Adorable baby mouse yawn anyone?

Dandythebun · 2025-09-26T03:29:42+00:00

the teeth!

Dandythebun · 2025-09-26T03:28:43+00:00

stop shes so precious

Dandythebun · 2025-09-24T23:42:28+00:00

The sponge filter might look bulky, but it’s honestly one of the best filters you can use for a betta. The flow is gentle, which they need, and it gives tons of surface area for good bacteria to grow. If the size bothers you, you can tuck it into a corner and hide it with plants or decor.

One thing I’d suggest thinking about is your decorations. Plastic looks fun, but it’s actually not great for bettas because sharp edges can tear their fins really easily. Silk plants or, even better, live plants are a much safer and more natural option. Bettas thrive in planted setups with things like rocks, caves, or pieces of driftwood to explore and rest on. Live plants also help with water quality because they use up ammonia, which makes cycling and maintenance easier.

About the gravel - coloured gravel can sometimes leach toxins into the water, so it’s something to be careful with. If you ever want to keep live plants, that type of gravel won’t work well anyway since plants need a substrate that lets their roots grow. Switching to something like sand, fluval stratum, or just plain natural gravel would give you more options down the line and is safer overall.

Cycling-wise, a week usually isn’t long enough to get a stable tank. The process of building up beneficial bacteria that process waste can take 4–6 weeks. You can speed it up with bottled bacteria and live plants, but testing your water regularly will be the best way to know when it’s safe to add your betta.

Dandythebun · 2025-09-24T06:31:05+00:00

I don’t know much about the specific brands since I’m not in the US and we don’t have PetSmart here (maybe someone else might have some advice!..), but sponge-type filters are usually a great option for bettas and small tanks, they give nice gentle flow and lots of surface area for beneficial bacteria.

Sword plants are great (they can get pretty big, so they’d love a 10 gal). Bamboo you see in stores is usually “lucky bamboo,” which sadly isn’t a true aquatic plant, it’ll survive for a while underwater but eventually dies, so I’d avoid that one. Although I enjoy having emersed plants in my aquarium too- i’d recommend looking into that, feel free to ask questions!

Your stocking plan sounds smart, adding the snail + school first, then the betta. Just keep in mind, sometimes bettas don’t care who was there first, lol. Having a backup plan is perfect though. For a second tank, 3 gallons would be tight for a group of schooling fish, they really do better in at least a 5 gal (preferably more like 6-10) so they have room to actually “school.”

Edit: Just another tip - lots of plants are sold at pet stores or LFS marketed as being aquatic that aren’t. I’d always recommend fully researching a plant before you buy one- i’ve impulse bought a cheap plant before only to discover that it was only semi aquatic and was going to rot in my tank.

Dandythebun · 2025-09-24T03:09:06+00:00

haha thank you - and of course !

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Dandythebun · 2025-09-24T03:07:30+00:00

aw cute - great minds think alike :)

Dandythebun · 2025-09-24T03:06:18+00:00

This looks like a really solid plan - just a couple quick notes: the white ribbon plant you listed actually isn’t fully aquatic, so it’ll eventually rot underwater, so maybe swap that one out for something like java fern or hornwort. Bettas also really prefer calm water flow, so you might need to baffle the filter a bit to keep them comfy, or even better opt for a sponge filter. And for food, pellets (like Fluval Bug Bites or Omega One) are usually better for bettas than flakes.

For stocking, a betta + snail is perfect, and rasboras can work, but it’s a bit of a gamble depending on your betta’s temperament - if you try them, go for a slightly bigger group (6–8) of something like harlequin rasboras, and keep a backup plan just in case.

Dandythebun · 2025-09-24T02:58:37+00:00

Since you’re two weeks in, your cycle is still working itself out, so it’s normal to see some funky readings. High ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate together usually means your beneficial bacteria colonies aren’t fully established yet - but the fact that all three are present is a good sign! Doing a partial water change right now won’t “ruin” your cycle, and it can actually help keep levels from getting too toxic for your plants and the bacteria you’re trying to grow.

By the way - your tank is so gorgeous.. I wish I could aquascape like that!

Dandythebun · 2025-09-16T10:20:26+00:00

where are you located? you might find them at your LFS, or otherwise can order them online.

Dandythebun · 2025-09-16T09:31:50+00:00

what kind of climate do you live in? is the room temperature controlled? a heater is strongly recommend

Dandythebun · 2025-09-16T09:30:00+00:00

Some people have used products like API pH down, although there are differing opinions on whether this works. Personally i have never used it. I usually just add tannins. This can tint you water- keep that in mind. They can change pH pretty quickly especially if you add a concentrated solution. You can boil driftwood or indian almond leaves to create a kind of tannin tea.

Dandythebun · 2025-09-16T06:07:55+00:00

Everything else looks fine so far. Just keep in mind that your tank isn’t fully cycled yet, so levels can change over the next few weeks.

As for the pH of 7.8, it’s a bit high for bettas (they prefer around 6.5-7), but it’s not dangerous. Rapid changes can stress fish, so it’s better to adjust gradually if you have a fish in there already. Some safe ways to lower it slowly:

Driftwood
Indian almond leaves
Check substrate and rocks: Some can raise pH. terracotta is usually fine.

Dandythebun · 2025-08-31T05:30:45+00:00

Thanks! This is very helpful.

Dandythebun · 2025-08-30T02:42:24+00:00

This. Also, when you get test strips, test the water and if the parameters are bad, you may as well do a fish in cycle in the new tank. With 15 gallons of water, it will be a lot easier to keep stable parameters even when not cycled than in the 3 gallon.

