Author Topic: My aquarium  (Read 2289 times)

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Offline Amber

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My aquarium
« on: November 25, 2013, 04:37:01 AM »
I just wanted to show my friends something I have been working on for a few months. Its a small thing, but I am stupidly proud of it.

After initial setup:


The tennant:


And now:




I am thinking about tearing up the moss and flattening it so that the stones are visible again... but I dunno. I kind of like the untamed look. I'll have to do it eventually though, or Serpent won't have any swimming room. It was a pain to get started, but now that its established, I don't really have to do much other than top off whatever water is lost to evaporation and feed the fish. I still test the water parameters to see if I need to change it, but I haven't needed to in quite a while; the plants do most of the cleaning for me. I had a couple of tiger nerite snails (gorgeous creatures) but my water was too soft and Serpent kept pestering them, so now he lives solo.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2013, 10:28:42 AM »
OMG! You have a black betta! That is an amazing looking environment for him. I agree. I think I'd keep it as wild as possible for a betta. They feel more at home. Just trim back as necessary for him to swim.
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Offline Shadow

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2013, 06:13:34 PM »
Love it Amber!! so nice!  thumbsup1
I on the other hand am still waiting to get over to the states to get a new tank.
No choice here for the type of rimless tank I want :(
This is the tank I am dreaming of

Again great looking tank :)
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Offline Amber

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2013, 07:39:11 PM »
Thanks. The java moss grows pretty slowly so I won't have to trim for a while. I guess I could pull out some of the floating moneywort instead, or maybe anchor it to the back of the tank. Serpent is a black copper, and the copper on his fins changes color based on how the light hits it. It goes from white to silver to gold to multiple shades of green, blue, orange, purple, and red. Unfortunately, he won't cooperate for pictures most of the time. He got his name because he likes to slither around in the plants like a snake.

That rimless tank is beautiful. I like the rimless look, but I prefer acrylic for smaller aquariums, and they bow without rims :(

Do you have a specific scape in mind? The dimensions from what I can see are perfect for an iwagumi setup or a well proportioned piece of driftwood. I can't wait to see what you do with it :)


Offline Shadow

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2013, 01:40:27 AM »
Love those Bettas, but its too bad you can only have one in a tank :(
My Java moss is growing like crazy, wasn't sure if I could snip it?

I would love an acrylic tank too, but ya love the rimless look. Just wish I could get this exact tank. They do not ship to Canada :( So I am planning on  making one myself.  This tank is only 12 gallons believe it or not, so if it was made out of acrylic it would bow for sure???  Not sure what I am going to do with it once done. I do really want to get some puffer fish, they are so cute!

Oh I almost forgot to ask, the pet store sold me some salt for freshwater aquarium. As I had two of my platties die. about a month apart. Happened after I did a water change both times. So the girl at pet store said they may have been stressed. I bought one platy since, he seems fine. I have not added the salt as I have a corydora (spelling)?? catfish, and I read that this is poision to them.  I told her I had one of these fish, duh!!! So now not sure what to do.
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Offline Amber

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2013, 05:23:14 AM »
I wanted to add some small schooling fish like tetras to the tank, but it would be overcrowded, the tetras might be nippy, and if Serpent aka Atilla the Hun won't even leave snails alone, I don't see him tolerating other fish.

Yes you can snip Java moss. It should be fine. I know people who just tear it up by hand. Unless it was a very expensive custom made tank, 12 gallons would definitely bow. I have had 3 gallon acrylics bow on me when I removed the rims :( I would not put the aquarium salt in with corries, sorry.

Offline Shadow

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2013, 01:35:39 PM »
Can other fish go in with a Betta?  my mother in law has a beautiful red one just like yours :) I would like to get her a bigger tank for it though, she only has it in a fish bowl :(
Thanks for the advice :)
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Offline Amber

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2013, 12:55:19 AM »
Depends on the betta, and the size of a tank. I have kept bettas in larger aquariums, 10 or 15 gallons with small corydoras catfish (some species get larger than others) and ottos, and in one case neon tetras. Corries or ottos are pretty safe in any case, as long as the betta isn't super agressive like Serpent is, but tetras can cause problems and you have to be willing to seperate them if the betta tries to eat them, or if the tetras nip at the betta's fins, and many of them do. They wouldn't have to be neons, any small peaceful tetra can be attempted, except serpae tetras. Those things are almost always very nippy.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2014, 02:18:51 PM »
Can other fish go in with a Betta? 

Our old aquarium was a 100 gallon, and I kept neons, platys, a couple of plecostomus, and a few bleeding heart tetras in it along with the Betta of the moment. I was lucky though and never had problems with them fighting. The biggest group we had were the neons. I just got sick of the maintenance of it all. (We also had a 10-gallon holding tank for when we bought new fish to make sure they weren't sick before adding to the big tank.) Finally getting rid of the whole system gave me some breathing room between ball practices and ballgames.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2014, 02:22:12 PM by DeeDee »
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Lola

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2014, 02:53:28 PM »
Just seeing this thread…
GREAT aquarium, Amber!  Looks pretty and peaceful. 
vickistar <--- The best "fish" gif that I could do. 
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Offline Amber

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2014, 05:54:57 PM »
Thanks :)

I finally mushed the moss back down yesterday due to the lack of swimming room. Serpent still has his moneywort jungle and seems happy. I'll try to get a pic when I can.

Offline Lola

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #11 on: January 14, 2014, 08:17:03 PM »
Serpent... cute name.
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Offline Amber

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Re: My aquarium
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2014, 08:41:07 PM »
He burrows in the moss and slithers around like a snake. At first I was worried there was something wrong as that isn't typical behavior for a betta, but he is healthy and the parameters are fine so its just one of his quirks, and I named him for it.

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