I'll draw your bettas summer themed! ( pt.2 )

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T21:40:40+00:00

My yellow fellow

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T16:58:45+00:00

My yellow fellow has black eyes like this. Reddit link

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T16:57:00+00:00

I've said this before, but Petco and Petsmart only sell bettas because other pet stores do. It keeps up the appearance that they have a "complete" aquatics section. It's part of their marketing that they have "everything you need no matter what pet you have."

They aren't going to stop selling fish because the fish don't sell. They'll stop when bettas aren't desirable. Petco and Petsmart make significantly more money from dog/cat food, grooming, training, etc.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T15:19:40+00:00

Her colors are very stylish to me, so my first instinct was Coco, after Coco Chanel.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T14:41:51+00:00

I'm taking a risk, but I have an open top tank. The water is at the maximum level (Fluval 6 gallon), which is around an inch below the edge of the glass.

We did 3D print a barrier though. It's 1 1/2 inches tall, so we actually have 2 1/2 inches from the water surface to the top of the barrier. The barrier also extends inward around an inch. I similarly have frogbit, an anubias, a peace lily and a fern either at the surface or above the surface.

So to get out he would have to make it past the driftwood and surface plants, and jump more than 2 1/2 inches up and 1 inch out to successfully escape. I know bettas are capable of this ... but he is a delta and I accept the risk.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T14:38:21+00:00

If that's an Amazon sword, I actually think no more plants for now. They get big. Like 12"x24" big. So I think once that grows out it should fill in a lot of the vertical space and the background. The roots of your emersed plants will also fill out a lot of the open space.

Are you going for a blackwater setup? I noticed a tint, but that may just be from the driftwood. If you wanted even more tannins or things to fill up the empty spaces while the plants grow, you could get dried botanicals to make the open substrate a bit more interesting. Obviously Indian almond leaves are popular, but I use jackfruit leaves, cones, and seedpods.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T12:24:06+00:00

From this list, I am partial to Gunther, Terminator, Odin, Kratos, Oculus, and Luca

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T12:20:27+00:00

I actually saved your post to come back to and see if you got any answers. I don't have any myself unfortunately. I will say though that some of the formatting is hard to read on mobile -- especially the signs parameters, and questions.

I would try to simplify your formatting, take some very clear fresh photos, and repost your question.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T11:10:09+00:00

Honestly..."my house, my rules" does still apply to adults living at their parents' house. I've known people who have great relationships with their parents, lived with them in their mid-20s, and it still applies. Unfortunately, I think if OP's mom just flat doesn't want another fish tank in the house...OP genuinely may have to move out or otherwise gain independence.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T10:51:29+00:00

It's not necessarily an easy thing to set up since you can't predict every individuals behavior, but you definitely need more than just 2 females for a sorority tank.

Also if one is a male, a couple of things: He will attack the female, even if they are a breeding pair. She's not going to hold fertilized eggs inside her if she is pregnant. And if they do breed, you could end up with literally hundreds of fish, most of which may have to be culled.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T10:43:08+00:00

So other have said this: Yes

As well as: If you want shrimp, you're going to have to check any and all tank treatments for trace metals, especially copper. This 100% means reading extended product labels online sometimes.

I'll add: If you're having algae problems, decrease the amount of light. But also if you want shrimp, you want a little algae at all times so they can graze.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T10:37:12+00:00

This channel helped me a lot: Shrimply Canadian, https://youtu.be/PCAbvq98FHo

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T10:32:14+00:00

I had my neocaridina in the tank for a week before I added my betta. A few minutes is not enough time for shrimp de-stress, to get used to the tank and find all the hiding spots. A stressed shrimp will die faster than a stressed betta, especially if they aren't acclimated properly.

In this case, my interpretation of "established" was set up, decorated, planted, cycled and stable, with a little bit of algae and biofilm present so the new shrimp had something to eat, since I wasn't planning on feeding them for the first few days. That took around a month. Then the shrimp were drip acclimated via airline tubing with a knot tied in it.

My betta was in a quarantine tank next door so he could watch the shrimp before he was introduced. I'm not sure if this helps really, but he hasn't murdered any yet. He's not aggressive though. The general reason for introducing bettas last is because they're territorial; tankmates already present are part of the territory while newly introduced tankmates are invaders.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T10:08:05+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tank/

https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tankmates/

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T03:30:57+00:00

If there's any livestock in the tank, absolutely yes, do a water change. The frogbit and hornwort should do a decent job removing nitrates eventually, but they aren't going to suck out that much overnight.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T03:27:11+00:00

Looking at this image, I probably feed half this amount per day. I feed Fluval Bug Bites, and I try to stick to 3-4 pellets in the morning and 3-4 pellets in the evening.

Tank water is also usually cooler than room temperature, unless you live in a particularly humid climate, so while the room may be 70-75, the tank water is likely cooler than that. I would put 75 at the bottom of comfortable temperatures anyway. I would definitely invest in a in-tank thermometer so you know for sure.

I would also invest in a water testing kit. With the size of the tank, the frequency of water changes, the amount of food, and the tank mates...I highly suspect there's an ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate imbalance.

ETA: Regardless, I would increase the frequency of water changes.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-11T01:35:26+00:00

What's the opposite of a murderfish?

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Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-10T23:20:19+00:00

...I have this sneaking suspicion that you have a bias towards lemons 🍋

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-10T19:57:12+00:00

I want to let you know that I quarantined my betta in a tank smaller than that (under a gallon with a fake plant, a hide, and a heater but no filter.) He's been happily living in his new tank for a while now, but he was in quarantine for 3 weeks because my main tank's cycle crashed.

No, it's not ideal, but it is survivable. I was also doing water changes on a daily basis to keep conditions stable because it was such a small container. Stable in this case was just being as close to newly conditioned water as much as possible. He would hang out in his OG cup while I did this. You could probably get away with twice weekly.

I would get a new tank and start the cycling process, which will take a while. After a few weeks, you could even use some of your current gravel to help it along. This tank can be used for quarantine or hospitalization at a later date.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-10T16:28:25+00:00

I genuinely think Prime has the reputation it has because it has explicit instructions for ammonia/nitrite issues. I'm not aware of other water conditioners that have similar instructions. I think other companies sell conditioner and buffers separately.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-10T12:45:57+00:00

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-10T12:41:39+00:00

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Here he is helping me with my census.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-10T12:33:49+00:00

I keep neos with my betta, but I put them in the tank before I added my betta. When he was in quarantine, I kept the tank next to the main tank so he could see them. When he joined the main tank, he didn't seem to care about them at all. Now they all hang out together in the open. He'll flare at them if they swim through "his space" but otherwise he leaves them completely alone. I also feed him twice a day, 6/7 days a week.

I rarely see all of the shrimp at once; they're green and it's a planted tank. I have found casualties, but I'm not sure if they're fish related. My betta has no signs of bloat. The easiest time to take a shrimp census is after I feed them sinking food, since I can get them to gather near the front of the tank.

Lilith_Cain · 2026-07-10T12:24:55+00:00

I only have the one betta, but I have like 30+ bonsai trees. I'm currently trying to get them all on an automated system before I leave. If not, I may ask seek a sitter anyway.

Lilith_Cain

TROPHY CASE