More intelligence in a tank mate?

[Hadoken Kitty]

Here's the deal: I need new tank mates for Dovakiin. I bought four neons last night, but they all died to either being sick or stupid. Dovakiin was just sleeping in his log and they all died in about the same way: getting themselves stuck in a plant. I wasn't even really even sure how they managed to do this, until I got the chance to watch the last one do it last night. They would swim to an area and stare at a spot, as if they were sizing it up. They swim closer and find their bodies wouldn't fit. However, they must have had a "throw caution to the wind" attitude, because after backing up, they'd try to fit through anyways and get stuck. The one I was watching got out, but now I can't find him so I'm assuming he found his last days as well.

Dovakiin seems a bit perkier now that they're gone, though. He doesn't mind the pleco, at least. Is there another type of tank mate that'll pick up dovakiin's scraps from the bottom of the floor? Maybe one that won't kill itself? :P

Also, the pleco is obsessing over by the filter, but I need him to be over by the log and eating the algae off of that. -.- Any suggestions?

[Bounce]

Isn't this a newly set up tank? If so, the neons more than likely died because of being added to a non-cycled tank. They're sensitive and need to only be added after a tank has fully cycled.

As for the pleco, if this is a new tank, you probably don't have algae yet and might want to offer him algae wafers or blanched veggies.

My apologies if I'm confused and am incorrect in assuming that this is a new tank, just offering a suggestion.

[Laki]

Did you do a water change after the tetra's died? Your bettas sudden "perkiness" could be a reaction to an ammonia spike caused by the dead fish and purported missing body.
Do an immediate water change before you think of adding anything else.

What size tank do you have? And what kind of pleco?

[LadyVictorian]

I agree, what is the tank size and what kind of pleco? Most pleco's once thy grow up will eat other fish including betta.

[Hadoken Kitty]

I'm actually getting ready to make the change. There *is* algae on the log, because my room has insane amounts of sunlight (and as we know, sunlight + warm water = algae). I can't really get rid of the sunlight, or find a not so sunny area due to the whole house having windows (one room has entire wall-long windows). Seeing as I need to clean the log now, I need to get to get algae wafers (I feel dumb now that I forgot, seeing as I was JUST AT the pet store). The Nitrite assumption was correct. My pet store tested the water from the bag I had the fish in, and it was *slightly* high. I'll try to stay updated, but today is turning out to be a mess. T.T

[Hadoken Kitty]

and the tank is a 20G. The tank is about four days old now.

[Laki]

What kind of algae eater do you have? He should just eat the algae and be supplemented with wafers once or twice a week. However, the most common kind of pleco sold in stores are the dark ones with like leopard pattern skin .. I cannot remember the name. Anyway, they grow big- like as big as a forearm big. 20g won't support him for long and he will add to the nitrite levels and ammonia which will adversely affect the betta.

Um.. The algae's growth can be halted by adding some live plants who will use the direct sunlight to grow and compete with algae for nutrition. A java fern or anubias or even hornwort are low maintenance and would thrive in a tank that receives natural light like yours do.

An added bonus to live plants is that as they grow they use nitrites and ammonia as food or something so it lowers those levels a bit.

I suggest cycling the tank which would reduce the weekly or whatever 100% changes. With a properly cycled tank you won't ever need to do a 100% clean. There are stickies around the forum on cycling.

[Hadoken Kitty]

I have this type of pleco:
http://www.peteducation.com/article....+1911&aid=2663

Uhm, I'm going to the pet store now. Is there anything I can do until I have the money to buy the soil, sand, etc that is needed for plant growth?

[Fishybitty]

I love my "mystery" snail. He is constantly moving all over the tank. He was a good purchase :) plus my female bettas like him

[Laki]

Oh that pleco stays small, there are some members here with those in 20g.
You don't need gravel and sand or anything special for java fern, hornwort or anubias. I keep all three. Hornwort free floats and the java fern and anubias are just weighted to a decoration (one being driftwood, the other is a small pumice-like stone). They are fine like that and grow. You might want to pick up SeaChem Flourish Comprehensive or Excel. I use Comprehensive and double dose once weekly.

***Ask the pet store staff if they can give you a free sample of salvinia or frogbit. Both are easy to grow floating plants. I got my sample for free bc the worker assumed it wouldn't grow. I just gave 2 clumps away yesterday for free just to get rid of it, it grows wild. !!