The New Thread About Nothing - Page 32

Methadrine · 11-16-2009, 02:28 PM

Oh no, please carry on. Lure innocent goffs into it.

honeythorn · 11-16-2009, 02:31 PM

Hahaha, but I have other luring to be getting on with! I shall leave the goffs be for now....>_> <_<

gothicusmaximus · 11-16-2009, 02:53 PM

10 bucks says xjin kills that fish within the month.

Methadrine · 11-16-2009, 02:56 PM

I was surprised that she accepted a black fish in the first place...

vindicatedxjin · 11-16-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeythorn

He..gave you water? Why? Tapwater treated with basic aquarium dechlorinator is absolutely fine unless you have something sensitive like Discus who do better with RO water but I doubt you have those in there. If it's basic tropicals then tap water is just fine.

Seriously, post pics of what you have or find out what they are, and how many of each species you have, and I can help more easily.Some may need re-homing or need small adjustments made.

A good basic tip for keep the tank stable if you don't intend to change it ( though I really reccomend you do ) is to change half the water once a week. EVERY WEEK. Just take half out and replace with dechlorinated tap water of the same temperature ( mix hot and cold to get the temp correct) . By changing water each week you remove excess ammonia and nitrites, and keep nitrates low - you take out the excess shit and piss basically, it can quickly cause disease and kill your fish if you don't do water changes .

HONEYTHORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to CRY right now....here I am prepping myself for the fishes and guess what??? He decided to give the fish to someone else!!???!!! WTF.
I was already looking online for shit to buy and how to take care of it.
I'm so disappointed that I told my b/f what happened and he wants to take me to petco anyways and buy a betta or something...to make me feel better. BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I wanted the BLACK FISH!!!
T_T
Any advice on bettas???

honeythorn · 11-16-2009, 03:22 PM

Yes, do not, under any circumstances believe the total bullshit myth that they can be safely kept in very small tanks or that they don't need a filter. It's complete bollocks.

You need a 5 gallon tank, NO SMALLER. It's the safest minimum size and again, you can get a cheap secondhand tank on ebay if you don't want to spend loads. If you don't mind buying a brand new tank though, then the Aquastart 320 is a great tank ( my tank was secondhand by the way so keep you eyes peeled ) . I have my male betta in one like so

Clearseal also make good basic tanks. A bog standard rectangular 5 gallon should measure approximately 12 inches long , 12 inches tall and 10 inches deep ( front to back )

For a betta, the best type of filter to get is a sponge filter, you will need an air pump and a non return valve to run it. But it's safer than a cannister as he won't get his fins sucked into the grills, and also a sponge filter has very little or no current. The longer finned bettas are not strong swimmers and get very stressed and upset by a strong or noticeable current.

You will need a 25 watt heater set to 27 degrees C

The care of the tank is as I described before, but when you first set up the tank your filter will not be cycled. It won't have the bacterial colony in the filter sponge to process your fishes waste. So when you first get the fish, do a water change ( half ) 3 days later, then 3 days again after that. Do that for one month ( this is approximately how long a cycle takes ). Then you can do it once a week after that.

If you don't want to mess about with live plants, then get SILK plants. Never ever plastic as they can cut the betta's fins. Get tall plants and plenty of them, bettas like to hide and lurk in plants, and also rest on them near the surface.

You could do a mix of live and silk plants by adding a few Marimo mossballs. There's a big one there in my tank if you look. You just put them in, leave them to sink and that's it. They just stay in a ball and use up nitrates. Very easy.

vindicatedxjin · 11-16-2009, 03:27 PM

Thanks SO MUCH! I love the moss balls...and I think I would prefer all natural plants... but does it require more cleaning in the end? I'm going to try and hold up until the weekend to buy everything so that I have the money to get all the right things...I would be devastated if I did something wrong and it ended up dying.
I can't wait to get it though...as crazy as it sounds I"VE NEVER OWNED A FISH!!

honeythorn · 11-16-2009, 03:37 PM

Planted tanks don't require more cleaning as such. But some plants need trimming when they grow long and you must remove any dead leaves.

If this is your first tank It would be easier to stick with silk ones, or a mix of silk and live. Get some tall silk plants , some moss balls ( 3 will do) and a bunch of Cabomba stem plants. Cabomba is the bog brush looking tall plant in the front left on my tank. Make sure your gravel in 1.5 inches deep so the Cabomba can root. It's an easy plant to have as a first timer. When it starts to really trail along the surface, just pinch off the top 2 inches and leave the rest to re grow.

