#maybe tetras with a female betta??

[piierrote]

I've gotten very intensely into fish and now I desperately want a 10 gal tank,, for maybe a female betta and some schooling fish and some cherry shrimp I'm like going insane

#i would get a larger tank but i dont have anywhere to put a 20 gallon tank #a 10 gallon is probably as big as i can go rn #also i only rlly am interested in small enough fish #i wanted mollies but those need a 20 gallon tank rather than a 10 #im not sure on the schooling fish with it #maybe tetras with a female betta?? #something so so so so small #or maybe 1-2 slightly bigger fish #not sure! depends what fish my work has i think #cherry shrimp for DEFO tho #i want a black/green themed tank #so bright red cherry shrimp on the bottom would be SO GOOD #also really like the like mini catfish type #otos? #i think? #i really want one of those

[fishcommunity]

Sorry for the bother, but would you have any recommended guides for betta fish? I keep finding conflicting information, specifically regarding tank size

Never a bother! I like talking, so I welcome any opportunity to do so :p

My favorite website for fish information is Wetwebmedia, though it hasn't been updated in a few years since the proprietor passed. His article on betta keeping can be found at the following location. This was written a while back - maybe 15 years - and husbandry requirements are better known nowadays so I'll quickly review the basics.

Tank size is, at an absolute minimum, 2.5 gallons. My personal experience is that such tanks are still too small for enrichment/exercise and present environmental concerns. 5.5 gallons is much better and 10 gallons is fantastic.

Water temperature should be around 77-82F, with around 80 being best. High humidity is also important, which a tank lid helps accomplish.

pH and Hardness aren't incredibly important for many of the hardier varieties, given you avoid extremes. pH around 7 and dH of 10 is ideal (a little higher or lower is fine). For wild type bettas, you'll want more acidic and soft conditions. But if you're inexperienced, I recommend your "basic" varieties - veiltails, plakats, etc - as these are the easiest to care for.

One betta (male OR female) per tank! You may see opinions on the use of sororities - I'm not a fan and certainly not in small tanks. Just keep one betta. Other tankmates are possible, but you'll need adequate space and tankmates who like the same conditions. Cardinal Tetras and Sterbai Corydoras are consistent choices who also like warm water. Wild type (not fancy) Guppies are usually fine bets too. Though there are some cichlids which can work here, let's avoid them for now. Also avoid any gouramis as bettas are too likely to fight with them.

Planted tanks are best, but plastic plants are just fine. You may see recommendations for silk plants with bettas - these are fine as well but I don't think the distinction between the two decor are as important with the hardier bettas, especially the short finned varieties. If using live plants, let me know and I can assist.

substrate isn't super important, but I recommend a soft sand over gravel (though rounded pond gravel is fine). Pool filter sand is my favorite. About 1 lb per gallon.

Filters should be appropriately sized for the tank, with light flow if possible. Air powered filters are great (sponge, internal box, etc) though I'm not personally adverse to hang on the back filters, as long as they aren't super powerful.

Make sure your tank is cycled! This is probably the most important step. There are ways to start this from scratch, which are effective but time consuming. I recommend using filter media (floss, sponge, ceramic noodles, etc) from an already cycled tank to "instantly" cycle it. If you have a friend that will give you some, all the better.

Hope that helps!

[hardleywhelmed]

Alright fishblr, my blackwater tank is nearly done cycling after 4 weeks! I still need to buy some more plants, and actually test the water, but my test kit comes in Sunday and I’ve gotten comments about my room “smelling like fish” which means the bacteria is building up! So technically, it’s almost done cycling.

Anyways here’s my setup + stocking plan, and I wanted some outside opinions

- Planting: Moderately to heavily planted (with dwarf Sagittaria as a carpeting plant so the kuhli loaches can access the sand while still having some coverage)

- The tank is dirted with a sand cap

- Size: 10 gallons

- Filter: Aqueon quietflow 10 (filled with sponge and topped with ceramic rings and I’m hoping to get an intake sponge) It filters 100 gallons per hour

- Stocking:

    - 7 ember tetras

    - 4 kuhli loaches

Aqadvisor puts this at 88% stocking, but considering everything that aqadvisor doesn’t (plants + the surface area for bacteria), I’d put it at much less than that. Maybe 50% at least but no more than 70%

I wanted to make it a betta-centered community tank a month ago, but I soon read that most people would prefer to keep a betta alone in that tank size so I went with some small, low-bioload, peaceful community fish instead.. I’m still considering a female betta if I can find a super chill one and if my tank can handle the bioload, and considering the size and behaviour of the other fish it shouldn’t stress one out. It’s still a pretty hard “maybe” though.

