Fish lovers!

[Sila]

are they made of glass or a gel substance?

[above_all_else]

glass.

[Sila]

hm glass? I say they would be fine, not much difference from gravel, just be careful when cleaning them. They might slip a bit more when you drain the tank and the could might chip the glass sides of it. That's what I think would happen but if your careful they show be fine, also they can be mixed with gravel, is this what you meant?

Glass marbles for fish tanks

[above_all_else]

yeah, that's what I meant. And draining? Do you have to fully drain fish tanks, not just remove 25% and refill it? I have a ten gallon and usually fill it with mollies, but this time it's going to be a betta sorrority (sp) tank^^. La. I'm going to get a divider for my tank and put one male on one side and three females on the other. What do you suggest for ornaments?

[Dakotak]

glass.

They would be fine. Just make sure they are smooth and have no sharp edges.
I like gravel better. I have a thin layer so its easy to clean, plus good bacteria can grow on them which is good for your tank.
Another con of sand is that if you don't set it up right air bubbles can form in them and get poisonous and if released can poison your fish.
Gravel can hide poop and food so if you go with gravel I suggest a thin layer. (like an inch or so) Its mainly for looks like Indigo said. You can even get a little bit of gravel and put it in the tank while it is cycling and then once it is done you can take it out and have a bare bottom tank. Bare bottom is the most easy to clean.

[Sila]

i have a much smaller tank for my bettas, but since i only have one in each tank its fine. I hate dividers. sorry but I really do, in a ten gallon tank it would be fine. is the divider clear or darkened out? darkened out would be a lot better and never put three betta females in a same tank together.

its bad when in one tank you have

male and male
male and female
female and female

they will fight each other until one remains, meaning a fight to the death, thats why you see them in separate bowls at pet stores

when i clean my tank i make sure i swirl the gravel around enough to get out everything. it takes a while but i make sure the gravel is completely clean before filling it up again ^^

[Cardinal]

The whole sand vs. gravel debate. xD

I like sand. Lots o sand. I find it much prettier, much easier to clean, ad my fish really seem to enjoy it. Sand compacts when placed in water so food and waste can not slip between it and that stuff sits on top where its super easy to vacuum. It also makes it easier to monitor if there's parasites or if the fish aren't eating. As for cleaning.. even a turkey baster works for spot cleaning, but I find that even my filter keeps the sand looking sparkly.

Gravel.. never again. Never ever. Vacing is a pain. Waste slips all between it and rots and even if you vacuum there's so way to get all of it. Algae can and will grow on the surface of the gravel whereas I've never had it grow on sand. Gravel comes in pretty colors, both it looks dingy after a while because of waste, paint leeching/chipping, and algae growth.

Those pretty marble also don't stay pretty for long. Since they are smooth they tend to be a magnet for algae. ;D I had a few and I'd have to clean them every few months and it was a hassle. Also, being smooth your beneficial bacteria will not colonize their. :<

Another alternate is flourite.. I like the dark look of flourite and its for.. PLANTS. Live plants are gorgeous <3


Also.. a sorority is hard to maintain and I wouldn't attempt it in anything under 10 gallons and a 10 gallon can be iffy. If it doesn't work out you have to have a tank set up for -each- female or rehome. I have 5 girls in a 30 gallon and one or two always have shredded fins, injured eyes, missing scales. :l They are super pretty, but a pain to maintain. You need loads of hiding places and thick plants. Trios are also iffy. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Generally you want 5-7 betta fish as two will pick one another to death, with three 2 will gang up on one, and with 4 you normally have 2 on 2. x.x

[Sila]

i think it all depends on what the gallon of your tank is xD i have gravel for all of my fish's tanks and when I clean its perfectly fine. I don't vacuum my water out of my tank, i dump it out (with my fish out of course!) anyway they are both fine, i just like gravel but i have never tried sand before XD

oh and also I have never had algae grow on my gravel, i clean it too much for it to grow.

[above_all_else]

...well, I've been researching the betta sororities, and I think I'll try it. Sorry if ti sounds like I'm being difficult, but I really want ore than one fish in my tank, xD! Also, my tank is ten gallon, and the divider will be white.

[Cardinal]

...well, I've been researching the betta sororities, and I think I'll try it. Sorry if ti sounds like I'm being difficult, but I really want ore than one fish in my tank, xD! Also, my tank is ten gallon, and the divider will be white.

You could always divide two ways and have two males? Or have a male betta fish in the ten gallon with a school shoal of pygmy or panda cory and a shoal of galaxy rasbora or dwarf red spot rasbora?

Always do tons of research before anything. ^^; Sometimes sororities work out, sometimes they don't. I just wouldn't attempt it in only five gallons of water.. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. :<

Also, since you are researching right now.. you can always go ahead and start cycling your tank! It can take up to 2 months in the worst case, so it'll give you plenty of time to decide what you really want. =)

i think it all depends on what the gallon of your tank is xD i have gravel for all of my fish's tanks and when I clean its perfectly fine. I don't vacuum my water out of my tank, i dump it out (with my fish out of course!) anyway they are both fine, i just like gravel but i have never tried sand before XD

oh and also I have never had algae grow on my gravel, i clean it too much for it to grow.

I never mess with my substrate, I'm to paranoid about killing my bacteria and messing with my cycle. x.x