# Future Sorority 20G



## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I still need more plants and such but this was my hubbies gift to me for my 30th birthday with is on the 29th.


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## WillowTree (May 13, 2010)

It is off to a great start! (I have the same two decorations in my currently cycling future sorority aquarium.) Very nice present!


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I already have my corys in it...since their 5g tanks werent cycled anyways I figured what the heck...it will speed things up seeing as how the girls are supposed to be here by the end of the week :S
I have never cycled before...and probably should have told the pet store to wait another week before ordering the girls.


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## WillowTree (May 13, 2010)

I am in the same situation! My girls should be here this week as well and I don't think my tank will be done cycling yet. But, the way I look at it, I need to quarantine them anyway for a week or two to make sure they are all healthy before putting them together. So just look at it that way! :-D


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Ya I didn't really plan on quarantining them...don't have 6 containers to do so.


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## SaylorKennedy (Aug 11, 2009)

Just go out and buy a couple of clean, new tupperware containers. Or hate to say it, but you could keep them in their cups if you really can't get anythign bigger. Just make sure to change the water everyday.
Trust me, you need to quarantine! So many problems will be avoided if you do..


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

okie...the store doesn't give us the bowls but I do have several smallish glass containers from my wedding that should work.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I don't know what I think about this. I know I need lots of stuff for females to get alone but nice stuff in this town is hard to find...Trying to making it look decent but hard....


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

Sorority tanks usually end up being more about the safety of the fish than looks, haha, it's hard to avoid the stuffed look you'll end up with. You should really try to find a way to fill in the top section more--all bettas must go up to the surface to breathe and this is also were they go to eat, so squabbling near the surface is inevitable. Floating plants should help with this. You should try ordering online, often the prices are a lot better and you have a much nicer selection. You might try Big Al's online: http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/ctl3664/cp17373/cl0/silkplants?viewType=Category

Also, you might want to look carefully at the skull ornament--I've seen a fish get stuck in and mangled by a very similar (if not the same) ornament. I recommend stuffing the smaller holes with plant matter, filter floss, or filling it in with aquarium silicone. Injuries from getting stuck can be really nasty, and during a moment of fear a fish can dart into some very sticky situations.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Thanks for the advice!


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I have some of those nasty plastic plants I could float on top in the meantime.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

There, I ordered a betta log, can't find them here.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

You could also look at the dollar store or Wal-mart for silk plants. I got a bunch from Wal-mart for $1.00 that I cut apart and it works really well. I also looked onto this site... http://www.aquariumguys.com/plantsplastic.html and was very inpressed with what they had and the prices. Ended up not buying from them but may in the future.

As for the quarantine of the girls. I used Mason canning jars, Quart size. I just changed the water once a day. I also had some 1 gallon ice cream buckets that I used. Not pretty but it worked. Wal-Mart sells some plastic food storage containers that come in packages of 3 or 5 (don't remember now) that aren't very expencive. Good luck!


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I have some round glass vases from my wedding, small but temporary and there was never anything in them other then a candle and some stones.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

They would probably work. You just need to keep up with the water changes. When I did it I pulled apart a plastic plant and put a stem in each container. I also kept a gallon jug full of conditioned water so it was ready for me when I needed it.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I've been taking water and plants from my two smaller tanks to speed up cycling...I did not realize it's supposed to take weeks to complete a cycle. I have been testing regularly and things seem pretty good. I'm home all the time as a stay at home mom so I can easily test often. I don't like the idea of 6 girls sitting in small containers for weeks if it will take weeks.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

Try looking into cycling with ammonia. It is suppose to be faster. Sometimes works, sometimes not so much. Good luck. Just think of the girls being better off with you in a small container getting the water changed very often and it being clean than where they are and in a set up to die.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I could just do daily changes in the big tank...not that hard.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

The reason to keep the girls in seperate containers is to see if anything pops up...fin rot, pop eye, ich, and such. If you put them together and one of them ends up with something then you have all of them to try to get over whatever it is. Changing a 20 tank 100% everyday? LOTS of water, and really no need. My 10 gallon I do a 30% once real quick on Mondays then on Fridays I do a good vacuum and about a 60% water change. (after cycling) With it, it still seems like a lot of water! Also, changing that much water now, it wouldn't go through the process to get cycled. Really, it will go quick once you start. It did for me.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Thanks, I appreciate all your non-judgemental advice! I am finally realizing I just have to be patient 
I also liked this link http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-cycling.html


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

I too am not the patient kind! :lol: I wanted my tank set up and I wanted it set up NOW! But, having the girls sitting on my counter top and watching each of them and kinda getting an idea of their personalities was neat. It was cluttered, messing looking and I hated the way it looked (I'm a bit of a neat freek.) And....DH and the kids kept asking "How much longer are the fish going to be sitting on the counter when you have a tank sitting over there empty?" :roll:


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Yes, 3 kids under 3 will be a challenge to keep away from the fish in their little bowls


