Fish R Fascinating

[annabel1066]

Hello! I'm new to fish-keeping, and I just love fish. I find them beautiful and fascinating, and I want to learn about the behavior and personalities of these little creatures who live in an environment so very different from ours. To what level can you communicate with them? How much can you teach them? What can they teach me?

Like many who come to this site, I've had to learn some things the hard way, and I'm looking for some help in learning the right and most humane way to do this. I started out with a 5g tank and after constantly trying to regulate the tank for about 6 months, I lost the battle and was unable to save my two poor goldfish

So, having learned two painful lessons (One, 5g is too small for almost anything and a real hassle to maintain, and two, goldfish need a MUCH bigger tank), I've started over with hours of reading and research and a 15g high tank (which I purchased early in the reading or would have gone bigger). This tank will be a bit of work to maintain as well, but I've managed to successfully cycle it.

My set up is as follows:
15g high with hood/light
penguin 150 w/bio wheel
top fin ar-1000 air pump with air stone, an adjustment valve and a check valve
power strip with timer
fluval heater set to 80 degrees
strip thermometer
gravel and rock substrate
3 marimo moss balls
5 harlequin rasboras

I've had the tank going for about two weeks now. I started out by running the aquarium and adding Stability every day for a week. I then added a large bottle of tetra SafeStart and 3 of the 5 rasboras. Three days later I added the other 2 rasboras (thinking they would be less stressed in a bit larger school) and the 3 marimo moss balls for some coolness and oxygen.

The ammonia and nitrite levels are currently 0ppm, and nitrate is between 0-5ppm. The rasboras are very active and seem to be doing well

I can't wait to Talk Fish with you guys!

annabel1066

[Schu]

welcome! I'm new here as well but have been keeping freshwater fish for about 20 years off and on.

[annabel1066]

Hi, Schu, maybe you can answer a couple of q's:
1. I originally wanted to add a betta to my tank, thinking it be my centerpiece fish and would inhabit the top layer, and not interfering with my rasboras. I was advised bettas like pretty much still water that my penguin 150 filter would make the water too turbulent. Agree?
2. If a betta is out, I was thinking of getting a dwarf gourami since they also inhabit the top layer, but also read that they like some shelter. What kind of shelter would that be? A floating plant? A tall plant? Would a plastic plant work floating on the top?

[annabel1066]

and thanks for the welcome Welcome to you, too!

[Schu]

Betas do prefer a slow moving current because they have heavy fins and are a rather lazy fish lol. You can reduce the current on your 150 to accommodate for the beta. You can do this by putting plants a décor in the tank to slow the current or you can use a sponge filter on the intake line to slow the amount of suction. As far a s décor for a gourami some tall plants that reach the top would probably be good for them.

[gringojoe]

sounds great