Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 So, my darling baby BiOrb didn't last long with the Bettas as I didn't like how unpractical it was for cleaning. (catching the Betta was IMPOSSIBLE) So. I am planning to re set it up, but I need some suggestions on what I could put in there - which doesn't require huge water changes. I have the baby one - it is about 15liters (4Gal). It has an undergravel filter (which I could seed from my cycled goldie tank), and a strong light (oh and a heater). So I was thinking it would be interesting to try a planted tank? WOuld an under gravel filter be enough for this? I was then thinking I could add in some little shrimps? I know nothing about shrimp and their requirements tho. Would some guppies also fit? Or some other fun tropical fish? Help guys 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member number20121 Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 Get 700 apple snails and fill the tank with them! No seriously, I wonder if 4 gallons would be enough for an apple snail. I just love these buggers so much :3 Put an aerator in it and see if the snail loves bubble-surfing as much as my Speedy does. It always cracks me up when he crawls onto the bubble bar just to go up like a little rocket and then safely sail back down onto the gravel LOL He does that almost every day. I think he likes it And it would definitely not be hard to catch him when cleaning the tank,. Actually you can just leave him in there. When I clean the tropical tank and one of the snails uses it super-powers to attach itself to the glass, I still just empty the water and then fill it again. Doesn't bother them Plus with the snail taking care of dead leaves and algae it would be kind of self-maintaining. I love seeing mine carefully move from one plant to another without falling, like little monkeys in the jungle. Just much slower. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 27, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 I love apple snails too! but don't they poop A LOT??? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member number20121 Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 You know, I honestly never noticed much difference in the amount of waste I find, and in a planted tank I'm quite sure that the plants would find some use for the waste of just one snail. I mean, I just doubt one snail poops more than some guppies together 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member devilduck Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 (edited) Apple snails do poop a lot, they need 2-3 gallons each, I definitely wouldn't get more than 2 and nothing else if you wanted to go that route. I had a look at shrimp a while ago, and they might be ok for you because they don't like huge water changes, their water has to be very stable. Plants are a good option as they're very sensitive to ammonia/nitrites. You wouldn't take them out every water change, you'd just change a small amount of water at a time, like REALLY small compared to goldies. THIS is a thread I started when I was looking into them, I like the red cherry shrimp Edited October 27, 2010 by devilduck 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member number20121 Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 Yeah, I wouldn't recommend more than two snail either, which is why I was talking about only one. They're quite hardy and seem less affected by temperature and water quality changes than other animals. Just gotta make sure they got enough minerals. The cuttle fish bone (where you could probably just break a quarter of it off and wedge it in somewhere where the snail has easily access to) works wonders and they really like nibbling on it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 27, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 I like the idea of little shrimps. GOing to check your thread sarah. what I need to figure out is if the under gravel filter will work with the plant substrate - I think it is made for only large pebbles.... hmmm... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member devilduck Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 You don't have to have substrate plants, java ferns and anubias look awesome when there's no goldies to dig them up... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 27, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 Yea but those I already have them with the goldies I wanted to try to actually GROW something with moss and grass looking things etc.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member devilduck Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 (edited) I would scrap the underwater filter anyway tbh, they're just muck-harborers for bad bacteria. Stick a small internal in the middle or something if you want. If you do it right you don't actually need a filter in a heavily planted tank with a low bioload as the plants will take care of everything, mine can handle all my goldies' muck on their own! Maybe just add an airstone for some movement of water to prevent it stagnating. If you wanted shrimp I don't think most of them need current either, just no filter-feeders (as in ones that catch food particles from current streams). Edited October 27, 2010 by devilduck 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 27, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 actually my friend at the store has a 400gal tank of tropical fish just with plant filtration! I am going to ask him how he does it! the UG is way gross. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member shellbell4ever Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 I think a little shrimp tank would be awesome!!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member devilduck Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 I'd definitely look away from fish and more towards crustaceans or something, my only experience with bowl shapes was a betta in something a similar size to yours, he died within a week, he was probably quite old as he was huge for a veiltail but I think the stress of not being able to see out properly and never feeling able to hide really contributed ya know? I'd only consider using the bigger ones for fish where the slope gradient is gentler. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 27, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 I had my betta in there one week and he started eating his tail! he hasn't gotten over it since! I will ask the guy what he thinks. Clearly a square nano would be easier. But I have this one just gathering dust so it's a bit of a pity. THey have some TINY shrimp in the store that look real cool, I don't want any that grown large. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member devilduck Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 Ghost shrimp or red cherry shrimp are your best bet, they're relatively cheap, stay small (<1" I think) and will breed 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 27, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 Gotcha! going to try and go check them out tomorrow. I think those are the 2 types I had seen. is my high pH not going to be a problem tho? I have hard water and pH 8.4 . I read lots of the shrimps like more acidic water. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Hidr Posted October 27, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 27, 2010 How about doing it like this....Planted shrimp bowl 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member number20121 Posted October 28, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 28, 2010 How about doing it like this....Planted shrimp bowl this makes even ME want to set something like that up!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted October 28, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 28, 2010 Don't worry about the ph, I keep shrimp in all my tanks and my ph is 8.4 too. If you could find a small piece of driftwood for your tank, I have some in one tank and the shrimp love climbing all over it and eating the algae growing on it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Lola_Granola Posted October 28, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 28, 2010 I can't wait to see how this turns out! It tall sounds so cool, it would be hard for me to make a decision! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 28, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 28, 2010 oh cool idea Hidr! @Edith, oh great! Going to try and check everything out today if I have time! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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