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Hey all, I'm brand new to the hobby and am about to get a 55 gallon tank to set up. I currently have a crowntail Betta I'm moving to a 5 gallon tank in a bit - I was told that would be the largest to keep from stressing him out. As for that one, I was thinking maybe a frog and some kind of bottom feeder, though I read that loaches prefer cooler water, so will likely put them in the 55 gallon. Any suggestions for the 5 gallon, including planting? I have a small bridge and some plants set aside for it.

As for the 55, I was considering some black lace / marble angelfish, loaches, featherfin rainbows (not sure how hard those are to find?), not really sure what else. I have some "fish in a box" which is how I got into the hobby, they're about 2 weeks old right now, and only 2 of them so far, but I'll try hatching again in a few days. It'll be a few months before I can move them to a large tank - they're supposed to be part of the Nothos species, similar to guppies / platys.

Also, it might just be that I didn't clean the gravel well enough, but the pH in my 1 gallon where the Betta is for the moment keeps going up near 7.5 - 8, which doesn't seem to be bothering him, but I'd like to find how to keep it level without relying on the decreaser I have.

I saw on a previous post to get an actual kit tester rather than the test strips, which is what I picked up. The master kit I saw says it has over 800 tests, does that really mean I can use that one kit to test 800 times?

Thanks in advance!

Hello and welcome!!

Yes those liquid test kits do give you many many tests!!!!, so many that its possible for them to go out of date before you can use it all.

Ph- take some TAP water- and let it sit out for 24 hrs in a glass, where it wont get touched. After 24 hrs test it... it could be your ph is actually that high. Which isnt that big of a deal. Stability is much better than ph swings.

I've got a ph that ranges from 7.8- 8.2 depending on the time of year, my angels are fine, my cories spawn.... ect... Some fish dont do well in higher ph, or wont breed, but they are living healthy lives in my ph... so dont throw those chemicals in, they actually cause more problems than they are worth.

5 gal- Id recommend a trapdoor snail or 2 for the bottom feeder.... they will clean up extra food, plus keep it algea free. Most bottom feeders that will fit in a 5 gal, actually need a school, and a school wont really fit. Ive got a shrimp colony in 1 of my 5's, but most bettas will thank you for a shrimpy snack, and in my other 5 gal, ive got a spawning group of pygmy cories, which experience has taught me, some bettas see them as bigg shrimp. You could try a few khuli loaches... or snails...

For planting it, I suggest looking at foreground plants. % gals are typically short tanks... the bowfronts are even shorter than a 10 gal, and you can grow about anything if you switch out the incandescent light bulb to a CFB.... but most plants will outgrow the tank quickly.

For a 55 gal- Angels, loaches, and medium rainbows will give you a nice set up, just look around at your local fish shops to see whats available to you. Talk to the sales people, and if your deadset on a certain fish, theirs always trades with other hobbyist, and also aquabid, or online companys.

Sounds like you have a species of Killiefish since your hatching out eggs. Platys give birth to live babies.