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recommended dense foliage for cherries

Aqua360

Aqua360

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So I'm 99% set on stocking a 50l dennerle tank, with a betta; and colony of red cherries, being very aware that my fighter may decide to chomp on them.

Assuming I get a betta with this propensity, is there any particular plants you'd recommend to hopefully encourage a self-sustaining colony? Right now I know i'll be doing a monte carlo carpet, and perhaps some blyxa japonica; the other I can only really think of is pogostemon helferi, and perhaps some mosses for good measure.

I'll try and get a hardscape picture up soon, give a better idea of what I'm going for.

Thanks
 
Establish the MC carpet & shrimplets will safely grow out within the "mat", same applies to thick mosses, some stone hardscape with crevices will also provide shelter
Cherry colony is best established before adding in fish predators

IME most Bettas have some interest in shrimp, with some Bettas bent upon utter destruction (consumption?) - the latter are best removed immediately ... as it turns out, even decorative finned Bettas can move rather quickly :oops: :sorry: :sorry: :sorry:

Bettas are also quite adept at feigning disinterest in shrimp for some time & then sneakily removing those delicate morsels whilst Lights Off ... at least that's my best guess for the disappearance of ~50 shrimps & no bodies over a period of a few months (did find babies in the MC mat)

Adding some other small fish to distract Betta focus can be helpful

Surprisingly my "best" Betta seems to be a Dragonscale HMPK (half moon plakat) - he's very interested in movement outside tank & other fishes so I expected the 4 "test" shrimp to capture his attention, but he seems disinterested & several weeks on, all shrimp still accounted for ...

Grass thickets seem to work well, eg Eleocharis parvula, I don't think that P helferi would stop a determined Betta
 
alto said:
Establish the MC carpet & shrimplets will safely grow out within the "mat", same applies to thick mosses, some stone hardscape with crevices will also provide shelter
Cherry colony is best established before adding in fish predators

IME most Bettas have some interest in shrimp, with some Bettas bent upon utter destruction (consumption?) - the latter are best removed immediately ... as it turns out, even decorative finned Bettas can move rather quickly :oops: :sorry: :sorry: :sorry:

Bettas are also quite adept at feigning disinterest in shrimp for some time & then sneakily removing those delicate morsels whilst Lights Off ... at least that's my best guess for the disappearance of ~50 shrimps & no bodies over a period of a few months (did find babies in the MC mat)

Adding some other small fish to distract Betta focus can be helpful

Surprisingly my "best" Betta seems to be a Dragonscale HMPK (half moon plakat) - he's very interested in movement outside tank & other fishes so I expected the 4 "test" shrimp to capture his attention, but he seems disinterested & several weeks on, all shrimp still accounted for ...

Grass thickets seem to work well, eg Eleocharis parvula, I don't think that P helferi would stop a determined Betta
Click to expand...

Solid advice, I'll work on establishing the carpet first :)

Yeah hopefully I get a decent betta that won't go terminator on them, I still need to find a place that sells good half-moons or deltas first :)
 
Depending where you are, expect to pay a few $$ for a decent bred HM or other - these are generally special order from the various farms, if you look at quality Bettas on Aquabid etc that should prepare you for price shock ;)
Shop prices can easily be as high but without the shipping & landing fees - again these may vary depending on location

You might contact Colin Dunlop if you're looking for a particular fish (he should be able to give you an idea on pricing - if you're in the UK :))
 
alto said:
Depending where you are, expect to pay a few $$ for a decent bred HM or other - these are generally special order from the various farms, if you look at quality Bettas on Aquabid etc that should prepare you for price shock ;)
Shop prices can easily be as high but without the shipping & landing fees - again these may vary depending on location

You might contact Colin Dunlop if you're looking for a particular fish (he should be able to give you an idea on pricing - if you're in the UK :))
Click to expand...

I don't mind paying up to say £30 for a betta, i think if it was more than that though i'd be hesitant; but still consider it :lol:
 
I find subwassertang is a good one when it grows thick. A betta can't get inside there. So is crested java fern.
 
rebel said:
I find subwassertang is a good one when it grows thick. A betta can't get inside there. So is crested java fern.
Click to expand...

interesting, i'll need to give those a google, cheers :)
 
just to clarify; Susswassertang is Lomariopsis lineata in proper, botanical Latin........;)
 
I second Colin Dunlop. He is in Carluke so not too far. You can see his stock on his Facebook page The Fish Hut. He gets some beautiful imports in.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
 
I had a betta for a few years. I was afraid to put shrimp in with him. In the end I put just one shrimp to test. I never saw it again until one day I noticed an adult grown up shrimp standing on a leaf. It was quite discoloured, pale red as if it never ate proper diet. It must have been hiding all the time and not getting much food. I scooped it up and moved it to my shimp tank, poor thing. That's the downside if shrimp are afraid to come out, as they need proper diet to colour up nicely.
Having said that, quite a few cherries have been surviving with my clown loaches. But the babies hide in the prefilter sponges and I've got about 4 of them inside. That's the best cover for baby shrimp as no fish can get them. They are literally inside the tiny holes of the sponges.
Some bettas may not eat shrimp, especially if fed enough.
 
Thanks a lot for the feedback guys, I got a couple of female crowntails for my planted tank tonight; they both immediately took interest in the cherries, but soon got distracted elsewhere. I will need to keep a close eye, not sure I trust them but time will tell
 
Watch those girls - if they're not sorority (same spawn or perhaps just raised up together from wee fry), it's recommended to have 5-6 with some escape zones (high & low in tank) ... of course there are some girls that just don't play nice no matter what (she hated the boys too so was an equal opportunity femme-warrior)

I don't recall your tank size but I'd not try 5 probably unrelated (though some shops do get in sorority fish) female Bettas in anything less than 60 x 45 footprint - & that would only be with good plant thickets & some floaters & some distracting fish.

Of course if you've got camera :D
 
alto said:
Watch those girls - if they're not sorority (same spawn or perhaps just raised up together from wee fry), it's recommended to have 5-6 with some escape zones (high & low in tank) ... of course there are some girls that just don't play nice no matter what (she hated the boys too so was an equal opportunity femme-warrior)

I don't recall your tank size but I'd not try 5 probably unrelated (though some shops do get in sorority fish) female Bettas in anything less than 60 x 45 footprint - & that would only be with good plant thickets & some floaters & some distracting fish.

Of course if you've got camera :D
Click to expand...

footprint is 109 x 27cm :)

it's quite heavily planted and algae ridden lol, since adding them both i've actually only seen each of them once :lol:
 
you could likely add more - I'd do at least a trio so one can't be bottom fish all the time
 
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