Reddit mentions: The best aquariumdecor plastic plants

>My friends got their first betta fish (male lunar flare) today on a whim

That's not really a good thing actually, getting a fish before having an established nitrogen cycle in a tank of appropriate size could be harmful to the health of the betta as ammonia and nitrite can build up in an uncycled tank especially a smaller tank, but it's not too late to fix if the friend will be super diligent with Fish-In Cycling. A 5g tank is the recommended minimum here, so I hope your friend has a 5g tank for the betta or will consider getting one asap.

Please read & share: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/c8evu4/nitrogen_cycle_art_by_me/

This is FISHLESS cycling - The Nitrogen Cycle and the Fishless Cycle - getting your aquarium ready for fish - INJAF

FISH-IN cycling, which is now what your friend has to do: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle

In a 5g tank it would be 30% partial water change EVERY OTHER DAY, and frequent water testing with API Freshwater Master Test Kit - test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrAte. https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ <--- ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE, VERY IMPORTANT, liquid water parameters test kit. Three main things to check daily or every-other-day: Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Not cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0 Nitrate. Cycling in progress will read some ammonia and/or some nitrite, but little or no nitrate. Fully Cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 5-10 ppm of Nitrate, then when nitrate reaches 15-20 ppm in a cycled tank a water change is necessary to reduce said nitrates.

Seachem Prime to dechlorinate, and Seachem Stability to add beneficial bacteria directly to the filter, filter media and tank water to help boost the nitrogen cycle.

This is the tank I recommend, if the friend is currently keeping the betta in less than 5g: https://www.petsmart.com/fish/starter-kits/top-fin-essentials-aquarium-starter-kit-5262256.html

>- They didn't get him anything to hide behind, but after some quick research they realized he needs something. There is a layer of small pebbles on the bottom of the tank and one small leafy plant that doesn't provide a lot coverage but its something. Are there any household items that are safe to put in the tank for a few days so he has a place to hide and doesn't get stressed?

I wouldn't risk putting random household items into the tank... Silk Plants and/or live aquarium plants would be best, and bettas like a jungle of plants rather than a lot of open water.

Biorb Silk plants are pretty great: https://www.amazon.com/biOrb-Silk-Plant-small-green/dp/B003BG2TEA & https://www.amazon.com/biOrb-Silk-Plant-small-green/dp/B003KGBJ06

There are also many easy beginner live plants:

Java Fern (don't bury the bulby rhizome roots), Marimo Moss balls, Java moss, to name a few.

​

>- They read betta fish don't like bright lights.

I would only leave the tank lights on for 6-8 hours per day MAX, any more than that and you'll get an algae bloom + bettas do still need a day and a night cycle.

​

>- The PetCo guy recommended they buy Omega One brand pellets. They plan to feed him 3 times a day as instructed on the bottle.

Omega one brand is ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE w/ not 1, not 2, but 3 nasty toxic preservatives, 2 of the 3 preservatives are known to cause cancers (BHT & BHA). Don't feed "as much as betta can eat in x-number of minutes" (if that's what the bottle says) - more details & photo reference on how much to feed betta given below...Works for all types of betta food + bettas of all juvenile/adult sizes (not sure about baby bettas/betta fry).

NorthFin Betta Bits, Fluval/Nutrafin Bug Bites, and New Life Spectrum Betta are HIGH quality betta pellets with good ingredients and little or none of the bad filler crap or nasty preservatives.

Hikari Bloodworms are great as a treat/diet variety as they add vitamins to their bloodworms, and ZooMed Betta Dial-A-Treat is nice for a 3-in-1 treat wheel container.

I'd recommend getting at least two different brands of the pellets I linked below + some variety of treats like bloodworms, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and daphnia. Alternate them day by day, meal by meal or otherwise mix them up such that the betta isn't always eating only the same thing day in and day out for every single meal.

