# New handpainted background!



## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

What do you think, guys? The plants show up better in person! The contrast between the dark greens, and the bluey turquoise is quite different! I really like it, because the fish show up great!

Bump: I just purchased some of the plants with reds in them! They should be here by next weekI have added more light to the tank, and hope to get another LED setup on there soon! Either take the ballasts out of my lights, and get the new tubes, or a separate light fixture!


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

I notice you have 1 (or 2) no-tech betta bowls on top of the lights. Contrary to what you've probably been told, they are tropical fish with the needs as any other such as angelfish (though they can live in a smaller space than an angel): heater for constant temp, filter for clean water, and I'd get them a bigger tank to have some swim room with that equipment. Though it may get some warmth from the lights or tank its not really sufficient or consistent as changes in room temp will make that small jar/bowl water temp fluctuate. I'd recommend a 2.5 or 5g standard tank (about $10 or less depending where you buy), a temp adjustable heater (15-30 watts minimum- $7-20) and either a sponge filter or small hob with foam pre-filter and some foam put over the outflow (another $10-20). Live plants including floaters would be loved by bettas too.


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## FishBR (Sep 2, 2014)

I love the green background. Looks great! I painted my dark blue but I now think that dark green could have been a better option.

I am no expert on bettas, but from what I understand they will be fine with room temperature in the bowls you have.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

FishBR said:


> I love the green background. Looks great! I painted my dark blue but I now think that dark green could have been a better option.
> 
> I am no expert on bettas, but from what I understand they will be fine with room temperature in the bowls you have.


That's the miss information that needs dispelled. They're tropical fish not goldfish. They're best at 78-82F, 80 being the common sweet spot. While they can _survive _unfiltered bolws they are much more active and enjoyably in filtered heated tanks with some swim room... Pretty much equivilant to stuffing a child in a dog cage it can turn around it but no room to play or run and put it in the garage in autumn (60F range) without proper clothing=its too cold to be comfortable.. and air will get stale, not to mention the buildup of waste as the child cannot get out of the cage and no one is cleaning it... That's no way to keep a child, or a fish.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Excuse me, but both bettas are blind in one eye, they got injured in transit to the fish store,and are better off in their bowls! The woman at the fish store, asked me if I'd take them, instead of putting them down! They sit on the light, because our heat is 74 in the house, and with the light, around 78 degrees in their bowls! Their bowls gets cleaned once a week! There are live plants on the surface, giving them air! They also breath air from the surface,like goldfish! They can't defend themselves, or find their food, if they are in bigger tanks! How would YOU like to be a fish, blind in one eye, and have the filter swish your food all around a big tank, and you can't find it? My normal Bettas in the past, were in five gallon tanks! Ask before criticizing! Enough said!

Bump: Thankyou, FishBR. I went to Walmart, and bought the offwhite drawer liner, and then got the paint in crafts for fifty cents a bottle! It is vinyl and t is awesome stuff to paint, and it hangs straight! it has a tiny pebbly texture! I just taped it to the back after it was dry! When this tank was a salt water tank, I had the dark blue, and I liked it also, but wanted a lighter color so the fish would show up better!


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## grizzly_a (Sep 9, 2014)

I like the paint job! How do you know when algae is growing on the back glass? Also like the rebuttal.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

I clean the back with a razor blade, and it shows up fairly easily with the light background! I don't have a lot of algae right now, knock on wood (rapping on head,  so it hasn't been a problem. I'm looking to add another LED light, so that may cause an increase! Thanks for replying!


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## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

Cool, I have the same tone of blue in my 75 gal.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

It's beautiful! Perpetual summertime, sort of, lol!


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## Shana (Aug 27, 2010)

The tank background looks nice.

However, you ought to listen to the ADVICE you were given about the bettas. Forums aren't just a place for you to show off your accomplishments and have people tell you how awesome you are. They are also places for asking questions, sharing information, and giving advice. I think you responded quite rudely to a more knowledgeable person who was trying to help you. No one has to help you. They could just go "eh, that girl is going to lose those fish" and keep on scrolling by, but instead they took the time to offer you some advice in a very polite way. Even is it was something you thought was wrong or didn't want to hear, you could have politely disagreed instead of going an an exclamation point-riddled rant.

