# What would you do with a 40g tank?



## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

So I'm getting a 40g long tank this weekend and I'm unsure of what I want to put into it. 

I'm leaning towards dividing it since its an excuse to buy more bettas 8D

I was thinking of dividing it in half and have 20 gallons dedicated to a sorority, and dividing the other half 2 or 3 more times and getting some more males.

Does this sound like it could work out? I've heard of people dividing tanks and keeping females and males next to each other, but never of a sorority next to a male.



I'd also love some suggestions on what to do with the tank though, since I'm unsure still.

So would would you do with a 40 gallon tank?
(Please keep it betta related, I know for sure I want at least one more!)


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

I was really in between getting a 40breeder or a 20long during petcos 1dollar per galllon sale...I ended up going with the 20, but only because I already had a filter and a heater for a 20...Otherwise I would have got the 40 and divided it up! haha


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

lol!

The reason I'm getting the 40g is because the dollar per gallon sale, ours lasts until the 22nd. 

I also think the treat your pets sale is going on as well, which means bettas are half off


So I cant even pass this opportunity up LOL


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

Bettas are half off???I'm going to have to see if that sale is going on locally here!:lol:


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

Thats what I heard, I havent called my store to make sure though 

REALLY hoping they are though, it'd be the perfect excuse LOL


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

boo my sale just ended >:C

Its at petsmart and they have it on weekends but dont know what weekends coming up will have them.


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## Princess Penny (Aug 26, 2011)

Oh man, if I had a 40 gallon tank I would probably do a low-tech planted setup with some gouramis! I love those fish and I miss having them... buuuut if you want to keep it betta related, maybe you could do a huge sorority?? Not sure how many females you can put together, I've only ever had males. Or you could do maybe a divided double sorority, 20 on each side  That would be neat!


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

I use to have gouramis!
That was forever ago lol XD


I was thinking of a huge sorority, but I do like males too, and Gaston would have way to much of an ego pimpin' around a 40g filled with ladies 

A divided sorority would probably work out better as one big one since the aggression would be spread out more ^^

Im still leaning towards dividing it all up and filling it with boys XD


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

i like the 1st idea... half males have sorority.


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## betaguy (Sep 15, 2011)

i would do 2 sororites.
both themed completely different from the other.


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## ArcticRain (Aug 11, 2011)

Having a sorority scares me. I feel it's too risky. I know that a lot have people have had successful sororities, but I personally wouldn't want to come home to see that something had went wrong. I really your idea though! If I had a 40 gallon I would divide it into 2.5 gallon sections and put one Betta in each section.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

I agree with MistersMom, I like your first idea


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## BlackberryBetta (Feb 6, 2011)

Love the first idea, it would aslo be really cool if you put the sorority in the middle and put 1 or 2 males divided on either side!


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

OPE!!!!! LOVE the last idea!!!! keep a 20 gal sorority and on each side have 10 galons divided with males!!!! i LOVE IT!


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## BlackberryBetta (Feb 6, 2011)

Hehe, ya I thought that would be pretty cool. You would just have to make sure the dividers were secure so the males coudn't get into the sorority. Whatever you choose, be sure to post pics when its done!!


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@MistersMom
Im leaning towards that, that way if the sorority doesnt work out, I'll only have 6 fish or so to deal with, rather than 20 x.x


@betaguy
I want some more males too I think ^^
I'd rather make one giant sorority rather than 2 as well c:


@ArcticRain
Im leery of it as well, which is why I would want to divide it. That way if something does go wrong, i dont have to deal with re homing 20 fish D:


@alysalouise
Its starting to grow on me more ^^


@BlackberryBetta
ooooo that could be super cool *A*
Id have to make sure i could divide it with enough room though, 2 males on each side sounds ultra fabulous :O


@MistersMom
Its definitely growing on me X)
I have the size of the tank mapped out on my desk, cant wait to pick up the tank and materials to divide it and really get started!


