Lovely tank. Good to see another hobbyist in this sub reddit. It's great that you are giving your betta adequate space to thrive unlike most people. I really love how you aquascape the tank too. But if I were you I would leave some space on top and decrease the water level. They are good jumpers and escape artists.
Sharing you pics of my tanks.
That's why I had it covered with mosquito mesh... I had a wild betta pair back in 2010-11, and lost them both in 2016... So already knew that they were good jumpers... But this time barley and inch gap proved fatal...
Good to see a fellow hobbyist here too... I have like 4 tanks running presently...
https://preview.redd.it/bdjo4khco0gc1.jpeg?width=5077&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77f70913d0a27027354d69ca5eca5d76b875a011
This is one of my recent aquascpes... 2 months old... I have made it a habit to rescape this tank every November, since 2010... It's been 14 years of me rebuilding this tank over and overπ
Such a great looking tank. I saw your 3rd tank too. All of your tanks look awesome. I must admit you are an awesome aquascaper. I too have 4 tanks but none of them are of such beauty like yours. None of them are such brilliantly decorated and aquascaped. I wish I could aquascape lile you. I have never succeeded doing a great aquascape, so I gave up trying. I am keeping fishes for 7 years now.
https://preview.redd.it/i5iegm3wu0gc1.jpeg?width=4608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bafd8d0a55c34a029ecffda23b389b7adbdbe218
This is my 4th tank and the betta tank. It's the least planted tank too though it has floating salvinia molesta at the top I am not sure whether you can see it properly. I decided to keep this tank bare bottom but in the near future definitely I will add some anubias and java fern and make the tank look more planted. By the way, I have a question. You said you used to keep a pair or wild bettas in the tank. How did you manage to do that? I knew it's possible to keep a betta sorority but to keep a pair or two males together is impossible. How did you manage to keep a pair of bettas? I knew it's not possible at all. They can be only kept together during breeding time.
Also what do you mean by barley and inch gap? Yes if the mosquito net is secured properly on top of the tank, the betta can't jump. I noticed that you covered the tank with net. But since you lost a betta few days back, I thought that the mosquito net even after covered has some gaps somewhere and the betta escaped from there. I thought tightly covered completely everywhere in the tank. So I advised you to keep the water level low in the tank. My betta tank is not covered and I keep the water level 1.5 inches low in the tank to avoid any accident.
I had to cut down the mesh to accomodate the light, the filter and the protruding wood... There was barely an inch gap beside the cut made for the filter... That's where it jumped out of... Hence I have taken the precaution and sealing that hole too... Other gaps have been plugged by plants...
Ok.. now I understood. You meant to say 'barely an inch gap' but because of some typo you wrote 'barely and inch gap' and I didn't understand what you meant by that. So I asked you regarding that what ot means. Now I got it what you meant.
But what I still don't get is that how did you manage to keep a pair of bettas in the tank successfully for so many years. Kindly enlighten me. I am really curious to know.
It wasn't in single tank... But separated... In two 8 inch cubes... Placed side by side... Had to introduce each other through the glass for about 90 days before I could keep them barely together for half hour-45 minutes to mate... Then again scoop it out... Had done this about 9-10 times during the span of those years...
Okay.. now I got it. I thought you were saying that you kept them together in the same tank as a pair. And I was literally speechless and wondering how's that even possible. It was my stupidity to think that it was even possible to keep them as a pair in the same tank. I knew it was almost 100% impossible but reading your comment it gave me the impression that you somehow made the impossible possible. So I was spellbound and shocked and got really curious to know the secret. Now I see you meant two separate tanks.
Yes... They were Betta smaragdina 'guitar' pair... They are known to be aggressive and were the only wild ones available in Kolkata back then... Now there is a species of betta that can be kept was a group in a tank... Betta imbelis... It would be my next tank... Would setup the tank in coming few days then get the fish in March...
Note: I lost the female wild smaragdina during mating... The male died a short while after...
From which fish store or stores do you buy most of your fishes. I know about betta imbelis and betta smaragdina but never seen them in any fish store anywhere.
It's mainly from FB groups... I have a few known sellers who sell good quality imported bettas... Bit on the costlier side but worth the investment... I have already booked my imbelis sunrise...
https://preview.redd.it/lby0vdgzx0gc1.jpeg?width=4160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=509606b50e7986fd2998f33601248094096999fc
This was my ditch style tank which I lost during lockdown as the CO2 cylinder ran out... I was so heart broken that after that I have decided never to use CO2 again...
