Setting up his new home...Few questions...please :}

[lariboo]

Well, thanks so much for all the advice and everything! His new home is coming together.
I am setting up the 10 gallon tank as we speak to cycle it.
I am lucky enough to have a great little fish store downtown that will test my water for me for free, so no need to buy tests. Also, they are helping me cycle. Right now, I am putting water softener or conditioner in, and some coating or something? Also, the guy was so great. He tried out all of my stuff that I bought to make sure it would work and work well for my betta. This fish store treats their fish like kings and queens. So spoiled, which I love about it. Also, they do not try to rip you. They reccommend what you need, only.
Anyway, I was going to buy some silk plants, but after reading some stuff, I have decided to try to go for the real.
I live in Michigan, and was wondering where I should order from. Anyone have a good place online?
So, I have a 10 gallon hexagon tank, with a heater and low current filter. I will be having a few fish in there to cycle with, and then Amo, my betta.
So which plants should I buy, how much, and where from? And how do I quarantine them?

Please let me know anything else that I may forget about setting my tank up. I am getting excited. Everything is being thoroughly cleaned in vinegar as we speak. :}

[lariboo]

Please?

[dramaqueen]

I read on another post where someone reccommended liveaquaria.com for ordering fish and plants. I'm sorry I can't answer your other questions of which plants and how much.

[Kim]

Bayleesfishees is a great place to buy plants online. However, do you know the care requirements of plants? Are you willing to spend extra money on fertalizers, lighting fixtures, etc?

I'd also have to suggest doing a fishless cycle, which is much nicer on the fish. Plus, most of the usual cycling fish, such as zebra danios, are going to be too energetic for your betta.

Good luck ;)

[lariboo]

Eh, Amo passed away two days ago. I am very upset, but refuse to stop trying to save fish from Meijer. We are cycling the tank then buying another betta, but we are going to quarantine him first to make sure he is healthy. We have 3 little fish that are perfectly happy.

[dramaqueen]

In my opinion, it's not a good idea to try to rescue fish from places like Meijer or Walmart. People do it with the best intentions, to try to save a fish's life and give it a better home but a lot of them end up dying. I think their immune systems get weak from the poor conditions they are kept in and they don't live very long after we get them.And when they die, we feel terrible.I've always gotten the healthiest fish I could find and mine have lived pretty long lives.

[lariboo]

That is true, but Amo made it almost a year, so that was great news to me.
I really like to save them, so I will continue to.
But, to each their own :}

[dramaqueen]

I rescued one from a cousin's granddaughter last year and he's doing great. He was in pretty bad shape when I got him.She had him for 5 months and I bet the water hadn''t been changed any more than 2 times in that time frame. He was in the filthiest water I've ever seen and I couldn't wait to change it. He had finrot and was depressed too. Their cat had knocked his vase over and he DOES have swimbladder issues because of it but otherwise he's fine. They were going to flush him but my cousin told her daughter that she would ask me if I wanted him and of course I said yes.I hope I didn't sound too critical. Its just that its sad when you work so hard to save a fish only to have them die despite the best efforts to save them.