5 Gallon FW Build/Journey Thread

[daileene]

No need to do that... you have a very calming voice! Had I not dropped the audio and replaced it w/ music in my vid, you would have heard me laughing at my fish, my son making "oohhahhh" noises, and I believe my husband was asking me about something.

LOL...see, that would have been more cute.... but Yanni is good too, you did a great job with yours. I don't know how to out "phrases" in the video while it is playing..

 

[McLumpy]

LOL...see, that would have been more cute.... but Yanni is good too, you did a great job with yours. I don't know how to out "phrases" in the video while it is playing..

My son was acting cute. lol Maybe in the next video I'll go w/ natural audio.

 

[tkmaune]

I just had to say, after reading this thread I definitely wanted to do a small planted tank as well. Well I broke down and started it. We'll see how well I do Thanks to this thread it will help me out a bunch.
Oh I'm thinking about Guppies in it...maybe. Haven't quite decided yet

 

[daileene]

I just had to say, after reading this thread I definitely wanted to do a small planted tank as well. Well I broke down and started it. We'll see how well I do Thanks to this thread it will help me out a bunch.
Oh I'm thinking about Guppies in it...maybe. Haven't quite decided yet

Hi tkmaune. Thank you that you think my post is very helpful. I am willing to help you as best as I can if you need something.

And oh, I think guppies are not recommended for a 5G and less just because they are more active and bigger. They need more room to swim. In a 5G, nano fish are recommended or betta with shrimps and snail.

 

[daileene]

So, I rescued one delta tail betta male and 2 halfmoon double tail male bettas from Petco last June 22 because I just can't stand leaving there without saving one. Most of them are already dead in the cups and I felt so bad. So I bought 3. One of them ended on this tank. One of the halfmoon double tail male betta (named him Brendan) was chosen to be in this tank with my 5 chili rasboras. I know it might be overstocked now since I have one brittlenose pleco in here too, but this will just be hopefully temporary until I can get a new tank. MTS? Yes. Hope you enjoy watching! Taken today June 24. They all seem okay and the betta does not bother my chilis. The chilis actually are the ones that wants to go near the betta. They are so cute.

YouTube - ‪6 24 2011 Kitchen 5G FW Planted Tank‬‏

 

[McLumpy]

I absolutely love the coloring on your Betta! Now I want a red one! lol

 

[allaboutfish]

i have to avoid looking at the bettas. i looked at the bettas at walmart and there was a brilliant red one and i almost ended up taking it and getting it a 5 gallon tank, but i decided to look away.

 

[daileene]

I absolutely love the coloring on your Betta! Now I want a red one! lol

This is the very first one I saw and I cannot and would not want to let him go. He was just too precious to be left alone and stay in that stinky cup...

 

[daileene]

i have to avoid looking at the bettas. i looked at the bettas at walmart and there was a brilliant red one and i almost ended up taking it and getting it a 5 gallon tank, but i decided to look away.

I wish I had a self control like that.....I have to build up on that attitude coz I am a softie....

 

[allaboutfish]

haha

 

[daileene]

Update video for my 5G tank as of July 6, 2011. I am sad to say that my BN pleco here died and so I transferred my tiger nerite snail here. I am getting so worried for all my tanks coz I don't know if there is something with my water (although I checked water parameters and they are fine) that made my fish passed away in each of my tanks. :-( After getting this video, my water wisteria started melting as well. Any idea how and why that is?

And oh, after this video as well, one of my chili died as well so I only have 4 left. :-(

YouTube - ‪5G Kitchen Planted Tank 7-6-2011.wmv‬‏

 

[daileene]

Okay, this one also had a tragic story because of the 3 day tablet feeder I put in here when I was gone for 2 weeks. I only have my betta left in here, my chili's are all gone. :-( Here are some of the pictures. I trimmed a lot coz the water wisteria was melting like crazy.

I have noticed some small circle hole-like white spots in my betta. Here are some pictures of it. I don't know if it is ick or not. Please help!

He always like to hang out in this section:

 

[McLumpy]

UGH!! Stop it! /crying

Seriously, something totally went wrong here w/ all your tanks!! I'm beginning to suspect that the feeder tablets could have been the problem. But how?! They aren't suppose to kill fish like that and melt your plants! I really hope you find out what happened!

As far as the white spots on your Betta, I wouldn't be too concerned that it's Ich unless you start seeing him flash against objects. That was always the red-flag for me when my fishies had Ich. It looks to me like maybe they were caused by an injury, (rubbing against the driftwood, perhaps?). If you have any Melafix, that should help w/ the healing.

Again, I'm so sorry about all of your tanks, Daileene. I hope you find out what happened!

P.S. There's one last thread of yours that I haven't checked yet, but I can guess what kind of update you have for us.

 

[Coursair]

Okay, this one also had a tragic story because of the 3 day tablet feeder I put in here when I was gone for 2 weeks. I only have my betta left in here, my chili's are all gone. :-( Here are some of the pictures. I trimmed a lot coz the water wisteria was melting like crazy.

