xXInkedPhoenixX

Hi @Jen777! Honestly if nobody else answers up that it's cool, when in doubt....go get the stuff you meant to buy and scrap the other thing. At least that's what I would do if I were in your shoes. 🙃

@Danielle77! Welcome to the forum! Cute froggie!! ADF?

Looks like you've done it good this time around! (Yes, yes most of us have done it wrong at some point) 🙃 Mostly unknowingly I'm sure. Welcome to the forum!

I see you have two cats too 😄...ok one actual cat.

OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS: The Accidental Nursery So today I got the rest of my supplies for the aformentioned grow out tank, whose official name is The Accidental Nursery Tank. Yes it's slated for my Vittatus- but wouldn't it be nice to eventually have some Cocamas in there? Yes, yes it would. (however you can bet your bottom if my Cocama bred I'm keeping some). Anyhow, since I put the Mopani wood in after a good boil: I put it in the tank and just let it go as I was waiting on my light...it wasn't (and still isn't I'm sure) done with me yet. It sat without notice until my light came. I purposefully bought a low powered light for this little tank. Boy, I was NOT impressed with it when I put it on (truly it might be just a little too low powered) BUT then I thought- well maybe it's because my water looks like this: ....oh wait sorry that's my coffee, my bad. It actually looked like this: Nope. Nope. I don't mind the tea look but I'm not ready to go that dark. Plus you have to consider these are the Otos that should be going to the LFS or another hobbyist- most people (and pretty much all fish stores) don't have tanks like this- hence the conditions might be a little too far apart for my tank bred- tank bred Otos to take. I've started putting a couple of leaves in the Accidental Oto tank but it's not tea there. So I did a water change. Wow I can see!! Much better. The above After pic was when the lights were turned out in my house the one below is when they are on. There's still tea there, but my tolerance level. The Otos won't be going into it for a while, maybe a few more weeks so I have time to adjust stuff and get the water parameters up to snuff. I got my new floating breeders too so I'm ready for some bebes!!!

This tank is maturing nicely! Great job!!! 🤩

We like pics of baby fish. Post away!

I'm sure you have some great experience to share as well! FYI we like tank pics! 🙂

So! Much to @Streetwise's potential disappointment I'm sure....I got my light today- and I purposely got a low powered light....well that sucker couldn't cut through the tannin jungle the Mopani has done since I stuck them in the tank.....water change! There's still tea in there Streetsy but I had to tone it down a bit...I'm not ready to go to THAT darkside yet! 😁

Before getting back into the hobby did the research. Saw Cory's videos on how some people do NOT need heaters! Because of stories like this and potential failures planned specifically NOT to have heaters and be low tech. I know not everyone can do it so I totally get it- but I am so glad I am one of the lucky ones not to! @Tedrock such a bummer! Sorry to hear about your loss. 😔 What a terrible thing to walk into!

Just adding, if you use thread or string make sure you cut all the long bits off the thread- you don't want any fishy accidents- they can happen!

OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS AND COCAMA (TIGER): The Accidental Oto Tank and The Parent Tank First of my days off I can take the daily tank maintenance a bit slower and enjoy my fish. Checked on all my babies, no recent losses. 7 in the Accidental and 4 in the Parent (2 of those from the Accidental tank). The ones in the Accidental tank are growing up well- hoping to put them in the Nursery tank I'm almost done setting up some time soon. I envy the Otos' ability to relax...

For me 2022 might be the year of bread. Today I tried my hand at Focaccia. 10 hours of a lot of waiting was definitely worth it...

Here's my tank today, just did some daily maintenance (can see my Hillstream sucked to the right side and my embers and endlers playing. Don't bother medicating an empty tank. Give it a rest for a couple weeks or if you want to be super safe- 4 weeks, my suspicion is your tank will be fine. If you plan on doing the coop med trio then you could start sooner rather than later anyway when you add new fish. Just don't do too many at once and crash your tank. One species at a time and have a small QT for your next batch of fish.

