# "The Mud Puddle" - 40G Journal



## Jun (Jan 2, 2015)

Alright, so I'm creating this thread to put all the updates for my 40 gallon project that I gifted myself with for Christmas.  I lovingly refer to it as 'the Mud Puddle', because for the first little while I had it, it looked like this:








You'd never know WHAT was in there... :angler_fish:

So, thankfully, after a few thousand gallons (or so it seemed like) worth of water changes, it cleared up for the most part. I just received a shipment of manzanita, and went on a 50-foot trek to round up a few nice stones, and I completed the hardscape yesterday:








Not too shabby, eh? It's a little cloudy in the picture because I was messing with the sand, but I'm pretty proud of the way it's turning out.

I'd expected to have about $40 worth of plants in there about this time, too, since I am expecting the first 'true' inhabitants of the tank tomorrow (_Betta ocellata_), but my box of plants was caught in USPS limbo for a good long while and I am only tepidly expecting it to finally pop up tomorrow... (It was supposed to be here Monday). I'd really hoped to have the plants more established before I got the fish.

I'll update this when we have fish and/or plant touchdown.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Looks great, love the wood in there. Hope the plants make it okay.


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## werebat (Jan 27, 2012)

Thats how my tank looked the first time I put in sand. I didnt rinse it good enough and that caused the cloudiness. When I did my second tank, I rinsed the sand really good and it was pretty much clear when I put it in the tank.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Yay for B. Ocellata! If you have never had them, you will be happy to know, they are some of the most personable bettas, as well as just amazingly beautiful. They will be super happy in there.


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## Jun (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks all! I appreciate your comments. 

Susankat, the plants are hopefully arriving today but we will see what kind of condition they are in since it's been at least a week on the road. :\

werebat, I came to the conclusion that this sand was actually pigmented! It was a much brighter orange-tan when I put it in. I like the colour it is now, but it's not the same colour as when I bought it. I've used many different types of sand and washed this sand very thoroughly, but I think enough time submersed the pigment just leached off.

Majerah, I kept B. ocellata several years ago and am SO excited to keep them again! I will update this when they arrive (hopefully soon!).


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

that is a nice tank.i think it looks better like that.i could imagine a few angel fish schooling in there swimming around living the fact that is is not to bright and that it is LIKE tannis water.awesome tank.


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## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

This is going to be one spectacular looking tank!
Nice balance of wood and rocks with sand - hardly even need any plants - can't wait to see fish peeking around in it.
More more more photos!!

Big school of espei rasboras? or something similiar...
Some loaches peeking out from the plants... sumo or hillstream (Sewellia lineolata)
Keyhole cichlids...
And... oh wait... its not my tank...


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Now, make another and put B.Macrostoma in it!


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## Jun (Jan 2, 2015)

So it has been a bit of a crazy week with the tank.

I don't know what USPS' problem was last week but they did NOT have their crap together. My plants arrived - three days late - more than 50% dead. Thankfully the seller is awesome and is sending me another batch that will be here tomorrow.

I got those plants the same day that would have been 'day 3' for the fish in the mail (aka, they were supposed to be delivered Wednesday, they hadn't gone out for delivery on Thursday, and they had no intention of delivering them until Friday. WTF!). I panicked a little. (Okay, a lot) I called around and asked everyone very nicely if they could help me find my package. And they did! So I rushed out and picked them up at the post office.

Thankfully, they all arrived a-okay.

SO okay, in fact, that today - three days later - I had two separate flirting pairs of fish and now I have a holding male! OI.

Not that I am complaining. 

I'll get an updated tank shot tomorrow once I've got a few more plants for it, but for now, here are two boys trying to look tough and mean.

















^ The boy in front was one of the males that was flirting hard with one of the girls. She teased him for a good long while, and he struck out in the end. He was trying so hard, too!


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Adorable! I love how they try so hard to look big and bad when they gape yet... they just look cute :O Congrats on them holding already too! W used to have a theory that shipping was a huge turn on for fish and would surely spawn shortly after arriving in a new tank. 

Still, you need macs*whistle*


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## Jun (Jan 2, 2015)

I would LOVE macs, and the next time I return home to the north, my mom wants to give me her tank that would be perfect for a pair of macs.


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## Jun (Jan 2, 2015)

A little more updated shot. I got the second shipment of plants and it really filled the tank up - now it's just a game of seeing what sticks and what I like and what I want to focus on. So it looks a little haphazard right now. 









Here's the holding male - he has since eaten the eggs but it was his first try so I'm not surprised, haha.









More boys making faces.


















And being pretty.









My lone female B. splendens. She is the queen of the front glass (you know, the begging area).









One of four sterbai cories.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

awesome pics.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Love them! Mouthbrooders look so dang sad when holding. Especially when you drop food in their face. "Yay foo-Oh that's right. bummer. "


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

haha.yay foo-oh thats right bummer.that is so funny.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

You really need some mouthbrooding bettas, Brian. Then you would fully understand their sadness.


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## Jun (Jan 2, 2015)

Not much to update, but here is an updated full tank shot from earlier today.










Current stock list is 7 B. ocellata and 5 C. sterbai and still my 1 silly B. splenden girl.

Been a little crazy with work, but I quit two days ago (with relief AND panic) so I'm thinking about doing a little more 'scaping on this thing, moving the plants and stuff around. The Cabomba exploded - obviously - so I think I need to move that to the back and see what isn't growing quite as quickly that I can bring to the front.

I am in love with the Downoi, it's so adorable and it's just plugging away a couple of leaves a day.

The Ocellatas have spawned a couple more times but no successful holds yet.  Guess food is more important.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

that is one awesome tank!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Tank is looking great.


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## cynsnn (Nov 21, 2014)

Your plants are beautiful! I've got 2 java ferns that are growing and putting out lots of plantlets but they don't look anywhere nice as yours! I didn't think you could put 2 betta males together in 1 tank? Is it because they are one of the wild types? :betta::betta:


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

cynsnn said:


> Your plants are beautiful! I've got 2 java ferns that are growing and putting out lots of plantlets but they don't look anywhere nice as yours! I didn't think you could put 2 betta males together in 1 tank? Is it because they are one of the wild types? :betta::betta:


Yep. Wild type bettas usually can coexist with each other pretty well. As you can see they still get manly and gape at each other as well as just plain getting rude. But you usually only end up with a few ripped fins and hurt feelings in the end. 

Here are my two boys fussing over the breeding rights of the lady. All show. little blurry, sorry. The lights were off and this was with flash.


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## cynsnn (Nov 21, 2014)

That is so cool that u can home a group of them! I'm going to research these beautys some more, they are pretty cool! Can u keep them in a 10gl or do u have to have a 30 or better? I'm just starting out (or so it feels) after 20+ years of not doing it right, I did have the wc's right though so I did some of it correct. Anyway I'm just learning about plants, and I know that it takes patience, but it's hard! lol


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

A 20 gallon for a pair would be preferred. These guys can get a nice size so the extra space is welcomed. A small group could happily live in a 29 gallon. Tight fitting lids are a must. They jump. Well. And accurately. 

They are some of the most personable fish you will ever own though. Aquatic puppy dogs. Easy to care for and easy to breed.

Let me add that if you are interested in some, I know a breeder in Cleveland TN so you would have someone fairly local. She has... other wilds too, just in case you are interested !


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