Hello from the OBX...where a lot of people catch fish but no one i know keeps fish!

[Ramie]

Hi! Im so glad to be here! I watch Aquarium Co Op videos all the time! The closest LFS is 2 hours away (unless you count petsmart) and i know no fellow fish people in real life. Im in between fish/tanks right now...i lost my last guy in march. Im strictly a keeper of male bettas..one fish at a time...and i need some serious water chemistry help!..but ill post about that later. Super excited for a forum. Stuff does get so lost on fb. This is a picture of my last guy...Beta...like the greek letter...not betta. Lol

[Jessica.]

Hi Ramie, welcome! Hopefully the forum can help you figure out your water issues. I admire your willpower to only keep one betta. Any ideas on what color your next betta will be? How do you choose just one?

[Ramie]

I know right! I seem to be the only one without multiple tank syndrome. I think its a combination of only having room/resources for one tank.....but more so i spend a lot of time with my fish and still feel very new to a lot and want to make sure i dont have to divide my time between more than one fish/tank. Bettas will bond with you...a lot of them anyway and i just would feel like i wasnt giving enough attention to my fish if i had more than one. I have always before just gone in a shop and ill feel connected to one fish and it will be like i cant leave him....Though...i did once see a orange galaxy koi that seemed like a veiltail in a shop i felt that way about but didnt get because i still had Beta (i normally do not look at bettas unless im buying which also helps lol)..but i still think of that fish....and i want a plakat and found an orange galaxy koi plakat that i like on a website that once i get my water situation settled (my source water has a high pH and its very hard...i dont have the exact kh and gh readings yet but i will and then ill post about my ideas about that and hopefully someone will have answers) if that fish hasnt been sold im buying him. Never bought online before but...we will see. Thank you for asking. I really enjoy talking about fish. I hope you and your family and aquatic family are well.

Edited October 15, 2020 by Ramie

[Jessica.]

If you're keeping relative low gallons for your betta, could you buy some distilled water in 1 gallon jugs and mix it with your tap? If the GH/Kh is an issue for you, you can cut it down by mixing distilled. Not to take over your thread here, just thinking out loud. 

I buy fish only pretty often (working on self control...) and usually they are fine. The koi bettas I've seen are gorgeous. I hope you'll post of picture of whatever your next one is1 That strategy of not looking at fish unless buying is smart! I'm always going into the fish store "just for the one supply item" and coming out with some new shrimp or plant or fish. 

[Ramie]

I understand..like i said still thinking of that one fish. Lol. And i feel silly but if i can just use distilled to dilute it down. Distilled is at a pH of 5.6 ish i believe..my tap is at 8.4ish but pretty darn stable. Would that also possibly balance out pH also? Id so much prefer that. I was thinking either neutral regulator or using distilled and adding minerals back in...I bought some seachem replenish but then checked the pH on distilled and was like ok then id i have to buy a buffer etc. My tap also comes out at .25ppm ammonia (its a well) and i saw fritz made a conditioner that claims to remove it..not detox it...so i was like that would be great cause im not a huge fan of water changes adding ammomia in if i had a problem..but it just seems every time i think something will fix it i have to add more and that keeps me from using other stuff. Im wanting to keep moss balls and pothos and use catappa leaves and i hear they lower ph...but if im using buffers etc idk how that works together..its just a lot. So less is more...if i can just mix distilled with my tap in the right amount and it covers kh gh and pH and would stay relatively stable with "muh plants and muh leaves" and i could still use fritz or whatever else i might need id be super happy. What do you think? Maybe you can solve it if you have a min?..maybe you already did?