#i was gonna ask my facebook group but they give me anxiety sldkfjsghsd #i haven't seen anyone being weirdly aggressive here so here goes nothing #i've seen some people say that kuhlis need a larger tank since they should be in a larger group #but i've also seen some people say that they do fine in groups of 4 as long as there's lots of coverage #i don't see any sites labeling them as a shoaling fish. just that they're a social species #like goldfish #i built this tank around the fish's needs so it would be dissappointing to have to find another bottom dwelling species. Habrosus are cool t #planned* not built #so it's a little iffy #oo though and they can eat the same pellets i had originally bought for the kuhlis so its not a huge loss #and i could get a slightly bigger group #hmm #i want y'alls opinions first though #oh also if anyone mistakes social species with shoaling species or schooling species ur catching these hands because that's like my only pet #peeve lmao #fishblr #kuhli loaches #ember tetras #betta splendens #pygmy cories #salt and pepper cories #corydoras habrosus #corydoras hastatus #corydoras pygmaeus

[27snakesinatrenchcoat]

Got the tank cycling. 10g upright this time to support Splosh and maybe 2 of the small mollies. Im not doing excessive/live plants or anything fancy in order to make tank maintenance easier because mollies produce a lot of waste and really shouldn't be in a 10g... but we're just gonna have to make due :/ I'll take extra maintenance over fish trying to kill each other for breeding rights.

There will be another grassy plant with a long base and varying plant heights and a second cave hide along with some smaller plants once its ready for fish (Splosh is utilizing the other decor for excessive hiding places in the quarantine tank in order to keep him from getting overly stressed out). This should provide heavy coverage near the bottom while leaving swimming room at the top and in the middle.

I plan on buying snails but I'm not sure about any other fish for this tank, its kind of an overflow for fish who aren't doing well in their community tanks for whatever reason (Splosh is overbearing to the females, one of the little mollies is a bad fin nipper and I want him away from my betta before he gets a bit bigger and goes after her tail but I don't want him breeding with Big Mama in the 20g)

Once the baby mollies are settled I might get some of those black tetras or cardinals (something quick) to eat any new babies if we aren't able to separate them based on sex and still achieve a healthy hierarchy.

#fish updates

[betta-days]

Hi, I just started my tank cycling so I've been spending a lot of time in the fish section of a chain supercenter and they have a female betta in with a bunch of others and some guppies. My tank is going to be a shrimp/neon tetra tank but for some reason I have just fallen in love with this female and if she's still there when my tank is ready I've been thinking about getting her. Would it be irresponsible to do that? I've heard they like to be alone but I'm afraid she's facing much worse there

I’ve had success with bettas and ghost shrimp! Though I used to fast my bettas and once I introduced the shrimp, they would eat one if a feeding is missed. 

I think neon tetras are accepted as okay tank-mates with bettas, but I’ve never tried it myself and haven't done too much reading on the subject. Maybe someone else can give more experienced advice? 

If they do make good tank-mates, I say go for it! 

[detroit-become-human-analyze]

Android animals, we should talk about them...

During the events of the game we see real live animals and also “android ones” [-now I must admit this was on my list but “Mwolf0Epsilon” beat me to it, lol-]. ~ The most noticeable android animal in the game is the polar bear on Zlatko’s old mansion that we get to interact with.

*[also notice that (maybe for fur or other purposes), the URS12 has a layer of “”real skin”” (much like T-800 terminators), now... we know ‘regular human androids’ have this “liquid memory” that can form their skin and hair, so I’m not sure as to “why” Cyberlife will give the animals a different type of “skin” than humanoid androids, but maybe it’s either cheaper or more convenient]

But watching carefully the canon universe we notice even a magazine that covers the topic. And yes, is not only “polar bears” being androids but a wide range of animals. Including, apparently, even lions (you can see the blue circle on the lion head), turtles, mountain gorillas, African elephants, and "several other species of tiger (as pointed out in the magazine)...

Now we also see domestic Cyberlife android animals (such as the birds on Carl’s house)...

And, to be noticed, Carl seems to have several stuffed animals at his house too (most likely the ones on his room, this might be a wink to “The Taxidermist” episode on “Heavy Rain”, another interactive drama by writer and director David Cage)

And also has “a Giraffe” on the living room (unknown if it’s an android offline or another taxidermy work but since Carl has a “zebra skin” as a carpet... I’m assuming this is was a real giraffe).

And a skeleton on the roof... (presumably a replica of an extinct marine reptile like a Mosasaur).

But that’s as far as we get to see. - Just like Blade Runner (movie, 1982), cybernetic animals might be not only on Zoos but also at domestic houses. - We’re sure guys like Hank will rather a good old real dog like Sumo...

And Rupert seems caring about pigeons... (that are alive, and not androids)

And from all the fish on the tank where Connor saves the “Dwarf Gourami” (here in my country this fish is known as “Colisa Lalia”), it seems to be real fishes in there, not “androids”.

I had aquariums for decades, still do (and I worked for stores), I tend to observe carefully every fish on every game. - This is a community tropical water aquarium. - As it should be, I can see a couple “Neon Tetra” (small, they usually escape the aggression of other fishes in larger groups),

a SINGLE male Betta Splendens (this are “fighting fishes” from Thai, you can’t have more than one male or they fight until one kills the other), several FEMALE Betta (the female is a bit territorial but won’t usually attack other females),

and, of course, a couple Dwarf Gouramis, the bigger one that Connor saves and a smaller one already on the tank. - Fun fact, male and female Betta and Gouramis are from the fish family of “Anabantoidei” (they poses a labyrinth organ), and they can live outside the water for longer periods of time, as long as they’re wet. So even if Connor doesn’t “save the fish”, likely, giving the amount of water on the floor, that fish can stay alive for hours there (unless someone steps on... it that is).