I have noticed some small circle hole-like white spots in my betta. Here are some pictures of it. I don't know if it is ick or not. Please help!

He always like to hang out in this section:

Vacation feeder blocks, if that's what you are talking about are very risky in small tanks. They tend to break down and pollute the water.

Also your 5 was heavily stocked and probably needed weekly PWC.

Your tanks were beautiful. I'm sorry for your losses.

When I leave I do a large water change and either get someone to feed my fish every 2 or 3 days or just hope for the best.
I won't use Block feeders. I've heard too many horror stories.

I would not use a BN in such a small tank. Nerites or Otos are better sized IMHO.

 

[daileene]

UGH!! Stop it! /crying

Seriously, something totally went wrong here w/ all your tanks!! I'm beginning to suspect that the feeder tablets could have been the problem. But how?! They aren't suppose to kill fish like that and melt your plants! I really hope you find out what happened!

As far as the white spots on your Betta, I wouldn't be too concerned that it's Ich unless you start seeing him flash against objects. That was always the red-flag for me when my fishies had Ich. It looks to me like maybe they were caused by an injury, (rubbing against the driftwood, perhaps?). If you have any Melafix, that should help w/ the healing.

Again, I'm so sorry about all of your tanks, Daileene. I hope you find out what happened!

P.S. There's one last thread of yours that I haven't checked yet, but I can guess what kind of update you have for us.

I know. I am sorry it makes you cry hun. It really was sad. But I am thankful that my Brendan is still alive and active. I am watching that little white spots. It is not spreading and it is not getting bigger. So I think they are just a little injury with the lava rock. That is his favorite place to hang out. It's weird but cute. I do have Melafix, so if it does gets worse, I will use that. Thanks.

 

[daileene]

Vacation feeder blocks, if that's what you are talking about are very risky in small tanks. They tend to break down and pollute the water.

Also your 5 was heavily stocked and probably needed weekly PWC.

Your tanks were beautiful. I'm sorry for your losses.

When I leave I do a large water change and either get someone to feed my fish every 2 or 3 days or just hope for the best.
I won't use Block feeders. I've heard too many horror stories.

I would not use a BN in such a small tank. Nerites or Otos are better sized IMHO.

I know what you mean. The feeder said about one block can feed 10-12 average sized fish in a 10-15G for up to 3 days. so what I did with my 4.4g and my 5G was, I cut the feeder into 2 and put it in each tank, while I put one whole shell in each of my 10Gs. But it didn't work.

And when I had the shell, I only have the betta and the 4 chili rasboras left (this guys are nano fish). I didn't have the BN and the nerites anymore. And I was heavily planted before the mishap. So I didn't consider my tank overstock when I put the shell feeder. And with this tank, I did 50% PWC 2x a week always. So I know my water parameters were good. A person to feed them were not my option then that's why I had to do the 3 day feeder as a substitute. I guess that's not an option for me anymore in the future.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Okay, this one also had a tragic story because of the 3 day tablet feeder I put in here when I was gone for 2 weeks. I only have my betta left in here, my chili's are all gone. :-( Here are some of the pictures. I trimmed a lot coz the water wisteria was melting like crazy.

I have noticed some small circle hole-like white spots in my betta. Here are some pictures of it. I don't know if it is ick or not. Please help!

He always like to hang out in this section:

Nooooo!
I'm sorry Daileene,what a luck!! -
As McLumpy said, something went really wrong with all your tanks, I also have bad experiences with any kind of feeders, blocks, automatic feeders,you name it,
Looks like it is better not to feed if you will be out for no more than 5 days, based on other people experiences...

Tonight readings in AA have been baaaaad and saaaad !

Keep it up girl.

 

[daileene]

thanks edgar. i know. no more feeder blocks for me ever again. i am more than normal careful now with my 3 bettas. thankfully they are all okay. i would have felt ever more horrible of they died too coz i saved them from petco.

but this hobby is always about learning by experience even if we have done all the things we should do....and I am so thankful that the friends in here are so supportive and kind.

 

[daileene]

Hi, I know that my betta here has been sick. He came back bouncing back after his wound was healed but then when the power was out last week, he didn't make it. :-( All my bettas didn't make it with the outage so this tank is empty as well. My plants are doing great so far so I am hoping I can get new residents in here pretty soon. I am still leaning to getting a new betta but I can have some suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ejaramillo01]

Hi, I know that my betta here has been sick. He came back bouncing back after his wound was healed but then when the power was out last week, he didn't make it. :-( All my bettas didn't make it with the outage so this tank is empty as well. My plants are doing great so far so I am hoping I can get new residents in here pretty soon. I am still leaning to getting a new betta but I can have some suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Daileene, sorry to hear about your bettas, terrible situation with no power!!

Another betta is always a beautiful option, I also remember your tank with the small rasboras, that was nice also. A small community (small fish) is in my opinion a nice tank to have, I loved the activity of the fish in a tank.

Keep us posted