat, is it's primarily leaf litter substrate with some plants growing up through it, very still water and low light. Which is something that I have wanted to try for a few months now, just didn't have the space for another 20+ gallon tank...

I am sure there will be many more updates for this tank, these are the most curious dwarf fishes I have kept yet...


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Did a 30% wc (1.5G out [1G from tank, .5G from shrimp bag] - 1.5G in pH6.5-)

Turns out I didn't turn the heater up high enough to reset the thermostat, temp was slightly below 72F and heater hadn't come on yet when I started the wc. Reset it and it should bring the temp back up to just between 73/74F. Has easily held it steady at 69-72F during the wc.
Another added benefit to the filter box (without shrimp in it), is I can add water without disturbing the main tank, and the intakes function as outputs when I pour water in. I will do the same when there are shrimps in the box, I just won't pour it in so quickly.

The bettas have been very co-operative with me so far while I've had my hands in the tank, they seem to know when to stay out of the way, and when it's safe to swim over and check me out  Gave them some crickets as a treat... I don't think they saw them at the surface. 
Transferred the shrimp from the large to small bag, the largest one of all seven managed to elude me when I netted the first two. Good sign that it should survive the bettas (also found it's molt in the bag). Leaving all five in there until the smallest one is as big as the large one. 
Saw one of the two on the bottom staring up into the bag, before the wc, looked like it was trying to talk to one of the other ones. I don't know if they can communicate through plastic or not. 
For tiny little fish and shrimps, these species seem to be quite intelligent. 
Gonna have a fun few months of observation ahead of me... :bigsmile:


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested;
pH 6.5
NH3 0.6-mg/L
No2 0.3mg/L
Temp 74F
Ambient room temp went up again last night, also turned the heater up another 1/2 degree (went down to just below 72F before turning on during wc)
Did a 30% wc (1.5g out/in), with straight tap water (after sitting) pH6.0. Added another large almond leaf, took out about 60% of the tannins doing 60% wc over the last 14 hours  Also found two smaller leaves, will put those in after they have sunken (in the prepared wc water...) Heater clicked off at 73.5F, as long as it stays I won't have to touch it again.
Adding some new gravel later today, will add some cycled gravel from the 33G when I do the next wc. Will be a 50/50 mix of new/cycled gravel, also might transfer over some of those aquatic earthworms that are in there, sure the bettas will like those  Testing after I add gravel, possibly another 30% wc.

Seeing as all three are becoming more comfortable with the tank, and me, I decided to try to properly id them with my dim flashlight. After looking at all three (disregarding colouring and finnage, as all three changed shades while I was viewing them), they all have a white spot behind their belly, which I also noticed in the photos I posted earlier. I am assuming, based on what I know of splendens sp, this means I have three females. Not a problem as I don't really have anywhere to put fry if they did breed, also explains the so-far peaceful behaviour, although I don't want them to become egg-bound... 
Not really sure about having one male and three females in this tank, will have to decide whether or not I want to try to id a male....

The two crystals took refuge in the filter box, thinking it will be about a week before I put the remaining five in the tank, I don't want them in the bag for any longer than that (doing 50% wc in the bag min twice per day, more if I'm home). One more in the bag has molted, starting to catch up to each other in size.

Tank after wc








Here's some pics of the crystals
Yesterday







Today







The shrimp in the first photo is on the filter mesh in the second photo (upper left)


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Some blurry pics of the bettas


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Liking this journal with the many pics and details. Hope you're able to document betta spawns. Don't think anyone on here has had any recent spawns or journalized it.

Sent from my mobile phone


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

jobber said:


> Liking this journal with the many pics and details. Hope you're able to document betta spawns. Don't think anyone on here has had any recent spawns or journalized it.


