I'm now an official member of the MTS club!

[LandGhoti]

I'm getting ready to move by the end of this month and was looking for a tank to get up and running and cycled at the new place so I can provide temp housing for my fish for the in between of breaking down their current home and reassembling at the new place. So...today on craigslist I found a 25-gal hex (mirror back), stand, and all accessories for $65. Met the guy in a Walgreen's parking lot and did the exchange. Still need to do a check on the filter/heater so not sure if anything needs replaced, but for temp housing, not a bad deal. And when the move is all complete and the fish are back in their usual home, think I will turn the smaller tank into a betta/shrimp/snail compound (unless someone here can tell me whether having a mirror back would be bad for a betta, with the flaring and all).

Anyway, I officially have two tanks now!!

 

[shayfish]

Woo hoo! Welcome aboard!
btw,

Met the guy in a Walgreen's parking lot and did the exchange.

that sounded funny

 

[theotheragentm]

Congratulations. It only gets worse from here.

 

[JustOneMore20]

(unless someone here can tell me whether having a mirror back would be bad for a betta, with the flaring and all).

I don't think that would be good for a betta personally. I know some people say that flaring is good excercise, but I think its unnecessary stress. I would think a betta in a mirrored back tank would be constantly stressed, but I've never tried it, so can't say for sure. I'm sure other betta keepers will have some input.

Congrats on the pickup....thats a great deal!

 

[LandGhoti]

I don't think that would be good for a betta personally. I know some people say that flaring is good excercise, but I think its unnecessary stress. I would think a betta in a mirrored back tank would be constantly stressed, but I've never tried it, so can't say for sure. I'm sure other betta keepers will have some input.

I sort of figured that; trying to think like a fish! Well, that means I'll just have to pick up a 5-gallon at some point then to keep my future betta.

Think I will still do snails in the 25 (after initial fish rest stop) as a nice treat factory for my loaches.

 

[An t-iasg]

Congrats on the new tank! I would not put a betta in a mirrored tank. I held a mirror up to a betta once (the last time I did that) and he flared and raced around the tank for 5 minutes straight and ripped up his tail. Some bettas may be calmer than the one I referred to, but overall, I think a betta in a mirrored tank is a bad idea.

 

[Jarred Darque]

My gfs betta flares up at the betta on the food package..and he hates me..every time I walk into the kitchen he flares up. He is ina nice comforatble 10 gallon.


Welcome to the club, trust me, it gets worse.

I started with a 10 gallon only a year and a half ago..now I have um...130 gallons between...6 tanks: 1 75FW, 2 10FWs, 1 5FW, 1 1FW, 1 29 SW...and am thinkin abotu pickin up a 55 gallon just to breed massive amount of feeder guppies for the 75 which is solid predators (3 JDs, 5 bichirs, 1 ABF, 3 wide mouth cats)

 

[BrianNY]

Congrats. Because there are so many seams in a hex tank, they are prone to leaking. Make sure the tank is completely level when you set it up.

 

[David14259]

They're cool snails, arn't they!

 

[Jarred Darque]

think he means multiple tank syndrom, not malaysian trumpet snails

 

[LandGhoti]

Errr, I'm a "she."
Yeah, I meant MTS = multiple tank syndrome, but if I do get it up and running, I will be putting MTS = malaysian trumpet snails in it. LOL.

 

[Jchillin]

If you look closely, you will see a next to David's post...probably poking fun at the abbreviation.

So, you have gone over to the "other side" of aquaria eh? It's not really a problem if you admit you "wanted" another tank as opposed to the lame excuse "I needed another tank". Try it and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Yeti]

yeah I wouldnt recommend the mirrored back, flaring is stress the betta doesnt need to go through, if you want some "excercise" for him give him a toy to play around with, rather than getting angry at his reflection haha..

 

[LandGhoti]

Not sure I will even get the thing going. I have to make sure it doesn't leak first. Then if it doesn't, one of AA's very nice members offered to make me a plexiglass top since all of the "extras" I got were disgusting and the top was so dried out it had split at the seam. And of course it's so easy to find a top for a 25-gal hex tank. This was Idiot Lesson #4,582 for me.

(But if I do: NO, a betta will not be going in there. I like my fishies happy, not stressed, so glad I asked.)