# New to your Site!



## Mattsmom

Hi!

I can't remember how I stumbled upon your site... I've had it bookmarked for a couple of weeks and have read through some posts. It'll be nice to get to know fellow fish-keepers that are actually local and recommend stores, etc.

I live in Brampton... happily married and have an 8 yr old son. 

I've been wanting to get into aquarium keeping for years... and finally took the plunge with a betta just over a year ago... as everyone told me how easy they are to keep! WELL... the small 1/2 gallon betta keeper - turned into a 1.5 gallon... to a 5 gallon cycled, filtered, heated palace for my Max. Naturally, they're very addictive... so my betta family grew to 5 in a matter of months. My last betta I got was a rescue (actually all were)... but he was very sick. I nursed him back to health... and he too enjoys a 5 gallon tank all to himself. 

I've only ventured into the world of bettas so far... although I've recently bought some nerite snails that are in quarantine... I'll be adding them to my betta tanks in a few weeks for algae cleanup!

I do want to get into keeping a larger community aquarium... but I don't have the place or time for one right now. But I hope to have a community tank sometime in the near future. In the meantime... I'm learning lots about all sorts of fish. But bettas are still my true love!

I belong to a couple of other national/international fish forums and am a moderator at one (I'm a very quick learner!)

Looking forward to chatting with you... sharing info and ideas! Thanks to whomever developed this site!! Cool!

Michele


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## Cory_Dad

Hi Mattsmom!

Welcome to the forums.

Bettas are kinda out of my realm of experience but aquariums are aquariums. And I see you've also got MTS (Multi Tank Syndrome). One day, god willing, they'll find a cure.

Cheers.


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## KnaveTO

Cory_Dad said:


> And I see you've also got MTS (Multi Tank Syndrome). One day, god willing, they'll find a cure.


And if they do... the person will have to go into hiding from the lynch mob that will be formed by aquarium hobbiests from around the globe 

Oh... and welcome to your own private group on enablers...


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## Cory_Dad

Hi, my name is Cory_Dad, and I haven't bought a new tank in 2 months....


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## Mattsmom

Thanks for the welcomes!!

I'm very used to enabling! I've been guilty of it myself!!  

MTS is a terrible illness... along with MBS (multiple betta syndrome/sickness)... I'm suffering from both badly. But I don't think I want a cure either!!

I'll see you all around...

Michele


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## Mattsmom

Cory_Dad said:


> Hi, my name is Cory_Dad, and I haven't bought a new tank in 2 months....


 lol  lol  lol


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## gunnerx

Welcome to GTAA! I actually just purchased a 6g tank and I'm now thinking about putting some plants in there and making it a home for a Betta.


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## Katalyst

Welcome to GTA Michele! I'd love to see some photo's of your betta's, they sound positively spoiled rotten! Just like fish should be!  

Hope to see you around the forums! 

Kate


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## Ciddian

Welcome!  I am very happy to have yet another betta lover on the forum :3


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## Shattered

Welcome to the boards.


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## Katalyst

Ciddian said:


> Welcome!  I am very happy to have yet another betta lover on the forum :3


I'm a betta lover in disguise, I just know if I get one I'll end up with 100.  So I admire from afar.


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## Mattsmom

Thanks so much for the welcome wishes!! I'm also happy to hear that a few of you are lovers/admirers of bettas!! I'll post some pics of my setups in the next day or two. Looking forward to seeing and reading more about your setups and fish!

Michele


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## Pablo

Welcome 

Im so happy to hear that you have a proper cycled aquarium with heater for your betta.


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## Katalyst

Cory_Dad said:


> Hi, my name is Cory_Dad, and I haven't bought a new tank in 2 months....


Don't worry Cory Dad there's a fix for that too. I haven't bought a new tank in 6 months but in the last two have aquired a 55 gallon hex, 5 gallon hex, & 2 30 gallons lol. I swear honey they just appeared!


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## Cory_Dad

Hmm, it's either the Aquarium Fairy or you've got tanks of both sexes and they're breeding.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!


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## Cory_Dad

Update:

Hi, my name is Cory_Dad, and I haven't bought a new tank in 5 hours....


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## Tabatha

Cory_Dad said:


> Update:
> 
> Hi, my name is Cory_Dad, and I haven't bought a new tank in 5 hours....


Uh oh!  What did you get???!!!


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## Katalyst

I swear the betta God's have heard me. Someone just gave me the cutest little 5 gallon hex. It has betta screaming all over it! Or I could stick my new tiger shrimp in it I guess. 

Hmmm this betta thing is tempting...I have to go hunt down a mini heater. 

Tabatha before you even ask you are numero uno on the shrimplet list if you'd like to be as they won't cross breed with your other shrimpo's. Dilemma solved lol.


