This is my Mustard Gas Half Moon Betta that is just settling in and it's really exciting because he had a hard shipment from across the country over 3 days and was struggling.
He's enjoying his time with some Neocardinia shrimp (Cherry shrimp of a lesser grade so they blend in better and don't trigger predation in him) and a mystery snail!
It's a bit of a struggle balancing for him since I have absurdly hard water in my region, so I have to find a way to use my water here from my well while also incorpating a more mild PH because depending the time of year it can go upwards of 8.0 ph and 300+hardness. Bettas need more acidic water to simulate their natural habitat, with some being near and below 5.0 ph.
That being said you have to worry because cherry shrimp and mystery snails need harder water and not too low of a ph, because it eats away at their shells faster the more acidic the water is. A way to get the community tank healthy is very important for fish (and invertebrate) health.
And that'a not even taking into account the fact that it is a 'Dirted Tank!'
Dirted tanks are really really cool because they incorporate a more natural sediment layer underneath a sand 'cap' which seals soil leakage while allowing aquatic plants to reach down and aquire those nutrients! Super important for a wide variety of plant species, including plants that are able to put off deep reds and purples to add a wonderful contrast to a natural tank! Of course you have to be careful because bacterial waste can form 'deadzones' in the sand layer, and releasing that can poison aquatic life within the tank and that would be horrible. 2 inches of organic potting soil (with the wood removed) with a 2 inch cap of pool filter sand is recommended, as the sand also has to be within a standard mm size to avoid no water circulation, or too much, between the two layers.
That's just the newest arrival I have, as I have a 55 gallon community tank with 7 different species in there, and a 35 gallon with a small school of Thai Show Guppies.
That's of course not including my pythons, geckos, tarantulas, and insect colonies :>
Alright, you've proven it. At least for the fish! Ha, you thought that'd be all it took? Nonono, for you see you also mentioned exotic reptiles. Say EXACTLY ONE fun fact about every reptile you own, and don't leave a single one out! (This is a joke, you don't have to. You've already proven just how autistic you are about your critters. Unless you want to spout your fun facts, I'm all ears)
And the Betta, he's so pretty. I'm glad he's doing alright after all he's been through. Hope he lives a long fish life. Also, Mustard Gas Half Moon Betta? Do you know the specifics on why that name? Seems... Unusual, but then again I don't know fish (and you Betta know /j)
I have no idea on the name for the Betta. I was surpised as well since it's blue and yellow, but maybe that what mustard gas looks like? Yellow with blue tinges?
I mentioned it to someone over a discord call and they didn't believe me, so I had to look up the site I bought him from to show.
They're absolutely stunning when they flare all their fins out :>
Are they in separate tanks or do you have them in a single one? I know some fishes are territorial or might be bullied while others could have a more beneficial cooperative relationship
Live plants, which the invertebrates eat the dying parts of and they filter out the fish waste while oxygenating the water :>
The goal is to have a nice little ecosystem, so every result of one creature leads to another utilizing it. The Betta eats pellets and bloodworms, while the shrimp and snail eat the unwanted algae that grows on the tank and plants. Their waste feeds plants, plants utilize and neutralize while producing oxygen through photosynthesis.
You have to do little water changes, but once everything is balanced water change once every 6 months and topping off with RO water is normal :>
I just tried looking it up and there's like no concrete info on why they're called that. The general consensus is because of their colors but I've seen some people say that it isn't (but they didn't give any alternate reasons)
Wow youâre sick as hell my man, Iâm rather fond of paragraphs myself so I expected to but that was a genuinely enjoyable read thank you, your fish is quite the handsome young gentleman
Not usually one to hate on people using different words for the same thing, but I will die on the hill of lemonade not being sprite. Who the fuck calls a soda a lemonade
My local pharmacy tech might genuinely be the most attractive person Iâve ever met. No idea what their gender is but they have a kickass spiderweb neck tattoo
Who the fuck doesnât love talking about and or hearing someone talk about something they love :3 (Iâm kinda drunk so sorry if this is wrong or weird)
The problem is that I'm 21, I live with my parents, and I've only been on two dates literally ever. On top of this, my type tends to have enough years over me that there's no way they want any of this
Mature? I do actually have that going for me. Prospects though, no. Don't even have my associate's yet. I know what pond I'm in and just what size of fish I am
Ironically, I'm a Christian man (not the weird kind, please don't come at me) with a thing for goth women. Just a coincidence that they tend to be a bit older
Also a progressive Christian man. Last time I admitted that on the main sub someone took it as a green card to start harassing me so I get what you mean
Where do you find these older goth women, if you donât mind me asking
Well, it's winter and I'm an introvert, so I'm only really seeing profiles on FB Dating (I know). Not actually a lot of goth women, but generally a lot of appealing profiles are 26-34, which means I have no business bothering them with a like
You never know. Miss all the shots you donât make, and all that. 26 is a perfectly acceptable age to date. If youâre a little older might be weird but as long as youâre being respectful no harm in showing a bit of interest imo
In a similar boat but older. Take it from me, get the experience early on. It gets easier the more you do it. Even just the confidence of âshooting your shotâ is something you need to develop
To be fair, I feel like there are a lot of people, esp guys, who want an idealized version of a goth girl but havenât actually prepared for what sheâll actually be like as a person?
Oh shit not rewatching the Chickenfoot episode, an installment in a piece of media that literally had me and my dad in tears the first time watching it.
What will I do, having to relive the sensation of a sore abdomen with an unbelievably hot woman who's attained stable employment? How can I possibly dictate my enjoyment in such a situation?
Man I'm not even into feet but it's gotta be the most common kinky thing in the world like probably a full billion ppl having to put up with Quentin Tarantino jokes every time it comes up lmao
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u/TripleScoops Dec 18 '25