[LadyKeiva]

My boyfriend and I just finished (almost) setting up our 46 gallon bow font that we've been working on for his planned betta sorority.

We're still in the process of tweaking and adding some more plants. It's still waiting on hygrophilia angustifolia, some java moss, some more anubias. (and more). It has some growing to do before we start adding some of the females we've been quarantining, but it seems its starting to shape up nicely =)

Just added our first inhabitants early this morning.. A group of 10 kuhli loaches that we order from The Wet Spot tropical fish. They seem super healthy. Exploring every nook and cranny of the tank. They really are quite adorable ^,^

I'll try give an update every so often with each big tank change.

So excited to see how this tank progresses!!! =D

Here's some pictures of its progression...

=) Some shots of the new loaches!!

One thing that stood out in particular to me about the kuhli's was their markings. Each one has its own distinct pattern. But two of them have markings that are completely different than the others. One instead of having the dark bars down the body it has one long stripe from head to tail (Loach Picture 2). The other odd one, instead of bars it almost has a mosaic pattern, mostly dark, with very thin light colored lines (Loach Picture 1).

Are the two oddballs possibly a different type of loach than the others? /shrug Cute none the less. =)

Last but not least a video of the little guys having a snack =)
(Sorry about the quality =P )

Enjoy!!

Jess & Matt

 

[djembekah]

oh how pretty! that's going to be a beautiful sorority!!!! i want loaches even more now. will you add more fish, aside from the bettas you'll be adding?

 

[LadyKeiva]

oh how pretty! that's going to be a beautiful sorority!!!! i want loaches even more now. will you add more fish, aside from the bettas you'll be adding?

We'll definitely be adding more fish. What fish, we're undecided on. Possibly a group tetra or rasbora. Pristella tetra perhaps. Not sure which tetras we like for it.

Also toying around with the idea of bolivian rams. I've read quite a bit of success with them and bettas. I had planned to add a group of them to my 55 gal, so if there were issues in this tank they can be moved to the 55 no problem.

 

[Chesh]

I totally squeed when I finally saw where all that hard work has been going! GREAT JOB!!!
Seriously. It's beautiful. And even better? Perfectly designed for the fish you/he intend to keep there.
Those loaches are going to be SOOOOOOOO HAPPY, as will anything else you would ever choose to bring home. Love your tanks, girl. ALL of them! Keep up the good work!

 

[jentralala]

It looks really good! I'm a huge fan of those chunks of driftwood, they're gorgeous.

Hrm...it is possible that it's another species! There are a lot of fish sold under the general name 'kuhli loach', and most sold under that name aren't actually kuhli loaches (at least, speculated by myself and a few other people...I'm surprised Chesh didn't write you a book on it ^.~)

I have one that has that mosaic pattern, as well. But I've never seen anything like that one with the stripe! That's so COOL and unique. I really have no idea if he's another species or just has some weird coloration going on. Really lovely looking though

Two thumbs up on a GREAT tank, looking forward to the growth on this.

 

[LadyKeiva]

Thank's everyone for all the compliments!! It's my boyfriend Matt's tank technically so he did all the picking out/arranging/planting so I can't really take the credit =). I was just there for suggestions/experience to share. He's super happy with it =)

It looks really good! I'm a huge fan of those chunks of driftwood, they're gorgeous.

Hrm...it is possible that it's another species! There are a lot of fish sold under the general name 'kuhli loach', and most sold under that name aren't actually kuhli loaches (at least, speculated by myself and a few other people...I'm surprised Chesh didn't write you a book on it ^.~)

I have one that has that mosaic pattern, as well. But I've never seen anything like that one with the stripe! That's so COOL and unique. I really have no idea if he's another species or just has some weird coloration going on. Really lovely looking though

Two thumbs up on a GREAT tank, looking forward to the growth on this.

Chesh actually helped me identify one of the oddballs. They mosaic patterned one (Loach Picture 1) DEFINITELY looks like Pangio Alternans. The other oddball (Loach Pic 2), the one with the solid stripe, is still kind of a mystery to me. I'm going to assume its just a weird color pattern/mutation of the other loaches. I haven't really seen any pictures anywhere of a kind with a similar pattern.

It's definitely cool having such variation in the loaches.

I've become attached to the one with the solid stripe =).. Decided to name it Zorro for some reason ^,^.

According to TWS, they're all supposed to be pangio semicincta, at least that's what their listed as on their stock list. My sales receipt has then down as Pangio kuhlii sumatranus. /Shrug

 

[Chesh]

Loaches are so mysterious!

