New to the site, newISH to the fish hobby.
My biggest deterrent in starting was the setup cost, so for years, I admired other tanks.
Well, I am now diving into the deep end, so to speak, as I have begun "rescuing" tanks from people who no longer want them. It began with a little Betta boy who lives in a 2G tank. He seemed so shy and afraid, not at all like what I had read. Of course, I discovered that was likely because he was in such a small tank and no one knew anything about the nitrogen cycle.
I didn't until I adopted him three months ago.
Unable to upgrade his tank I gave him a tiny log and change his water regularly to keep the ammonia down.
I now have a bigger tank setup coming for him, it came with another tank full of neglected fish I rescued from a spoiled teen who was letting them die. In the second tank, there is crammed 2 dwarf/chain loach, 1 Rosy Tetra (it had friends), 1 Penguin tetra (it also had friends), and 2 ghost Angelfish.
My grand plan:
It's going to take a few weeks to bring the fish over from their old home. Until then I have taken the empty 20G tank home and yesterday began the fishless cycling process, including some live plants! (I took substrate and the one plant left from the first tank to help establish bacteria growth) I am not new to gardening, but I am newish to Aquascaping, so we shall see if my research and patience pays off!
Once the tank is cycled and ready I will transport over the fish from the house and then clean and begin set up of the 2nd 20G tank to house the Betta, and eventually the penguin tetra if my Betta remains docile and chill. I plan to see how he does once in a bigger tank full of live plants, and how he reacts to fish in a bag in his space.
When all is done I should have 2 20G tanks with live plants and several fish. I hope to add a few more tetras eventually to get the school numbers up, pending stress and fish room. It's definitely not the setup I'd have chosen, but I am making it work with the desire to give these fish a happier life.
Will be doing a proper fish journal elsewhere!
I am excited to finally get into the hobby and to join a community of fish enthusiasts I can pick the brains of.
My biggest deterrent in starting was the setup cost, so for years, I admired other tanks.
Well, I am now diving into the deep end, so to speak, as I have begun "rescuing" tanks from people who no longer want them. It began with a little Betta boy who lives in a 2G tank. He seemed so shy and afraid, not at all like what I had read. Of course, I discovered that was likely because he was in such a small tank and no one knew anything about the nitrogen cycle.
I didn't until I adopted him three months ago.
Unable to upgrade his tank I gave him a tiny log and change his water regularly to keep the ammonia down.
I now have a bigger tank setup coming for him, it came with another tank full of neglected fish I rescued from a spoiled teen who was letting them die. In the second tank, there is crammed 2 dwarf/chain loach, 1 Rosy Tetra (it had friends), 1 Penguin tetra (it also had friends), and 2 ghost Angelfish.
My grand plan:
It's going to take a few weeks to bring the fish over from their old home. Until then I have taken the empty 20G tank home and yesterday began the fishless cycling process, including some live plants! (I took substrate and the one plant left from the first tank to help establish bacteria growth) I am not new to gardening, but I am newish to Aquascaping, so we shall see if my research and patience pays off!
Once the tank is cycled and ready I will transport over the fish from the house and then clean and begin set up of the 2nd 20G tank to house the Betta, and eventually the penguin tetra if my Betta remains docile and chill. I plan to see how he does once in a bigger tank full of live plants, and how he reacts to fish in a bag in his space.
When all is done I should have 2 20G tanks with live plants and several fish. I hope to add a few more tetras eventually to get the school numbers up, pending stress and fish room. It's definitely not the setup I'd have chosen, but I am making it work with the desire to give these fish a happier life.
Will be doing a proper fish journal elsewhere!
I am excited to finally get into the hobby and to join a community of fish enthusiasts I can pick the brains of.