I've been told how I could do things better several times on this forum. That's why I'm here: because I can't learn how to do things right without knowing how I'm doing them wrong.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Apparently, you didn't read my response! They are half blind! I have had aquariums for 40 years, and I don't claim to be an expert, and I know I'm not awesome; I don't pretend to be, but I am never rude when I try to help someone! And I am also someone, that hardly EVER looses their temper, but that was uncalled for! I am always on the lookout for good advice, but you don't tell someone, you care for your fish, like a child in a room, that never gets cleaned! That is NOT being polite! Maybe you like to be rude, but I don't! And I am tired of others, being that way!

Bump: Besides that, if they were normal, I totally agree, but they are not! It is the way it was presented! I would never tell someone this! 

Pretty much equivilant to stuffing a child in a dog cage it can turn around it but no room to play or run and put it in the garage in autumn (60F range) without proper clothing=its too cold to be comfortable.. and air will get stale, not to mention the buildup of waste as the child cannot get out of the cage and no one is cleaning it... That's no way to keep a child, or a fish


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

Shana said:


> The tank background looks nice.
> 
> However, you ought to listen to the ADVICE you were given about the bettas. Forums aren't just a place for you to show off your accomplishments and have people tell you how awesome you are. They are also places for asking questions, sharing information, and giving advice. I think you responded quite rudely to a more knowledgeable person who was trying to help you. No one has to help you. They could just go "eh, that girl is going to lose those fish" and keep on scrolling by, but instead they took the time to offer you some advice in a very polite way. Even is it was something you thought was wrong or didn't want to hear, you could have politely disagreed instead of going an an exclamation point-riddled rant.
> 
> I've been told how I could do things better several times on this forum. That's why I'm here: because I can't learn how to do things right without knowing how I'm doing them wrong.



get off your high horse. don't ever assume someone is more knowledgeable than someone else. you should be banned for talking such nonsense.


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## brooksie321 (Jul 19, 2014)

Bettas don't belong in anything less than 2.5 gal.. point blank period, whether they have super fishy sight or completely blind. They should have, heated, filtered water. I don't want to hear about living in stagnant animal foot prints. We're perfectly capable of providing adequate housing for a betta, if not.. reconsider keeping live pets.. the background looks great by the way!


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

I tried the bigger tank; they are scared, and hide in the bottom! They are comfortable, in the smaller space! This is where they live in the wild! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IbjCEOBWyE


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## brooksie321 (Jul 19, 2014)

Katey said:


> I tried the bigger tank; they are scared, and hide in the bottom! They are comfortable, in the smaller space! This is where they live in the wild! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IbjCEOBWyE


What did I say about their natural habitat in all seriousness, we both know they would be fine in a larger home, of course they'll stress out for the first day.. once accustomed to their new surroundings? ? I'm sure they'll settle in and explore.. you could do a 2.5 gal with a divider?? Attach java moss to divider.. a little anubias. Boom! Sweet bettatat.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Sigh!


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

I would like to apologize, if I hurt feelings! I didn't respond very well to your posts! I'm normally a person, that nothing much bothers, but that day, I had gotten home from visiting a critically ill, best friend that was in the fourth day of not waking from the anesthetic! I was scared, and upset! Forgive me, if I hurt feelings! Thank you, for trying to help me! I do appreciate it!


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## annyann (Aug 31, 2013)

I had a very old Betta that slowly went blind or nearly blind at about 4 1/2 years of age and he was already grown when I got him.. I had to move him to a bowl so he could find his food, as Katey said, the filter blowing the fish food around made it to hard for him to find it. I would basically have to touch it to his face and then he would happily devour it like always. So I totally get what your saying Katey.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Thank you!  That is why I moved the first one, to the smaller bowl!


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## jhmanning (Nov 22, 2014)

I love the color of you background and I agree that the betta comments could have been delivered much better people attacking each other was a major reason I left the last fish forum I was on. the person who started in on the bettas should have asked if you had a reason for doing that or if you were just doin it for looks and didn't know better.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Thanks! I appreciate the support, though I did over react! It was a very stressful day! No excuse though! I'm not one to loose it! Usually!  I left another forum for the same reason, and also because no one ever answered me!


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