Sooooooo jealous of that lil' P.Alternans. *sighs* I'd love to get a chance at keeping a full shoal of them one day. Zorro is adorable, too - but c'mon! THEY ALL ARE! Hopefully, someone will be better able to help you ID them, there are soooooo many loaches in the world! *gettingssswoony*

 

[LadyKeiva]

Loaches are so mysterious!

Sooooooo jealous of that lil' P.Alternans. *sighs* I'd love to get a chance at keeping a full shoal of them one day. Zorro is adorable, too - but c'mon! THEY ALL ARE! Hopefully, someone will be better able to help you ID them, there are soooooo many loaches in the world! *gettingssswoony*

Haha!! Well if I ever come across them some how I'll make sure I send them your way =)

Loaches are by far the cutest fish I've ever seen. I LOVE the way that they wiggle their whiskers. The cutest fishy motion ever.


ALSO, thought I would share some pics of the aquabid betta girls we've had in QT for a while, I only have the seller's pics for them right now. We also have some petstore females in another QT tank as well, but I don't have pics of them at the moment =). All very healthy, Just waiting on the loaches to QT for a while and for the tanks plants to gain some growth ^,^.

And just to throw in.. Meet Grimm. He the newest male we bought (Arrives next week). He'll have his own 5 gallon of course. =) We're just addicted to bettas I guess.

 

[djembekah]

What gorgeous girls!
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[jentralala]

Oh wow, they're all absolutely stunning!

Grimm is perfect, his coloration is drop dead gorgeous.

Is this Matt's first tank?

 

[spreadtoothinly]

Those bettas are stunning! such beautiful fish...
And who could ever say that loaches aren't cute!
I can't wait till all these fish (excluding the male...) are in the tank!

 

[Boredomb]

Those are some gorgeous fish! Bet they will love their new home!

 

[LadyKeiva]

Thanks everyone =D.. We're dying to buy more girls for it but we already have two different 10g QT's going with betta females. (8 tanks in all in our bedroom >,< ).

There are so many GORGEOUS girls on aquabid, it's so hard not to impulse buy. We want them all =P

I'm SUPER excited for Grimm, really hope he arrives safe and sound. I was obsessing over him his entire time on aquabid.. had to wait until the last hour he was up, hoping no one bought him out while I waited for funds to roll in.

I LOVE his half and half color, great contrast =).

Oh wow, they're all absolutely stunning!

Grimm is perfect, his coloration is drop dead gorgeous.

Is this Matt's first tank?

And yeah, it's Matt's fist tank. He's been helping me do maintenance on my tanks for months now though. =D He fell in love with the loaches and it was all over.

Joined the world of people addicted to aquariums. lol

 

[Chesh]

Your betta babies are BEAUTIFUL!!!

I'm really interested to watch how the pairing between Rams and Betta works out. I know you've put a lot of time into your research on this. I've never even thought about mixing the two! Can't wait to see what happens next in that lovely tank of yours!

Joined the world of people addicted to aquariums. lol

. . . AND LOACHES!!! ^.^

 

[LadyKeiva]

Your betta babies are BEAUTIFUL!!!

I'm really interested to watch how the pairing between Rams and Betta works out. I know you've put a lot of time into your research on this. I've never even thought about mixing the two! Can't wait to see what happens next in that lovely tank of yours!



. . . AND LOACHES!!! ^.^

Yeah, I'm a bit apprehensive about rams and bettas. I've read a lot of people keeping them with bettas but still makes me unsure. I wouldn't try it if I didn't have other tanks that could take the rams. People do rams and all sorts of different gourami. When you think about it the aggression in betta's isn't much different than most gourami so why not try it?

THAT being said.. I think he might try black neons instead =). We're all sorts of undecided.

Open to suggestions if anyone has any =)

 

[Chesh]

Umm? You could always do more loaches instead!?

I hear you! I'm nervous about adding Pearl Gourami to Becoming125 (eventually) for the same reason. From what I've read it *seems* like it should be fine - but you never really know until you try it . Especially with these particular fish - individual fishy temperaments will very much come into play!

Black neons should work well with loaches and rams, have you looked into any rasbora? I *almost* went that way with Becoming until I found my 'Beans. You have a lot of options open to you - entirely too many options!

I really would like to see how the Betta shoal does with the rams under your good care and watchful eye. . . if it works out the way you think it will, it will be a pretty cool combination, I think. . . tough call though. I've never looked into it, so I really don't know!

You two will figure it out ^.^ Then show us how it's done!

 

[LadyKeiva]

Umm? You could always do more loaches instead!?