Thank you  
I am trying to make this one as detailed as possible (without going overboard), as it's my first attempt at blackwater/low-no light/wild species.
Still trying to decide whether or not to leave it as a sorority, or look for a male. (made thread *here*)
If I do get a male, and they happen to spawn, I will have to document it


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Added the gravel, three 250mL cups, covered 2/3 of the bottom at the depth I wanted. Gravel will be a 65/35 mix new/cycled rather than 50/50. Also added 1mL flourish, to help the plants out a bit. Will be testing later, if I'm still getting 0.6NH3 and 0.3No2, another 30% wc.
Watching the temperature, I noticed the heater clicks on at 72F, and off at 74F, no need to adjust it again  The thermometer is in the innermost corner of the filter box, and the heater element is in the small space under the box. I noticed the "cave" under the box is warmer than the main tank space, and the water in the box, so there are some temperature variations between areas. Once I add more leaves and plants, I am sure there will be more hot/cold spots in the tank.

Quite an interesting experience adding the gravel, for both the bettas and myself. The whole time, between one to all three would be within 1cm of my hand while I was moving gravel, even using my palm as a temporary cave at one point  Had me concerned at one point, as they were getting a bit too close to the "gravelfall" coming out of the cup, not to mention I didn't want to accidentally bury one in it. That fortunately did not happen.
The smaller crystal shrimp even came out and sat on my arm for a bit while I was leveling gravel 

Haven't mentioned the feeding experience so far... First tried freeze dried brine shrimp, they tried it, and spat it back out. I didn't bother to try any of the other freeze dried food I had. Frozen bloodworms they took, after some hesitation and investigation. The algae tab bits I put in for the shrimps they picked at, though didn't seem to eat any of it. I got some "bottom feeder" pellets with krill, those were ignored completely. Also put three live pinhead crickets in when they were near the surface, didn't seem to see them, or just weren't interested. The surprise to me was when I tried the mix of guppy pellets/tropical flake, after a very short time looking at a pellet, the first one took it, then the other two came up and starting grabbing pellets. The flake that's in the mix they just spat back out, the pellets they seemed to really like. At least there is one prepared food that they will take. I will be getting some live food to try next weekend, if they don't take it (which I'm sure they will at least try it), there are plenty of mouths in the other tanks that would appreciate a live treat 

Got lots of ok pics, 

Tank before and after gravel













Crystal Shrimps


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

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Bettas :bigsmile:

































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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

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Staring into the sunset...:lol:


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested;
pH 6.5
NH3 0.6mg/L
No2 0.3-mg/L
Temp 74F
Did a 30% wc (1.5g), used straight tap water (after sit pH6.0-) no minerals added this time, only almond leaves for a couple hours, added one small almond leaf to the tank. 
Another test in the morning, hopefully it's gone down to 0+NH3 and 0.1-No2...

Of course both the bettas and crystals seem happier with the substrate down, tank looks a bit darker, even though there are less tannins in the water now. I would like to get it close to what it was, not quite so dark, though it was really neat to see a tiny set of eyes come out of nowhere, then disappear. The crystals on the other hand didn't look so snow white...


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested;
pH 6.5
NH3 0.6mg/L
No2 0+mg/L
No3 5mg/L
Temp 73F
Ammonia is still up, not at toxic levels though, no wc this morning, possibly 20% after test results in 12hrs.

Starting to think, as this is my first "softwater" tank, if I should add any calcium supplements for the shrimps. Seeing as they are snow white crystal shrimps, not sure how sensitive they are vs crs/cbs, don't want them to have soft shells, especially with wild bettas.... I was thinking of a calcium enriched food rather than a mineral additive for the water (don't want hardness to increase).

Pecking order between the three females has been established. Largest one is dominant, smallest one is second in line, and the mid-size (my favourite so far) is at the bottom, or, the other two are jealous of her  I'm leaning towards fight over food though, as my favourite seems to be the first to it, and is quite the little piggy. 

Now just to wait until the store opens, and try to ID a male....:lol:


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Aargh.. spent the last two hours back and forth typing up the post, hit the wrong button and lost it all... 
Typed back up from what I remember writing....

Added some cycled gravel from the 33G (2-250mL cups), another two almond leaves, and some pieces of riccia that stuck to me. Buried the plant pots halfway in gravel, put a little more in than I intended. The girls got too brave this time, one of them tried to swim into the gravelfall  I tipped the cup back quickly, she only got bonked by one small piece  uprooted both plants in the process too. Figured I might aswell put some gravel on the shelf, looks kinda neat, I might try to make a moss "carpet" on it.



