Tankload of questions (long)

I'M ANSEWERING IN CAPS
"Polarhound" wrote in message
...
Several questions for all of you today. Any advice is appreciated.

At a small wedding I attended last week, we were given a betta along
with all the basic supplies as the table gift. First time I have seen
someone do this, but in his case it is appropriate as the groom is a big
fish fanatic (over 1000gal in tanks, with his family including the likes
of a lungfish, stonefish, buttikoferi, waterdog, oscars, lionfish,
electric eels, rays, and an alligator named Fluffy) and works at an LFS
to boot.

The fish themselves were given in vases along with gravel, water
conditioner, and food, so the basics are taken care of. While he has
been in the vase, he gets a 100% water change and gravel rinse every 3
days.

I've decided to move the betta to a 5gal tank, (possibly an Eclipse Hex
5,) and give him a few mates, most likely 5-6 neon tetras.

Question 1: Is a half dozen neons too many for this tank, based on
1"/gal?
THE BETTA MIGHT GO FOR THE FISH AS A MEAL, YOU ARE BETTER OFF GETTING
PLATYS, PLUS THEY DON'T REQUIRE HEAT LIKE THE BETTA, UNLESS YOU WANT TO
SPOIL HIM, THEN GET THE HEATER YOU ARE REALLY GIVING HIM A LOT OF FOOD
CHOCIES, HE'S JUST STOBBORN, HE'LL CHANGE ONCE HE'S HUNGARY.
SOME BETTAS GIVE MORE WASTE THAN OTHERS, IN YOUR CASE A LOT, SO A 5 GAL W/
FILTER+ THE OTHER VARIUS FISH WILL BE GREAT!!!
Since I brought the betta home, it has not eaten at all. I have tried
Splendid Betta pellets (that came with the betta), Tetra freeze dried
blood worms, (specifically marked as being good for bettas,) a piece of
frozen blood worm, a piece of Sera Vipan staple flake food, and 1/4
cooked pea.. He won't eat any of it. As well, even though I fish the
food out of the bowl after 15-20min, the gravel rinsings show copious
amounts of waste.

He does move around the bowl, responds to me when I am nearby (but only
when looking from directly above), and has been blowing some bubbles.
Fins are not clamped during movement, and no disease indicators (other
then a tiny gray spot that has since shown up at the base of his dorsal
fin,) and becomes more active if I move him next to one of my other tanks.

Question 2: I know bettas can go a month without starving. Should I
just not feed him for about a week and see if he changes moods? I
realize that the double move (LFS to wedding to home) was likely very
stressful.
I WOULDN'T STARVE HIM FOR A WEEK, MAYBE A THREE DAY W/OUT FOOD WOULD NOT
SEEM AS CRUEL, BETTAS ARE KNOW AS PIGS SOMETIMES!
Now, on to the new tank. I have several tanks of which I can pull
cultured gravel from. Well, all except Marty's (my 2.5" buttikoferi)
tank.. He's liable to have it spread all over the tank within an hour!
However, none of the colors match what I want to use in his new home.

Question 3: If I were to say, put some of the new gravel in a cup
inside one of my current tanks, how long would it reasonably take to
have enough bacteria attach itself to be able to jump-start the new
tank? As an alternative, would it be easier to temporarily install a
corner filter filled with cultured gravel?
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO W/ A BIO-WHEEL FILTER.
USALLY YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO DO THAT (I DIDN'T ANY WAYS, AND MINE ARE
FINE)
Question 4: The only experience I have with a biowheel is in my 75g
tank which had the wheels from day one. Would soaking the new wheel in
one of my established tanks do more than what I asked in question 3?
I DO'T THINK SO...
Now that I mentioned Marty, it brings me to my next question,
specifically feeding.

If I were to dump a whole container of food into his tank (10g until he
grows a bit more) he would probably eat it in 20 minutes. Voracious is
an understatement with him. I feed him once per day, starting with
Tetra mini pellets, then a few flakes, then some freeze dried blood
worms. I know that you should never feed more than they can eat in a
few minutes, but does this include when he's eating like a starved
lunatic? I put in the food in small amounts, of which he always eats in
about 10 seconds flat. Several small pinches (5-6 at a time) of the
pellets, a couple of flakes, then a few bloodworms at a time. Although
sometimes he slows down during the bloodworms, he usually is clamoring
for more when I end the feeding.
YOU'LL CLOUD THE TANK VERY VERY FAST, AND BE CHANGING THE FILTER A LOT!
PLUS UNKNOWN DESISAS WILL BE ADDED B/C OF THE FDB. WHITCH GIVES OFF A LOT OF
JUNK IN THE FIRST PLACE, I'D STICK TO THE PELLETS.UNLESS HE DOSEN'T EAT
THEM, THEN FEED HIM THE FDB.
Question 5: In a case like this, how much is too much?
IF YOU OVER FEED, HE WILL BECOME BLOATED, AND GET SWIM BLADDER DESIAS, AS
YOU CAN IMAGIN, THIS IS VERY STRESS FULL AND UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE POOR
FISH.
Marty is truly a creature of habit. He expects his one big meal a day,
and if you try to feed him at any other point in time he'll ignore it.