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## Tabatha

Katalyst said:


> I have to go hunt down a mini heater.
> 
> Tabatha before you even ask you are numero uno on the shrimplet list if you'd like to be as they won't cross breed with your other shrimpo's. Dilemma solved lol.


Jess and I just saw a new nano heater at BA's last weekend, I think it might've been Hydor? it was really cool.

Thanks for thinking of me!!!


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## Katalyst

Tabatha said:


> Jess and I just saw a new nano heater at BA's last weekend, I think it might've been Hydor? it was really cool.
> 
> Thanks for thinking of me!!!


We need drag Jess out & go on another LFS expedition soon! There are a few places in Mississauga that I need to hit.

Mattsmom you need to post some betta picture's before we completely derail your thread!


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## Mattsmom

Katalyst said:


> I swear the betta God's have heard me. Someone just gave me the cutest little 5 gallon hex. It has betta screaming all over it! Or I could stick my new tiger shrimp in it I guess.
> 
> Hmmm this betta thing is tempting...I have to go hunt down a mini heater.
> 
> Tabatha before you even ask you are numero uno on the shrimplet list if you'd like to be as they won't cross breed with your other shrimpo's. Dilemma solved lol.


Katalyst!! You HAVE to get a betta in your 5 g hex (one of mine is one probably just like yours)! I guarantee you... you will not regret a decision to get one... they are little puppies... I tell you!

As for a heater... I use the Visi-Therm Stealth heaters... and I use the 50watt ones. They have a temp dial right on it and they're very accurate and don't overheat a 5 g at all. It's fully submersible and is not glass so it won't ever shatter. Big Al's carries them... as well as Petsmart. I think BA is cheaper though. If you wait for a coupon from Petsmart, if you have a Pet Perks card... you can apply the coupon to it.

Just a little tip! These heaters came highly recommended to me... and I love them!

Also... if the "nano heater" is the one I'm thinking of, it looks like a little heating pad/mat (7.5watts I believe)... these heaters raise the temp a few degrees higher than room temp... so the fluctuations may be too extreme for any fish... (including a betta).

Michele

P.S. And thanks again for the wonderful welcomes!!


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## Mattsmom

Katalyst said:


> We need drag Jess out & go on another LFS expedition soon! There are a few places in Mississauga that I need to hit.
> 
> Mattsmom you need to post some betta picture's before we completely derail your thread!


I will get to work on posting some pics now...

"A few places in Mississauga"... do tell??? Maybe there's some that I haven't been to yet??


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## Katalyst

Looks like I'll be hunting down Kim over at BayCityBettas.com in the near future.


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## Katalyst

Michele just call me Kat 

Just found this site....

http://z15.invisionfree.com/BettaBreedersCanada/index.php

I also know a few betta breeders in the Kit. Waterloo area, I may have to hunt them down too.


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## gunnerx

I want in on all this Betta business..  I have a 6 Gallon tank I'm gonna convert to planted and use it for a Betta.. I'm thinking Half Moon. 

For Stealth heaters, Sugarglider from PriceNetwork is the cheapest. I picked up 2 250w Stealths from him for $25 each total! Online, I find the cheapest is Pets and Ponds. http://www.petsandponds.com/securestore/c291440.2.html


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## Katalyst

gunnerx said:


> I want in on all this Betta business..  I have a 6 Gallon tank I'm gonna convert to planted and use it for a Betta.. I'm thinking Half Moon.
> 
> For Stealth heaters, Sugarglider from PriceNetwork is the cheapest. I picked up 2 250w Stealths from him for $25 each total! Online, I find the cheapest is Pets and Ponds. http://www.petsandponds.com/securestore/c291440.2.html


Yep I already left John a harassing voice mail about heaters.


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## Mattsmom

Okay... here are some pics... although I will update them sometime soon... these are a couple of months old... I've already changed them around a bit and added more live plants and got rid of more of the silk ones...

Here goes:

This is Max's 5 gallon tank (he's close to the top - he's normally a crowntail... but he chews his fins  - this pic was taken during a regrowth phase):









This is Jelly Bean's 5 gallon tank (he's in the middle). You can guess why I named him Jelly Bean (his colours remind me of jelly beans):









This is Casper - I don't have a recent pic of his tank - I'll take one soon though. He was my fish on the brink of death... and I nursed back to health - he's a lot smaller than my other guys... but big in personality:









This is Rosie's 3 gallon tank (she's towards the back flaring at herself):









Finally, this is Ruby's 3 gallon tank (she's in the bottom right):









I'll have to work on updating them soon...

Oh... and I've also added nerite snails to my entourage... they're in a quarantine tank right now...


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## gunnerx

Very nice tanks and bettas!


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## Mattsmom

Thanks Kat! And thanks for the link... I've got that site bookmarked too.

For me, any future bettas will be bought from a breeder. I HATE supporting the practices of most fish stores and how they keep their bettas. I want to scream every time I go in. I actually have trained myself not to look anymore b/c I walk away in near tears!!   I can't handle it anymore!!

