question about a beta getting started

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Mananhammer

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
May 15, 2005
Messages
51
Location
Illinois
My girlfriend wants just a single solitary beta. I am wondering some things.

1. How big does the tank have to be?

2. Do they need a heater or filter?

3. Is there a cycling that i need to do for the tank before we put him in there?

4. The fish at the store look kinda beat up is there anything that i can feed it to bring back the color?

Thank you in advance this website has been ever so helpful.
 
I keep a betta in an Eclipse 5 gallon hex tank with 2 otocinculus, and they get along fine together. I used to keep only the betta but had a lot of problems with algae until I added the oto's. Some people keep bettas in 2.5 gallon tanks, but 5 gallons is really the smallest I would personally choose.

I don't keep a heater on my tank because it is at work and the temp never really fluctuates, although in most cases I would certainly recommend a heater.

They do need a filter. The Eclipse tank comes with a Biowheel filter included in the hood, and I have found the current to be perfect for my betta. I have heard others say that the Eclipse filter is too strong for their bettas, so I guess it depends largely on the individual fish. You will be able to tell if the current is too strong for your fish. And yes, the filter does need to be cycled. I jump started my cycle by taking a Biowheel out of an established Penguin mini and swapping it with the new Biowheel- they are the same size. Otherwise, I would suggest a fishless cycle.

Bettas appreciate plants, but don't add plastic ones as they can tear bettas' fins. Go for silk plants or easy ones like java fern.

If the fish at the store look like they are beat up, you can either wait until you like the look of the stock, or you can try to treat with Melafix or Pimafix to help with fin regrowth. They like a varied diet and you can feed them dry, frozen, and some live foods. :D
 
About keeping the betta I would advice the same as Severum Mama.

You could get a great looking betta online. For example at www.aquabid.com, or other online betta breeders or clubs. They come in a whole lot more color variations than the ones at the store and are really beautyful (and I guess a lot healthier).
 
1. How big does the tank have to be?

They can live in a cup but would be happier in a 5+ gal tank.

2. Do they need a heater or filter?

Optional but prefered.

3. Is there a cycling that i need to do for the tank before we put him in there?

Let water stand for at least 24 hrs.

4. The fish at the store look kinda beat up is there anything that i can feed it to bring back the color?

Don't buy them, don't sound healthy to me.
 
If you decide to get one from the store, I can say this about the color........their color improves dramatically once they're in a bigger tank with clean water and are fed properly. Those little cups they're sold in don't do them justice.

Try to find one whose fins don't look shredded or torn and who appears reasonably active & alert (as active as a fish can be in a cup of water).

Good luck!
 
I wouldn't consider a heater optional unless you live in a climate that is warm all year round. And the tank won't cycle in 24 hrs. If you use water conditioner (which you should) the water will be safe immediately however the tank will have to cycle the same way you cycle any other tank. And as far as picking the Betta the ones in the major pet stores usually look beat up but their condition generally improves once they are in a better environment. That said, there are some really amazing betta breeders online with beautiful fish of the likes you wouldn't normally see at the local petsmart, as Tiffi has already mentioned.
 
I would do a fishless cycle if I were you, it won't cycle in 24 hours to be sure. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15. This will explain the fishless cycle it works for FW as well, you can use pure ammonia as the beginning source for the cycle rather than shrimp if you choose. Keep the ammonia at about 3-4 ppm until nitrites appear, after that nitrates will appear and when your ammonia and nitrite read 0ppm and your nitrate reads at least 10 ppm do a water change and you are cycled. You will want to invest in a liquid test kit for this process.
 
Mananhammer said:
My girlfriend wants just a single solitary beta. I am wondering some things.

1. How big does the tank have to be?

2. Do they need a heater or filter?

3. Is there a cycling that i need to do for the tank before we put him in there?

4. The fish at the store look kinda beat up is there anything that i can feed it to bring back the color?

Thank you in advance this website has been ever so helpful.
Check out bestbettas.com. It was really helpful for me. I actually choose the most beat up looking ones because I feel sorry for them. I know that it's not normal to do that but they actually do really well for me once they have decent swimming space, medical care, and proper feeding.
 
Thank you for all your help we got an Eclipse 5 gallon corner tank and are watching the temp to see if she is going to need a heater or not. She is going to start the fishless cycle today.

Thank you again.
 
The bigger the tank, the happier the fish. The tank should be at least 2 gallons. They do not need a filter or heater. However, If you do not put it in a filtered or heated tank, the water will need to be changed every 5-7 days if you are using a 2-gallon tank. You will also have to make sure that the temperature is constant at around 78-80*F. No cycling is required but make sure there aren't any harmful chlorine, chloramines, nitrites, or nitrates in the water. Just to be safe, Get a bottle of Tetra AquaSafe and put it in the water and let the water sit outside for 3-5 days. Then it will be safe for fish to be added. There are many things that could have caused it to look beat up.

Is it by itself in a tank? Is it with another betta? Does it have spots, cotton-like fuzz, or look sick?

Mananhammer said:
My girlfriend wants just a single solitary beta. I am wondering some things.

1. How big does the tank have to be?

2. Do they need a heater or filter?

3. Is there a cycling that i need to do for the tank before we put him in there?

4. The fish at the store look kinda beat up is there anything that i can feed it to bring back the color?

Thank you in advance this website has been ever so helpful.
 
One more question for you wonderful people. She was thinking of adding some other fish to the mix. I let her know that we cant go crazy. I suggested 1 dwarf african frog, 1 oto, and 1 ghost shrimp. Is this over stocked for the five gallon eclipse?
 
Slightly overstocked, plus the oto and the shrimp only feel comfortable in a small group of at least 4, so that won't work.

I would just leave the betta by itself, sometimes they can be kept together with other fish, but it also depends on the space and their character. Why don't you leave the tank as it is, get some nice live plants and if it all works out fine, get maybe a bigger one. Then you can have a small community in there and maybe place it in the livingroom or something like that :wink: .
 
Heres some info on keeping an African Dwarf Frog with a betta, wether it works or not seems to depend on the bettas personality
 
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