So yeah, android animals are a thing, canonically speaking. There is also real animals, but android animals prove easier to take care, plus, they don’t die or suffer.

Now, there is no canon proof that Cyberlife went “Jurassic Park” with it.

There is absolutely no canon reference about Cyberlife creating “android dinosaurs” (although for fu*k sakes I’ll love to pet an android raptor and you just know it). - So canonically this is NOT a thing. - Having said this, after the revolution (whatever happens), Cyberlife might continue on business thanks to the production of extinct or endangered animals, and this could be a really lucrative business too... maybe not as lucrative as making “human androids”, but will give them the chance to survive as a enterprise per se’.

So you guys, will you have a robotic android pet at home?, will you prefer to see an “android lion” on the zoo?, or you’re going for the real deal “or nothing”..?

Let me know what you think!

#dbh animals #dbh sumo #dbh bear #dbh urs12 #detroit become human

[xodarbiox]

in my excitement, i fooked up!

lots of progression since getting my first betta in january 2019 july 2019- i ordered fish online for the 5th time. ordered what i thought was 3 new female bettas for my community tank, they were having a sale on so excited me  got one standard girl (no species specified) and 2 super deltas, was all excited for my new girls. some bumblebee gobys (fucking cute things they are) and some guppies.  well they arrived in the mail, overnight shipping is awesome. but, i fucked up and the super deltas, were boys. pretty boys, one has a chunk out of his tail though, looks fine so maybe an old issue. but they are boys.  so currently i have a breeding cage with one boy in it. and another ontop of the tank in a jar while i wait for a new tank to heat up.  tomorrow ill be going out for a new heater and filter and ill set up another tank for nemo (the tail chunk missing one)  so thatll be 4 tanks. x2 -10 gallons i think it is. around 40 liters. im australian. (they are a roomy smallish tank) my main boy Little Dude and the new SD will have them.  a 4 foot community tank, or around 200 liters - for all the girls and my other fish and a 2foot so around, 100 liters? which i think ill put Nemo in as hes got a chunk missing, he can have a bigger tank. maybe put some tetras in with him also as he seems pretty friendly.  my community tank is heavily planted, and the others will have cuttings of these plants. with random statues etc in them. i think im ganna put a large dragon in nemos tank and try and grow java moss off it.  anyhoo ill post pics from my phone soon.  wish me luck in the store having the heater/filter i need.  ohh and my mystery snails eggs hatched, i have 38 or so new baby snails roaming also. so they will be shared out among the tanks. 

#betta #betta splendens #super delta tail #super delta betta #fishblr #fighter fish #betta imbellis

[rootfauna]

Your First Fish Tank

 Or, depending on the person reading this, Your First Healthy and Happy Fish Tank. 

The long held assumption that fish require little to no care and are ‘throw away’ pets has led to dead fish, listless aquariums, uncomfortable talks about what happens to a soul when a body dies, and envy when seeing nice looking pet fish. 

Fear not for I am about to how to set up a simple tank and how to avoid common mishaps. Follow these easy steps to a healthy and aesthetically pleasing fish tank. 

Step 1: Decide if a fish tank is right for you. 

Are you willing to devote time and, yes, money, to a fish tank? Are you willing to do so for more than a week before losing interest? Are you prepared for the lifespan of a healthy fish and are you prepared to maybe feel kinda bad when you realize your own past fish keeping mistakes? If you’ve answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, stop here and consider getting a snow globe if you want to watch something pretty move about in water. They’re normally available at your nearest dollar store, for about one dollar. 

Step 2: The equipment. 

You’ll want to keep your first tank on the small side, so stick to 10-20 gallons. If your tank is for a betta fish, 5-20 gallons is recommended. 

YOU. WILL. NEED. A. FILTER. Yes, even for betta fish. Purchase one that indicates it’s a correct size for the tank you’re also buying. I personally prefer Tetra brand whisper filters because they’re cost friendly, effective, and super quiet. You might as well buy some extra filter cartridges too while you’re there. Buy the substrate. Make sure it’s aquarium grade and MEANT to go in an aquarium. Gravel from the craft section of Walmart won’t cut it. Buy plants. Real plants are recommended but if you’re like me and struggle to keep any plant alive, fake ones are fine. I DO recommend silk ones, and harsher ones can cut the fins of your fish. This is ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR BETTA FISH. Buy a net, and some hides and/or decor. Fish are happiest when they have hides and it also stimulates their little fishy minds. Plus it looks cool. Buy a heater. YES EVEN FOR BETTA FISH. Like the filter, make sure it’s an appropriate size and wattage and get a thermometer to go with it. If your tank does not already come with one, buy a lid and a light. 

Buy a water testing kit. Not only will this help you to achieve healthy fish and instagram worthy tank shots, but you’ll also get to feel like a mad scientist when playing around with test tubes and chemicals. 

Buy fish flakes. Fish flakes are not always recommended for feeding fish, but you’ll need them for the next step.

Step 3: Cycle the tank.

