# New hobbiest, new tank - wanna beta



## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

Hi,
I'm completely new to this whole idea of keeping a fish tank, although, I've always wanted on. By one persons trash being anothers treasure, I came upon a pristine 25 gallon fish tank. I would very much like to make it a salt water tank, but from what I understand, that's not a good thing for a begginer to begin with. Soooo.... 

I want to put a single male beta to it. From what I've read, betas thrive in larger tanks, but most of the larger tanks mentioned are 2 - 5 gallons. This is considerably larger and I want to make sure the same rule applies. Also, being as how it is so very large, I would like to add other fish. Understanding that the temperature needs to stick right around 75 degrees for the beta, what's another cool fresh water fish that digs high temps that won't do battle with the beta (or vise-versa)? 

Thanks for your help! I really want fish, but not if I'm just going to kill them - so the more help/info provided the better. Thanks again!


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Finally someone who wants to put a betta into a proper size tank  
You got some options, just remember that bettas like quite still and warm water. Try to pick a non.aggressive male from your LFS. 
Here's a few suggestions for the tank:

1 male betta
15 ruby tetras
5 amano shrimps

or:
1 male betta
20 cardinal tetras
1 small pleco(under 5 inches), bristlenose maybe

or:
1 male betta
5 kuhli loaches
10 ruby tetras

All of these fish listed like soft and acidid water.


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

Did a little research on your suggestions.

I assume we're going with 5 kuhli loaches so as to [hopefully] make them feel more at home and make them more apparent in the tank. However, if I go with the last combination, I don't seem to have a filter fish. What if I were to have the Beta, the kuhli loaches, and the amano shrimps. The only thing I would worry about there is is the loaches eating the shrimp since I read that they tend to like small live food - is this not a worry? 

Assuming any of these combinations would I be aiming for a tank Ph of about 6?

Also, I'm going to outfit the tank with an in-tank filter, heater, and air pump - Is there _anything_ I need to know about real plants and what they can do to the water that may affect the fish? I would like to use real plants, but if it's best for a beginner to use fake - and if there is no great benefit/difference between fake and real plants - then I'll probably just go with whichever is easiest to maintain.

Thanks for your help, btw.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

I absolutely recommend live plants. They remove some of the nitrates in the water and produce oxygen. They also make a beautiful tank.Live plants need fertilizers though, and proper lightning. Live plants are more natural and give places to hide for the fish. Live plants cannot harm the fish in any way. Different Cryptocorynes grow on kuhli loaches natural habitats, and don't need awful lot of light.
Search for these plants ;Cryptocoryne,Echinodorus,hygrophila,Egeria densa,anubias .(don't know the english names).
Kuhlis won't eat your shrimps, they are too big and fast. Kuhlis are'nt really aggressive fish. And oh yes, kuhlis need fine sand for substrate(get the darkest sand you find), and some peat moss would be excellent to add into the bottom of the tank.
Soft and acidid water is the the target, 6-6.8 is the perfect rate for these fish.
Air pump is not necessary, but won't do any harm.

another suggestion:
1 male betta
10 blue emperor tetras


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

Awesome, thanks mate. 

I've decided on a male beta, the ruby tetras, and the shrimp. I'll be sure to throw some pictures up as soon as I have a nice ecosystem going on.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

And some things about the fine sand:
-remeber to rinse it well before putting into the tank
-remember to stirr the sand with a stick or something so it won't block up. A better way to avoid this is to add some snails so they stirr the sand and eat all excess food.

Here's a pick of the snail:
http://www.aquahoito.info/suomi/ohjeita/kiertsarv.jpg


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

osteoporoosi @ Sun Apr 10 said:


> Finally someone who wants to put a betta into a proper size tank


that's true. it is sad to keep the fish in a 5 oz. cup... anyway, there is another combination. instead of a kuhli loach, you can keep a school of cory cats. i rather keep cory cats because they may have a chance to spawn. what you keep is up to you, you own the tank, but it just weird there is loaches instead of cory cats with tetra.(well, put a betta in is a weird idea anyway, but it should be fine)


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Why is it werid to keep loaches? Didn't quite get it..
Some corys go on warm water, for example corydoras sterbai and panda corys.


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

i see the tank with tetra usually go with cory cat but not loaches. it is just feel weird to me that a loach in there,not sure know why... it is just an personal opinion, so don't take it seriously.


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