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Hi! I think I have talked my mom and her buisness partner into letting me set up a tank for them at the cat boarding place they run together. They used to have 2 bettas but they died after about 4 years. So, what would be an attractive, relatively low maintenance aquarium?

I am not sure If it is going to be a larger tank on a stand or a desktop tank in the reception area. most likely the latter...

I'm betting we will end up with something like a 5 gallon. possibly an eclipse. If we decide on an eclipse, should we go with the 5 gal. half-hex or the 6 gallon rectangular? And what fish would fit? they might need some algae control...

are otos ok by themselves? I've heard they prefer groups of 3 but would one be absolutely miserable by itself or would that be ok? maybe an oto and some fancy male guppies... or a beta and 3 neons? I know they need schools of 6 but in such a small tank they cant possibly lose track of eachother, right?

I think the question about oto's might be would it be able to get a sufficient algae supply from that sized tank. Would manual maintenance not be easier?

In a five gallon personally I would suggest a male Betta, or perhaps two females. Its nicer for neons to have more space to swim, as well as more company.

x

I agree, it would be easier and better to forego the ottos. In a five gallon, how about a female betta and some cardinal tetras? They are more colorful than neons, and aren't as fragile, since neons have been inbred for generations.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I wouldn't put any schooling fish in a 5 gallon. There just isn't enough room in there for them to swim, and not enough room for the bio-load.

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They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

would 2 female bettas be fully stocked for a 5 gallon half-hex? (and does a half-hex have more or less surface area than a regular 5?)

(btw the 6 gallon is too wide for the space, so the 5 gallon half-hex would be probably be the one)

edit: its not a half-hex, its a full hex, i was just being slightly retarded because the picture was head-on and it looked like a 4 sided tank.

Last edited by devon7 at 26-Sep-2004 21:13

oh btw the reason i ask about the otos is because when there used to be bettas where the new tank will be, they got all full of algae very quickly. I will be doing the routine mantenance but the people who will do the every day stuff are very lazy.