Patience is needed here, folks. Before you add your fish, you must cycle the tank. To avoid alarming you with science and big words, I will simplify as much as possible:

Ammonia = bad

Nitrite = bad

Nitrate = good

Set up your tank and drop some fish flakes in there. Yes, I understand there are no fish to eat them. Bear with me. See, when the flakes start to decay they’ll release waste products into the water. Gross. After about three days test your water for ammonia. It should be about 3 parts per million. If it isn’t, add more flakes and wait another day or two. Keep the ammonia at this level. After one week, test for nitrites. Keep testing the water regularly and you’ll see that the niTRITES lower, and there is a rise in niTRATES. When this happens, your tank is ready for fish!

Step 4: Decide which fish to purchase

Since this is your first tank, you’ll want to start off with something easy, like a goldfish, right? 

NO. 

BAD. 

Avoid goldfish at all cost. They get HUGE need special water perimeters, and not suitable for beginners. 

What about a betta fish?

Proceed with caution. 

Many pet stores will tell you bettas don’t need heat, filtration, or a tank larger than a quarter gallon. Consider slapping the employees across the face when they tell you this, but then reconsider when you take into account possible jail time. If you have followed all my steps prior to this, you will have a healthy and happy betta. Only get one. Yes, even if it’s female. 

If you decide to have a community tank, here are some sturdy and beautiful standbys:

The neon tetra. It’s a schooling fish so buy more than one, which will be easy because they’re cheap. They eat standard fish food and aren’t known for being finicky. They’re hardy, beautiful, and generally get along well with other fish. 

Harlequin Rasboras

They basically follow the same description as the neon tetra, probably because they get along so well with those fish. 

Black Neon Tetras

Same description as the other two. Are you starting to see a pattern? 

But wait! You scream. What about mollies?! What about guppies?! You know, the fancy kind? 

Ah, my sweet summer child. These are actually ‘proceed with caution’ fish! Not because of special needs or aggression, but because they are 

Live Breeders!

Meaning if you get a couple of mollies or fancy guppies, eventually you will have BABIES. So......so many babies. You will have to decide what to do with them. It is not for the squeamish. (They make wonderful food for larger more aggressive fish). 

What about angel fish? You ask. 

NO. 

BAD. 

Angel fish grow quite large and need at least 55 gallons. You don’t have 55 gallons. They are also quite feisty and do not make good playmates for other fish. 

Yes, I know the angel fish in the pet store are small and personable. This is the part of this informational post where I show you the actual sizes of some fully grown fish commonly sold to newbs with a ten gallon tank:

Angel fish

Bala Shark

Red Tail Shark

Goldfish

Silver Half Dollars

Standard Pleco

Do not purchase these fish. Admire from afar.

Step 5: Acclimate Your Fish

That nifty bag they came in? Put it in the tank without popping it and wait at least 15 minutes. If you want to go even further to make your fishy children happy you can pour the bag and fish into a clear plastic Tupperware container and then float the container in the water. After 15 minutes, gradually add water from the tank into the Tupperware container every 5 minutes for an additional 15 minutes before dumping them into your tank. 

Step 6: Enjoy!

Step 7: Suffer.

You will now have to test your water every so often (I test mine twice a month) if you are to going to keep it favorable for your fish. Adjust accordingly. You will have to do water changes to keep water chemistry stable and healthy. You will love your fish. You will want more fish. But you, a safe and reasonable fish owner, will now know your tank is not big enough for more fish. You will have to buy a new tank. You will have to go to step one. You will never stop buying tanks. Suffer. 

P.S

Danios are often sold as peaceful community tan fish. In my experience, they’re all fin nipping assholes. 

#fishblr

[rentoraanyan]

🐠 Fishblr Questions! 🐠

From @/snowflakeeel !  (not reblogging the post since i don't answer with the ask format :')  )

1. What was the first fish you ever owned? I had 3 goldfishes(2 shubunkin and one common :Titus, Coquillage and Etoile de mer) and it was... the worst mistake my parents let me make. You know, the sellers tell you that YEAH this tank is big enough, when it isn't... and every other mistake that every Young fish keeper probably made at some point :'(   The last one stayed 7 long years with me ! (sip, you were my best buddy and ill never forget you !)

 2. What is your dream tank?

i'd like a hUUUUGE tank with goldfishes !!!!!! or even better... a pond with some kois !

3. What is your favorite fish? i don't think i could possibly choose !!

 4. What was/is your most troublesome tank? Ugh.... My attempt at a sorority w/ female bettas (It's stupid to get tricked a second time but.... don't trust sellers ! ) I only have one tank and no possibility of rehoming the troublemakers, so i had to improvise... I wasn't really bad but it was EXTREMELY complicated, and time consuming to separate them with improbable things so they wouldn't fight... They deserved better :(  5. In your opinion, what is the best beginner fish? Well since i got my experience from making stupid mistakes I don't think i can answer that,,, I never kept fishes other than bettas/goldfishes   7. Are there any fish that you dislike? I don't really like the goldfishes that have been selected to have some... extreme features ? like the ones that have huge pouches Under their eyes, the ones with demesurate bellies or eyes that are way to big... i don't really like ranchus either... where are their fins D: there's probably others but these ones make me sad because they look like they have trouble swimming,,,, poor babies 8. Planted tank or reef tank? Obviously ill never try the reef tank but... I don't know... just talking about the aesthetic i like both ! They're completely different but sooo pleasing to Watch !  Its like.... fantasy gardens or little fragments of ocean......

