Can this actually be right? Betta/ Stocking ideas/ overstocked?

Aurie

my betta had issues with duckweed because it compacts like a jigsaw puzzle. I removed it and got some dwarf water lettuce and it has enough room for my bettas to get through. My 5 year old betta is still strong enough to move a piece of water lettuce if he needs to. It's also large enough to remove some pieces when you get full. duckweed gets all over EVERYTHING and is virtually impossible to get rid of once you have it.

Just make sure with all plants that if you decide to trash them, to actually trash them or put them in your composter. NEVER put them down your drain or tub or toilet. Once you see them spread in your tank you'll realise that you don't want your favorite fishing or swimming hole to get over run with this stuff and it has happened and will continue to happen.

OK public service announcement over..


Go with frogbit or DWL IMO .. not duckweed.

fisherton10

I'm glad I created a thread! Seems there is a ton of misinformation about size requirements and suitability. I really appreciate all of the advice.
I use the API master test kit as well. I'll check the tap water tonight and post all my numbers.
So dwarf cories, platies and kuhlis are out! Any more stocking recommendations? Maybe just except that its not going to be as diverse with the addition of a betta?

I will put hanging plants in but make sure the betta has room to come to the top and move around.

fisherton10

Gh- 100
Kh-40
These are results I had straight from the tap on a dipstick. (Master kit doesn't test for the that.)
Ph on dipstick around 8, but I will use master kit to get a more accurate reading tonight

Aurie

Wait why are dwarf corydoras out? I had 6 hasbrosus and a betta in a 10 gallon no problem. They are itty bity tiny and are good little vacuums
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fisherton10

A few of the above posters feel that they are pretty sensitive to water conditions and probably aren't the best fish for newbies like myself

Aurie

If you can do about a 30% water change once a week and a good gravel vacuum and stick too it then you are good. The aquarium must be cycled though. They aren't hardy enough to withstand the cycle process. I cycled with them in my 29 6 months ago and yeah I was stupid to do so but I did 50% water changes every day if any ammonia was present. After your tank cycles you could get some. Its tje main reason most people don't keep discus. 50% every day and immaculate water. Corys are more forgiving. I'd stay away from emerald or larger coreys and go with pygmy, dainty, or hasbrosus coreys. They still like to be in as large of a group as possible so if its a 10 and just the betta and some plants and a good filter you could do 8-10
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Byron

First thing, fisherton, is welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum, and the hobby.

Having read through this thread, I tend to agree with most of it, but will offer a couple observations. And the first is that the Betta really is not a community fish. I know others have had them with other fish, etc, etc, but the fact remains--as every reliable ichthyological source will tell you--that they are best on their own. Not in a bowl, but a tank with some live floating plants. A 2-5 gallon tank would do well, as Betta are not active fish.

On the corys, most will not do well at higher temperatures such as Betta should have. Some cory species can manage in warmer temperatures, such as Corydoras sterbai, Corydoras leucomelas, and a few others; but most prefer it cooler, around 77-78F seems to work although there are some that would be better even lower down the thermometer. And the dwarf species are some of these. I have my Corydoras habrosus at 76F which is as high as I would go. And as someone mentioned, a larger group with the smaller species is better. In a 10g you could do 9-12 of one of these.

I agree with not combining platy and Betta, though as I said nothing should be forced into a Betta environment anyway.

To the water parameters. Knowing the GH, KH and pH of your source water (tap presumably) is essential. The GH and KH will not likely shift much in an aquarium unless something is done to specifically target it. The pH will tend to lower, but the KH acts as a buffer. Selecting fish suited to your source water is always easier because it means stability and ease of weekly water changes. But, depending upon the numbers and the intended fish, some adjustment is possible. I won't get into that as it is a complex issue, but my article might give you some background:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/f...quarium-73276/

A GH of 100 ppm is about 6 dGH, and this is soft water. If you were to go with livebearers, this should be raised as they need the "hard" minerals like calcium and magnesium. But stay with soft water fish, and plants, and you are in a perfect position.

The KH (alkalinity) at 40 ppm is about 2 dKH, so this is not going to significantly buffer the pH which should lower naturally, ideal for soft water fish.

Let us know the pH with the API liquid test; when testing tap water, out-gas the CO2 first. You can do this by letting a glass of water sit 24 hours, or by shaking some tap water very briskly for a couple minutes. Then test the pH. CO2 causes a lower pH because of the carbonic acid.

Hope this helps.

Byron.

fisherton10

Maybe the best thing would be to suck it up and just get a like 3 gallon tank with a few simple plants in it for the betta. Honestly, this would be great because I can get back to using my 10gal as a tropical fish community and not have to worry about trying to force species to be compatible with a fish that isn't always friendly.
I had been thinking of about 6 tetra with some compatible tank mates.
The problem with that is that I just took a reading and my tapwater PH is high. It looks about 8.3!
my water website says:
Hardness, Total (as CaCO) 123 ppm
Alkalinity, Total (as CaCO3) 61 ppm
Not sure how this relates to my testing from earlier.

Byron

This certainly would be best.

I had intended suggesting you get the numbers from the water supply people, and forgot, so I'm glad you thought of that. GH of 123ppm is about 7 dGH so that is still soft [by which I mean suitable for soft water fish].

The pH may still lower, one can't say for certain until the tank is running with plants and fish. They might be adding something to raise it too. Do they have any numbers for pH?

fisherton10

Yes, I did not see it before but it says 9.5 pH units! is this the same type of measurement? The report from the water company is very thorough it seems, there are quite a bit of parameters on the chart.
Water Quality
Not sure what any of this really means!