If you want live plants then get a tank that comes with a light, like mine . It's just easier for a first go and the stock lighting is fine for "low light" easy plants like Cabomba and moss balls.

DON'T RUSH. Do the set up over a period of 1-2 weeks. You have a better chance of success by going steadily at it. Get your 5 gallon tank first and the heater and filter, then gravel and plants. Get the fish last.

vindicatedxjin · 11-16-2009, 03:44 PM

Okay will do. I found this tank http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3635107 It's really cheap from walmart but I dunno if it would be good enough...I looked at petcos website and either saw tiny "beta" 1.5 gallon tanks...or huge 15 gallon tanks. D:

honeythorn · 11-16-2009, 03:49 PM

The minibow 5 gallon is fine for one male betta only. 15 gals isn't huge, that's SMALL! I have a 30 gallon on a desk in my room

vindicatedxjin · 11-16-2009, 03:52 PM

Woah!!! Girl that tank is gorgeous!!! I don't have enough money for anything big...but you said that the minibow would be okay for one male betta fish? That's all I'm really planning on getting for now. As long as the fish isn't miserable and doesn't end up dying 0.o... And I'm pretty for sure that once I get the tank I'll buy some live and fake plants...OH and whats best to use for the bottom rocks????

honeythorn · 11-16-2009, 03:54 PM

Small size gravel is easiest. I have black "Roman" brand gravel in my little 5 gallon. But normal cheap small grade natural coloured gravel is good.

vindicatedxjin · 11-16-2009, 03:58 PM

Awesome thanks for the advice ^_^ I'll post pics whenever I'm done getting everything prepped.

honeythorn · 11-16-2009, 03:59 PM

Good stuff. Okay people I'll bog off to bed and stop talking about fishkeeping. Sorry about that!

vindicatedxjin · 11-16-2009, 03:59 PM

Hahhaah it's all good, at least you know what you're talking about

Vindihatedracist · 11-16-2009, 04:04 PM

Do your knees hurt after a long day of kissing ass, or have you gotten used to it?

the-nihilist · 11-16-2009, 05:28 PM

I don't like fish.

vindicatedxjin · 11-16-2009, 06:51 PM

I think fishies are adorable.

DRM · 11-16-2009, 07:28 PM

Just got the phone and laptop back after being grounded for 3 weeks.
:]
Yay!

carakitty · 11-16-2009, 07:35 PM

Now I want to get our aquarium cleaned off and filled up again!
Don't have the time or money to do that right now though =(

On a totally unrelated note- This Celestial Seasonings Sugar Plum Spice tea tastes nothing like plums, and only faintly spicy. It is mostly hibiscus and apple with a little cinnamon tossed in. Feeling a slight urge to raid the CS factory in anger. It's close enough, why not?

Solumina · 11-16-2009, 09:14 PM

Well even though it is November I have been in the mood for a good Spring cleaning so that is how I have spent my day. I did the kitchen from the top on down, I only have the floor left and Jake said that he would get that. I have also de-cluttered the living room and fuck does Jake have a lot of crap, anything that didn't really have a place or that I didn't think has any sort of use anymore was put on the table, which is large enough to comfortably sit six (and if we don't mind getting close then we could fit eight), there was enough crap to completely cover the table and is piled about a foot high, and this is just from one room, I dread how much I'll pull out of the bedroom. At least some of it may get sold so we can make some cash and there will be a lot more usable space once he goes though it all.

HumanePain · 11-17-2009, 03:28 AM

Lurk. Lurk.
Luuuuuuuuuuuuuurk.
Lurk-a.

Noirmoth · 11-17-2009, 04:10 AM

"Im hungry!" shouted the rather fat artist who has nothing in his pocket but moths.

Anarasha · 11-17-2009, 04:22 AM

I am often watching live videos of my favourite bands and wish myself to be there.

CrimsonPythonidae · 11-17-2009, 04:43 AM

Shit I'm happy, I've had the best day I've had in a long time.

I finally got to drive a haulpak this afternoon, did really well and had a fantastic time. The course goes all week then I have to do a minesite safety induction in another couple of weeks then it's new job time for me!
Plus, I love massive machinery, I'm really excited and need to share or I'll burst . . .
Even with a bunch of strangers on the internet who couldn't care less :- )

So, yay for me!