 9. Favorite type of betta? Halfmoons ! But actually...... i like them ALL !! Maybe i'm a littlle less fond of crowntails and veiltails ? They're all gorgeous but from now might consider some with shorter fins !  10. Favorite type of goldfish? The common ones ! underrated unfortunately.... But comets, shubunkin, and fantails are also very good !! 11. In your opinion, what fish should not be reccomended for beginners (but often is)? oh you know, the classics : bettas and goldfishes :')  I mean if you're a dedicated beginner you can probably do super well !!! but often "recommending" means "helping a 7 year old kid picking a fish he will not kill in a Week because their parents don't have time for that" 12. Favorite species of shark? WHALE SHARKS !!! Leopard sharks ! and reef sharks (but there's probably a lot of sharks i don't know about lol) (Basking sharks scare me,they make me feel incredibly weird...... even though they're harmless x) ) 13. What is the best brand/type of food? I've only used Tetra until now and i'm pretty satisfied w/ it ! Never had any problems related to food 14. Favorite invertebrate? snaiiiils ! they take their time. good boys

 15. What would you do if you suddenly had an extra 200 gallon (757L) tank? *chanting* GOLDFISHES ! GOLDFISHES !! also i'd take a loooooot of time planting and decorating it with a load of hide spots ! 16. What would you do if you suddenly had an extra 10 gallon (37L) tank? i think i'd go for a female betta ! and maybe a snail !  It woul be funny to try Something based around color for the decoration... 17. If you could remove any product from the shelves of a petstore (ex. Bettacube, ecosphere, fish bowls, etc.), what would it be and why? Only one D: ?  fish bowls or funny looking and absurdly small tanks, probably... for obvious reasons. Bowls are for cereals kids ! take care of your pets ♥

 18. Have you ever bred fish? nope ! 19. Gravel or sand? gravel ! 20. Favorite non-fish animal? Horses !  21. Favorite fish fact?

oh um. i have no idea D: So much interesting things !  22. What common myth about fish do you wish you could dispell? (Ex. Can live in bowls, 7 second memory, low maintenance, boring pet, throwaway pet, etc.)  "easiest pet to take care of"   I Don't care if no one gets fishes because they think they're boring ! I just want people who have some to take care of them decently !   24. Do you start a siphon with a pump or with your mouth? *loud slurping noise*

25. What do you think is the most beautiful fish? my fish, of course :)

(come on, i can't choose ! the most beautiful are the happiest ones ! the one you're caring for !!)

26. What do you think is the most dangerous fish? the ones we don't know about

27. Best way to deal with an algae problem? Sacrifice to the Gods

28. Natural or artificial decorations? Both !

29. Saltwater, freshwater, or brackish? freshwater

30. How did you get into the aquarium hobby? I've always wanted a pet, and after years i finally managed to convince my parents to buy me a tank ! (i was 7) i just wish i wasn't told lies, because even though i was very young i've always been caring for my fishes :(

#here it is ! #bettablr #ask #arf

[a-quatics]

Tanks!

30gal

this is a planted tank with ADA amazonia substrate so we can’t do bottom dwellers 

currently stocked:

~10 neon tetras

3 or 4 white cloud minnows (leftover from the fish-in cycling, those last few buggers didn’t want to go!)

unknown amount of amano shrimp

unknown amount of ghost shrimp

We went in to get the water tested on thurs(? or fri?) and found that we cant add new fish until next week but we decided we’re gonna do a male/female pair of powder blue gouramis!! they’re gonna be so pretty. my gf might decide to change up which fish we have for the small schooling fish, but probably not right away.  I think we should consider adding one or two nerite snails

5gal

currently stocked:

2 adult male (pretty sure) guppies

6-7 baby guppies (the mother just died)

1 adult amano around 2.5yrs old

1 nerite snail (my lil olive!)

we’re thinking of getting rid of the guppies bc we’ve had guppies in there forever and it’s getting boring and they keep makin babies. so maybe getting a betta? my gf doesn’t want to do a betta because she’s had bettas before and its like too basic for her, but i’ve never had one so idk! or maybe we could make it a shrimp tank with a bunch of small red shrimps. it’s just a 5 gal so there isn’t much we can do but it is very established, very cycled, and has no known health issues or algae because its not planted and is gravel bottom. 

#aquablr #fish #fishblr #planted tank #freshwater aquariums #gouramis #shrimp #me #aquariums

[anabantoid]

Venturing into Indonesia and Beyond: Setting up a Biotope

In our journeys through the hobby, one way or another we will come across the term “biotope”, which is a miniaturized reproduction of a fish’s natural habitat in a captive setting. You’ve most likely seen them before without even knowing it. Think about the last time you went to the aquarium and recall the exhibits you saw. All the fish were organized by where they lived, most of the tanks probably had some real or fake plants, rocks, and driftwood. There may be resin stone outcroppings built into the background and sides to replicate the bottom of a Rift Valley lake, or fake mangrove roots choking a still water way to mimic an estuary where many brackish fish live. Even the saltwater tanks are constructed in a way that copies an approximate image of where that fish came from. Like a good zoo, a good aquarium will want to showcase the fish in the most enriching environment they can while also educating the public, and that usually means that they will replicate a fish’s home. Sometimes seeing fish like this at an aquarium can change your perspective on how to keep them, and you may want to set out and adjust their living space as you think is necessary for them to be happy, or it inspires you to want to start up a whole new tank for a specific fish or multiple species from a specific river, lake or country and make your own mini-aquarium at home. This can seem like a daunting task, and it may sometimes be hard to know where to start, and I won’t lie, there is a lot of time and research devoted into this, but the payoff is extremely rewarding.

