Finbert

Yeah, the harlequins are nice too. I'll give them some thought. (Although the 2" size is pretty big for a small tank, if I'm going to have enough for them to be a happy little school)

I'm jumping the gun by even thinking about it, since my office 10gal is nowhere near cycled yet, but I'm thinking when it's ready I'd like to add a little school of something or other. I saw some extremely cute dwarf/mosquito/pygmy/brigittae rasboras and I've kindof fallen for them, but I'm not sure if they're a good idea. I have a really nice environment developing for them: Lots of plants, low current, and the bogwood seems to have softened and acidified the water somewhat. But in that environment there's also a betta. The rasboras look like the smaller ones would fit in his mouth no problem (he'd have to strain a bit for the bigger ones). If it were just my aquarium, and my money, once the tank was cycled I'd pick up the rasboras and put them in, and if the betta went after them I'd take him out and put him somewhere else. But because I'm spending other people's money, I really want everything to go smoothly and happily. So some questions: Do you think a betta would be likely to try to eat dwarf rasboras? If so, what are my other options? Tetras, I suppose, but is there anything else? Thanks!

Here's a pic of the Red Sea nano filter in action in my 2.5gal: On its lowest setting, the hygro on the other side don't move. Its highest setting makes the hygro sway gently.

His name is Lurky because for the first couple days he just hid, either in the hygro or in the cheesy fake rock. Of course, when I wanted to take a picture of him peeking out of one of his hidey holes, he came out and had an epic battle with his reflection. But that's good for picture-taking too. Specs: Just set up on Sunday. 2.5 gallon, red sea nano filter, going to install a mini-heater tomorrow, still working on lighting.

Where did you acquire the loaches. I saw some at Big Als, but am unsure if that is where I'd like to get them from. Any idea if anybody else has some at the moment and who has healthy stock? I really like Natures and think I'll give them a call to see what they have. I just finished my regular cleaning and everything looks good to go. I'm so relieved that no ich or other issues cropped up from the fishing being in really cold water for a few days. I was at Natures this weekend and they have some very cute little Kuhli loaches - I imagine they're quite young because they're maybe 2" max and quite narrow. They were zipping all over the place and pretty entertaining.

Big Al's does have mini filters - they're up at the front with all the betta bowls and mini-aquaria. If you're facing the till, they're on the right-hand side of that shelf. I know because I just got one this weekend: a Deco Art Nano Filter from Red Sea brand. it's good up to 3Gal, and cost (I think) $14.99. On its low flow setting it's quite gentle and doesn't bother my timid new betta. I'd post a picture but the usb cord from my camera is elsewhere.

Heh. It's great to make you feel extra-secure if it's there, but it sure doesn't help when it's not!

I really hope it works; I've been following this and my heart goes out to your poor little ones. What a horrible way to die. I hope no more of them do.

Wow, very cool - I've never seen anything quite like them before. I'm not sure whether they're cute, or whether I really don't want to meet them in a dark alley. Maybe both?

I know what you mean. I used to have nightmares about tanks breaking. They are in the basement now, so I am sleeping much better Thanks for the reassurance :-)

That's correct; it has a plastic frame all around the bottom and the seal between the frame and the tank feels good and solid. And I have had it sit for 24hours completely full and no leaks. I guess what I'm worried about is whether that loose-ish bit could be an entry point for water to gradually force the silicon and the wall more and more apart. I am also paranoid!

Sorry, should have given more information. Yes, there is a gap, that extends a maximum of 2mm underneath the silicon. Where there's a curve in that picture, the third dimension didn't come across very well, but it's the silicon curling up away from the glass. Where it's not pulling away, it feels very firm to the touch. It's a 10gal, and if it's relevant, it's acrylic not glass. I'm feeling pretty risk-averse, because our break room (where the tank is going) is also our file room.

I'm bringing all the nonliving stuff for our office aquarium in to work Thursday, and everybody is pretty excited. I think I might have found something that could put a damper (literally!) on our excitement. Along one inside edge of the bottom of the tank, the silicon is pulling away a little bit from the glass. It's not all the way off; maybe about a third of its width is pulling away. It has silicon on both the outside and the inside, and the outside silicon feels quite firmly sealed. Is this the sort of thing that's likely to progress under the pressure of the water and gravel and stuff? Here's a jiggly picture of the problem area (what I get for trying to take no-flash photography without a tripod and after an extra-large double double) If this is a Very Bad Thing, is there anything I can do to fix it? Thanks for any advice you can give!

I haven't seen these links anywhere else on this board, but I suspect they will be handy to a lot of people. Edmonton: Water quality reports updated daily and summarized monthly: Edmonton water quality Calgary: Water quality parameters

Do consider Guinivere as a name for your female :-) They're both gorgeous btw

In case I forgot to say, thank you everybody for the welcome and advice!

I saw the GeoSystems sand too - is it any good? The package says it can affect water chemistry (unlike the painted gravels) but it didn't say which direction. (staff diddn't know either) And the last thing we want around here is to make the water harder/more alkaline! I guess really it's just one bag, so I may as well pick it up, stick it in water, and test it.

You would not believe how the stress level went up here after our Betta died! Actually you probably would :-)

I saw the sand at Big Al's (really liked the look of it) and I'm sure the Kuhlis would like it, but would the plants? Or am I just making this too complicated? Thanks for the suggestion!

That's actually the first place I went - maybe when he gets his new shipment next week he'll have some, but when I was in last week he didn't and he said he was having trouble finding it. He had the standard big size gravel, and sand, but none of the 2-3mm stuff.

Hi! I just sort of randomly stumbled across this forum as I was researching what to put into my first-in-a-long-time community tank. Y'all have already been super-helpful to me without even trying :-) My fishkeeping history: A friend gave me a Betta for Christmas way back when I was in high school, and by the time I graduated I had a couple 20gal tanks that were kindof hit and miss/trial and error things. When I went to university, I didn't have time for the fish so I gave them away, and then a few years later I gave away all my equipment too. A couple years ago, they changed the layout of my office so I was way down the hall, so I got myself another Betta to live on my desk and keep me company. He was very good company, but then people started coming over all the time to visit him, so I eventually moved him out to the reception desk so I could have some peace and quiet. He finally died a couple weeks ago, and the whole office was heartbroken. After a few days with no fish, people started talking about how much they missed having a fish and shouldn't we get another one and what if we took up a collection and set up a whole actual aquarium instead of just a betta bowl. I just happened to have picked up a 10gal with working heater and filter/pump at a garage sale (for $15!!!), so I volunteered to lead the fish committee. People are all saying how nice it is that I'm willing to put so much work into this, but what I guess they don't realize is that they're financing my addiction. My first live-thing buying trip to the LFS will be this weekend. I'm planning to start with a bunch of plants and a Betta (everybody insisted on having another one), and then once the friendly bacteria are established I want to add some Kuhli loaches and a small school of something small - neon tetras or dwarf rasboras, not sure yet. (and of course not all at once) And a question for Edmontonians if you don't mind: I'm reading that most of the plants I'm interested in like a fine gravel. And that most fish prefer a dark gravel. I've been all over the place, and can't seem to find small-grain dark gravel anywhere. I can find it in white, or various fluorescent colours, but no dark brown or black. Where is it hiding? Thanks!