- https://www.amazon.com/Northfin-Food-Betta-Pellet-Package/dp/B00M4Q5DQ4/ <-- my favorite go-to betta pellet

- https://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spectrum-Betta-70g/dp/B077MG4JR2/

- https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A6577-Tropical-Granules-Medium/dp/B07194GD1F/

- Bloodworms with vitamins added: https://www.amazon.com/Hikari-Bio-Pure-Freeze-Dried-0-42-Ounce/dp/B00025K1GQ/

- ZooMed Betta Dial-A-Treat is a decent 3-in-1 treat wheel container which has 3 different treats for betta diet variety. https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Laboratories-AZMBP5-0-12-Ounce/dp/B003ZWCTZO/

- You can also try adding a vitamin drops to the food AND tank water - VitaChem Freshwater - Vitamin drops for aquatic animals - REFRIGERATION needed after first use/opening, to keep the liquid vitamin drops fresh. https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Enterprises-ABE16708-Freshwater-Vitachem/dp/B00BS96V78

Beware of overfeeding, which is equally bad for bettas as underfeeding (they are gluttons and would eat till they burst if given the chance) https://i.imgur.com/4RR2LZ9.jpg. (save this pic for reference, feed betta as much as makes his belly match between 1st and 2nd photo, then let him digest back down to a normal belly before feed again.)

​

>- Lastly, they are concerned about a strange red growth on the right side of his head

I'm sorry, I can't make it out much from the grainy photo quality... Most betta illnesses stem from bad water quality, so your friend needs to take action to upgrade the tank if possible (assuming current tank is less than 5g, or less than absolute bare minimum of 3.5g) and get super diligent on FISH-IN cycling.

Please have your friend thoroughly read the articles provided by the community, I think there's a lot more your friend could learn, so he/she can give the betta the best quality of life: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index

1. Blue BlueTooth It's blue and bluetooth! And happens to be the blue version of the speaker I use all the time. (frys sells it refurbished at an epic discount from time to time)
   
   
2. Summer kids Summer dress It says summer AND it's for summer! I don't know what strawberrying summer means though...
   
   
3. disgusting egg seperator It's food related. It's seriously weird.
   
   
4. German Shepherd Umbrella I want to get this for my mom. It looks like a pup we had and she never buys happy things for herself.
   
   
5. Sharon Shinn 12 Houses Series Fantasy world with magic and swords by one of my favorite authors.
   
   
6. A spot of bother Ebook I kept meaning to put on my kindle because $1
   
   
7. Leather Dog Collar with German Shepherd Faces Making that one easy for me! I've been eyeing that for my GSD
   
   
8. Skull Art I just love staring at it, but have never found an excuse to get it. So I figure that counts. I tend to focus more on useful things in general.
   
   
9. V for Vendetta Great movie, and a pretty amazing message about what can happen if a society becomes complacent.
   
   
10. Tactical survival kit Being able to cut wood, start fire, etc will be pretty important. Never underestimate the ability to cut and carve spears.
    
    
11. Slideboard Trainer I am trying to get back into rollerblading, but my heart is making that difficult. I've been eye one of these for a while because I could train in the house for bad health days/weather/ to find out how far I can go now and hopefully improve it without crashing out halfway through a park.
    
    
12. Add on Betta Plants Because fish are cool
    
    
13. Sharks! Because sharks. Is it sharks? Cuz I like sharks.
    
    
14. Standing Wheelchair They should be cheaper because they seriously improve the health of wheelchair bound people. A sibling company to one my husband and I used to work intended to get him one through their charitable side, so this one was an easy find for me.
    
    
15. More sharks!!! I hadn't seen this before, might be nice when I am vending. Why you gotta go make me look at stuff? LOL
    
    
16. vanilla essential oil I use this. It is amazing. Almost like baking vanilla, warm and lovely.
    
    
17. Fashion Plate Kit Not the exact one I had, but the same idea. It was a lot of fun, and I design and sew now so...
    
    
18. Writers Toolbox Something to help with the inevitable writers block, to relax, and play with ideas.
    
    
19. Super Wide angle lens I've been photo obsessing for almost a year now, and am now trying to sell some prints when I vend at fairs!
    
    
20. Octopus TP holder Hes got 8 arms, so why not? Makes me giggle.

He is sooo pretty! That said, the commenters above are right, and he'll really pop and bring lots of wiggles and joy to your family in a larger tank with a heater and a gentle filter.

I would reccommend an adjustable heater so you have more control over the temperature, and remember that you get what you pay for! Ive cheaped out on heaters more times than I care to admit and Ive regretted it every time :(

I would also recommend a gentle filter like a sponge filter since bettas arent great swimmers. Keep in mind that you'll need to get the sponge filter, an air pump, and airline tubing all separately, but the total cost should come to about that of an average hang-on-back filter.

