Ecosystem

This is kind of a vauge question....

BUT, I have never had an outdoor pond...

There is one small-ish (well not large) kit that caught my eye today at Lowes...

It is a 45 gallon with the power head filters and tubing included.

I was thinking of not placing in inground, rather having it above ground and planting flowers up against it and also using large rocks as decor around it...

I don't know...

Can anyone give me any tips or suggestions on this?

Cleaning, Stocking (45 gallon)....

Substrate...i have some thoughts....

I kind of have a mental picture, but I have never done this.

Any one have one above ground?

I am I way off base here?

Is thsi complicated or pretty simple with only a 45 gallon?

Just any old tidbits of info would be SO helpful.

Thanks guys...

Peace :)

Eco

This is kind of a vauge question....

BUT, I have never had an outdoor pond...

There is one small-ish (well not large) kit that caught my eye today at Lowes...

It is a 45 gallon with the power head filters and tubing included.

I was thinking of not placing in inground, rather having it above ground and planting flowers up against it and also using large rocks as decor around it...

I don't know...

Can anyone give me any tips or suggestions on this?

Cleaning, Stocking (45 gallon)....

Substrate...i have some thoughts....

I kind of have a mental picture, but I have never done this.

Any one have one above ground?

I am I way off base here?

Is thsi complicated or pretty simple with only a 45 gallon?

Just any old tidbits of info would be SO helpful.

Thanks guys...

Peace :)

Eco

WELL...

Here is what happened to me the other night.

I was at Wal-Mart to pick up a prescription for my best-friends baby daughter. I had to walk by the "pet department" to get there.

I saw tanks, and I tried to keep walking, but i couldn't. Weak, I know. I wasn't thrilled about the care they wer given (or weren't given)...and I was getting reallt mad/sad. As my eyes browsed over the tanks the STOPPED at a tank labeled "PUFFERS". Before I looked up I thought, it HAD to be Dwarf Puffers, freshwater. Nope. Green Spotted Puffers. Juvies. About an 1"-1 1/2" long. Just as I was thinking, "what the HELL?". a sales associate turned the corner. I played dumb and asked questions.

In summary they told me that one or two could .live in ONE GALLON TANK, eat FLAKES, and they were totally FRESHAWATER.

Knowing that all of this was untrue, I was burning up inside.

I did not know how to approach this.

Just out of curiousity....

how often a day do you feed your GSP?

mine is a juvenile...i do not know how old Atticus is, but he is about 1 1/2 inches long...

i feed him:

Snails (yuuuuuuuuuummmmmmm)

Sun Dried Jumbo Shrimp (yummmmm for him!!)

Frozen Bloodworms (although he is not big on them)

Live Brine (a tasy snack, he likes them)

and some other mollusk meat (mussel, scallop) meat that i will often soak in clam juice for a bit....

But, just curious:

DAILY...how often do you feed your juvenile GSP?

Atticus (my puffer) and I were wondering, and I LOVE to hear from other GSP owners!!!

Thanks guys...

OH! and i would love to know how big your adult GSP's are if you have the time...

I adore Atticus...he is in a Brackish tank with live plants and a sand bottom

and i breed my own snails (takes alot of hassel away!)

if you have a minute, share info with me!

peace :)

Eco

WELL, I have a brackish tank that i have finished cycling and now it homes an adorable Leopard (spotted) Puffer for it.

It is at 10 gallon.

Substrate is sand.

Temp, 78

Anyhow, the salt levels are just right, and my Puffer is awesome,. seems to be doing really well!!

However, I would really like to add a few more (maybe two) more fish to the tank.

So far, all i can think to add with a Puffer, is....a Puffer.

I know how they can be!!!!

BUT, i do see them in pet stores living amongst other brackish fish, and they seem to be co-existing.

So, can anyone help me in deciding what kind of fish would be compatible, brackish, for my Puffer.

Any thoughts are appreciated!!

They gotta be brackish compatible as well...

expirience or any feedback greatly needed on this one, i have researched but it is all so conflicting...

Thanks guys and gals!!!!! i REALLLLLLY appreciate your help.

is this an okay substrate???

Will a Cherry Red Shrimp or Crystal Red Shrimp and a male Betta co-exist?

Such a great scavenger and beatiful...

I think they will do well together??

Kyanite has a really low appetite. His home is fully functional. Live plants, Heated water, hiding spots, clean, he is set-up.

He looks good; no sign of a inverted belly, empty belly, full belly...swims around, he seems to be very healthy!

BUT, Ky is not a big eater.

He seems to just, not be hungry much, and eats strictly when it suits him, which seems to be about every 4 days ( one-two frozen or freeze dried bloodworms, and that is it).

which, in retrospect, seems normal now, i mean, people only eat when they are hungry...

but i tend to always hear people talk about their Bettas being little piggies. Very picky, but gobble-uppers none-the-less.