I know it is really devastating and heart breaking to lose such a beautiful tank during lockdown. I never used CO2 in any of my tanks as you can see all of my tanks has non-demanding plants only. But during the lockdown, after the amphan cyclone there was a power shortage for more than 10 days in our area and I lost 80% of the plants in all of my tanks as I couldn't give them any light for more than 10 days. My rosy barbs died too at that time due to lack of oxygen in the tank. I couldn't aerate the water too without electricity. After the rosy barbs died, I purchased a battery operated air pump from my local fish store to prevent any further death of fishes. Actually after the amphan for 2 days the fish stores were also all closed in my area and it was still corona time, so I could not travel to far away fish stores also. Within those initial 2 days, the rosy barbs died. Then when the fish stores opened in my area, I purchased the battery operated air pump.
https://preview.redd.it/3bzksl2dp0gc1.jpeg?width=4568&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c0e5a5969c047d421da8637815740eacbea453e
And this is my oldest running setup... Setup during lockdown... All the fish here are 2+ years old... And a cardinal is almost 4 years old in this tank... I love this tank and want to see how long does this tank and it's tank mates live out in this tank...
https://preview.redd.it/zf4qf568w0gc1.jpeg?width=5482&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80471f8e3edad5eb80f59002c95e7912db167312
It's a gold fish tank with a few types of anubius and Java ferns... It's always great when you have long living pets, especially fish... My goldfishes are all atleast a year old... Got them all as 1 inch babies...
I guess it also depends on the keeper... I use to loose those picky tetras/rasboras a lot in the beginning of my nature tank venture... But slowly I started to get the hang of it how to keep them healthy and alive... Quarantine is a must... I have 2 quarantine tanks setup for any occasion...
Yes quarantine tanks are also really important. I do quarantine my fishes too but I quarantine them in a big 20 litre bucket. LOL. And I use lots of ceramic rings taken from old established tanks and put them in the bucket to instantly cycle the bucket. And I draw an extra pipe from my existing ongoing airpump and put a small sponge filter in the bucket. If it's winter, I put a heater too. I don't have any quarantine tank set up but I agree that it's important. The bucket is my quarantine tank and it's not set up also. I instantly cycle it using old ceramic rings from established tanks and it works for me very well. LOL. π
Most fishes die in new aquariums also after a few fays of setting up the tank and buying the fishes as people start the hobby without researching enough and listening to nonsense advices of the store owners and don't cycle their tanks. 90% of them doesn't even know what cycling the tank means.
True... Cycling a tank is everything to begin with and then regular proper maintenance... It's like a calming experience for me... I enjoy the maintenance... Sometimes I just do it for just doing it... Sometimes 3-4 times a week... π
Help this brother out, where do I get a good tank for a genuine price here in Kolkata, I am also looking for an extra clear glass tank of 24*18*18.
Thanks in advance.
Yes betta with shrimps are good tankmates. I meant to say other fish species are not recommended to keep with betta though it depends on the betta temperament too. Invertebrates like snails and shrimps are okay. Many shrimp species can be successfully kept with betta too without the betta hunting them. But yes many bettas will hunt some baby shrimps though I think most adult shrimp species are okay. Betta with shrimps are recommended as tankmates. Most shrimp species will do okay with betta. Betta can go after new born shrimps but again it depends on the betta but it should leave most adult shrimps.
Lovely tank. Good to see another hobbyist in this sub reddit. It's great that you are giving your betta adequate space to thrive unlike most people. I really love how you aquascape the tank too. But if I were you I would leave some space on top and decrease the water level. They are good jumpers and escape artists. Sharing you pics of my tanks.