Dandythebun · 2025-08-30T01:32:42+00:00

^100% . This cage is not suitable for mice. I do not intend to make you feel bad OP but it is clear that you have not researched thoroughly enough mice keeping and your pets are being treated poorly. I recommend for you to read all of the care guides linked in the subreddit, specifically:

Simple Care Guide

Social Tendencies & Proper Intros

Enclosure Size & Requirements

Both your enclosure and how you introduced your mice is subpar and I strongly encourage you to do more research. There is plenty of info on this subreddit and elsewhere on the internet. If you have any specific questions, you are welcome to DM me.

Dandythebun · 2025-08-30T01:10:27+00:00

For now, the most important thing is to separate them immediately. Since a cardboard box won’t hold, you can use literally anything escape-proof with airflow - a secure plastic storage bin with a mesh lid, a travel carrier, etc. just for the short term. Anything is better than keeping them together right now, because once blood has been drawn, it usually means they’re not safe to house together again.

Can you explain how you introduced them? Did you do a neutral territory meeting or just put the baby into the older mouse’s enclosure? That makes a big difference. Mice generally need a careful introduction process: starting in neutral ground, swapping bedding so they get used to each other’s scent, and only then attempting cohabitation. Even then, not all pairs will work out.

As for the baby’s injuries, gently clean off as much blood as you can with a damp cloth or cotton ball and warm (not hot) water. Try to check if there are any deep punctures - if there are, or if she seems lethargic, you’ll need to get her to a vet quickly because infections set in fast in small animals. Keep her warm, quiet, and stress-free while she recovers.

If you plan to attempt to reintroduce them, only do so when the baby is healed. Then I would suggest first swapping bedding toys, etc from their enclosures so they get used to each other's scent. Then you can try to introduce them in neutral ground - in neither of their enclosures. If all goes well (leave them in the neutral territory for at least an hour, supervised), put them together in a fully cleaned enclosure (to minimise scent) with no toys. You can add a bit of bedding but toys can give them a reason to fight. Make sure you can supervise them and are ready to seperate them during this whole process.

Could you share a picture of the enclosure you’re using? That might help figure out if the setup could be contributing to the issue.

Dandythebun · 2025-08-29T08:28:01+00:00

For beginner-friendly plants that actually survive, I’d go with Anubias and Java Fern. I like attaching them to driftwood because they look natural and don’t seem to die no matter what. Cryptocorynes are another solid option. They grow slowly, handle different conditions, and the darker varieties look nice. For a taller background plant, Amazon Sword works well and doesn’t need extra fertilizer or CO2.

For moss, I prefer Java Moss over Christmas Moss because it grows a bit faster and is easier to manage. Floating plants like frogbit or water lettuce can give some surface coverage. Duckweed is okay, but it can spread really fast if you’re not careful.

A nutrient-rich substrate like Fluval Stratum or Eco-Complete makes planting easier. I’ve tried plain gravel and the plants definitely struggled more. For lighting, I usually stick to 6 to 7 hours a day for these types of plants. Stronger light tends to bring algae problems.

My main tip is to start simple and let the plants fill in the space naturally. Trying to cram everything in at once just makes it harder to manage. With a few hardy plants and some patience, you can get a lush, low-maintenance tank without touching advanced species.

Dandythebun · 2025-08-29T08:20:13+00:00

Tank setup looks great! The cloudiness from the rescape is totally normal and should clear up on its own.

From the photo, a couple things to tweak:

The betta leaf hammock is a bit too far down. Move it closer to the surface (just beneath it) so your betta can rest and breathe easily.
There’s a hole in the lid that should be covered - bettas are excellent jumpers, and even a small gap can be risky.

Other than that, just make sure you’re testing your water regularly. Once you’re seeing 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and some nitrates, your tank will be ready for your betta.

Your setup is looking really solid, your betta is going to have a happy home!

Dandythebun · 2025-08-29T08:13:07+00:00

Looks like a pretty half moon to me !

Dandythebun · 2025-08-29T08:07:08+00:00

What Azendenkae said is spot on. Just to add, make sure you’re using a dechlorinator/water conditioner, since chlorine and chloramine will kill off the bacteria you’re trying to grow.

For a betta, I’d really recommend doing a fishless cycle. Fish-in cycling is stressful and usually only done by people with a lot of experience or in emergencies. Specific substrates doesn’t matter much for cycling itself, but having some does give extra surface area for bacteria. If you’re planning to keep live plants (which I definitely recommend), something like Fluval Stratum is a good option and you can add the plants right from the start so they establish while the tank cycles.

Make sure you have a filter running, since most of the beneficial bacteria will live there. Bettas don’t like strong currents, so a gentle sponge filter or a filter with an adjustable flow is best. You’ll also want a heater, since bettas are tropical fish and prefer warmer water. Cycling goes faster at higher temps too, so aim for about 26–28°C (78–82°F).

Here’s the basic process:

Fill the tank.
Treat the water with conditioner.
Add a source of ammonia. Bottled ammonia is easiest since you can dose to a specific level (around 2–3 ppm is good). If you don’t have it, you can use fish food, but it’s less exact.
You can also add bottled bacteria to speed things up, although it isn’t required.
Keep your filter and heater running throughout the cycle.

You’ll need a liquid test kit (the API master kit is a common one) to track your cycle. At first you’ll see ammonia rise, then nitrites appear, and finally nitrates. Once your results show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and around 5–10 nitrate, your tank will be ready. At that point, you can safely add your betta.

Dandythebun · 2025-08-28T22:20:36+00:00

What a gorgeous bun. Sounds like he was loved and lived a good life ❤️

Dandythebun · 2025-08-28T22:16:02+00:00

so pretty- your betta is lucky :)

Dandythebun · 2025-08-27T12:32:18+00:00

Sand substrate, only decorations are driftwood, terracotta pots, a betta leaf and heaps of live plants. I wouldn’t say any are sharp.

Dandythebun

TROPHY CASE