29 bowfront from goldfish to my pride and joy

[Betta keeper]

A couple of year ago, my dad gave my kids a pair of goldfish in an old 20gallon. In 2015, hubby bought me this tank as a replacement for the 20g that they had outgrown.... in august they went into a pond and I was free to play with my new tank. Here is my picture story

The first thing I tried were zebra danios, but I had (gender imbalances in the school)aggression issues and gave up after they killed a little glofish that my son had added in. My first plant was a wisteria, whose roots rotted....but it has recovered ok


Then, I decided to go for a natural look with pool filter sand. Of course being new to this I destroyed my cycle, but it's back now lol. After a month or two of algae issues the tank is again established. At this point I decided that I would house wcmm


Backing added courtesy of an entire ink cartridge lol
Now I have neon tetras as well and still redecorating towards the natural theme

I tried growing spider plants out the top but they didn't like the water motion lol
I was so excited to buy this hill stream loach on dec 5....but apparently I didn't have enough algae...or oxygen...or something. In spite of buying a slate so she could hang in the current, a bubble wall to oxygenate the water...she died 5 days later

 

[Betta keeper]

Today I renovated a little to accommodate current stock

I now house a baby bn pleco, which the store gave me to replace the loach, and my daughter's Betta because she bored of it

The Betta seems to love getting into tight spaces, which concerned me the way I had the slate laid upward for the loach.....so I created a cave complex for him. It's right near the heater too so I imagine the rocks will warm up a bit

 

[Autumnsky]

Thanks for sharing the journey so far. The tank is looking nice.

The Hillstream Loaches are very beautiful, they like a mature tank and biofilm on the sides with lots of flow & air as it seems you know already. But the BN is probably better suited as the size of the tank is a little too small, even though they don't get too big, like a large grazing area.

Kids DO tend to get bored of things, especially if they have to clean out the enclosure!

 

[Betta keeper]

Yes I had meant to get a bn the first trip out to the store, and I let my lack of experience combined with the beauty of the loach distract me

I have the 38 bow front that will be needing a bottom feeder too, so I will upgrade the bn to that as it gets bigger.

I'm still trying to decide between a rubber lip or a half dozen corycats as the permanent bottom residents of this tank

 

[Autumnsky]

My vote 1000% to be a group of Cories!!! Just make a selection of a color of Cory which is easily seen on your substrate, not Albino on white sand. Or Green/Bronze Cory on natural tan sand, lol.

You could even consider a dozen Habrosus, Dwarf Cories or the Pygmy Cory which are more available/ easy to find at local shops.

 

[Betta keeper]

Yes, I like cories too. They come in so many colours, I suspect that they will be a whim purchase....that day when I walk into big Als and say "that's the one" lol

I'd love to show off the bn pleco, its colour is of a pattern that I haven't seen before....but it's slightly skittish and I haven't found its favourite veggie yet

 

[Autumnsky]

Yes, I like cories too. They come in so many colours, I suspect that they will be a whim purchase....that day when I walk into big Als and say "that's the one" lol

I'd love to show off the bn pleco, its colour is of a pattern that I haven't seen before....but it's slightly skittish and I haven't found its favourite veggie yet

Having a "plan" of getting them when the getting is good, is fine. Sometimes there may be a sale or look extra healthy. And you will know when to strike!

Whenever you get the Pleco to come out and get a pic - just get it so you can show off!

 

[Betta keeper]

lol if only there weren't so many hiding places

Last time (s)he came out, I ran for my phone to find I'd missed my shot lol.....was just enough inside the caves that I couldn't get a picture showing the markings

I haven't seen it since, so I assume it's behind the big rock, living off algae

 

[Hoobfoob]

What a pretty tank it's turning out to be! Thanks for sharing your journey. I really like what you did with all your rocks: the cave, the larger supporting rocks, and the pebbles in the corners and edges.

My vote 1000% to be a group of Cories!!! Just make a selection of a color of Cory which is easily seen on your substrate, not Albino on white sand. Or Green/Bronze Cory on natural tan sand, lol.

Funny story, I chose three adorable panda corys for my tank and their marking blend in SO WELL with my substrate that I lose track of them constantly. Oops! Haha.

 

[Betta keeper]

Thanks, I was going for a natural look, but didn't have a plan...it just sort of evolved

I was looking at pandas myself

What substrate do you have?

 

[Hoobfoob]

A mixture of tan and darker smooth gravel. Their light bodies and dark stripes make them blend right in sometimes! Pandas are super cute but shy.

 

[Betta keeper]

Ooh I found him!





Well, his back end anyway

Probably be a couple of days before I see him again, he's got plenty of algae on the rocks to feed on, and no good reason to come out.....must discover his favourite veggie

 

[Autumnsky]

What kind??? My guys favorite is the Hikari Sinking Wafers Bottom Feeder omnivore wafers - has a orange trim around the edges and a Clown Loach and a Cory on the front. Not a fresh veggie though.

I have been told by a breeder to use canned green beans. I have purchased a can but do not know since I haven't used them (no salt is what I got). The breeder has stacks of restaurant size cans and lots of fish to feed but he swears by them, and the fish were nomming them right up!

 

[Betta keeper]

I think the fish guy said cardinal bristle nosed pleco?

I know I have never seen this markings before and he's really smart-looking

I'd love to snap a decent pic and get a gender I.d.
But it's young yet

 

[Barliman]

I have been told by a breeder to use canned green beans. I have purchased a can but do not know since I haven't used them (no salt is what I got). The breeder has stacks of restaurant size cans and lots of fish to feed but he swears by them, and the fish were nomming them right up!

I know fish keepers (especially those who breed plecostomuses)who swear by canned green beans. I've experimented with one or two, and my otos love them.

 

[Betta keeper]

I'll definitely pick some up

My family hates them, tending more toward the frozen veggies.....but it won't be the first or last time I buy groceries for fish lol!

 

[Autumnsky]

That's funny!

Yes, the breeder was big in the Green Dragon Ancistrus!

 

[Betta keeper]

Caught this this morning betta stalking broccoli lol!

Oh, and my pleco came out...sort of

 

[Autumnsky]

He is an unusual looking guy, very attractive.

Do you blanch your broccoli? I have heard that the fish can nom on them more easily. I haven't feed too much fresh veggies. But I keep meaning too, . I grew veggies so I could feed them some this past summer.

 

[Betta keeper]

This morning I didn't, as I wasn't cooking

Tonight I did... it really does make a difference in whether they can get into it...especially for roughage like this

The Betta attacked it this morning but the minnows couldn't really do much with it....at dinner, they all ate a buffet of the same thing I did...simmered in water, no salt

It really never occurred to me that Betta would love veggies