Gunnerx... you seriously would not regret getting a betta. I promise!! 

I haven't actually bought a betta from Ashley yet... but I think my next one will be coming from her... check out her site... she's in Markham.

http://www.freewebs.com/ontariobetta/index.htm


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## Mattsmom

gunnerx said:


> Very nice tanks and bettas!


Thank you!

Michele


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## Ciddian

Kat take me please!? n_n

Yay MM! You have wonderful tanks... I hope to upgrade to 5's after my move.. I cant wait.



> For me, any future bettas will be bought from a breeder. I HATE supporting the practices of most fish stores and how they keep their bettas. I want to scream every time I go in. I actually have trained myself not to look anymore b/c I walk away in near tears!!   I can't handle it anymore!!


^this makes me happy :3

Oh and i have bought from ash twice! Wonderful seller


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## Katalyst

Ciddian said:


> Kat take me please!? n_n
> 
> Yay MM! You have wonderful tanks... I hope to upgrade to 5's after my move.. I cant wait.
> 
> ^this makes me happy :3
> 
> Oh and i have bought from ash twice! Wonderful seller


Wellllll, I kinda lost my mind & really need to have pay pal taken away from me lol...My betta tank may have to go on hold for a leeeetle while. Its about to have some new shrimpies in it on Tuesday. 

I am glad in a way as I need to geek out and read a ton of stuff about betta's before I pick one up. I am totally going the private breeder route, those new rosetails are amazing! I think I need one of those. Michele you definately have to go to the Fall auctions there are usually TONS of amazing bettas for sale from quality breeders that go for extremely reasonable prices.

I may have to bug Zenafish for one of her babies.

My husband is so going to kill me!  OMG I can't believe I bought more shrimp...

Hmmm speaking of pretty auction betta's, Jess how is the purple one you picked up?

Of course I'll take you with Jess!


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## Ciddian

She's doing just fine! Huge as ever.. Haha


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## Tabatha

Mattsmom said:


> Also... if the "nano heater" is the one I'm thinking of, it looks like a little heating pad/mat (7.5watts I believe)... these heaters raise the temp a few degrees higher than room temp... so the fluctuations may be too extreme for any fish... (including a betta).


Nope, I have one of those and I agree, it doesn't get warm enough.

Found it, its a Marineland 10w Mini Heater.

I'm sorry, I don't think I welcomed you, I apologize! Welcome to the GTAA!


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## Mattsmom

Ciddian said:


> Kat take me please!? n_n
> 
> Yay MM! You have wonderful tanks... I hope to upgrade to 5's after my move.. I cant wait.
> 
> ^this makes me happy :3
> 
> Oh and i have bought from ash twice! Wonderful seller


Thanks for everyone's kind words! I'll update those pics with what my tanks look like now... or I may wait till the snails go into the tanks and clean them up. Those pics were taken right after I switched out the substrate from coloured gravel to tahitian moon sand... so all the tanks got a clean up as well... but the algae has come back!  The snails will be an excellent clean-up crew... I purposely grew some algae in the QT and they had it cleaned up within a week! I'm not cleaning up the tanks too much right now so the snails will have lots to eat when they move in.  So they are a bit of a mess right now.

Thanks for mentioning you had dealt with Ashley! I talked with her a couple of times (through emails)... she seemed really nice and very caring about her bettas. She doesn't have any for sale right now... but once the QT is empty... I may just have to fill it! 

Thanks Tabatha! And thanks for the link to the heater! I've never seen it before... I'll have to keep my eyes open. Although I've used a 25 watt in a 2 gallon tank before and it didn't overheat... they just come "on" as needed (as long as it's a good quality heater).

I've also got Zenafish's website bookmarked as well!

So where's this "fall auction"?? This may be very dangerous!!! 

I'll have to do more looking around here to see all your fish and set ups!

Kat... if you're looking for great info on betta keeping... here's a link to some Betta FAQ's and a Betta Care Sheet that was put out by another forum I belong to (I moderate in the Betta and ER forums there)... I have found so many misconceptions about betta care from LFS's... thanks to the internet... I have been able to do right by my little guys... and they seem very healthy and happy for it! It's great info for anyone wanting to keep bettas and not sure where to start. Had I listened to the fish store employees... they would all be dead by now!

Anyway... thanks again for your warm welcomes!! I'm so glad I found your site!

Michele


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## Cory_Dad

Tabatha said:


> Uh oh!  What did you get???!!!


I am weak...

I got another 10 gallon to be used as a quarantine tank, which was what the original 10 was suppose to be but ended up being a nursery tank. But I saw some pea puffers at BA's Scar. today and they look darling......


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## Mattsmom

Lol!!! :d


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## Katalyst

Welcome to Enablers R' Us please drive thru.


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