In regards to fish-in cycling, he will be okay. Get a liquid test kit (avoid strips, as they're so inaccurate they're basically useless), then move him in into a bigger tank w/ heater and filter asap and do frequent water changes and testing. It will probably take about a month to establish a healthy bacteria colony, but your fishie will be fine as long as you stay on top of water changes.

Once your cycle is finished, you can reduce water changes to once weekly.

EDIT: Also note that plastic plants are sharp and can hurt a betta's delicate fins! Try to stick to silk or live plants. Bettas love live java fern and anubias plants because of the big, broad leaves for them to rest on. Plus, these plants are super easy to take care of.

If you're not at all interested in live plant care, try BiOrb silk plants. Theyre SUPER duper soft and the green ones have a pretty natural look to them. You can find them here on Amazon.

Good luck taking care of your new buddy! He is such a cute little fishie! Keep us updated on how hes doing! 💖

Lemme tell you about my fishkeeping experience.

Elementary School

I won a goldfish and a painted fish bowl at a local museum fundraiser. It stayed in my grandmother's car while we went to a birthday party afterwards - she encouraged me to just leave it in the shadows. It was summer in south Mississippi, so it was in 90+ degrees in a closed car for 3 hours. She tried to revive it by blowing bubbles at it with a straw. It didn't work.

Its bowl survived, and I kept a few betta in it over the years. One of them jumped out the night we got him, which in retrospect, was probably the kindest death he could have had. Another jumped out and was found alive, but very dried out, on the carpet. Grandma tried to revive him too. It still didn't work.

Middle School

After several betta suicides, Mom suggested I get a tank with a lid. I got two. Meet the Dual Betta Hex. Oh boy. Where do I start?

• Yes, I used the gravel that came in them.
  
• No, I only sometimes used the godawful spiky plant. It uprooted itself too often for me to use it all the time. So oftentimes, my betta went bare-tanked.
  
• Yes, I had four bettas. One died after like a week, FOR SOME REASON. I removed the divider and patted myself on the back for Mr. Moomoo, the survivor, having such a big and comfy home.
  
• Yes, I cleaned it with dish soap... and again, patted myself on the back for taking such good care of my fish. They lasted SIX MONTHS. SIX WHOLE MONTHS! Betta are only supposed to live, like, two!
  
• Yes, I thought they were thrilled to see me. Really it's because I shook their tank until they "woke up". ^Oh ^^my ^^^God.
  
• Yes, I had dreams of being a rich woman one day and being able to afford a table-full of these torture chambers... after all, they stack and lock via ridges on the lids and bottoms, and what's better than four sick betta? That's right, a few dozen! (bleh)
  
  I also kept some fire-bellied salamanders in those contraptions. Poor things lasted maybe a month.
  
  High School
  
  I eventually saw the error of my ways in late middle/early high school and upgraded... to a 1 gallon tank, pretty much exactly like this. A vast improvement over two betta in half a gallon of water (why...) but still unheated, and the undergravel "filter" was a joke. I stopped using dish soap, more out of laziness than out of knowing you shouldn't, but sometimes was "nice" to my betta and gave the tank a good soapy scrub. I had a dwarf frog for exactly one night and returned it to PetSmart the next day for a full refund. At least this time, I had a proper silk plant instead of some fin-ripping monstrosity.
  
  College
  
  Enrolled in a marine biology program (because I love fish... yes, even though I didn't know jack about keeping them healthy) I went all-out and had an 8 and 5 gallon tank, properly equipped, filtered, heated, and maintained, for pretty much just betta. One of my betta lasted two years, got visibly sick one day and nothing I did helped him. He slowly petered out on the bottom of his tank over a month. The other lasted nearly 5 years, 2 of which were in my inexperienced and not-really-caring mom's care (I had an unexpected cross-country move) where the tank got cleaned once a year when I'd come home to visit.
  
  Graduate School
  
  Right now, I have a Fluval Spec V here beside me that's getting a dry-start dwarf baby tear carpet planted tomorrow. And its planned livestock? A betta. In a nano freshwater tank, they're all that really thrill me. Keep your scarlet badis, keep your red cherry shrimp, keep your rasboras, betta are my jam.
  
  Maybe I'm overcompensating?
  
  TL;DR: Betta holocaust. I got better.

Your fish will be okay with non ideal conditions for awhile, bettas are hearty fish! (Shame on your friend for the gift but good for you for trying to give this guy the best possible life!!)

For plants make sure you get silk plants, I’d recommend https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ASDIY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n2SQCbA3CNS37 from Amazon.