Sooo, all in all, soes anyone else have a betta that goes for days without wanting to eat?

Is this a sign of something else I am overlooking?

any thoughts or expiriences?

i have heard that Bettas can go for long periods of time without food, stomach are the size their eyes...BUT, i don't want to dismiss his very low appetite either!

OLD water temperature: 66-68.

NEW water temperature: 78

So, now that Kyanite has a heater, i don't want to sound loopy, BUT: i have really notcied a difference in him.

he is swimming around with a different "attitude", his fins are extended more often..but this is what i am wondering as well...

his colouring seems to be a little brighter.

is that a possiblity? is all this due to the warm water?

are they really that stressful? if you let my betta swim into his own little containter while you quickly do your thing, get the right temp going...while he chills in a container for a bit, is it really as stressful as I hear? i am curious because I clean Kyanite's 4 gallon glass house out 2 times a week....

yikes?

is this bad?

and i also notice that my water tends to become a very very light cloud colour quickly...nothing major at all...just a touch unclear.

the home contains:

Ky

3 live plants

marbles

heater

I treat the water.

Lotttza room at the top for his little Labrynth organ to work.

Oxygen available.

(oh, and be happy guyz....Ky has a heater now! Ya talked me into it. and i will admit i DO notice a difference in his behavior...he went from allllll good to even bettttter!! he is swimming at a nice 78 -80 degrees these days....and i must say, i think i notice a colour change in him...brighter. who knows! Ky rox! yall do too)

Top Fin has a heater out that is 25 Watts: For Up to 5 Gallon Tanks.

I am reading it right off the package.

does this make sense?

i was thinkng of 7.5 watts for UP to 5 Gallons...

hmmmmm.

is that horrible? this one Jess has seems lethargic, does not eat (I have tried mt baby's Kyanite's bloodworms on him, Ky' sback-up pellets, flakes, live insects on top...everything...no avail), seems to have some fin rot, does not appear healthy...(this is not MY betta Kyanite guys..don't worry he is all good!! happy and healthy!)...but she loves the look the bettas...but just NOT this one that someone gave her about two weeks ago. The betta has been this way from the start, she has it in a 5 gallon tank with a heater (the whole deal) and he is just not...looking or acting well at all. any suggestions as to what she should she do? She wants to get a betta...but has no clue what to do with hers now. Doesn't want to be cruel, mean, or ignorant in th process...

thanks guys, your'e great. ANY suggestions or help would appreciated!!!

SOOO, i have an gold apple snail in my bowl with my betta. they seem to be distant buds...thing is, i got a veggie clip for the side of my tank today a stuck a squash slice on it. is this what snails like to eat? so far he aint going for it, but i just put it in today so who knows!...but for a snail, he one pretty active active shell dude!! i have never seen such a mover and a shaker snail! (that is why i named him shaker)...is zuccini better? any thoughts? are snails even beneficial? now i am hearing they do more harm than good because they produce alot of waste, and will eat your live plants (that is why i am giving him a veggie slice)...but i don;t have algae that i can see for him to eat, and am i wondering, do they really even eat algea anyhow? is he good for system, bad, or just....kinda "there"?

i know nothing about snails except it seems neat to watch him manuvre around the joint! thanks guys. i can always count on ya!! RP revolution.

thanks to all your responses, this is what i decided to do:

i got a 3.5-4 gallon funky bowl with a big ol' breathing space at the top for Kyanite. i went from 2 to 3.5. still have my 3 live plants in there and smooth marbles in the bottom. i checked his water temp with a stick on thermometer at your advice, and it was about 72 F, sooooo, i decided not to go with a heater. i am thinking about just leaving it alone...he is active and his colour is good...does 72 sound good to you? he is whipping around as i speak. I tell ya though, he is giving me one hard time...Kyanite LOVED bloodworms...today, he has no interest...i am hoping it was just the tank change and such/stress. question: should i get a turkey baster f some kind to suck up the the two or three bloodworms laying at the bottom so they won't create an ammonia problem?

someone mentioned that i should have a filtration/moving water system: i was always told that bettas enjoy still water?

another myth?

you guys ROCK at advice!

i have a 2 gallon wide cylindet shaped bowl for my betta. i have two live plants, a snail, and plenty of good breathing room for my baby. i love the eco-system i got going on. i treat the water when i clean out the tank once a week. he eats frozen bloodworms, and seems to be a pretty happy fellow, always curious about the snail and lovin on the bloodworms. sometimes he is pretty still and other times he is kinda spunky. i have no heater though. Ky seems to be on his own schedule!! BUT, is this a bad thing? i do not have a thermometer so i have no clue what the temp is in the water...i get so may conflicting answers about heaters...some professional sites and stores say, nah...you are okay without a heater. and then i see some that say, yes, you definitley need a heater...thing is, Ky seems to be all good. should i spring for a heater? do they makes heaters small enough for a two gallon bowl? help! thoughts? thanks everyone!!!