Bare tank...

[FroggyFox]

I picked up a cute little 5 Gallon Hex yesterday at Walmart (will attach a picture when I can get ahold of the digicam again)

I haven't put anything in the tank (except water/ammonia/cycle so it can start cycling) because I'm going to use it to move my fry into as they get larger. I'd like to keep it pretty sparse as far as a substrate...but looking at a COMPLETELY empty tank even if it has fish in it is going to drive me crazy I think.

I'm definitely not a big time breeding operation...this is my first "brood" so to speak...but I put the tank close to where I am a lot (TV, Computer) so I can watch them and I want the tank to be asthetically pleasing...but I don't want to endanger the fry (like they are now with the giant gravel they can swim down in and get stuck)

Anyone have any ideas? I realized that the kind of tank i'm contemplating is akin to the ones they have at walmart that I hate so much with the reflective bottom and a cheesy decoration or two... -=sigh=-

 

[AmazonTankz]

Hmmm, well you could always put some BIG rocks in there, like lake stone or something. Rocks that are like moutains to them. That way they can not get caught underthem. I don't know how atractive that would be though....
You couls also put some plastic plants in there, maby glue them to the bottom, but then again you have the ugly "boats" under them that are normally hiddin. Or you could look for those plants that have suction cups on them, so they stick to the sides of the tank not the bottom, and have them as a "backround".

Ahhh, I'll think of something.....

 

[geKo]

sand maby ?

 

[Gomer]

how about a floating plant?

 

[AmazonTankz]

I thought about sand too, but have never heard of it being used in a fry tank...thought maybe there was a hidden danger somewhere.

 

[FroggyFox]

Thanks guys!

I thought about sand...but then realized that the food I feed fry is about the size of a grain of sand and they might try to eat it!!

I have thought about the floating plants idea...hadn't thought of suction cups...I haven't seen any of those, but I would think it would be pretty easy to pull some plants off of those ugly boat thingys you mentioned Amazon, and attach some suction cups somehow.

So a WHOLE bunch of plants. Will keep looking for some good plants.

Anymore ideas??

 

[Angelfish]

Sorry this is slightly off topic here, but how much was your 5 gal. hex? I really want a betta tank and it sounds perfect

 

[FroggyFox]

It is a very cute little tank. The whole thing was 30 dollars and some change (incl tax) tank/filter/food/light hood/lightbulb blah blah normal starter kit. Its called an Aquatank V PLUS...made by Hawkeye International.

And now you owe me an idea for the fry tank

 

[Jawz]

ive seen like plant mats...like instead of gravel u have like a grassy base. unless u wanted the real plants

 

[fishysmell]

I'd throw in some java moss and some some java ferns. Low light, removable, perfect fry cover, and good looking. I personally think that would be your best bet. Maybe a little peice of driftwood or two might also help. Put the ferns on them. You could probably just get a hairnet weiged down at the corners for the moss. It would look fine when the moss grew over it.

 

[Angelfish]

Okay I guess I owe you now
Hmm, Id just put some rocks in or structures and plants, deffinately some cute plants. How about a small peice of wood?

$30 is a good deal for all of that, I'm gonna try and clear a place so I can get one, it sounds great =)

 

[revfred]

I put in a lot of floating plants and corral them to one side of the tank farthest from the filter. I also feed them in that corner as well. They seem content to stay in that part of the tank where there is shelter and food. I set the filter to a low setting.

A fine netting over the filter tube can work well . . . but you have to make sure you clean it frequently. But I prefer "training" them to stay at the farthest corner.

Also, set the tube as far down as it will go and put some rocks under and around it. The fry don't venture too deep as a rule.

 

[fishboy]

Well believe me having a bare bottom tank will pay off for you in the long run for fry. It is easier to clean and to take care of. Maybe keep it bare and then add a floating plant or something. Have a sponge filter and maybe a heater. This is the best for fry, but since you want somthing pleasing i would try a thin layer of sand actually with a sponge filter. To hide the sponge filter just put some java moss there to cover it, maybe a piece of small wood, or large stones. Sand is actually a good thing for fry, it compacts and keeps the nasty on top where you can get to it, compared to gravel which would be much, much harder. They should be fine with sand, and with a combination of high temps, lots of bbs feedings, and lots of water changes they should grow up fine!

 

[mike the zealot]

sand would be fine. how many times have you seen threads labeled "HELP! MY FRY ARE EATING THE SUBSTRATE!" =P

it's what I'm doing with my fry tank.

 

[FroggyFox]

LOL can't say I've ever seen that post...but it sounded plausible to me...lol

perhaps I will try sand... hmmm. a 5 Gallon is a good size to test something like that right?

revfred- your "safe place" idea is a good one...unfortunately the filter is in the middle back of the tank...and I can't really move it. The tube is a couple inches from the bottom, but the slits in it are so small that by the time I move the fry into this tank they'll be too big to fit through.

You guys are awesome thanks! Anymore input would be great, still mostly brainstorming. ALTHOUGH the new tank has only been set up less than 48 hours and the nitrites are already up to .25ppm!

 

[catfishmike]

hey angelfish you can get an eclipse style 5gal.hex at walmart fro the same price,a better tank imo

 

[FroggyFox]

I liked the style of this tank...its not a normal hex...it has a 16 inch flat back so its shorter and has more viewable space than those eclipse tanks. Plus it was a lot cheaper...I don't think there were any other sets that I saw that were anywhere close to the same thing for a comprable price.

 

[catfishmike]

yea but the aquatank five comes with a funky whisper filter.i like having a bio wheel

 

[Leopardess]

Hey, I think I have that tank! The only thing with mine is that the top doesn't open all the way and its kind of hard to get into ...oh well..

Have you thought about using (in addition to the floating plants or whatever) the plastic grass that is used for fry? You could line a bunch of those up on the bottom and it would fill it in nicely. Plus, they aren't heavy and would provide lots of space for the fishies!

I can't really think of anything else...

 

[FroggyFox]

"funky whisper filter" hehe I love it...its so cute and QUIET I keep checking to make sure its on lol

Leopardess this is WIERD lol now we have a same tank! Yea...the top doesn't come off lol but I think it'll be ok cuz the opening is large enough for my arm to fit through lol Thanks for the idea. I have seen some of those grass things at different places (have one kind in my 10G)

This is gonna be a neat little tank