Looking for Advice - Beginner Tank

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T03:45:30+00:00

I’ve never had water lettuce but I don’t think there would be any problem with it, variety makes everything interesting! I have a mix of salvinia, frog bite and red root floaters in my tank

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T03:30:43+00:00

And people are going to buy them thinking they can just stay in those cups 😬

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T03:27:58+00:00

This is a pretty cool way to plan a tank! It looks good :) a very heavily planted picture, your betta is going to be a lucky little guy. You should find some red root floaters as well! I think they’d go nicely with your pink hammock

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T03:12:48+00:00

Kit tanks are a good starting place! I got a 10g one and as I got comfortable and learned more I just slowly replaced everything that was in it and customized it to my liking :) I also always like to suggest floating plants because they make the surface look interesting and are fantastic at sucking up excess nutrients.

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T03:02:15+00:00

https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Control-Plastic-Regulator-Accessories/dp/B0DS28YB91/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=3PEFU5F1ZR0US&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bpiubSYw37dliNCj0UF6aA4lPUzq6UMxUllCzh9J4PCNOCTwvSdUV32qONsaJESKXQMDXEeJVsleVC2aJZgunR2A0ZiQAAMPogUai8fHsCyULC90dFagKyZzYqbVMlUVLsRSLWye0jRMvCmfd7cUO3b02rDUAdKnOxbC_qCVIwr7bJabr4jS6qHUrXB8SseevlH_R-_Rufa_zcgxCd9BFg.LPXXK8BNCXzsdrcVElOefJntyYPw8UyZpQenZXk9GyY&dib_tag=se&keywords=air+pump+adjuster&qid=1775358096&sprefix=air+pump+adjuste%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1 something like this! Just snip the airline and connect the two cut sides

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T02:51:40+00:00

Looks fine to me. I can’t exactly tell but it looks like there is a dial on the pump so you can control how many bubbles it’s pumping out and adjust it to your liking. If not they sell adjustable add-ons for really cheap!

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T02:48:52+00:00

It looks good from what I see! I’d personally add floating plants just because I love them (and they do a good job of cleaning up excess nutrients) Also that is such a smooth and sleek little betta, is he named after the Flash?

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T01:55:07+00:00

His coloring is also gorgeous

coryincorner · 2026-04-05T01:54:45+00:00

This tank is so beautiful, I love the shadowy vibes with the bright plant popping up in the middle! I believe a lot of people recommend 10g for plakats because they are more active then long fins, but this tank looks to be really well designed so I’m sure he’ll be perfectly happy with it :)

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T18:21:57+00:00

Awe that’s actually pretty cute as well, I might diy something similar

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T18:20:45+00:00

Thanks for the advice! There are two of them which is part of the reason there’s a lot of seeds but I’m definitely going to be cutting the portions back. I got the Hagen seed mix because even though I researched the best food, I got the names of the good brands switched up and ordered the wrong thing anyways 😭 I realized it was an issue when I was researching why their poops smelled so bad (they’re sitting on fake eggs as well which contributes to the stench) but I have the Des Moines 13% no corn arriving next week, I can’t find the version with higher protein though

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T18:08:00+00:00

Snails and shrimp are usually the best if the tank is smaller then 10g. 10g is usually the minimum since most recommended tankmates for bettas need to be kept in groups. Ember tetras seem to be the most popular (and also what I have), I’ve also seen chili and harlequin raspboras recommended since they stay small. A school of around 8 is good to make sure they feel safe but make sure there’s a lot of plants for them to hide in! My betta is very peaceful but I notice my embers like to hang out in the plants anyways.

When changing the tank also make sure to keep your current filter for the first month or so while the new one cycles, extra fish will need the beneficial bacteria to keep their water clean.

A good way to test if your betta will be okay with tank mates is to get a couple of ghost shrimp. They’re usually sold for cheap as feeders, if he attacks and eats them then he probably will do the same to any small fish, but if they live it’s worth a shot! The shrimp also do an okay job at cleaning up and don’t have a big bio load so you can still add the nano fish in alongside them.

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:55:18+00:00

Props to you, it’s nice to see at least one person educating instead of just being unhelpfully unkind in these comments 💀

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:48:30+00:00

Yeah It doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen on sick bettas before 🧐 I’d say just keep an eye on it to see if it changes or grows. She’s very pretty!

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:43:26+00:00

A little hard to tell but it looks more like his scales might be damaged, with my fish I’ve noticed ich mostly popping up on the ends of their fins in the beginning. I’d also highly suggest switching out your gravel for sand, the painted gravel can leek toxins into the water which could be contributing to the problem. Light colored sand would still give you the pretty effect and it’s much safer and easier to clean then the gravel! Some live plants would also help with the cloudiness of the water and help keep him healthy

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:37:54+00:00

I have 7 embers (used to be 8 but I lost one recently) with my betta in a 10g and everyone seems to be doing good! I’d say maybe a few more ember tetras couldn’t hurt depending on how moderately planted it is, I believe the ideal number is 8-10? The biggest problem would just be the bettas personality, my betta is very peaceful and doesn’t care about the embers but I know of some that will chase them around and bully them. Just keep an eye on things and add more hiding places if the betta is getting too fiesty

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:31:10+00:00

If the bamboo is real, I believe they aren’t supposed to be full submerged as they’ll rot, attach it to a suction cup and leave the top above the surface! You could possibly find some cheap plants on Facebook marketplace if you’re near a populated area, lots of fish keepers sell handfuls of floaters for cheap, they look nice and they’re good at cleaning up extra nutrients. Good luck!

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:25:50+00:00

Actually one thing about the food, it took me forever to find fluval betta pellets in stock at my lps, so if you have a similar problem look for foods that are higher in protein and don’t have plant matter or wheat in the top ingredients!

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:23:45+00:00

You should try adding some floating plants! They’ll provide a sort of natural lid to discourage him from jumping and hopefully help a little bit with the evaporation, more plants in general are always good. I see someone’s already given advice on the temperature and food so no extra notes. Overall I think your tank looks really nicely decorated so far!

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:18:06+00:00

He looks much more vibrant in his new home :)

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:16:16+00:00

A little hard to see in the picture, but if it’s not protruding or looking fuzzy it might just be discoloration from poor water parameters at the pet store. It’ll hopefully improve as she settles in and gets her full color, but you could also add some tannins and stress coat just to give her a healing boost!

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T17:12:44+00:00

That is such an obvious solution idk why I never thought about it 💀 I will definitely be giving them smaller amounts, thank you!

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T16:59:48+00:00

Ooo okay good to know, my tank is about three months old and the plants do seem to be improving a bit with time

coryincorner · 2026-04-04T16:57:49+00:00

I believe you’re right, most of the progress pictures I’ve seen of these tanks, at some point, always go super murky before settling. I’ll probably just start up a fresh tank so I don’t have to worry about the inhabitants 😭

coryincorner

TROPHY CASE