WHERE DO I START?

Generally, it’s like planning any new tank, but in this instance, you’re going to have a narrower focus.  You usually start out knowing at least one of the fish you want to keep, so you look up where they are from. With that knowledge, you can begin to find other fish from that same area. Fish Base will be your new friend in this situation. NOTE: You won’t want to exclusively use Fish Base for things like caresheets, but it’s a great site for finding different species that inhabit the same bodies of water or country as your selected species.

For example, say you know you want a pearl gourami (Trichopodus leerii) as your centerpiece in your new 75 gallon tank but you don’t want to have one large tank with just 3 fish in it (1 male and 2 females). You’ll pop on over to Fish Base and look them up, seeing where they are from along with some basic care information such as water parameters and a habitat description.

You can scroll down to countries to see a map of their range, which includes native and introduced.

From there, you can choose which country you want to focus on. We’ll choose Indonesia. You can click on the links and take a closer look into Indonesia if you’d like, but you’ll go back to the search screen at Fish Base.

I find it easier to search with the above selections marked off.

From here, you’re basically going hunting. This can take you a while, you can narrow down which fish interest you and check to see if they are compatible with the pearl gourami. You already know you’re going to need a heavily vegetated tank with soft, acidic water and minimal lighting, so you’re looking for fish with similar needs, while also taking temperament into account. You don’t want aggressive, boisterous fish that will scare the pearls away during feeding, so you’re going to be looking for peaceful, small fish that won’t bother them. You settle on the chili rasbora (boraras brigittae), kuhli loach (pangio kuhlii) and red line rasboras (Trigonopoma pauciperforatum) as all these fish require dimly lit, soft, acidic waters with marginal current and dense vegetation with the bonus of being peaceful and small.

OKAY, SO IS THERE MORE THAT I NEED? WHAT SHOULD THE TANK BE FILLED WITH OTHER THAN JUST, WELL, FISH?

Great! You know your stock! But what do you furnish it with? And how do you find this out? At this point, you’re going to start googling. A lot. You can use youtube to find videos that may be uploaded from the natural habitats the fish are from, in this case, Sumatra and Borneo.

A lot of the time, you won’t find nice examples that you can see, but you’ll read descriptions that you can visualize. What does soft water usually have? Decaying vegetation that lowers the pH and creates soft water with a lot of dissolved organic solids, so leaf litter and driftwood would clearly be required. These fish require densely planted, dimly lit water. Finding out what plants you need is as simple as googling “aquatic plants from Borneo/Sumatra/Indonesia”. You’ll find that a lot of the plants are the common crypts, which do well in dimly lit tanks and aren’t particularly fussy to begin with. There’s a lot of diversity within crypts, so choose them as you see fit. A lot of the time, plant species will be entirely up to you and how you plan to scape your tank. Then comes the matter of substrate, which can sometimes be hard to find information on, though many caresheets nowadays will mention what substrate is best for this fish. At times you might not be able to replicate the loamy bottom of Lake Inle, so you can choose to either go with sand or try a dirted tank. Sometimes it’s simple, a hillstream or river tank will be comprised of sand and gravel, as the water movement in the wild will erode the rocks and crack them against one another, creating fragments that turn into smaller and smaller fragments over time.

If you want a different kind of biotope, you can start with a totally different kind of habitat and apply the same basic search methods. Maybe you want to stay in Indonesia but want a hillstream tank? Or an African tank? French Guyana? The same way you searched for the pearl gourami tank, you can search for all these others. If you read that a reed fish lives in soft, acidic swamps that are heavily planted with low oxygen content, then you’re going for a tank that has almost no water movement, a somewhat lower water line, and filled with a lot of leaf litter, some driftwood and lots of plants. If you want emerald dwarf rasboras and read that they live in a relatively cool, karstic, shallow but vegetated lake in Myanmar, then you’re going to be looking into a hard water tank with plants that can be found in that lake. This example is Lake Inle, where these fish are exclusively found in, so your entire focus will be pretty much on this lake, with some information on plants from Myanmar. You can even go looking into your own backyard and get hands on, planning a biotope based on native fish and learning something about your local wildlife and habitats.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Some fish need to be kept in a natural habitat because that’s all they know, and it makes them more comfortable that way. If you have a wild caught fish in your tank, you’ll want to make sure that your tank is as close to where they came from so they can thrive. What is thriving? Beyond being alive, thriving for a fish means it displays its natural behavior, it eats regularly without issue, and may even attempt to spawn in captivity if there’s another sex of the same species in the tank. This is as close as you can get to determining whether or not a fish is “happy”.

