Life's Betta With A Fish

  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #61

Graceful-Lily

Extraterrestrial Being
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
3,483
Purraise
3,048
Location
Floating Untethered In The Stratosphere
I wish I could do both but axolotls prefer cold water and they'd kill any and all fish.

The cold water is what made me think they'd be a perfect aquatic pet for me since it's almost always cold here.

I actually checked out some axolotl forums and a subreddit for them. I'm torn. Not sure which to choose.

Also since they are practically extinct in the wild at this point - not sure if its ethical buying them from a pet store. I heard at Big Al's, they are inbred.

But if I do decide to get one, I'm naming them "Strawberry Shortcake" or "Shortcake" for short.
1574651931234.jpg
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,271
Purraise
53,927
Location
Colorado US
ummm, maybe not, especially considering they wouldn't be able to see their reflections like they can (I think) from inside a clear tank, but I don't know.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
He's handsome! 5.5g is great for a betta, unless you want to add tankmates. Is it a glass tank or an acrylic tank? And I love the gravel! Did they have that at Petsmart?

As for plastic containers, normal storage containers aren't strong enough to fill with water; the sides will split. Some containers are strong enough to be partially filled for a half-land, half-water habitat for turtles though. And a lot of people use plastic stock tanks to keep their pond fish in during the winter, but they aren't much for visibility, and of course stock tanks are meant to be filled with water.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #67

Graceful-Lily

Extraterrestrial Being
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
3,483
Purraise
3,048
Location
Floating Untethered In The Stratosphere
This is a glass aquarium. I heard that plastic containers bow when you add water in them since they aren't meant to hold their volume in water.

The substrate is actually pool filter sand. I rinsed it thoroughly before putting it in the tank.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
I heard that plastic containers bow when you add water in them since they aren't meant to hold their volume in water.
I've never had trouble with small acrylic tanks. And the super large tanks at aquariums are usually made of very thick acrylic. But glass is a lot easier to clean, without getting a lot of annoying scratches.

I really like that substrate. I'll have to poke around and see if I can find a local place that sells pool filter sand. Maybe the hot tub store?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #70

Graceful-Lily

Extraterrestrial Being
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
3,483
Purraise
3,048
Location
Floating Untethered In The Stratosphere
Sounds like a cyst to me.Has it gotten any bigger? Is it painful when you touch it? If so. I'd have it checked for sure. You might want to anyway just to be safe.
I've never had trouble with small acrylic tanks. And the super large tanks at aquariums are usually made of very thick acrylic. But glass is a lot easier to clean, without getting a lot of annoying scratches.

I really like that substrate. I'll have to poke around and see if I can find a local place that sells pool filter sand. Maybe the hot tub store?
I'll have to look into acrylic aquariums - I don't think I've seen too many around.

I got my pool filter sand from a pool supply store. That is the only place that sold it in my area. The bag is around 50lb and it paid about $14 for it or less... can't remember. It's inert so it won't leach anything into the water and it settles very quickly when you pour water into the aquarium. It sort of clumps together so it's easy to move around and clean. Plus, of course, it is super pretty and I love the way it looks.

I might add some river stones and live plants.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #72

Graceful-Lily

Extraterrestrial Being
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
3,483
Purraise
3,048
Location
Floating Untethered In The Stratosphere
Right?! There were a lot of other betta fish but they all looked very unhealthy and with clamped fine. This little dude was pretty active and responsive when I interacted with him. Even in the car, he kept trying to grab my finger through the plastic so at that point, I knew he was the perfect pick.

I can't wait to see his natural colours come in once he settles! The transformation is always my favorite part. He's also fairly skinny. I don't think they were feeding him much.
20191130_101940.jpg


He's very shy but I got some nice pictures. I think these ones show his colour more. I wonder what he'll look like in a month. Sometimes I swear I can see the whole rainbow in him.
20191130_101943.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #74

Graceful-Lily

Extraterrestrial Being
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
3,483
Purraise
3,048
Location
Floating Untethered In The Stratosphere
Here's one of my fishy buds.

By the way, I'm using tetra 6-in-1 Easystrips to test my water parameters. They work just fine, plus chlorine is one of the tests on the strip which I really like, in case you're still working on that part.
AHH! What a gorgeous boy you have Furballsmom Furballsmom !

I'm in fish cycling with Seachem Prime. I add a little to the water everyday to keep the ammonia and other two in check. After a week or so, I'll start doing water changes.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #76

Graceful-Lily

Extraterrestrial Being
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
3,483
Purraise
3,048
Location
Floating Untethered In The Stratosphere
He's doing really well. He's been here for an entire week now. I'm going to try to do a water change today. He's less afraid of me and comes running when I give him the signal for food. His colour is also changing a lot too. His face is getting darker.
15756676726293599534749001497692.jpg
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,271
Purraise
53,927
Location
Colorado US
Wow, I just got the infamous ammonia spike, --the tank is a few days short of a month old. Whew, my fishy buddies hung in there with me, fortunately!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #79

Graceful-Lily

Extraterrestrial Being
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
3,483
Purraise
3,048
Location
Floating Untethered In The Stratosphere
Wow, I just got the infamous ammonia spike, --the tank is a few days short of a month old. Whew, my fishy buddies hung in there with me, fortunately!
Wow! Glad everything is okay! I just had my first bacterial bloom in my tank. The water is mad cloudy.
 
Top