Sploosh said:


> Pecking order between the three females has been established. Largest one is dominant, smallest one is second in line, and the mid-size (my favourite so far) is at the bottom, or, the other two are jealous of her  I'm leaning towards fight over food though, as my favourite seems to be the first to it, and is quite the little piggy.


Correction:
The females were establishing a pecking order, ended up the larger two were "fighting" for dominance, no damage done, just facing off to each other.

Went back to Fantasy Aquatics to find a male for the tank... Didn't see any, though I did spot two females with some very nice colour, ended up bringing them home. Now, when I look for a male next, I'll be looking for two or three...

Made a couple of floating caves out of film containers, as I read this is a good place for the male to make a nest and raise fry, also for the female to use when not occupied by the male. The one thing I see as a potential problem with them, is the small volume of air inside, and how quickly it will go stale. Not sure how to make the container "breath" and have it float...

Added some more mosses and hornwort from the 10G shortly after acclimating the new girls, also another almond leaf. The tank is looking better, though still a ways to go before it looks the way I want it too....

Post looks thinner than it did before...
Oh Well, here's some pics 
Tank after cycled gravel
































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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

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Containers




















Male Blue Pearl







Bettas
Eyeing out crystals







......


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

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New Girls
Acclimating


























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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

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In Tank


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested;
pH 6.5
NH3 0.6mg/L
No2 0.1-mg/L
Temp 73F
Did a 20% wc (1G out/in), testing again in the morning.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested;
pH 6.5
NH3 0.6mg/L
No2 0+mg/L
No3 5mg/L
GH 2.24d/40mg/L
KH 1.12d/20mg/L
Temp 74F
Testing again in 12 hours, though I think it has cycled? The ammonia reading is confusing me, so I checked straight tank water against the colour chart. Definite change when testing. This is my first acidic softwater tank, not sure if ammonia will always be present in small amounts (could be the almond leaves breaking down too though). Hardness levels went down slightly, still within where I want them.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Very glad I added the mesh to the top in anticipation of jumpy fishes... As soon as I got home and approached the tank, three (largest) girls came over the the "feeding hole", the smaller of the two new girls stayed and her tail descended as she stared at the mesh above, the other two lost interest and swam off. After watching for a couple seconds, she was pointed straight up, staring intensely at the mesh (specifically at the seam right where it opens, smart fish), then, a slight twinkle in her eye, and straight up out of the water... She bounced off the mesh and back into the tank, then turned and looked at me before swimming away. Good thing I added a locking tab on the the opening... 
I think she may be hungry...

Couldn't be happier with my decision to go "wild", thanks for the inspiration jobber  
I'm not about to go and try discus anytime soon though


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested;
pH 6.5
NH3 0.6-?mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 10-mg/L
TDS 104ppm
Temp 74F
I'm not sure if the ammonia is at 0 or 0.6-, as the tank water is very similar to the test colour before adding the chemical, I didn't see any change in colour after. I am going to deduce, by the nitrite/nitrate readings, that the mini cycle has completed. Another test again in 12 hours, expecting readings to be the same, or higher nitrates.

Decided to put the largest crystal left in the bag into the tank, netted it into the filter box. There's still three small ones and one tiny one in the bag, probably another week or so before I let them out, maybe less.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Pulled the trigger and got some more females I see. Hopefully there is a male there at least. Until the grown a bit more will perhaps their true sex can be ID'ed. Do you plan on feeding the betta any live food and conditioning them? Would be quite the sight to see them go after live blackworms microworms. 