Even if your fish is not wild caught, they will still benefit from an environment from which they evolved in over thousands or millions of years. Some fish may have never inhabited a vegetated peat swamp in their entire lives because they’ve been captive bred, but if you keep them in hard, alkaline water with no plants, their lives will be shortened and they will be unhappy and unhealthy, unable to display natural behaviors. Think of the betta splendens, a fish very much removed from its natural habitat nowadays. For a moment, pretend you have a perfectly healthy plakat. It doesn’t have the dragon scale mutation so it’s not going to be prone to tumors or cancer, it has short fins that bettas naturally have so it’s able to move about quickly like a betta is hard wired to. A betta without décor or with a sparsely planted tank maybe shy or inactive, eat irregularly and be stressed, susceptible to illness and disease.  I’m not saying this is the root cause to the issues bettas have, that’s a nebulous topic that can be another 1700 word post on its own, but in this situation we’re imagining the ideal, healthy betta. If you place this betta in a habitat that more closely mimics the one the b. splendens evolved within, it will feel more comfortable and display more of the betta-y behaviors we all know (and love). It’s difficult to change what a fish needs in its environment to thrive, a fish has evolved over time to fill a niche in a habitat and placing it within a captive setting won’t change their instincts or needs.

But does this mean every fish needs to be in a biotope? That all fish should be separated by their location, regardless of the fact they can inhabit the same conditions that a fish from another continent does? 

Nope! Biotopes, for the most part, are for the pure aesthetics of the keeper. You ultimately don’t have to find plants specific to a river, lake or country, that’s entirely up to you if you want to do that. You don’t have to place pearl gouramis with just chilis, red lines or kuhlis, you can place them with peaceful tetras, pencil fish, a pleco, corydoras and honey gouramis (which are from India, not Indonesia). A biotope is just a method of scaping a tank and keeping fish, it’s subjective. There are clear benefits to it, but those benefits can also be had by just furnishing a tank the right way. Put swords in a betta tank with rotala, barclaya, banana lilies and hygro, your betta will still feel happy and safe as long as there are a bunch of plants in there. A biotope is for you.

#fishblr #megs does guides #i literally just ripped examples from my own tank plans lmao #this was....really long? #took me two hours rip

[amazingpetenclosures]

I’m hoping you might be able to help me, I would like some advice on what to put in a tank. I recently acquired a 24x12x17 in tank, and I’m unsure on what can thrive in there! At first I was thinking a tarantula, Betta, or dwarf hamster, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting a dwarf hamster in something that small. I can’t think of any reptiles I would feel to comfy living in there, though maybe you or your followers can help? Thank you!

Sounds like a 20g high tank?

I single male mouse would do well in a tank that size, especially if you got creative and put the hight to use. You could probably get away with two or three female mice, but it might be a little crowded. A tarantula or other invertebrate would do great in it. You could keep small amphibians, like a few fire bellies, a packman frog, something like that. A leopard gecko, possibly, if you built levels and took advantage of the height. A few green anoles or house geckos, or similarly sized lizard. Potentially a male kenyan sandboa, but you may eventually want to upgrade. It would definitely be a good home for a betta or a number of other small fish, like a school of guppies or tetras, maybe. Crawfish might be neat.

There’s quite a few options out there, but these are what I can come up with off the top of my mind. I’m sure my followers will have suggestions, too :)

#anonymous #asks

[misa-chu]

Just a quick fish update! No pics bc ive mostly just been staring instead of trying to take pictures lol

Everyone is still doing well, one or two nerites dont seem thrilled about the move, or maybe the loaches just keep knocking them on their backs? But they are all still alive and most of them move around quite a lot! Speaking of the loaches though, the dojos are the friendliest fish ever omfg. They come eat out of my hand and taste my arm XD the barbs on the other hand like to come nip me as if to say “food now!” But dart away if i move. there appears to be two males and four males, which is excellent. The platys are just sorta there, nothing particularly special to note about them other than just judging by behavior theres two males and two females. Next time i go to the petstore i may try to pick out two more girls, but I’m still pretty garbage at sexing based on appearance.

I still see the kuhlis pretty often, though they are quite shy! Id like to get another one or two eventually to see if itd help their confidence. The panda cories are very much their own little clique, seperate of the albinos, but theyre all super friendly and easy going with each other when its feeding time, which is the most important thing. The amano boy is still in there somewhere, I saw him cleaning the glass woth one of the otos the night before ^^

The tetras had what I thought was ich, but one dose of paraguard and it never came back? It was never more than a dingle spot or two on just a handful of fish, so maybe it was just nip marks. Theyre all very active regardless! When I feed it’s like a little fish tornado, its so cute. The betta boy continues to live happily with them, I feed him up top while the tetras get already wet food so it sinks faster. He’s built two bubble nests already and hangs around them like he’s ready for a lady lol. If i had the space and no tetras i would be sorely tempted to try introducing him to Amelie, I think they’d have beautiful babies and theyre both so wonderfully mellow. He still needs a name- I’m sort of thinking Carl? But tbh I’m not sure.

And finally the habrosus cories! They’re just now starting to chill out and hang with the pygmy cories, until the last day or two they were constantly patroling the tank together. Unsurpisingly Amelie pays them very little mind, she’s always been so chill about the pygmys so I wasnt worried.

#fish #that was longer than i expected #but i wanted to mention everyone!

[27snakesinatrenchcoat]

The neons are courting and Luna is determined to end it.

