Teen aquarists

[Galligak]

I LOVE bettas. I have 2 currently but I've owned many of them, I got a few from friends who didn't want them any more. Awesome little fish with loads of personality!

Quick question: do you think microworms would be too small for least killies (adult or fry)? I've never used them before and I'm thinking about buying a culture... The black worms and blood worms I've used (live and frozen) seem WAY too big for them and microworms have micro in their name. Thanks!

 

[Alyxx]

The first fish that I kept by myself was a betta. I fell in love with fish when I was way too small to do much other than watch. My dad had a 75 or 100 gallon densely planted amazon biotope tank. But that first betta ended up getting me my first aquarium. It died when an aunt and uncle visited and my aunt felt bad for me because I was so sad and she took me "to get a new fish for the bowl" and we came back with a 10 gallon. My mom was maaaaaaaad. But she let me keep it!

And I think microworms would work for least killie fry. Baby brine shrimp should work too. Both are tiny foods good for tiny mouths.

 

[Alyxx]

I don't believe there are ANY cons to live plants

The only cons I can think of are they can die and foul the water and that they often require purchasing better lights, ferts, and CO2. But the pros really outweigh the cons.

 

[bud29]

I LOVE bettas. I have 2 currently but I've owned many of them, I got a few from friends who didn't want them any more. Awesome little fish with loads of personality!

Quick question: do you think microworms would be too small for least killies (adult or fry)? I've never used them before and I'm thinking about buying a culture... The black worms and blood worms I've used (live and frozen) seem WAY too big for them and microworms have micro in their name. Thanks!

I think they would work for the adults, not sure about the fry. Microworms are recommended for pygmy sunfish, similar in size to least killies. However for fry, it's recommended to just culture green water for them.

 

[Galligak]

I think they would work for the adults, not sure about the fry. Microworms are recommended for pygmy sunfish, similar in size to least killies. However for fry, it's recommended to just culture green water for them.

Ah, I hadn't read that. Right now they're just eating all of the microorganisms on the plants in my tank. I just ordered a culture so it should here by next Friday. Depending on USPS though. Thanks Bud! And Alyxx as well!

 

[bud29]

My first fish was a dwarf gourami, I've never had a betta either

They always bored me. Mainly because I would only see them in those tiny cups, unable to move. My sister did get a yellow betta last year, which I eventually took over, due to some neglect.

 

[FishCr8zy]

They always bored me. Mainly because I would only see them in those tiny cups, unable to move. My sister did get a yellow betta last year, which I eventually took over, due to some neglect.

The other day I went to petco and now they are selling baby betas.
The HUGE problem though is that: they were all dead. Poor things didn't even survive a day at the store probably. They really should get actually like 1-2.5 gal tanks for the betas so that at least they can survive a bit longer.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Ah, I hadn't read that. Right now they're just eating all of the microorganisms on the plants in my tank. I just ordered a culture so it should here by next Friday. Depending on USPS though. Thanks Bud! And Alyxx as well!

What do microworms need, eat, etc? Are they as easy to breed as mealworms? Do they just breed as worms or turn into beetles, mate, lay eggs, etc?
Happy 4th if July btw!!

 

[Alyxx]

What do microworms need, eat, etc? Are they as easy to breed as mealworms? Do they just breed as worms or turn into beetles, mate, lay eggs, etc?
Happy 4th if July btw!!

You just set them up in Tupperware with some oatmeal and feed them yeast every so often, and change the oatmeal mixture out once a month or so. They don't have an adult stage, they are just nematodes. They just make more microworms. Very simple to culture!

 

[FishCr8zy]

You just set them up in Tupperware with some oatmeal and feed them yeast every so often, and change the oatmeal mixture out once a month or so. They don't have an adult stage, they are just nematodes. They just make more microworms. Very simple to culture!

That's almost the same thing I do with my mealworms but I have to have a separate box for the adults. ( beetles ). Do they produce a lot of fecaes and do you need to clean it?
Are they livebearers or egg layers?

 

[Alyxx]

I'm pretty sure the young are live, as I've never noticed eggs. However the adult worms are pretty microscopic so I doubt you would be able to see eggs if that's how they reproduce. When the oatmeal starts turning brown with feces its time to make a new culture. Just remix the oatmeal in a fresh container and scoop some of the old mixture into the new one. You can make more cultures that way too. Just make sure the oats aren't too wet or dry and that the container is in a warm place, feed them yeast or bits of wheat bread, and stir the mix every few days to release gas pockets and your cultures will thrive!

 

[George9]

The other day I went to petco and now they are selling baby betas.
The HUGE problem though is that: they were all dead. Poor things didn't even survive a day at the store probably. They really should get actually like 1-2.5 gal tanks for the betas so that at least they can survive a bit longer.

Babies!! I kinda want one now lol poor guys though

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

Yay I'm allowed on the teen forum now! Woot woot

 

[George9]

You guys seriously. I need a baby betta fish, like, now. I need another tank!!

They're adorable

 

[Galligak]

You guys seriously. I need a baby betta fish, like, now. I need another tank!!

They're adorable

They are cute. There was one left when I went to the local petco last September, I got her... Completely unplanned. Here Annie is nearly a year later:

( just took a few days ago)

(took in January ? Of this year)

Love her. She loves to come over to the glass when I see her and she only eats pellets when I put my finger in with them... A little weird but that seems to be the going thing around here

 

[George9]

They are cute. There was one left when I went to the local petco last September, I got her... Completely unplanned. Here Annie is nearly a year later:
( just took a few days ago)
(took in January ? Of this year)

Love her. She loves to come over to the glass when I see her and she only eats pellets when I put my finger in with them... A little weird but that seems to be the going thing around here

Oh my god, I'm so jealous. Give me her!! She's a beautiful little betta!

 

[FishCr8zy]

Oh my god, I'm so jealous. Give me her!! She's a beautiful little betta!

Wow...... That's really is one beautiful and adorable beta!! I love that purple tint on the fins.
Pic two makes her look like a mix between a gourami, zebra danio, least killifish, and beta. Awesome!!!!

 

[FishCr8zy]

Yay I'm allowed on the teen forum now! Woot woot

Before you weren't? You already had 200+ posts. So I'm guessing you had to be on for a few more day?

 

[bmarine]

Wow! Really! When you were a little kid, you never had those carnivals where your prize was a little goldfish ? And betas seem to be everyone's beginner fish. What was your first fish?

I start when i got a free 30 gallon. So i started with a dwarf gourami because petsmart said that was a great starter fish!

 

[FishCr8zy]

I start when i got a free 30 gallon. So i started with a dwarf gourami because petsmart said that was a great starter fish!

I actually started with a bunch of "hard" fish to take care of at that time. If I remember correctly, it was an angel, pink kissing gourami, a few tiger barbs, and I think a pictus cat. They were in a 45 gal corner tank ( I had almost no idea how to take care of fish back then, only that I needed to feed them. !! ).