Sent from my mobile phone


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

I couldn't pass on these two, saw them while I was looking for a male, put one of them back, then grabbed her again  I know for sure I have 5 females, they all have the white spot on their belly, also no "flaring" going on. The two I just got are larger, one looks to be almost an adult, though I still have lots to learn about them. I did not find any males in the store tank (looked for about half an hour), I will be going back when they get more in 
Live Food I am picking up on the weekend, daphnia and microworms to try out. I am sure that is what they will prefer, for now I have been feeding them frozen bloodworms and guppy pellets, as that's all they have taken so far from what I have tried. They do seem to be constantly searching the tank for something moving to eat...
Not sure what you mean by conditioning, though I will be trying to replicate their habitat, to encourage them to breed. I may setup the 2.5g, or rehome the guppies in the 10g, to house either males/females or pairs. Originally I was adding shrimps as a food source (was going to use my abundant blue shrimps), then I went with "fancy" crystal shrimps, idea is still the same though. Adult shrimps seek refuge in the filter box, breed, offspring venture out and get found by the bettas, the survivors continue the colony. Just a slightly higher initial expense  At least that's how I'd like it to work, they may just get a taste for shrimps and decimate the colony, adults and all. 

So far the addition of the new girls has calmed down the former largest female, also the added leaves and moss probably have something to do with it. There are some little "spats" now and then, though for the most part they all get along. The three largest seem to have formed a "clic", with the smaller two seemingly independent. I am sure that will change as time goes on though.

I may just remove the floating caves, the girls don't seem to be using them, or exploring into them. Plus the possibility of stale air is concerning me if one goes in and tries to breath from the surface inside the container... The floating plants/mosses should do just fine, and look better too 

Tested;
pH 6.5-
NH3 0+mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 10-mg/L
TDS 104ppm
Temp 73F
Ammonia is extremely difficult to tell the level, as the water is now the same colour as the 0.6mg/L on the test chart. I may have to get an api liquid ammonia test, if it uses a different shade of colour.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

It has been a very interesting experience watching the girls form their hierarchy, so far the former largest, now right in the middle for size, is still the dominant female, she has even claimed the shelf as her "throne"  the other four girls seem to still be picking their own spots in the tank, though I still have some driftwood and rocks to put in, and more cave-like areas to make. Interesting how the more dominant females are at the upper regions of the tank (closest to the food...), and the subordinate females are in the lower regions of the tank.
Found the largest female in the filter box  most likely went in, either out of curiosity, or, to hunt white specs... at this moment it looks like she is just trying to find a way out though.
Feeding time is interesting, they are still eyeing the food for some time before eating it, only time they go after anything right away is when a frozen bloodworm drops to the bottom of the tank. Even then they wait a little bit after it hits the bottom before trying it. I can't wait to feed them live food....
The shrimps, of course, are all in the filter box last I saw, on the side of the filter facing the wall (away from the bettas). The male blue pearl was for my original shrimp plan, I will be removing him when he is in an easy spot to net out. I will only have crystal shrimps in this tank, and am already thinking of setting up another softwater tank for more...... though it will still be a couple weeks and molts before I know if I can keep them alive...

Tested;
pH 6.5-
NH3 0.6+(?)mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 10-mg/L
TDS 105ppm
Temp 72F
Looking at ammonia test kits today, water colour on its own is way too close to test results. 
Removed the film containers, I will try something similar if I need to once they are spawning....

The entire time I was testing, the dominant female was watching me, as I was opening the hole in the mesh, sucking out water with the pipette, she even seemed to be watching as I dropped the chemicals in the tube and checked colours. Wonder whats going on in that brain of hers...
As close as all five are in colour, despite the size difference, I am finding it quite easy to tell them apart. They all have very distinct personalities.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Did a 20% wc (1G out - 1G in pH6.5-), added 2mL Flourish. Poured it into tank directly above the giant hygro clipping, as its the plant that needs it the most, and the anubias is right beside it. Water is back to being darkly tinted, not able to take photos without using a flashlight and flash, so I haven't .
The largest is still in the filter box, I wanted to net her out, as one of the crystals looked like it had the white scared right off it.... though the water's too dark to see a maroon coloured fish... she'll just have to find her own way out, she did find her way in after all.
Tested;
pH 6.5-
NH3 0.6-(?)mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 5+mg/L
GH 2.24d/40mg/L
KH 1.12d/20mg/L
TDS 106ppm
Temp 74F
Maybe I'm testing too frequently...... at least this way I have a better idea of what the tanks doing, rather than just guessing


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

The largest female was still in the filter box this morning, I decided to remove the filter and net her out. I should have done this yesterday, as her belly is quite large, I could only find 1/3 white shrimp, and the blue pearl is nowhere to be seen. They could be hiding in the main tank area somewhere, though I suspect they got caught. Only time will tell if there is more than one white shrimp left after this. I will be keeping the remaining four in the bag for longer than I first planned, in case the largest now has a taste for shrimps.


