Info AquaScape

So you got your first betta fish, but find it a huge hassle to clean the aquarium. Keep reading as I show you the easy way of keeping the water nice and clear with minimal effort! When I was a kid, a betta fish was one of my first aquatic pets because they’re so beautiful and interactive. Unfortunately, I found it a pain to clean his bowl because I always had to catch him, dump out all the glass marbles, scrub them in the sink, and then transfer everything back. (Kids, don't try this at home.) Eventually, I started avoiding this time-consuming chore and… eventually, my betta fish got sick and died from living in his own waste. Poor thing! Little did I know that there existed a miracle tool that has saved me so much time and energy, so I can actually enjoy keeping fish. Let me introduce you to the aquarium siphon (also known as a gravel cleaner). This simple hose is like vacuum cleaner but without any electronics – and it’s about to become your best friend! The Python min...

Is your betta fish incessantly biting his beautiful tail, like a little kid who thinks it’s funny to cut his own hair? Keep reading to find out what it looks like, why it happens, and some tips and tricks for stopping it. My son really wanted a crowntail betta because of their spiky-looking frills, so we helped him pick out a gorgeous blue and red one from Petco that he named Darth Vader. Unfortunately, Darth Vader had a bad habit of biting his tail! One morning, we woke up to find that he had just happily sheared off the top half of his caudal fin. Darth Vader's new "haircut" Signs of Tail Biting The reason why we knew it was tail biting and not some other dilema is because it had a few telltale signs: Missing chunks (often round) from fins or tail have very clean edges and no discoloration Damage is usually all in one section (not evenly spread everywhere) Damage happens suddenly within a few hours (sometimes catch them in the act) Other reasons why y...

What’s a best first pet for young children? My best friend has three kids all under age 6 and asked me for advice since I’ve kept dogs and cats, parakeets, hamsters, goldfish, hermit crabs, and many “kid-friendly” animals. Watch the video above for my reasons, but personally I would go with a dog or cat since they are so personable and are big enough to for children to hug. However, if you prefer a much smaller pet, a betta fish is a colorful, interactive pet that a 6-year-old could help take care of. The Cost of Owning a Betta Fish If you buy everything merk new, probably $100 is the lowest you can go. Shocking, right? (Of course, if you know what you're doing, you can always buy used or second-hand equipment from Craigslist or a fish club auction .) Here’s my shopping list with the most cost-effective options I would use, but let me know in the comments if I’m missing something! 5-gallon aquarium kit Filter sponge Heater Thermometer Betta food Water dechlorinator ...

Is your betta fish struggling to swim because of fast current or are your axolotl’s gills curved forward from the strong flow? Many types of aquarium pets – like gouramis, puffer fish, baby fry, and angelfish – are more comfortable in slower waters, and without the appropriate living conditions, your pet may become sick from the stressful environment. Keep reading as I share 5 easy ways for reducing your filter’s flow! #1 Choose the Right Filter If you haven't purchased your filter already, choose an internal filter , hang-on-back filter , or canister filter with an adjustable flow. That way you can set the flow to be as low as possible. Generally, you don't want to pick a filter that is too oversized for the size of your aquarium; otherwise it may be harder to sufficiently reduce the flow. (As a rule of thumb, the recommendation is to aim for a water turnover rate for at least three to four times the volume of the aquarium.) If you really want to go for the gentlest flo...

Why do Betta Fish Flare at Their Reflections? A common persoalan that fish owners see is their pet betta keeps seeing his own reflection in the aquarium wall and he won’t stop flaring at it. The reason why he’s spreading his gills, fins, and tail is because he’s trying to make himself look bigger and scare away the supposed competition from his territory. This flaring behavior seems to happen most often when: a betta fish is introduced to a new aquarium the tank light is on but the room lights are off the sunlight hits the tank just right during certain parts of the day Is It Stressful for My Betta to Flare at His Reflection? So is this really a problem? I mean, it's kind of cool seeing your betta fish displaying all his glory. Well, some bettas will get used to it and eventually ignore their reflection. Sometimes the reflection only shows up for a short while each day, so a little sparring exercise can be good for them. However, in my case I noticed that my betta ...

Welcome back to another episode of “Hack My Betta Tank”! This episode teaches you how to transform a 5 gallon aquarium into an easy planted tank for your betta (or other nano fish). The goal is to set up a low-maintenance, low tech tank that’s beginner friendly, so we’ll be using an LED light on a timer, all-in-one fertilizers, no CO2 injection, and slow-growing plants that don’t require a lot of pruning. Related Link: DIY Filter Upgrade for 5 Gallon Starter Aquarium Equipment List ▶ Petsmart Top Fin® 5 Gallon Glass Aquarium ▶ Carib Sea Eco-Complete planted aquarium substrate (black) ▶ Finnex Stingray LED clip-on light ▶ Mechanical timer for lights ▶ Aqueon Pro adjustable heater (50W) ▶ Digital thermometer with high/low temperature alarm ▶ Foam filter sponges ▶ Ceramic bio rings ▶ Filter insert bags ▶ Aquascaping tweezers Plants List ▶ Staurogyne repens ▶ Aquatic banana plant ▶ Bucephalandra Fertilizer List ▶ Easy Green all-in-one liquid fertilizer ▶ Easy ...

Love the look of PetSmart’s Top Fin Retreat 5-gallon rimless glass aquarium but not sure about the filtration? Skip the disposable cartridge in the starter kit, and check out these easy tips and tricks for giving this nano tank a much-needed renovation. (P.S. This aquarium is perfect for a betta fish because the filter output is way slow and gentle. 👍) Materials I Used ▶ Petsmart Top Fin 5 Gallon Glass Aquarium ▶ Foam sponges ▶ Ceramic bio rings ▶ Filter insert bags (instead of pantyhose) References ▶ Petsmart Top Fin 5 Gallon Glass Aquarium $49.99 Unboxing Review! ▶ Aquarium filter setup! How I Bio media Filter! Question of the Day Have you ever hot-rodded your aquarium filtration, and if so what worked best for you? Comment below to share your answers! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for weekly videos on my secret life as a gamer's wife and my current obsession with freshwater aquariums! 🎮👨🏻‍❤️‍👩🐟

(AKA What Do I Need to Know About Betta Fish Care?) Betta fish, also known as betta splendens or Siamese fighting fish, are incredibly popular with both first-time pet owners and and long-time fish lovers. While they're known for their vibrant colors, long flowing tails, and interesting personalities, most people don't know that bettas need more than a bowl to live in and pellets to eat. Follow this straightforward FAQ-style guide to owning a happy and healthy betta! Question: What Do I Need for My Betta Fish? Check out this shopping list of necessities for your betta fish: Tank: Your betta fish tank size should be a minimum of 3 to 5 gallons. A simple rule of thumb for small freshwater fish is 1 gallon of water per 1 inch of fish, and bettas grow to about 2.5 inches long. Also, the aquarium needs a lid/hood because bettas are suicide jumpers. (FYI PetSmart carries their own merk called the Top Fin 5.5 Gallon Aquarium Starter Kit that comes with a lighted hood, filt...