Question for those with sand...

[Roan Art]

I didn't even think about snails. Well that settles it. New filter, Betta, a snail, and 3 otos. No one really touched the question about planting in sand... can it be done? What kind of plants would you recomend for 1.5 wpg and snails, otos, and a betta? If all else fails I will stick to the silk that's in there already...Thanks for the help guys! :dance:

I know they prefer groups et al, but 3 otos is pushing it for a tank of your size. With the 2 otos I have, the snail and the betta, MY tank is overstocked. I've been checking it, however, and with the plants et al, it's maintaining itself. Water tests are great, but a little too much algae. Doing 50% water changes every week and that's normal. I do 50% on all my tanks. I just got a phosphate test yesterday, so I'm going to do a better analysis. Otos et al are working hard and the algae isn't too bad. The pleco DID do a better job, mind you, but just too big for that tank. Most likely the algae is me overfeeding It's those betta eyes!!!

Here's a link to a picture of my betta tank.

I've got bogwood, anacharis, Variegated Japanese Dwarf Rush and java fern in 3" of flourite. Only the Japanese Rush is moderate light, the others are low-light plants. The bulb is the one that came with the tank and is a full spectrum 8watt. The plants seem to like the environment.

Sand should be okay, just make sure your filter is a good distance from the bottom of the tank. I think 2-3" someone said, and keep an eye on the filter and impeller for sand particles.

Roan

 

[Yoemen]

hmm

Put a tiger barb in their with the Betta to teach him some manners Just kidding. It is hillarious to me that your betta is such a bully. Most betas I have seen in other peoples tanks mostly swim lazily by all the time.

Though I have seen one that was in a tank with some small plecos and it liked to grab them off the bottom, carry them up to the top of the tank, and drop them. It was rather interesting to watch.

 

[kveeti]

Roan Art, it sounds Jakers is one interesting fish, with his adventures with the snail and with food pellets.....

 

[jamzwayne]

...SNIP...

I have seen one that was in a tank with some small plecos and it liked to grab them off the bottom, carry them up to the top of the tank, and drop them. It was rather interesting to watch.

I think I'd pay money to see that.

:laugh:

 

[Roan Art]

Roan Art, it sounds Jakers is one interesting fish, with his adventures with the snail and with food pellets.....

Thanks, kveeti!

From watching this guy and the new one we got, Troy, I've come to the conclusion that betta fish are *very* intelligent fish. And like any other intelligent animal, they get bored.

When we first got Jakers, we put him in a 2.5g Exploror with some gravel. Watching his personality change from "cup fish" to "real fish" was amazing. His curiousity was only as endless as the tank I put him in. He was always checking things out util he had checked everything out. Then he just swam around like any other betta I'd seen.

He. looked. bored.

Then we put him in this 6 gallon with all the stuff in it. He explored for ages and developed many personal characteristics and tried to interact with me constantly. I was sitting in front of him 10 hours a day, after all.

Every time I put new tank mates in with them he'd try to find what pushed their buttons. Watching them. "Stalking" them -- most of the time non-agressively. It was REALLY funny watching his change of pace when the pleco owned him.

All these tank mates give him something to DO and exercise his mind. They make him think and, possibly, learn. If anything, he certainly isn't bored!

Sorry to ramble, I just like watching this guy and he never ceases to amaze me!
Roan

 

[Roan Art]

Put a tiger barb in their with the Betta to teach him some manners Just kidding. It is hillarious to me that your betta is such a bully. Most betas I have seen in other peoples tanks mostly swim lazily by all the time.

I think they're bored. Do they have tank mates to bug? Like you said, little bullies They like to push buttons and see what makes things go BOOM! They need stimulation, bettas do. Just my opinion

Though I have seen one that was in a tank with some small plecos and it liked to grab them off the bottom, carry them up to the top of the tank, and drop them. It was rather interesting to watch.

ROFL! That'd be cool! See? Now THAT betta wasn't bored, that's for sure!

Roan

 

[Ryanwoodz]

Hey could some of you that have sand in your tank talk about your cleaning methods... How does siphoning sand differ from larger gravel..??

I too am thinking of going to sand.

Ryan

 

[Spykce]

I have plants in my tank, they seem to be doing fine thus far but I'm not a great source. As I said I just switched because I loved the look and my bichirs love to play in it.

Cleaning-when I put my sand in I had about 20 gallons of water still in my tank. I removed all my fish and plants first. Put the plants in my spare 10 gallon along with my gourami and barbs. I put my pleco and bichirs/ropefish in a 5 gallon bucket. After everything settled I had some fish waste on top of the sand. I held the syphon about 1/2 an inch above the sand and it worked fine.

 

[nursie]

Hey, BCBerri...if you are thinking about getting a new filter anyway...after I tossed my Whispers, I got a Fluval in tank filter. It's better made, and works great! A bit pricier, but worth it!

 

[Yoemen]

heh

On the subject of Betas one sec, has anyone ever seen two male bettas in one tank? Not gonna try it or anything, but I am just curious if they will eventually establish a pecking order of sorts or if they will outright just kill each other?