They are super soft and I haven’t found a better plant for $3 :)
A great live plant is a “Moss Ball” they are sold at most pet stores and are great for Bettas!


Best of luck to you!!

So, since he's having such a problem getting to the surface of the water, the VERY first thing I would do is go and get a breeder net like this: Uxcell Fish Tank Aquarium Net Breeder, White Green https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00H4XTQQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oodXCb71NDJCS
(Hopefully ur local fish store or Walmart will have them, but they're smaller than this Amazon one.) Putting him in this net keeps him right near the surface so he doesn't have to struggle to get his much needed surface air and The bigger the net, the better...that way you'll have a little room to stick a plant or 2 like these in it: Blue Spotted Betta Plant, Amazon Sword Great For Betta Fish and Use Betta Leaf Pad & Betta Log https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00N3ISXBE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7qdXCb9ZDM0KQ
Betta Plant Red Anubias Leaf By Blue Spotted, Great For Betta Fish https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00M0NC1UM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JrdXCb86XDAZJ
Smarlin Aquarium Plants Decoration, Artificial Plants for Fish Tank, 2 Pack (6 inches Height) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07PH2L3QQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dsdXCbEV8JH9H
Giving him a nice, small silk leafy plant to rest on or hide under will help keep his stress level down and help him heal faster.
Also, get some frozen Daphnia from your LFS (Petco, PetSmart, etc.) Daphnia sould work as a gentle laxative for him... apparently peas are NOT the answer for constipated Bettas. If you can't find that, then get some freeze dried Daphnia such as this: Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze Dried Daphnia for Pets, 0.42-Ounce https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B003WRG54I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XDdXCbFWCWWVH
If you HAVE to use the freeze dried, try to soak it for awhile in some tank water, it's SUPER light and never stops floating. I pinch the shit out of it between my fingers under water and try to kind of saturate it that way

Next, you can either:

1. Completely fast him for 3 days, and see if he poops in his little temporary confinement, and if he does, let him out and see if he is back to normal. If he still can't swim right, put him back in the net and feed him a little bit of the Daphnia and wait. Keep ur eyes peeled for a (hopefully) healthy poo. Or:
   
   
2. You can give him an Epsom salt bath. I find conflicting ratios all over the place and maybe somebody else can chime in here and help us out but common mixture seems to be 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water. Here is a very good detailed step by step on how to properly do a salt bath:
   http://bettasplendid.weebly.com/salt-baths.html
   
   Let's start here and see what happens. But, hurry up and get him that breeder net!😉

No problem! It took a bit of time to link all of that, lol.

While you're going through my post, and researching more, please prepare to feel a bit overwhelmed. Don't let that dissuade you from this rewarding hobby! You will kill fish, plants, grow algae, and make many mistakes, despite how careful you are. I've lost quite a bit of fish myself, but each one has given me a new perspective about how to do better in the future.

I don't take losses lightly, but sadly they are a fact of life as a newbie aquarist. They are your pets, and in your care. Do not forsake them, no matter how lazy you may feel that day. Their lives are gifts. How you handle that is a clear judge of your character.

I really enjoy checking out The Planted Tank every day. I've gotten quite a few awesome deals when buying fish, plants, and equipment off of the members there. In fact, that's where I should have sent you instead of amazon (but I suppose amazon is less time-intensive).

If you are interested in learning more about plants, check out PlantGeek. You will discover that different plants require different amounts of light intensity, as well as levels of CO2 in the water. Your style tank is considered "Low-tech". If you are not currently using proper soil substrate for planted tanks, like Eco-Complete or "safe" potting soil, your plants will probably die. "High-tech" tanks include CO2 systems that slowly fizz CO2 gas into the water column, which is carefully measured, because too much CO2 will asphyxiate the fish. CO2, however, makes an aquatic plant grow fully, and is what many model tanks use. However, low-techs can grow quite well if done correctly.

