My 3.5 gal betta nano

[Ozydego]

This is my 3.5 gallon acrylic cheapy that I recently decided should go the planted route. I had been battling green water for months and finally after moving it further from the window, planting with wisteria and a moss ball, dosing some ferts and regulating the light, the green water has cleared up on it's own! now I am very happy with this tank, except for the gravel, but my daughter picked it out... Fred is the betta, O.J. Is the algae eater and there are the five neons.

 

[redsea]

Very nice Betta + Neons! The colors are great! How is that combo working for you?

 

[ollief9]

Great tank! not keen on the gravel, but each to their own!

 

[0shayne0]

I like that tank

 

[Ozydego]

Fred is a very nice betta, he doesn't even notice the neons... They mostly inhabit the lower column and he sit at the top most of the time, as far as the gravel... For her tank, I'm just glad I didn't have to stick a Disney princess in here as well... ;^)

 

[BakerBoy17]

You know neons should be in a10 gallon minimum?

 

[Ozydego]

I do frequent water changes and I'm sure they would like more room to swim, but the current does a fairly good job, I'm sure bettas would like more room than a 20 oz bowl but ppl do it all the time... Doesn't make it right, but in my case, my fish are brightly colored and do not show signs of any disease from being stressed out from the small tank... I'll have to see how it goes, there is always the 55 gal ;^)

 

[adadkins1]

I do frequent water changes and I'm sure they would like more room to swim, but the current does a fairly good job, I'm sure bettas would like more room than a 20 oz bowl but ppl do it all the time... Doesn't make it right, but in my case, my fish are brightly colored and do not show signs of any disease from being stressed out from the small tank... I'll have to see how it goes, there is always the 55 gal ;^)

I know seekinghealth already said something, but I don't really think the tetras should be in anything under a 10g. Even thought they seem healthy, that doesn't mean they are happy; moving them to the 55g would be in their best interest. I think the betta and maybe some shrimp(amanos, RCS, CRS, ghosties, etc.) should be all that is in that tank. The tank looks nice, but overstocking a 3.5g aquarium is just asking for nutrient issues.

 

[Ozydego]

Dually noted twice now

 

[Ozydego]

Talked my daughter into a substrate change, now I have a beach.

 

[ollief9]

is that a chinese algae eater in there???

 

[Ozydego]

Apparently so, if he gets too big or aggressive, I'll just euthanize him (because I am a terrible judge of fish apparently)


In this case it was many several months ago, before I trolled these forums that I set up the livestock for this tank, did I make mistakes, sure. Should I be scoffed at, and have my thread hijacked by those who wish to judge, I would have hoped not. If I had questions about my livestock I would have placed it in the correct forum, if you have a criticism about my ethics in choosing fish, please PM me instead of littering my thread with your judgements.

 

[redsea]

Talked my daughter into a substrate change, now I have a beach.

Wow, It looks absolutely stunning! I love the sand in there!

 

[New]

Sand looks awesome, big improvement. Where did u get your dw and how did you prepare it, ive been meaning to get some for the longest time haha

 

[adadkins1]

Apparently so, if he gets too big or aggressive, I'll just euthanize him (because I am a terrible judge of fish apparently)


In this case it was many several months ago, before I trolled these forums that I set up the livestock for this tank, did I make mistakes, sure. Should I be scoffed at, and have my thread hijacked by those who wish to judge, I would have hoped not. If I had questions about my livestock I would have placed it in the correct forum, if you have a criticism about my ethics in choosing fish, please PM me instead of littering my thread with your judgements.

We are just suggesting what is the best for the fish. That is what this aquarium forum is based on, giving advice on what would be to the benefit of the fish. Everybody has made mistakes, heck I have made a ton in my time of fish keeping. I would definately get rid of the CAE as he will get aggressive and likely kill your fish. He probably won't get big due to stunting from the tank.

It is a beautiful habitat, just not condusive of having all of those fish in it.

 

[NoFishingAllowed]

I have that same gravel and i am 30 lol

 

[Ozydego]

Thanks for the reply Adkins, I have learned a ton since I started back with this hobby and this tank turned out to be a nightmare overnight, I went from being proud of the fact that I was able to keep these fish healthy in their conditions to being the guy that is cruel to fish on this forum.

Honestly i had no idea at the time I bought them 9 months ago and since I learned all this info, I know the mistakes were made, but now I have them and I am making due. Water changes constantly and supplementing feeding for the GAE, I am living with the mistake.

To have it brought up again and again is what irks me, do I have to explain at the beginning of every thread that yes I know I have neons in this small tank and a GAE that will kill everything, I assume now that the comments will still come regardless. It almost seems like if I have a mistake tank that I should keep it a secret....

 

[NoFishingAllowed]

Thanks for the reply Adkins, I have learned a ton since I started back with this hobby and this tank turned out to be a nightmare overnight, I went from being proud of the fact that I was able to keep these fish healthy in their conditions to being the guy that is cruel to fish on this forum.

Honestly i had no idea at the time I bought them 9 months ago and since I learned all this info, I know the mistakes were made, but now I have them and I am making due. Water changes constantly and supplementing feeding for the GAE, I am living with the mistake.

To have it brought up again and again is what irks me, do I have to explain at the beginning of every thread that yes I know I have neons in this small tank and a GAE that will kill everything, I assume now that the comments will still come regardless. It almost seems like if I have a mistake tank that I should keep it a secret....

I agree, as a newbie I feel like this sometimes too

 

[BakerBoy17]

Well I honestly didn't know that you knew you shouldnt have them and just made a mistake at the start of the hobby. We've all done it. But as you said your water parameters are in check and the fish are healthy. It's better then what most can say. I still suggest buying a 10 gallon though. They're cheap and all your fish can go in it. Then you good get another betta for your current tank. And I bet your daughter would like another fish. It's a win win!

 

[Ozydego]

Everyone thanks for the kind replies about the tank itself, as far as the driftwood, I got it from my lfs in their fragments bin and I boiled it 2 hours before placing it in the tank, I believe this Malaysian driftwood is already somewhat pre treated as it really did not leach all that many tannins during it's preparation. This tank is now a lot more my style and my daughter is still ok with it.

It started as a small cube for my betta, then moved to a 1 gallon with fake plants, then to this 3.5 gallon with fake plants, with a bad choice in "friends" for Fred the betta. Since then it has slowly been transformed into this where I know the inhabitants are happier than they were and the tank is much more ecologically sound with a good biofilter, regular water testing and much more care than I ever did when I started it.