@BlackberryBetta
I for sure will, im going to be super neurotic about them being secure, DEFINITELY going to be using a lot of aquarium sealant to hold everything in place LOL


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

YAY!!!!!!! i had 2 post on that !!!!! lol...


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

LOL!


Anyways, Im looking into dividers right now, and I should be able to do them quite easily, Im fortunate to have a walmart/michaels/various petstores all within driving distances c:



So I think I WILL be doing the sorority and males divided up
Just need to figure out how i want to divide up the tank and how big i want my sorority, along with where im going to get my girls.

Wish i had a breeder that was close by x.x


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

ArcticRain, if you piled a ton of plants in the tank you'd have less risk  and trust me... I have one bully female I know! LOL.

Amd that's a good idea, emerald  and I know... I think we all wish we had breeders near by xD


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Sena Hansler

I plan on getting a metric crap ton of plants for my sorority c:
Since I was originally going to make the whole tank one, I was reading every thread I could find on them XD

I KNOW
Granted, Im happy to have a Petco, Petsmart, and a smaller pet store (which had the most fabulous little white girl I plan on getting), but I'd feel so much better if the girls in my sorority were siblings x.x


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Oh I know!!! I got my lady Madame, then I got 4 sisters... the sisters get along. And Madame has killed a balloon molly, my apple snail (he was NOT small!) and tore Rose's fins... -sighs- what a meanie! I think I may divide my tank too xD


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## Okami (Oct 10, 2011)

This tank idea sounds interesting please share your results! I would make a huge bio tope with rosebaras, goramis, loaches and a betta. Give that much space goramis and the betta shouldnt have problems together......but I could be wrong.


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Sena Hansler

oooo You own Madame!

I've followed a few of your threads on your sorority, so I know what a bully she's been X3

Dividing sounds like a good idea to me, she sounds like shes meant to be a solitary fish lol


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Okami

I most certainly will!
I definitely want to put everything I do on here, so if i screw up, you guys can point me in the right direction 


From what I understand, Gouramis and Bettas wont ever really be good together. But I am pretty new to this and could easily be wrong ^^

I want to get some Khulis for my tank, I ADORE them XD


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Haha yeah gouramis are meanies and sometimes bettas are too  I saw in the pet store gouramis with a betta... he suffered  another with rosy barbs... he suffered  I've had mine with guppies, balloon mollies (regular mollies are more ill-tempered), danios, tetras.... But depends on your betta too 
And khulis are good!!!  just get a group though... that's what I was told lol


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## Bambi (Sep 11, 2011)

Haha i was going to say what you already plan to be doing. divide in half and make half a sorority of nice girls then divide the other half into 3-4 slots for new boys.


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Sena Hansler

True, my gouramis were evil little things, all my bettas have been total sweethearts though so im probably a bit biased XD

Yep ^^
I plan on getting 5 or 6 of the khulis and im switching to sand substrate so they can burrow 

Im not sure about getting anything else to go with the girls, I think ill keep them as is at first and see what there temperaments are first. If i think they are docile enough ill add some other things, depending on how many i get and all that. 
I wont look forward to redecorating the whole tank again to do so though LOL



@Bambi

LOL
I originally made the thread to see if it was possible to do and then think about doing it. Guess the forum helped me in deciding as well 


I think ill probably do 3 slots for boys, and put Gaston (my only betta right now) by the girls. He's a bit of a lump so I think being near some other fish will be good for him X)

Or I'll keep him spoiled in his own tank, who knows
He's mah little manly feeshie =3=


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## Okami (Oct 10, 2011)

Yeah when it comes to bettas and goramis I get lots of mixed opinions. Ide love to make a nice big souteast Asian blackwater biotope though


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Okami

That does sounds like it would be awesome, I'm making myself stick to bettas though, I dont have the time or money to invest in other species and more tanks XD


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## Campbell (Apr 12, 2009)

Good luck! I can't wait to see how it goes.
If i had a 40 gallon, I would upgrade my hermit crab tank. Its a 29 gallon currently.