Good luck, and feel free to PM me whenever you want some specific and timely help. I'm online a lot at work. ;)

Water parameters are super important! You can pick up a testing kit on Amazon for a good ten dollars cheaper than I've seen in stores, and I can't even begin to tell you how much of a lifesaver it is! ( Also it's just good to have for peace of mind. )

I was really new to keeping a fish tank when I first got my guy, and quickly learned aquarium decor is ridiculously expensive. Terra cotta pots are a pain to find on Amazon in my experience, but if you have the opportunity to pick a few up in a gardening store ( basically for pennies! ) they make excellent hides. ( Of which you want at least two per axolotl! ) I have four in my tank; two normal, one sliced in half to make a kind of cave a bit lower to the ground. ( Just make sure you sand down all the edges! ) The last one is wide, but only a couple inches tall, so I filled it up with sand to give him a little raised platform. PVC pipe can also be used as an inexpensive hide, and I've seen people do some really cool stuff with it. Also, plants! I grabbed these off of Amazon and my axolotl loves them, but in terms of live plants, you can't go wrong with marimo balls. ( Though there are other live plants that work well with them! Java fern and java moss are just two examples. )

Also, Axolotls are messy little guys. I'd highly recommend getting a turkey baster to clean up their waste and any uneaten food they leave behind. Personally, I feed my axie nightcrawlers with a big pair of tweezers and it helps keep the tank neat and tidy. ( Plus, it's a lot of fun! )

As stated in title, Fishy is the newest member of our household.

My first instinct was to read up on bettas and in doing so, found this subreddit.

I have several doubts, such as:

• what kind of betta is this?
  
  
• Is it healthy? (Ive seen more vibrant colors on pics posted here)
  
  
• Can/Should I pair it with other fish?
  
  
• Are pellets preferred over flakes?
  
  As per suggestions on this sub, I think buying a bigger tank is my number 1 priority; im currently looking into a Tetra Tank (3 Gallons), this one is favored by my wife, as she finds its aesthetically pleasing (and I agree). However, most people suggest a 5 Gallon tank, so Im also looking into a GloFish Tank, we both dislike the blue led on this model and the black plastic lid it comes with.
  
  In any case, we're also looking to buy the following:
  
  
• heater
  
  
• Thermometer
  
  
• Silk plant
  
  
• Log/Hiding spot
  
  
• Filter * which we think we would only buy if we get the Tetra Tank, as per amazon commenters suggestions.
  
  We already have a net (for scooping), drops to dechlorinate water, aquarium salt (for cleaning) and what you see already in the tank.
  
  Please help us give this fish an awesome life!
  
  PS.: We are not in the US, if it even matters.

Hey all, I’m finally preparing to make the leap into shrimp keeping. I have a ~15 gallon tank (pictured above with water bottle for scale) with a sponge filter and I have a large piece of wood with Java ferns in another tank I’m going to move into it. I’m new to shrimp and planted tanks and am very excited, but in need of some advice as far as necessities.

I’m planning on getting the following:
-Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum (8.8 pound) substrate
-this LED Full Spectrum Light
-some java moss for ground cover

I have a couple questions as well:
-Are there any small snails y’all would recommend?
-What test kits would you recommend?
-Is RO/DI water necessary?

I’m looking forward to becoming a part of the community! Thanks for your help!

Hello Shep! OP, hope you don't end up so busy saving the galaxy you forget to feed her :(

As for fishtank decor I couldn't find any rocketship ones, but I did find these that look cool, if you'd like to go for sort of an "antique Prothean" theme.

https://www.amazon.com/Ble-Ornmt-Ufo-Crash-Cave/dp/B00FKVFCKC

https://www.amazon.com/RIBBON-PRODUCTS-030157015909-Environments-Crashed/dp/B00C3ESXYG (this one looks great for an "ancient" look but it's small, the other one seems to be a lot bigger)

https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-Plastic-Aquarium-Accent-Underwater/dp/B00H56CBVI (these look like the trees from the Presidium)

https://www.amazon.com/JW-Pet-ActivAir-Floating-Satellite/dp/B000FHGMZU/

https://www.amazon.com/Glowing-Artificial-Decorative-Aquarium-Ornament/dp/B00ST6SX24

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Artificial-Decorative-Aquarium-Ornament/dp/B01EY327BI

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Jellyfish-Ornament-Decoration-Aquarium/dp/B06XRNV4G2

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Silicone-Decorations-Artificial-Ornament/dp/B01MSTXAC5

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Ornament-Artificial-Decoration-Landscape/dp/B01N6BMKCL

Glowing plants would definitively help bring up the "alien" look I think. Uniclife has a bunch! Or a "Kahje" look if you put in some pink jellyfish alongside the "Prothean ruins" :P

Thanks for the thoughts! Couple of questions regarding them though.

