Re-Arrange

[clrentz]

I'm wondering if I can re-arrange any of my tanks.

I have a:

29 Gallon w/ a Penguin Mini & a Penguin 170 - Cycled - No Plants
6 T Barbs & 6 Zebra Danios

10 Gallon w/ a Whisper Internal 2-5 - Not Cycled Yet
Holds 1 Male Betta & 3 very scared Ghost Shrimp

5 Gallon w/ a Whisper Internal 2-5 Not Cycled Yet
Holds 1 Female Betta pig & 7 practically starving Ghost Shrimp

Water Changes are 50% for the 10 & 5 and 30% on the 29 Weekly.

One Question to go with this. When I change the filter pad on the whispers, how do I keep my good bacteria? I only used this type of filter once then went out and got the Penguin Mini because I lost all my bacteria. I would LOVE to have a bio wheel filter for the bettas but they are too strong.

 

[OrionGirl]

Just rinse the filter media in clean, dechlorinated water to remove any solid waste. They last a very long time, and you don't lose the bacteria.

How were you thinking of re-arranging? The bettas and barbs shouldn't be mixed, and danios can be nippy with bettas as well. Combining the male and female betta will not work in the long run--the males can kill a female that it not ready to mate, especially in smaller tanks.

 

[dwayne]

I agree with OrionGirl, there really is no other way to arrange your fish. You could get more fish for your 29 though. Maybe some cories for the bottom, or a rainbow shark or red tailed black shark.

I have never kept ghost shrimps, but maybe (just guessing here) if you put in some plants (even fake ones) in the 5 and 10 gallon, that would help them out? The scared ones would have a place to hide out, and the hungry ones could get some food that lands in the plants before the betta can get to it?

If you want to make a tank look different, changing gravel/substrate or decorations can make a tank look totally different...

Here are 2 pictures of my tank... exact same fish, totally different decor and gravel

Before:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4da08b3127ccebde810ba18b80000001610

After: (don't mind the nylons full of gravel off to the right of the picture!)
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d820b3127ccebf202a3ff56d0000002610

Have fun!
~Tara

 

[clrentz]

How overstocked woud the 10 gallon be with 6 danios & the female betta. Move the male to the 5 .. that leaves 7 shrimp homeless though.

Move the Penguin Mini to the 10 gallon and the whisper to the 29 to get it going with good bacteria.

 

[OrionGirl]

The 10 should be fine with those fish, as long as the media is established. I'd still worry about the danios picking on the female betta--they can be nippy, and faster than her. The shrimp could go in there as well, as long as there are hiding places.