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

Yah, I'd love to keep Bettas and shrimp but they don't live in well together. One will always eat the other.


I test every 2nd day if its a newish tank and am trying to fine tune dosing. 

For example I was testing every 2nd day because I notice my 50gal is still bottoming out with EI 2.5ppm of PO4. In fact I switched over to testing everyday and found that the tank was eating up 2.0ppm of PO4 every day! I'm now dosing about 4ppm of PO4 (I would dose more but I've done a big trim and see less PO4 uptake now). I currently test 1x a week.

Then after I think it's tuned I'll test every week to see what I'm removing with WC. Afterwards, I won't test unless I think I see issues with water either with fauna or flora.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Reckon said:


> Yah, I'd love to keep Bettas and shrimp but they don't live in well together. One will always eat the other.


Yeah, I knew I would see some predation. I was just hoping, due to their small size, though I guess not when they eat inverts as a main diet...



Reckon said:


> I test every 2nd day if its a newish tank and am trying to fine tune dosing.
> 
> For example I was testing every 2nd day because I notice my 50gal is still bottoming out with EI 2.5ppm of PO4. In fact I switched over to testing everyday and found that the tank was eating up 2.0ppm of PO4 every day! I'm now dosing about 4ppm of PO4 (I would dose more but I've done a big trim and see less PO4 uptake now). I currently test 1x a week.
> 
> Then after I think it's tuned I'll test every week to see what I'm removing with WC. Afterwards, I won't test unless I think I see issues with water either with fauna or flora.


Similar to what I've been doing, new setups I test daily, though in this case twice daily. My established tanks I was testing weekly, then went to twice a month, now it's about once a month on three tanks, twice a month on one, once a week on another. I don't have any of the test kits for iron/phosphates/etc, so I just go by what the leaves and plant stems tell me as to how much ferts to put in.

[HR][/HR]
The largest female went straight back in the box after I removed her, so I waited an hour and netted her out again. Spotted the blue pearl this time, no white shrimps. I suspect, if there still alive, that they are between the leaves and the gravel, where I can't see, and where the bettas haven't explored.
Once I start feeding live food, I think the shrimps will have a better chance of survival.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Saw a crystal between the leaves and the gravel, so a definite possibility that all three are there, and just left the filter box when the betta went in. Fingers crossed anyway 

...and the betta is back in the filter box again


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Aaarrrgh! 
Turns out the thermometer I have been using the past few days, is Faulty! It is reading at 4F BELOW what the actual tank temp is. I thought it was at 72-74F, it's actually at 76-78F. At least now I know, and am turning it back down slowly.

Wasn't able to get any live food today like I was hoping to  Continuing to feed frozen bloodworms and guppy pellets. Might try crickets again...

The dominant female has turned quite aggressive towards the other females, the reason the largest kept going in the filter box. I am hoping it is temperature related aggression, if not, I will have to remove her from the tank.

Testing later tonight.

..Added some salvinia yesterday, noticed some minor surface pollutants in the main tank area, hopefully it will help to absorb some..