Does a small time variance of around an hour of light time make a large difference? Like for example, I work an eight hour shift but go get dinner before coming home from work, so it might be on 8.5 or 9 hours a couple of days a week. Or is the timer mainly for convenience sake?

I had mixed up the three seachem products instructions. I realize now that I was dosing two extra doses of flourish a week instead of the excel. Should I forgo a couple of doses of flourish since it is the fertilizer and just use a tad bit more excel for a couple of days until the algae is gone? My lfs sells these fancy measuring kits with a syringe type thing, eyedropper, and some measured glasses for two bucks, so I got one of those when I first thought about doing the tank. So the measurements were right, just not the correct product. >_< My fault lol.

http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-12690-Plant-Stratum-4-4-Pound/dp/B004H1STY2 This is the type of substrate I am using. Is it not considered a fertilized substrate? I almost picked up root tabs today just in case, but I figured I would ask first.

As for the light, would an outside desk lamp work since I currently have a hood and no slot for another light in the hood?

Last question, What do you think would be a good photoperiod for reducing the algae? I have read to leave the light off completely, but I dont think I would want to do that to the plants.

how much do you want to spend? you can get 9L of ada amazonia shipped to you for 47$ but I realize if that sounds like a lot, planted tanks can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make them. I like shiny things though, and the more expensive stuff is a lot less of a headache in the long run because its made specifically for planted tanks. Amazon sells fluval which is a little cheaper, http://www.amazon.com/Hagen-12692-Fluval-Stratum-16-7-Pound/dp/B004H2APVQ

adgshop.com sells amazonia for $47 with free shipping. I just bought a bag for my 45-p which is about 10 gallons, and I still have 2/3s a bag left, id say a 9L bag would be close to what you need on a 28.

I’m personally a large fan of live plants, so I don’t have a ton of recommendations, but these seem very safe, affordable, and fun for your friend

I’d also recommend a floating betta log

I got five of these individual tanks. There's a small clear divider in the middle that's removable. I took the divider out and each girl got their own tank during the first week for quarantine. They're just shy of about a gallon of water capacity.

I had them all lined up so the girls could see each other during quarantine week. After the first day they all stopped flaring at each other.

I acclimated them to the main tank's water and temperature by slowly replacing the water in their individual tanks with water from the main tank.

I then bought a floating fish breeder box and started to put the girls into the main tank. Least agressive first to most agressive while rotating them in and out of the breeder box before releasing into the main tank. There was about 15 or 20 minutes between each rotation, just long enough for me to observe the girls in their new environment behind the plastic keeping them safe from each other.

My guess is that since they'd been seeing each other for a week in a similar fashion they pretty much ignored each other once they were all free in the main tank together. Spent most of their time exploring and picking their own spots. About five minutes of chasing while they all played musical plants and then harmony from then on.

Check out the Marineland Portrait (5 gallon) on Amazon - full kit, only needs a heater. - $57.46 - https://www.amazon.com/Marineland-ML90609-Portrait-Aquarium-5-Gallon/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1X2LC9K1PR12Z&keywords=marineland+portrait&qid=1550531669&s=gateway&sprefix=marineland+po%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-1

​

Add:

Indian Almond Leaves - $7.95 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HG1TMIW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08__o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Marino Moss Balls - find the cheapest with the best reviews - $7.95 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MT8YO3E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

VitaChem - $9.12 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BS96V78/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Betta Hammock - $7.56 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079ZM9H97/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My betta's favorite hammock - $5.99 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BTMKNY2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seachem Ammonia Alert - $6.99 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255R5G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pipettes - $6.19 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073WLCQWD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thermometer - $6.99 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tweezers/Scissors for plants - $11.39 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y9ZGYMK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Algae Scraper - $7.50 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01726KDKG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

API Freshwater Testing Kit - $17.59 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255NCI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Thank you!! I've always admired aquascaped tanks, but I kill everything green so I wanted to see if I could recreate it with fake plants

I actually found most of it on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BUFSKYW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - the bamboo leaves. My betta LOVES this, he's constantly up napping on the leaves. Also, I put the bulk of it under the filter & it diffuses the flow nicely so he's not getting blown around the tank.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5CP1F6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - this was the ground cover. One mat was more than enough for the full tank - I just cut it up into smaller shapes & trimmed down a few wispy pieces to try and make it look more natural.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6ISXKP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - the wood was the most expensive part; there were a lot others that were cheaper and I cringed hard at spending $30 on a stick lol - but this
one seemed closest to what I was looking for

Thanks for the reply!
I'll look into Java moss, since it seems to be hardy and good for a beginner. I was thinking about buying Fluval Stratum as substrate but since it's pretty expensive I might wait until the summer to make it a planted tank.