(Last question now, I promise!)

When I am cleaning the smaller tanks, it is hard for me to do a proper
cleaning without removing too much water. Specifically, cleaning the
gravel in the 10G is a royal pain. Normally I only get half the gravel
done before I hit the water limit. This is with a manual siphon. Using
a Python is not an option, as I can't get suction running the hose down
a flight of stairs, and the sink on the same level doesn't allow me to
get a good seal to get any suction.
GET A LONGER HOSE, DON'T BE TO LAZY LOL
Question 6: Any recommendations on better ways to clean the gravel? I
ask because this problem may be magnified with the 5g tank coming later
today. Should I look into a lower powered battery operated siphon?
Should I rotate scooping portions of the gravel out and rinsing it? The
10g has a little under 1" of gravel at present, with some areas deeper
than others, thanks to Marty's hole digging and plant rearranging antics.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE FISH OR SOMETHING? IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A
CICHLID!!
HOLE DIGGING AND PLANT REARRANGING??? WHAT???
NOW I'M LOST! LOL
ELIZABETH

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Sherm wrote:

If I were to dump a whole container of food into his tank (10g until he
grows a bit more) he would probably eat it in 20 minutes. Voracious is
an understatement with him. I feed him once per day, starting with
Tetra mini pellets, then a few flakes, then some freeze dried blood
worms. I know that you should never feed more than they can eat in a
few minutes, but does this include when he's eating like a starved
lunatic? I put in the food in small amounts, of which he always eats in
about 10 seconds flat. Several small pinches (5-6 at a time) of the
pellets, a couple of flakes, then a few bloodworms at a time. Although
sometimes he slows down during the bloodworms, he usually is clamoring
for more when I end the feeding.
YOU'LL CLOUD THE TANK VERY VERY FAST, AND BE CHANGING THE FILTER A LOT!

PLUS UNKNOWN DESISAS WILL BE ADDED B/C OF THE FDB. WHITCH GIVES OFF A LOT OF
JUNK IN THE FIRST PLACE, I'D STICK TO THE PELLETS.UNLESS HE DOSEN'T EAT
THEM, THEN FEED HIM THE FDB.

The tank hasn't ever clouded in the slighest, and the gravel gets
regular cleanings. The filter media normally gets changed once a month.
He'd probably gobble down a cheeseburger if I threw it in there

Question 5: In a case like this, how much is too much?
IF YOU OVER FEED, HE WILL BECOME BLOATED, AND GET SWIM BLADDER DESIAS, AS

YOU CAN IMAGIN, THIS IS VERY STRESS FULL AND UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE POOR
FISH.

He has been feed as I listed above for some time, and if anything, he
has gotten MORE active. This is not a choppy stressed active either..
His movements remain very fluid. There has been no sign of bloat
whatsoever. He's healthy, energetic, and full of personality.

When I am cleaning the smaller tanks, it is hard for me to do a proper
cleaning without removing too much water. Specifically, cleaning the
gravel in the 10G is a royal pain. Normally I only get half the gravel
done before I hit the water limit. This is with a manual siphon. Using
a Python is not an option, as I can't get suction running the hose down
a flight of stairs, and the sink on the same level doesn't allow me to
get a good seal to get any suction.
GET A LONGER HOSE, DON'T BE TO LAZY LOL

The hose is long enough.

THe problem is, if I go down one level below the only sink I can get a
solid hookup to, there isn't enough suction to counter gravity and make
water flow upwards.

Question 6: Any recommendations on better ways to clean the gravel? I
ask because this problem may be magnified with the 5g tank coming later
today. Should I look into a lower powered battery operated siphon?
Should I rotate scooping portions of the gravel out and rinsing it? The
10g has a little under 1" of gravel at present, with some areas deeper
than others, thanks to Marty's hole digging and plant rearranging antics.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE FISH OR SOMETHING? IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A
CICHLID!!
HOLE DIGGING AND PLANT REARRANGING??? WHAT???
NOW I'M LOST! LOL

Marty is the buttikoferi with the huge appetite.