Also it turned out I do have a 20 gal and a 10 gal so we are gonna aquascape the 10 gal and get 1 betta for it, a froggo, and a nerite snail or two (but no catfish or big snails until the grass is completely established... if ever. It's just a betta tank with plants tbh)

The 20 gal is gonna be the live bearer tank, maybe with some tetras to help keep their population... under control, for lack of a better word. I love the fish, but again, I'm not looking to breed them and the females are always pregnant when they come home from the pet store :/ as much as I dont want to see the fry become food, it happens in the wild and is inevitable in community tanks, but at least it gives the adult fish a boost of nutrients, plus some always hide well enough to survive so I might have to take some to the adoption center. (Yes those exist in some pet stores!)

The 20 gal will be the last tank I work on because I'm still trying to figure out exactly how I want to set it up tbh.

They dont even have water in them yet but I want to get the plants and decor this weekend so they can start cycling while I plan

I got a big glass rainbow fish from my sister for Christmas and I'm putting it in the 20 gallon tank because it looks cool.

#the glass fish in the tank was my moms idea #i said no #then i put it in the tank to see and changed my mind

[nuclearkielbasa]

Tankmates for ADFs!

Hey Fishblr! Looking for some suggestions on stocking a 10 gallon -I currently own 2 adult African Dwarf frogs, and I'd love to get a few more of these little goobers - however would like some small fish too!

Would it be possible to have 4 or 5 ADFs in a 10 gallon, and maybe a small school of tetras or a single female betta etc, or would the ADFs max out the tank load?

I'm open to having less ADFs if I could get a slightly larger fish or school. I'd prefer a fish breed that doesn't livebear, or has a large breeding rate (i'm too sensitive to cull....), so no guppies/mollies/etc. Something that is passive, and not TOO small to have a chance at getting eaten by the ADFs! No snails or shrimp, i've not had any luck with them in the past :c

Tank is gravel-bottom, with an aqueon HOB and a 100w heater kept at 78. Lots of fake plants and shale rock for hiding.a

#adf #fishblr

[plantanarchy]

I feel like I just did a current tanks post but again... here are my current tanks. 1. 5 gallon Aqueon Minibow, occupied by my dragonscale HMPK male betta, Titan. He is more chill in this tank and does not glass surf as much. He loves the betta log thing I found in my fish drawer. 2. Temporary 2.5 gallon occupied by my new HM male betta, Oleander, who is swimming better and eating. I'm getting him a 5 gallon tank tomorrow (and possibly planting it, we'll see) 3. 10 gallon occupied by my female betta, Durriyah. I removed the obnoxious submersible lighting! Lighting is now a cheap ass LED 4. Planted 10 gallon occupied by my HMPK yellow koi male betta, Buzz, and a mystery snail. The tiger lotus has put out a LOT of new little leaves despite not staying put at the bottom of the tank yet, the sword is still covered in algae and the microsword keeps melting with no new growth... also the anubias is being an anubias. Lighting is a Marineland LED light that i forget the name of but it seems to be doing ok. Buzz was flashing yesterday and parameters are good and nothing noticable on him so I'm keeping an eye on him... 5. Planted 20L occupied by 1 male Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami named Mimosa, a school of 9 Harlequin rasboras (well 7 and 2 espeis because my LFS is incompetent), 5 ember tetras, and 5 horned nerite snails. Lighting is a Finnex Stingray and substrate is Ecocomplete with some sand mixed in because I was too lazy to remove it all. There is still a big algae issue going on but lots of glass scrubbing and reduced lighting and ferts seem to be getting it under control? Maybe? My dwarf sag is still all melting, my big crypt is also melting but with lots of new growth and my other plants are all doing well and I may pick up and quarantine some new Ember tetras tomorrow if they have them af my LfS 6. Planted ("modded") Fluval Spec V riparium experiment thing occupied by my HM dumbo male betta, Kraken. Ft. new driftwood and play sand. Kraken has shown signs of possibly starting to fin bite which may have been caused by the stress of removing him to put in the sand. New plants are coming in a few days. So far, the little crypt babies I pulled off my big crypt are growing well even with no ferts at all in this tank (well I think I did dose some liquid ferts once). Also now have a Pothos, Dieffenbachia, and Philodendron 'Brasil' growing out the top. The Dieffenbachia is doing surprisingly well, better than the potted one I have, and the Pothos is obviously thriving. Idk about the Brasil, it seems like the plant itself is a little more fussy than what I'm used to. The light is a crappy LED but this tank is currently mostly growing on an hour or two of sunlight. Which means brown algae but oh well 7. Planted 10 gallon occupied by my dumbo HM male betta, Zazzle. The java fern has some spots but the new growth does not. Also, the water sprite is growing ok but keeps melting a bit and putting out roots from a different part so I keep whacking bits off and reburying. The lighting sucks and the duckweed makes everything green. Also the pothos in this tank gets nowhere near enough light to be healthy so I'm trying to grow an English Ivy out the back instead. 8. 2.5 gallon Minibow occupies by Snail Lord and his Snail legion. This tank has new lighting and is my favorite tank tbh I mean, look at it. I moved the hornwort in here because it was being suffocated by algae and shedding and the snails have enjoyed eating the melty bits a lot. Also, there's java moss in here and it's the ugliest

#my tanks #ok phew im done #fishblr #mimosa #kraken #buzz #zazzle #oleander #durriyah #titan #my snails