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Tested;
pH 6.5
NH3 0.6mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 7.5mg/L
TDS 109ppm
Temp 79F
Turns out it's ambient room temp bringing the tank to above 78F, all my tanks went close to 80F today.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

I was a little quick to think the bettas ate the shrimps, I saw two crystals the other day, one had just molted and was on the front corner, right out in the open. The male blue pearl is looking the healthiest I've seen it, the bettas don't even seem to check him out anymore. Maybe they are getting used to being with shrimps, and not being so hungry they see them as food... Only time and future generations of shrimp will tell...
The dominant betta was getting a bit too aggressive, especially at feeding time, so I decided to employ a "spray bottle" technique using the pipette from my test kit. I sat in waiting during feeding time, as soon as she nipped at any of the others, I gently shot a stream of water her way. After a couple times she got the hint, and stopped guarding the food. I've had to do this three times so far, she seems to be getting a little less nippy, when I'm watching anyway. The other females also seem to be colouring up again (they went to dull colour with a horizontal line head to tail). If this works, I won't need to rehome her 

Now that I switched thermometers, and turned down the heater, I have noticed the placement in the room is keeping the tank temp at 76F. I may just switch positions with the 2.5G tank that gets cold air moving past it... I would like to temp to be at 73F, ideally. I may just remove the heater altogether, though it could fluctuate too much if I do...

Newly molted crystal


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Got some wingless fruitflies for the community tank, decided to drop some in to see how the bettas like them.
Very well received by two, one seemed to just play with them (grabbed one, swam halfway down, let it float back to the surface, repeated several times), one was in hiding the entire time, and the last was in the filter box.
There has been some fin-nipping going on, my spray bottle technique seems to have upset the hierarchy, in a negative way. One female has taken the throne from the former "queen", and chases her away on sight. If there are more than two in view of each other they will chase each other away. A far sight from just a couple days ago, when I saw three swimming together, seemingly happily, with each other. The former "queen" also seems to be scared of me now, not at all what I wanted. Lesson learned, leave them to establish their own behaviours, and don't interfere, unless the aggression gets too violent.
Checked pH this morning, 6.5+. Did a 20% wc using tap water pH5.5 after sit, added 1mL Flourish. 
Will be about another week before I release the four remaining crystals into the tank.


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Temperature is fluctuating, going for natural with this tank anyway... I thought it was alright, now I'm not so sure. Varied by 4F (72-76F) from night to day, depending on how cold/warm it got. Friday it started at 72F around 8am, went up to 74F by 11am, was at 76F by 5pm, was still at 76F saturday morning (warm night). Yesterday morning it went up to 78F, not concerned about the bettas, don't know how the shrimps will react to the fluctuations though. The four in the bag seem to be ok. In the evening however, the tank was up at 81F, now I'm a little worried about how both the bettas and shrimps will react to the fluctuations. All day today the temp was at 78F. 
Spotted a crystal in the main tank saturday morning, no longer "solid" white, though I think it's a combination of the tannins in the water, and that a couple of these crystals are starting to look a lot more like golden bees than snow whites. Everything around it in the pic has a brownish hue, so does the water 
All five girls came out during feeding time/wc on the shrimp bag on sunday. Noticed some new behaviours, they seem to be tolerating each other now, still some nipping/chasing. The one that took over the throne a few days ago, tried to bite the turkey baster while I was transferring water to the shrimp bag. Not sure what to make of that one. 
I have some rocks now that I will be siliconing together to make a couple caves for the tank (Thanks Franck ), some neat patterns on them that should look even better in the tannic water. Pictures after I am done siliconing 

Golden Crystal


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Spotted a crystal the other day, tried to get a pic, it shot across the tank so quick I didn't even get a chance to turn the camera on. I found where it went, tried again to get a pic, quick shake of the tail and across the tank it goes. Needless to say it has been escaping the bettas for some time now, must be operating on base prey instincts. Not ideal conditions for sensitive shrimps, I don't necessarily feel great about the housing situation, though the bettas seem happy... 
The crystals in the bag have one more molt to go before I let them out..., hope they do it soon.
Saw a crystal two days ago, managed to get a pic (it didn't flip away like the other one did).
The bettas seem to be settling down a little bit, obviously have established their "personal space" areas in the tank. I really need to get on siliconing the caves, other things have been taking my time though.
I am actually surprised at how well the plants have done so far, with only ambient lighting. There has been no new growth, and most of the hornwort has melted away, though there is still the hygro, riccia, salvinia, mosses, and the anubius, which seems to be doing alright, roots are growing very slowly. They seem to be doing better now, since I replaced the old bulbs in my ceiling fixture with 2 26w 6500k cfls  I actually have an easier time reading my test results now, no more dim yellow light 
Ambient room temp has been keeping the tank at 76-78F for the past few days, only way to cool the tank is to relocate it..., not going to happen anytime soon though, too busy with other stuffs.
Noticed there is still some surface pollutants in the main tank area, even though I didn't want any surface disturbance in the main area, that's what I think is causing them to be able to develop. So I went with a method that works for me; added an airstone. On this tank I placed it just below the surface, right at the filter box output, and set low. It is bubbling enough to disturb the surface, and create a little "whirlpool" effect between the stone and the output mesh, though not so strong that it pulls the plants around.