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Campbell

Thank you and me either 


I was thinking about getting hermit crabs originally but they scrape the glass at night and would have kept me up since the tank will be in my room ;A;


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## Campbell (Apr 12, 2009)

emeraldsky said:


> @Campbell
> 
> Thank you and me either
> 
> ...


Yes, they do become very active at night when they're healthy. However, I kind of just got just to the noise (like how people don't notice the noice of fish filters). I like them now, but didn't at fist. The main reason for this was startup costs. The correct setup is pricey... I paied over $200 in all. I know many hardcore petowners think that is not much, but it was some serious dough to drop for hermit crabs. :-?


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

whats cycleing?!?!?


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## Okami (Oct 10, 2011)

MistersMom said:


> whats cycleing?!?!?


Cycleing is when you start to get the bactria culture going in your aquarium before you add fish. Usualy it takes a day or two


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

hm... i did not do that...


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## Campbell (Apr 12, 2009)

Okami said:


> Cycleing is when you start to get the bactria culture going in your aquarium before you add fish. Usualy it takes a day or two


 
I think it usually takes longer....


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## Okami (Oct 10, 2011)

Campbell said:


> I think it usually takes longer....


 depends if you add biological matter into the water or not. Like "live" sand and "live" drift wood


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

HM? sounds important, maybe i shld'v cycled mine!? naw im good!lol... idk.


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Campbell

wow thats a lot! :O
I dont think i would have gotten used to the sound, I remember having them when i was much younger and the scratching would keep my up, fish filters are soothing to me though XD I always seem to sleep better with one in my room X)








hmmm from what I've read, doesnt cycling take a few weeks?
Course I havent really read up on that yet, so I'm not terribly sure o3o


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

idk, i filled it up and aclimated, the fish and tossed hik in and conditioned the water, not in that order...


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Usually takes a few weeks for cycling.. a little less if you are able to get rocks or plants from an already cycled tank, etc.
Too long and boring to go into it now.. you got me dreaming of a spare 40gal tank.

I love my bettas.. but I'd have to do another African Cichlid tank.


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Myates

Thats what I thought o3o
I do like Cichlids too, but I think bettas will always have a special place in my heart X)


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Cycling is leaving a tank running between 4-6 weeks... usually people add fish food (ammonia), or raw shrimp (I dunno about that one). Bettas are pretty good in uncycled water as long as there are more water changes  hence why bowls are "okay"... with proper care.

Haha my brother said he wanted to start something small for his kids... so I asked what... he says.. "I dunno. maybe a 100 gallon tank full of cichlids." me: "..."


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Sena Hansler

Thats good, I dont mind doing extra water changes, and I REALLY dont want to wait another month to put my fish in the tank XD

Im so impatient LOL



XD
I hope someday that I can look at a 100g tank and think of it as small, since thatll mean I have an even bigger one to compare it too <3


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I know right!!! XDD yeah I have bowls, containers, and tanks.  I still prefer cycled tanks because it's less water changes LOL! But, that's okay I still do them


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Sena Hansler

Yep!
And since this tank will be divided, it'll be easier to do them, just scoop a boy out and take the water from that side of the tank XD


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

well there ya go xD it'll work lol. Btw, that tank WILL end up cycling x)just you are going to be doing a fish cycle... meaning, you have the fish (their waste mainly) as the source of ammonia. So technically, if you do the water changes, it'll actually end up cycling...


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

Well that works well then 




aaaaah cant wait to start buying bettaaaaaassssssss XD
Hoping to get them this weekend since i FINALLY get paid lol ^o^


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

OHHH trust me. people keep saying "I've been bitten by the bug!" well guess what... I wasn't bitten. I was brutally attacked xD I got 11 bettas not including the 13 2.5 week old babies.........


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

This is my second time getting bitten ;A;

My first time I ended up with 12, but I was new to them and had them all in those small betta keepers.