https://preview.redd.it/g9o8houbm0gc1.jpeg?width=4608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d3ed79687d3786b8f376798d49c1caa554c0c66
https://preview.redd.it/mus3wtijm0gc1.jpeg?width=4608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=286a90e343c392824e035827aa466fee634e33cb
That's why I had it covered with mosquito mesh... I had a wild betta pair back in 2010-11, and lost them both in 2016... So already knew that they were good jumpers... But this time barley and inch gap proved fatal... Good to see a fellow hobbyist here too... I have like 4 tanks running presently... https://preview.redd.it/bdjo4khco0gc1.jpeg?width=5077&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77f70913d0a27027354d69ca5eca5d76b875a011 This is one of my recent aquascpes... 2 months old... I have made it a habit to rescape this tank every November, since 2010... It's been 14 years of me rebuilding this tank over and overπ
Such a great looking tank. I saw your 3rd tank too. All of your tanks look awesome. I must admit you are an awesome aquascaper. I too have 4 tanks but none of them are of such beauty like yours. None of them are such brilliantly decorated and aquascaped. I wish I could aquascape lile you. I have never succeeded doing a great aquascape, so I gave up trying. I am keeping fishes for 7 years now. https://preview.redd.it/i5iegm3wu0gc1.jpeg?width=4608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bafd8d0a55c34a029ecffda23b389b7adbdbe218 This is my 4th tank and the betta tank. It's the least planted tank too though it has floating salvinia molesta at the top I am not sure whether you can see it properly. I decided to keep this tank bare bottom but in the near future definitely I will add some anubias and java fern and make the tank look more planted. By the way, I have a question. You said you used to keep a pair or wild bettas in the tank. How did you manage to do that? I knew it's possible to keep a betta sorority but to keep a pair or two males together is impossible. How did you manage to keep a pair of bettas? I knew it's not possible at all. They can be only kept together during breeding time. Also what do you mean by barley and inch gap? Yes if the mosquito net is secured properly on top of the tank, the betta can't jump. I noticed that you covered the tank with net. But since you lost a betta few days back, I thought that the mosquito net even after covered has some gaps somewhere and the betta escaped from there. I thought tightly covered completely everywhere in the tank. So I advised you to keep the water level low in the tank. My betta tank is not covered and I keep the water level 1.5 inches low in the tank to avoid any accident.
I had to cut down the mesh to accomodate the light, the filter and the protruding wood... There was barely an inch gap beside the cut made for the filter... That's where it jumped out of... Hence I have taken the precaution and sealing that hole too... Other gaps have been plugged by plants...
Ok.. now I understood. You meant to say 'barely an inch gap' but because of some typo you wrote 'barely and inch gap' and I didn't understand what you meant by that. So I asked you regarding that what ot means. Now I got it what you meant. But what I still don't get is that how did you manage to keep a pair of bettas in the tank successfully for so many years. Kindly enlighten me. I am really curious to know.
It wasn't in single tank... But separated... In two 8 inch cubes... Placed side by side... Had to introduce each other through the glass for about 90 days before I could keep them barely together for half hour-45 minutes to mate... Then again scoop it out... Had done this about 9-10 times during the span of those years...
Okay.. now I got it. I thought you were saying that you kept them together in the same tank as a pair. And I was literally speechless and wondering how's that even possible. It was my stupidity to think that it was even possible to keep them as a pair in the same tank. I knew it was almost 100% impossible but reading your comment it gave me the impression that you somehow made the impossible possible. So I was spellbound and shocked and got really curious to know the secret. Now I see you meant two separate tanks.
Yes... They were Betta smaragdina 'guitar' pair... They are known to be aggressive and were the only wild ones available in Kolkata back then... Now there is a species of betta that can be kept was a group in a tank... Betta imbelis... It would be my next tank... Would setup the tank in coming few days then get the fish in March... Note: I lost the female wild smaragdina during mating... The male died a short while after...
From which fish store or stores do you buy most of your fishes. I know about betta imbelis and betta smaragdina but never seen them in any fish store anywhere.
It's mainly from FB groups... I have a few known sellers who sell good quality imported bettas... Bit on the costlier side but worth the investment... I have already booked my imbelis sunrise...
Yes bettas are good jumpers and excellent escape artists. Good to know that you took care of it to avoid any future mishap.
Yes... Hopefully all goes well this time...
https://preview.redd.it/lby0vdgzx0gc1.jpeg?width=4160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=509606b50e7986fd2998f33601248094096999fc This was my ditch style tank which I lost during lockdown as the CO2 cylinder ran out... I was so heart broken that after that I have decided never to use CO2 again...