Crystal under a leaf (and one in the bag)


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

No more surface pollutants now 

Tested Tuesday Morning;
pH 6.5+
NH3 0?0.6?mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 0+mg/L
Temp 76F
Still unsure about ammonia, haven't gotten a different test kit yet... Low nitrates (and no light) explains the plants struggling. 
Did a 30% wc (1.5G out - 1.6G in[1.1G pH5.0+, 0.5G pH6.5]), added 3mL Flourish. 
The filter box is definitely working, the intake grates had some melted plant matter stuck in them, and I could easily see the current going into the box. Blasted the grates with a turkey baster to clear them.

One of the bettas seems to be very stressed, I think it is the one I tried the "spray-bottle" technique on. Her fins are clamped, and she is very skittish.  aside from that, nothing seems to be wrong with her, no apparent appetite loss, or signs of sickness. I would like to just move her to the community tank, though I don't want her getting aggressive with my other fishes/shrimps. No space or time for another tank to maintain....

Out of the four crystals in the bag, it looks like I have two golden bees, one white crystal, and one not fully white, with possible black stripes showing up. I am unsure about the other three, I have only seen one (three different times) since I put them in the tank. Probably one more week before I release them, I probably could now though...

I have been feeding the bettas some fruit flies when I feed the community tank, they seem to enjoy them quite a bit, and they still go after the pellets


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## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

are bettas picky eaters? nice journal. fun read

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 LTE


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

AdobeOtoCat said:


> are bettas picky eaters? nice journal. fun read


I thought they would be pickier about dry foods than they are, the fact that they eat guppy pellets is huge bonus. It's actually the one dry food that all my fish will eat. I'd say it all depends on the particular betta though. 
and Thanks, I'm mainly just trying to keep track of this tank for myself, and have some fun with literation


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

I spoke too soon... after feeding the bettas fruit flies, three have stopped going after the pellets, the other two are losing interest. So much for a "treat", I'm gonna have to get more cultures going so I can feed them more regularly.... They also slowed down with eating the frozen bloodworms...

I noticed yesterday that the heater was keeping the temp at 76F (turned on at 74F, off at 76F), turned it down by two degrees today. It was still at 76F last I checked.

Once I get my diy led finished, I will have a dimmable light for the tank, which should help out the plants a bit  All I need at this point is wire, and a "control box" to put the switches and circuit board into...


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Just found the smallest female (the one with clamped fins a few days ago) on the bottom, upside down. It looked like she was "breathing" heavily (gills moving more than usual), once I moved her with the net, I noticed a fungal/bacterial growth of some sort on her body. She didn't even try to swim or move at all. I suspect she was picked on by the four larger females, and was probably chased away from the food. RIP little one. I am not completely sure on the cause, though I suspect it was a combination of stress and starvation due to too much competition for food. She could have gotten some sort of bacterial infection aswell, I was concerned when I first noticed the clamped fins. 
The other four females seem to be ok, they are all about the same size now. Three are showing full red colouration, one (with nipped fins) is showing horizontal stripes. 
I tried feeding some fd brine shrimp this morning, they ate it, and played with it. If it's not moving, they will make it move before eating it. I also dropped in some fruitflies, that was when I noticed only four females coming up to eat.