I just bought these and they are great for my 9" tall tank:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002ASDJ8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I bought these too, but they are way too tall:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003KGBJ06/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Silk plants don't have to be super spendy.

ya I added some beneficial bacteria from my established little Betta tank. I shook the filter out in the water column of the new tank. for my substrate I am using the fluval substrate. I will definitely give it some more time. I was just going off of this post and was using a week as a reference. My tank is also not planted yet. I did not want to add plants just for them to absorb ammonia and be kind of counter productive while I am trying to establish the bacteria (although some people tell me plants help the process)

I got these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079CZRVB8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RncPCbNYGY10K

They're super soft :)

The wood shape is actually from 2 pieces of wood leaning on each other. The tank has the far left and far right pieces.

As for the soil - Caribsea Eco-Complete 2 bags of this stuff filled my 20 gallon long perfectly.

Hey! Some other people asked about the air pump and fertilizer, but the root tabs are the the Seachem Flourish Tabs (these ones). There are five left. These are the scissors and tongs I have. Let me know if you're still interested!

Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum, 8.8-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JMABYUO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qudACbR35MDM5

Works great for this nano planted tank setup.

Can you guys help me find a green leaves version of this? It looks amazing but, I can't find a green one anywhere.

Agreed. I've never seen a molly of a guppy with those colors. Most likely a platy or swordtail, my bet is going towards koi swordtail because it seems to have a more elongated body than a platy. The substrate looks a lot like Fluval's shrimp or plant substrate.

Nice.

There are a few ways to add height to a 'scape. You can stack wood and rock (creates lots of hiding places for bottom dwellers); athough you'd have to get creative to go very high with it and still have it be stable. Can also use longer pieces of wood with lots of branches (manzanita is good for this) that reach towards the surface). Or you can use taller plants. Live plants could be difficult with your setup (although you can always anchor some java fern on top of your hardscape for extra height); but they make XL sized fake ones.

The cloudiness will go away. I assume you're going fishless cycling? Should be long gone before the tank is established.

Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum

I used it in my larger 12G Edge tank as well. Stuff grows very well with appropriate lighting.

Amazon they look really good for the price.

Sure, both the Cube and the Bowl are a mix of Seachem Flourite as base substrate and Fluval Shirmp Stratum in the surface

The Spec below is using only Fluval's

Get yourself a set of tools like these. When I plant things I just grab the plant by the base with the tweezers and plunge it down into the substrate. No mucking about digging holes or anything. If your plant is to buoyant, you can buy plant weights/anchors that will hold it down in the substrate. Alternatively, you can tie the plant to a rock to help hold it down.

I got all of mine on Amazon! Here's one I got, others should be in the related items.

Fluval shrimp stratum

Here's the links for the two trees: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N7X4ZT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_h2cg4x8841lIn
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H56CBVI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_tvS8jRwNMj66v

And the tank is a 30 gallon rimless jvj

Look at Marina Ecoscaper plants.

I got those off Amazon and they are petty decent for their price. Here’s the link. Co-link 3 in 1 Long Stainless Steel Aquarium Tank Aquatic Plant Tongs Scissors Tools for Fish Tank Plants https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y9ZGYMK?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Yeah, I'm using Fluval substrate for my 10 gallon. My tank itself should be fine since I bought it new and I've never medicated it. I think it's something wrong with my tap water

Absolutely! I wasn't sure it was allowed at first. I have two of the Marina Ecoscaper Hydrocotyle Silk Plant. $2.97 (!) at Amazon, but it's an add-on item, so it only ships with an order of $25 or more.

I have been using... what i think is a mixture of https://www.amazon.ca/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-8-8-Pound/dp/B00JMABYUO and https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00TU4NKC2 with a small amount of green/blue gravel mixed in(from a failed aquascape in the passed) for the better part of... 5 years?

Bubble madness?

I am planning on using an overflow filter with probably 5 gallons of ceramic media flowing down to this pump: https://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-store/Coral-Box-Jebao-DC-2000-Controllable-Water-Pump-w-level-float-235-to-525-GPH.html then back up and into the tank.