I hear you! I'm nervous about adding Pearl Gourami to Becoming125 (eventually) for the same reason. From what I've read it *seems* like it should be fine - but you never really know until you try it . Especially with these particular fish - individual fishy temperaments will very much come into play!

Black neons should work well with loaches and rams, have you looked into any rasbora? I *almost* went that way with Becoming until I found my 'Beans. You have a lot of options open to you - entirely too many options!

I really would like to see how the Betta shoal does with the rams under your good care and watchful eye. . . if it works out the way you think it will, it will be a pretty cool combination, I think. . . tough call though. I've never looked into it, so I really don't know!

You two will figure it out ^.^ Then show us how it's done!

We considered more loaches, we have 10 at the moment. =) We both freaking love them, I turned around to him last night and asked if he just wanted to just fill it with loaches. So much fun to watch. I can spend hours watching their mischief. We already have 10 betta girls waiting in QT =) though so /shrug.

We also don't want to add too many other kinds of fish since more female bettas = the aggression being spread better. We'd like to put in 16 girls give or take.

We were thinking MAYBE adding 4 more loaches to the fray, and then a group of ahoaling fish.. Who knows >,<. We have quite a while to think of our options.

We've looked at all sorts of shoaling fish, and we're having trouble deciding on what we'd like and what would work well. Can't be anything nippy of course, so need to be careful with the tetras especially. And with the rasbora, Matt isn't a big fan of the Harlequin/Porkchop/Hengels type ones. And it seems a good chunk of the other rasbora are closer to an inch in size.. We're afraid the betta girls would turn them into a snack >,<

 

[Chesh]

Mmmmmmmm. . . Sorry, I was thinking rams and loaches Not loaches and Betta. *derps* my normal state of mind.

I wouldn't stock Neons with Betta (though I know it's done). I'm sure in most cases it's fine, and these are girlies. I've seen a (male) betta make short work of a Jellybean tetra. That fish definitely did NOT fit in the others' mouth, but in it went, regardless. My husband isn't *quite* as good a fishkeeping student as your bf. :/

I'm sure whatever you end up with will be perfect!

 

[LadyKeiva]

Mmmmmmmm. . . *I* wouldn't stock Neons with Betta, either (though I have 'seen' it done). I'm sure in most cases it's fine, but I've seen a (male) betta make short work of a Jellybean tetra. That fish definitely did NOT fit in the others' mouth, but in it went, regardless. My husband isn't *quite* as good a fishkeeping student as your bf. :/ And sorry, I was thinking rams and loaches Not loaches and Betta. *derps*

I'm sure whatever you end up with will be perfect!

>,< I remember reading the story about the poor little ******.. Never stood a chance.
Was pretty sad. Pretty sure my halfmoon male Jasper would make a quick snack of any other fish that entered his dojo. First 30 seconds he was in his tank he saw a poor bladder snail and just grabbed it like the hulk and it was over. Made quick work of a couple of amano shrimp as well. Oddly enough, he's never touched the one and only ramshorn snail in his tank. They must have signed an agreement or something.

We were more concerned with the tetras and such nipping the bettas more. Sorority girls seem like they would be more concerned with each other than the fish. Its hit or miss really. We're trying to keep shoaling fish size at 1.5-2 inches. >,<

Lucky for us we have a trillion tanks fish can be switched between. Have an emergency 20 long empty in the basement too. Hopefully, there will be no need. Anything can happen though, it all depends on the personality of the bettas.


Throwing in some more pics =)

Here's a better picture of the supposed Pangio Alternans

Between the loaches, the snails, and the little albino pleco (We named her Nessie the Loch Ness Monster) the zucchini was annihilated

Here's a few of the petstore girls (they never stop moving >,<)

This is the Queen of her 10g, Has a really nice hot pink/purpley shimmer to her in light. Looks red otherwise.

This one is Phantom, when we first got her she was impossible to find in the tank. Was there one second, then gone the next. Always lurking in the shadows.

This girl is Sky. My favorite =). Saw her at the store and I absolutely could not pass her up. I've never seen one with her colors at the petstore. She's SUPER small though so she's in her own personal 2.5 gal until gets bigger. The 2.5 looks like a 10 gallon in comparison to her size.

Lastly, another loachy video. They're mobbing a half piece of veggie waffer I dropped in for Nessie. You can a good look of the two oddball loaches.

 

[Boredomb]

Love the pics and an awesome video! Gotta love the lil loaches!!!! You tanks look great.
My betta boy is a lil nicer then yours it seems as he won't attack anything! Have snails in they and he just stares at them but that's it! LoL