This time I'm doing it right, and I know I'm STILL going to end up with so many more than I should have LOL



Baw, you have baby ones?
What are you planning on doing with them?
I'd breed if I had the know-how or the room XD


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

xDD well, I dunno yet lol. If it wasn't for the cory cat (ill advised - I hate employees who don't got a head to screw on) I'd have larger numbers. Most of them are big other than a couple... And trust me lol if you have the room, learn to make infusoria... or at least order BBS eggs  lol! Because my infusoria I still don't know if it's okay. Now it just smells like lettuce soup xDD so... yeah. lol.


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

Youre telling me, last time I went to Petco, I was talking to the employee (Fish Expert LOL) about making my sorority, he told me to get 6 females and 1 male so I could have a harem >.>

Also told me that I had to get live plants since bettas will eat the plastic ones LOL


I may not be a betta expert but thats really crappy advice to give.






LOL!
Well, if you decide to sell them, I may be interested, I was hoping on getting siblings for my sorority ^^
Course I dont know how old the have to be before selling them X3


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

... ... ... ... ... Harem??? eat plastic plants???  I don't know what he was ON, but obviously OFF his rocker. Hehe I might sell them  I've already got my brother wanting a betta for his kids, my friend gets a betta since I have her Sasuke, A lady wants one for her niece... Lol. Everyone wants my bettas >< xD


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## BlackberryBetta (Feb 6, 2011)

Your tank is going to be amazing. I have always wanted to start a sorority, but I am definitely not experienced enough. I really wanna see pics when it's done! And about what you said about pet store employees, I couldn't agree more. They give the stupidest advice sometimes. One told me that bettas can live in those little cups their whole life with no heater and be happy. I wanted to be like shut up you are WRONG, but I controlled myself...for now. Lol!!!


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

I KNOW

I must have been giving him an odd look since the longer he went on about it, the less confident he sounded. I didnt correct him since I wasnt sure myself, still being new and all that. I came back here and asked the forum and everyone came to the conclusion the he must have been a derp LOL


Well, let me know ^^
Its my first sorority so I'm unexperienced with them c:

LOL
THEY MUST BE ULTRA FANCY


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@BlackberryBetta

Thank you, i hope it will be!
I plan on getting the tank Saturday, making the dividers later that day, letting the aquarium sealant cure for 2 days, set up the tank on monday then go shopping on tuesday when petco AND petsmart will be getting their shipments of bettas

>:3



Also, most petstores believe that bettas can live like that. Heck, I used to before coming here. Most people are just uneducated about them and go with the common idea that bettas are fish you can plop in a cup and forget about D:


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## Trobar (Aug 29, 2011)

If I had a tank that size that I could use I would get into soooo much trouble buying all kinds of things for it


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

LOOOL trust me... my bf and I argued. because he says Thailand is not a "tropical" place because "tropical" fish are "salt water fish". my response: "tropical is temperature. EXOTIC is salt water." then he tried pointing out bettas don't need heaters because Thailand is neighbors with China and goldfish come from china and are cold water fish. x.x He's the computer tech. I'M the fish keeper! lol


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Trobar

LOL
I would too, but its a godsend you cant mix them (usually)
It keeps me limited XD


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Sena Hansler

Oh my gosh, thats hilarious XD

My BF doesnt argue with me on fish, he knows im right (most of the time )
He just sighs and nods when I start to talk about them LOL


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

LOL. I think mine needs to learn to SHHHhhhhHHH >< lol.
And on the subject of employees... I was told betta fish breeding is easy.

Well it isn't rocket science no... but it isn't easy either xDD


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

From what I'm readin on here, its doesnt seem hard, just time consuming.