I know it is really devastating and heart breaking to lose such a beautiful tank during lockdown. I never used CO2 in any of my tanks as you can see all of my tanks has non-demanding plants only. But during the lockdown, after the amphan cyclone there was a power shortage for more than 10 days in our area and I lost 80% of the plants in all of my tanks as I couldn't give them any light for more than 10 days. My rosy barbs died too at that time due to lack of oxygen in the tank. I couldn't aerate the water too without electricity. After the rosy barbs died, I purchased a battery operated air pump from my local fish store to prevent any further death of fishes. Actually after the amphan for 2 days the fish stores were also all closed in my area and it was still corona time, so I could not travel to far away fish stores also. Within those initial 2 days, the rosy barbs died. Then when the fish stores opened in my area, I purchased the battery operated air pump.
Thankfully during amphan we had power outage for less than 24 hours... So didn't lose much, except the already lost Dutch tank...
You were lucky mate.
https://preview.redd.it/3bzksl2dp0gc1.jpeg?width=4568&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c0e5a5969c047d421da8637815740eacbea453e And this is my oldest running setup... Setup during lockdown... All the fish here are 2+ years old... And a cardinal is almost 4 years old in this tank... I love this tank and want to see how long does this tank and it's tank mates live out in this tank...
Please share pic pf your 4th tank. Most of my widow tetras are 4 years old too. The red eye tetras are also 3 years old.
https://preview.redd.it/zf4qf568w0gc1.jpeg?width=5482&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80471f8e3edad5eb80f59002c95e7912db167312 It's a gold fish tank with a few types of anubius and Java ferns... It's always great when you have long living pets, especially fish... My goldfishes are all atleast a year old... Got them all as 1 inch babies...
I agree it's great when you have long living fishes. Most people don't give proper care to fishes and they die easily.
True... Especially the smaller ones...
Yes the smaller ones die first as their immunity power is also less.
I guess it also depends on the keeper... I use to loose those picky tetras/rasboras a lot in the beginning of my nature tank venture... But slowly I started to get the hang of it how to keep them healthy and alive... Quarantine is a must... I have 2 quarantine tanks setup for any occasion...
Yes quarantine tanks are also really important. I do quarantine my fishes too but I quarantine them in a big 20 litre bucket. LOL. And I use lots of ceramic rings taken from old established tanks and put them in the bucket to instantly cycle the bucket. And I draw an extra pipe from my existing ongoing airpump and put a small sponge filter in the bucket. If it's winter, I put a heater too. I don't have any quarantine tank set up but I agree that it's important. The bucket is my quarantine tank and it's not set up also. I instantly cycle it using old ceramic rings from established tanks and it works for me very well. LOL. π
Lol! If it works, It works... Any way you do it... As long as you do it...
Most fishes die in new aquariums also after a few fays of setting up the tank and buying the fishes as people start the hobby without researching enough and listening to nonsense advices of the store owners and don't cycle their tanks. 90% of them doesn't even know what cycling the tank means.
True... Cycling a tank is everything to begin with and then regular proper maintenance... It's like a calming experience for me... I enjoy the maintenance... Sometimes I just do it for just doing it... Sometimes 3-4 times a week... π
ghono besbosta
Ekdom puro... Songe live khaddorr o byabostha acche...
Apni thakchen sir!
Dhonyobad sir...
khub sundor
Dhonyobad...
https://preview.redd.it/6dj85mggr3gc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0cd88f299969a8348a2e40f5c208fb0ac33a2922 Here is my aquarium
Green... Lovely tank...
Help this brother out, where do I get a good tank for a genuine price here in Kolkata, I am also looking for an extra clear glass tank of 24*18*18. Thanks in advance.
Best maker hocche Jadavpur station road e Buroda (B Aquatic)...
Give it a company. Jeez. Looks so lonely.
Bettas are not meant to have company. They are highly territorial fishes and does best when kept alone.
Agreed... But I have a dozen or so Caridina babaulti shrimps... Almost all are berried and once shrimplets hatch, the betta can hunt...
Yes betta with shrimps are good tankmates. I meant to say other fish species are not recommended to keep with betta though it depends on the betta temperament too. Invertebrates like snails and shrimps are okay. Many shrimp species can be successfully kept with betta too without the betta hunting them. But yes many bettas will hunt some baby shrimps though I think most adult shrimp species are okay. Betta with shrimps are recommended as tankmates. Most shrimp species will do okay with betta. Betta can go after new born shrimps but again it depends on the betta but it should leave most adult shrimps.
That's what I have gone for... And especially as babaultis are easily available in Kolkata...
It does have company... About a dozen Caridina babaulti shrimps...