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## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

sounds terrible. i didnt know female bettas could be potential bullies. 
hows it going now?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 LTE


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

AdobeOtoCat said:


> sounds terrible. i didnt know female bettas could be potential bullies.
> hows it going now?


It's not too terrible, I am still a little upset from losing that little one though. I did expect some aggression due to the small tank size. Looking through the photos I took, the female that passed had clamped fins most of the time I saw her since I brought her home. 
It seems to be going well since, all four are a bit pushy with each other though. I am still seeing some body colour change from deep red to grey w/ black stripe.

Tested wednesday night;
pH 7.0-
NH3 0.6?mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 5mg/L
Temp 75F
Did a 30% wc (1.5G out/in pH5.0+), added Flourish and 1 almond leaf.

One crystal is easily big enough to be released, however, I have decided to wait even longer, as they are doing well in the bag (with regular water changes), and there is almost always a betta looking into the bag...

Got some good pics of feeding them fruit flies :bigsmile:


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

.. A much overdue update ..

Got a Daphnia culture on saturday (Thanks Charles & Pat), added some to the tank. Some interest from the bettas, though mostly just chasing. Hoping the daphnia will draw their attention away from each other, and the crystals. If any survive, it will add to the "natural" feel of the tank. I wasn't able to find any sunday morning, still lots of dark areas to hide though. I put some in the bag with the crystals, they are still alive.

(Finally) Put a light on the tank (Zetlight Nano Touch), Thanks Frank , set to 60% white, 40% blue. Just sitting directly on the glass, so with the tannic water and dimmed, it only lights up the plants  (exactly what I wanted). My diy led is now on hold  (again)
The bettas seemed to react very well to the light, must've been too dark in there for them without it. Not really much of a natural tank with no light...

Added some new plant pieces to the tank on sunday, 4 of Echinodorus Aflame. Two are planted in pots, one is in the substrate, one is floating. The new light seems to penetrate through the tannic water quite nicely, hoping to see some new growth. <- was written a couple days ago, new leaves sprouting on 3 of 4 plants 

Spotted a crystal in the main tank area monday night, still skittish, though seems to be slowly settling in to a life with bettas. Spotted it again tuesday, I'm sure it was the same one, not sure where the other two are hiding...

Tested tuesday;
pH 6.5+
NH3 0.6mg/L
No2 0mg/L
No3 5mg/L
GH 3.36d/60mg/L
KH 1.68d/30mg/L
TDS 106ppm
Temp 77F
Did a 30% wc (1.5G out/in pH 5.5-), added 3mL Flourish.

Lots of pics...

New Light

































......


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

......
Bettas checking out the new light 













and the new plant



















......


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

......
Crystal Shrimp













Betta showing some nice colour







Echinodorus Aflame













......


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

......
Echinodorus Aflame


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## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

Loving the shrimp. 

Is there a reason why you chose to leave the plants inside the pots?


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

AdobeOtoCat said:


> Loving the shrimp.
> 
> Is there a reason why you chose to leave the plants inside the pots?


Thanks, Not sure where the other two I released into the tank are, I will look for them when I do a gravel cleaning soon. The other four are still in the bag, I will release them when I do the cleaning.

The plants are in the pots because the gravel in the tank is not deep enough for the anubias or hygro roots, and the bettas seem to use them as "cave-like" areas. I also don't mind how they look in this tank.



wsofteners said:


> xxxxxxxxx asking for it's only a five gallon, stay with the Betta only. No platies. Bettas do come from a planted area in the wild, so yes, plants will make him happy, but don't overdo it. He needs space to swim around as well.


Not sure what this is about, I never mentioned platies, and the bettas are all females, I have no male. "I think you are a spam bot sir...."


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## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

Thats pretty smart. A theme that you have here made imagine an abandoned sunken archeology site in thailand with -broken- clay pots.

I like it. Keep the posts coming. Love to see these frequently updated journals :thumbup:

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Thank you 
That is a theme I would like to replicate, although sometime in the (distant) future, and in a larger tank 
and thanks again, I am actually behind about a week with updates on most of my journals, including this one , the sun came out....:bigsmile:


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