Plus, I lack the room and proper tool to care for them so I dont think it's for me X3




Mine needs to learn that too, he just has it down on the topic of fish LOL


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

LOL!! xD yeah mine is a know-a-lot  except he hasn't owned fish... other than his mum has goldies in a nice tank. But uh.... yeah. No. I own the bettas. I researched the heck out of everything xDD sure they can stand living in small, dark, cold spaces. But I don't think my bf will let me show him how that would feel xD (be inside a cold kiddie pool, not allowed to get out and there is no light?) and I don't think I'd want that lol.


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## BlackberryBetta (Feb 6, 2011)

emeraldsky said:


> @BlackberryBetta
> 
> Thank you, i hope it will be!
> I plan on getting the tank Saturday, making the dividers later that day, letting the aquarium sealant cure for 2 days, set up the tank on monday then go shopping on tuesday when petco AND petsmart will be getting their shipments of bettas
> ...


Ooohhh betta shopping after a new shipment. Nice! I would be like a kid in a candy store lol. Of course I would tell myself no I don't have room and then go home and be miserable! I try to stay away when I can. Haha. OMG I was at petsmart last week and some little kid ran around the store with a betta cup and shook it like crazy! The mom was like oh no sweetie, don't touch that. But of course he didn't listen. Ugh I just got out of there before I have a spaz at the kid. Just needed to post that somewhere it was driving me crazy!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

woow >< that poor betta

-watches my betta beat up a fly in his water- .... I think he's the kid shaking the cup.


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

@Sena Hansler

Same here, he's generally very informed on random things, but fish is my hobby, so I know a ton about it, and I love researching them X3

Also lol!
Maybe I'll threaten my BF with that next time he smarts off to me XD



@BlackberryBetta
LOL YES!
I called both places to make sure when they would be getting the new fish, its sad though, my petsmart doesnt carry female bettas anymore >:C

aw, poor betta D:
I totally would have taken that one home after that, he probably needed a LOT of TLC after that ordeal D:


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

xDD

I kind of wish the pet store here didn't sell females... not very many people want them.


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

I'm glad my petco does, or else id be SOL on them lol

My other LPS only had one, very sad looking female, im half tempted to go and pick her up so she wont be the last one ;A;


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

dawwwww 
yeah that's how I got my 4 "little" girls (now huge xDDD)... because they were there for what... 2 months? no one wanted them. their bowls were... -shudder- filthy! and they were so lethargic ;( now they are happy


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

My Petco generally does a good job of taking care of them, the water is usually pretty clear

Though they do have a few dead ones I saw last time :C

Hopefully I can rescue a few of them ^^





Hmmm I should probably look into how many girls I can get for a 20 gallon tank, since I plan on splitting mine in half o3o


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Haha yeah  just load it with plants... Soft fake, and real. I have my ladies in the 20  I need more plants... xD


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

Im planning on it, I hope to get a metric crap ton LOL

I'll probably get mostly fake plants for them, and real ones for the boys since theyll be easier to take care of in the smaller compartments ^^


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

True  my most eggy ladies (Marge and Zebra) are really mean  lol wow....


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

Oh do they get meaner as they get moer eggy?


Ive never had females before so im not sure how their behavior would vary ^^;


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I don't know  lol they were just little things when I got them... I know my Madame is a true bully but that's just her >< Hopefully it's just because they are bigger than Rose and Tina lol


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

hopefully D:

Im hoping that getting mine when they first come in will give me a chance to pick mine out and be able to get a bunch of younger ones, i need to get them before they get all mean and old on me XD


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

yup xD lol which is also why I recommend plants... someone pointed out my tank needs more tall plants for them to hide in, and avoid their pestering sisters


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

yep, thats what Ive heard as well, Im currently in the middle of researching that as well


I need some really hardy plants, the green thumb gene passed by my family, my mom use to all sorts of plants D:


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

oh my >< lol. Usually, as long as you do not use AQ salt when plants are in the tank they'll live...


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## emeraldsky (Oct 4, 2011)

Yep, slowly learning that XD



So hopefully I wont kill anything off TOO quickly


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

lol hopefully


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