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

The store is holding onto them for me until Monday, just because I can't get there today.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

Bless your heart on the 3 kiddos under 3!!! It's not like you don't have yours hands full already huh? :lol:

It is great that the store is holding them for you. Can't wait to see your new girls.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

My oldest turned 3 in March...so 3 and under. My foster girl is two, she was placed with us when I was 5 months pregnant. When my youngest was born she was 5 mo old  It's been crazy and exhausting but we manage. Just recently they agreed to help me buy paying for two days of daycare per week for my girl. She is special needs and I can't leave the house with all 3 because of this. So the two days she goes to daycare are just for me and my boys...BIG relief!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I think it's wonderful that you are fostering a special needs child.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Thanks. When she came to live with us she was only 2 months old so we didn't know for sure the extent of her needs. We now have her involved with occupational, speech, and physio therapy and we see a mental health specialist. It's a ton of work and I hate her parents for it. They have 5 kids now who suffer from FASD. If you're going to drink, STOP making babies!!!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Awww, poor kids! It's terrible that there are people who shouldn't have kid ands have them and there are people who would make wonderful parents and can't have them.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

No kidding, I say screw human rights in this situation. Mom should have been fixed after the first child's life she ruined.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

So I saw my girls today, they are so tiny except for one. They are all crowntails. Three look cambodian and the other three are your typical blue/red/green. They have all been raised together and are currently living together at the pet store.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Any point in quarantining them if they already live together at the store?


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)




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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

Beautiful picture!!! 

I wouldn't see any point in doing the quarantining if they have been together already. Probably a *really* great thing, maybe they won't go thru the fighting like mine did.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

So far so good, no fighting. They were even brought home in groups of 3 per bag and behaved on the 5 minutes ride home. 
They have all been eating from what I can tell, the larger guy probably over ate trying to beat the little ones but they all had some.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

They were all raised together apparently.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I noticed that some of the bigger fish hog all the food...the smaller ones still get some, hope that doesn't become a problem...I can totally see the bigger one over eating.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

I have a couple that what to hog the food too. What I have been doing is let my hand hover over the tank for just a second or two till everyone is *really* ready {they jump up at me}:lol: then I will drop the food in a line across the top of the tank. The smaller ones have been following my hand to get to the end of the line away from the bigger ones. I have also had to start feeding just once a day with them. They were ALL starting to look bloated. But, I wanted to make sure everyone ate so I probably have a tendency to go over a bit. So far, this is working. They are getting along fine and everyone looks good. One with some tail bitten off but she is kind of a pest.  I added a bubble wand and I can't believe how much they LOVE it. They will almost line up at one end, swim thru the bubbles and then line up at the other end and do the same thing. Pretty funny. 

Would love to see your final set up and a pic of all the girls.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Thanks...my tank isn't ready yet so they are all hanging in a large rubbermaid bin...hard to take pics in there...I should have taken them before I left the store but they were too hard to catch...I did get one...above of one of them.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

I personally don't see a point in QT. them since they are already together. Just add some AQ. Salt to their tank to make sure they are all OK. 

It is a little tricky to feed the girls when they are all together, but you just have to get a system. I have one girl who will LEAP out of the water and jump over the other girls for food. LOL! I do tend to over feed, but they are showing no Ill affects and two of them are very small so I'm trying to fatten them up anyways. 

Good luck getting your tank all done! Sororities are great fun!


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

No i didn't quarantine them, they are all in a rubbermaid waiting for their tank to finish...AND I just had the water tested today and it's almost there!


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

The girls are ALL together now and doing well, even Lucy. I don't see much of a pecking order but do know who is boss. Not surprisingly it's Lucy, the only one who wasn't raised with the others and the only one that isn't CT. The darker ones are so hard to take photos of!! Here's a couple...I gave up on getting a good shot at the moment.

This is Sprite









Rain









Sky cuz he's kinda a pale blue









I'll have to get the rest later...


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

Loving how it looks! Think we could see a pic of the whole tank? Glad things seem to be going well.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

This is basically it but I added a bubble stone(shell) and moved the plants around a bit. I also bought one of those logs. I still plan on getting something to fill up the top a bit...not sure yet. They seem to get a long great. I find it weird that they hang around at the surface a lot all in plain sight of each other. Lucy appears to chase the others out of her space but hasn't hurt anyone.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

I also added a bit of java moss to the driftwood and more to the skull.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

K i just took one now...


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Kinda messy and the yellow sponge is ugly and probably not needed. Better safe then sorry as one of my lil blue girls likes to lay on it.


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## newfishmom (Mar 26, 2010)

Looks great. Love the purple looking plant on the right!


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

thanks...its just a walmart plant


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Your tank looks very nice!


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## Dead Sunlight (Jun 14, 2010)

Nice soroity!


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

I think it's awesome looking! The colors are great. I bet that helps camo them too. They're so cute!


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