I totally get it, I get attached too and you just want the best for them and feel helpless because of it all when you don't know whats going on. Bettas have wonderful personalities and are great fish- it's just a shame they are so fussy to keep IMO. I scrapped all my plans for a betta tank and did a community tank instead and it's been much more enjoyable and a bit more stress free though I've had a couple illnesses run through my tank. Like you I have a fluval flex 9. In it I currently have 5 male Endlers (which were my replacement for a betta- as a group they are lively, entertaining and fun to watch- they are still all individuals and I can tell them apart. They are more hardy than betta. Then I have 5 Ember tetras (adding more have a couple in QT), a Nerite snail and a Hillstream Loach. This has been a fun tank since. I can't keep shrimp but they'd be fun (I must have copper in my water)- don't put them in until the tank is much more mature. Watch that Flex, I've had issues (which is why I think my tank got sick a couple of times)- check the pump often, make sure it stays free of debris. Mine broke so I have an aftermarket one with variable flow (which is better than the stock one). I also have a coop nano sponge for back up. It's been good since.

@Crystal_Marie I'm very sorry you lost your betta girl. Contrary to popular belief I don't think bettas are "easy" fish to keep AT ALL. I have 5 tanks with thriving fish and couldn't keep a betta alive, so I've stopped trying. Not telling you to, just my personal experience- plus I get attached to them and it's just not a good situation for me. Please don't beat yourself up- especially if you got your betta 6 days ago- likelyhood was, damage already done. There are many reasons she could have been bloated, constipation, dropsy (probably not likely but possible), swim bladder issue (but you don't report she had a swimming issue). The death was fast and your water parameters and temp are good so I don't think it was you. There are several people here who are excellent fish keepers and have betta problems- just search the forum for sick/dying/dead betta and you will get so many threads. My recommendation is this, do some water changes, test some more- get your FISH FIRST AID KIT stocked- I cannot stress how much you should have basic medications on hand- emergencies NEVER happen in the middle of the day when the stores are open and you cannot wait on shipments from an online store when a fish is sick. You probably wouldn't have been able to save your fish friend this time- but trust me when I tell you it will be a big relief to know you have stuff on hand if when you try again you can help them right away.

Interesting @Intuos. Of course they say nothing about them being like that on info pages. I wonder if it's partly because they are blind- like a sensory thing. I'm still interested in keeping them one day but that's good to know it's possible.

I really like seeing things like this, gives me some hope in the human race. It also makes me think we as fish keepers CAN potentially help keep some species alive even if sadly their wild counterparts die out....when things like this could happen, we could help. That's pretty neat.

Oh my gosh, I think I found my new internet crush. 🥰 ...that fish is stinkin cute.

You can use an airline ring or feeding ring and train them to go through when you dip it in the water. You can get small floating balls and have them push them. Some you can train to jump out of water for a treat (that one scares me but there's lots of videos on youtube). I started training my last betta but unfortunately she passed away and I won't keep them anymore.

Sounds to me you got a betta with a big personality- awesome. If it's not chronic up and down motion even when you're not there it's not a glass surf I'd be concerned about. He just wants your attention. You should try Betta agility with them.

@mrsjoannh13 I think that's a good pick, you will enjoy them. I would say if you want to breed make sure you have someone to sell them off to. Not every LFS takes Guppies or Endlers (especially hybrids)- they're very common- so good to check first.

I agree with everyone who has said male Endlers and Guppies (so you don't reproduce- because we all know that they will and prolifically). Since I've added them to my tanks they are more interesting and lively- they are individuals and groups and every one has a different personality. I know this recommendation is not for everyone and I've not kept them yet but I'm really interested in keeping Blind Cave Tetras, they tolerate pH as high as 9 and I just think they are so neat having adapted without eyes. They would be peaceful with everyone- would just have to make sure nobody bullied them, guppies and endlers certainly wouldn't.

Awww @Fonske lil dragonfly 😍