Unexpected guest. I need a crash course in with Beta Fish.

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CEverii

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Messages
298
Location
Daytona Beach FL
So, I came home last night to a beta fish in a jar sitting on my desk. Since I had to break down my 75g salt water tank (new apartment wont allow fish tanks larger then 10g :(), she thought this guy is something I'd want. Little did she know I am against beta fish all together. I feel bad for them living in little cups all their life, and always refused to get one. But now that I have one in my house, I feel the need to save it and not bring it back to the store. So currently he's in a jar with some rocks...


So if anyone can give me a quick crash course in a 10g planted tanks and bets. Im very familiar with salt water tanks so any help would be awesome.
 
Do you already have the tank? If a 10gallon is a little too inconvenient, a 5gallon would still be nice for a single betta.

If you are going planted, try and get a good substrate (if you're familiar with sand from your SW days, you could get pool filter sand or common play sand)

Try and find a tank that you can add a background to, or one that isn't too reflective. A Male betta that sees his reflection too much can get agitated and stressed.

Bettas are relatively smart fish, so giving them something to swim through/around/over/under/inside will keep them busy instead of just floating in space.
 
Also, two things unique to Bettas and betta-relatives:

1. Labyrinth Organ. Bettas do have gills but they also breathe from the surface of the tank. So make sure they can get to some open air above the water.

2. Bubblenesters. Male Bettas prepare for mating by blowing long-lasting bubbles on the surface of the water. They will do this even if there are no females - so if you see foam on the top of your tank - don't worry, he's just decorating.
 
Awesome thanks for the advice. Yeah I have plenty of PFS left over from when I had to break my tank down. I already have a 10g so I'll just toss him in there. Couple other questons I thought of:

How often do I need to change the water in the tank with plants? Can I just treat the water with dechlorinator? (Like the Tetra brand from the LFS)

Do I need some kind of small filter?

What kind of lighting is required?

Do I need any power heads?
 
1. Depends on how much you plant the tank. Unfortunately plants are not nearly as efficient denitifiers as Live Rock and other saltwater stuff. You will still have to cycle the tank, but it won't be much of a cycle with just the betta in there.

The Freshwater cycle is different than the saltwater one, so saltwater bacteria would die in FW and vice versa.

You'll also need a different test kit unless yours specifically says that it works in both saltwater and FW.

2. A filter is not mandatory for a betta, but you'll be doing a lot more water changes without one. A small HOB or internal or even sponge filter would be fine.

3. The most common lights for small tanks are 15W CFLs. One 15W will let you do mosses and lower light stuff, two 15w will get you into medium to higher light plants.

4. You shouldn't need a PH for a 10g unless it's some oddball shape. Bettas like relatively stagnant water as long as it's clean.

You also have to be careful of his fins, because they are quite delicate and can easily get caught or torn in intakes or on sharp objects.
 
Also to add:

-- You may want a small heater if the tank can't stay at 75F on its own.

-- Actinic Blue bulbs provide no benefit to plants.
 
First you'll want to cycle the tank. Look up the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling. I think that a filter is definitely mandatory. No fish goes unharmed from sitting in ammonia. Betta are prone to fin deterioration if in an unfiltered tank. You'll want a heater with a dial, not a preset temp. Bettas thrive at 80F. Their fins are super sensitive and tear easy. If you use any fake plants be sure they don't have any sharp pokeys. Also check any decor you might add for rough or sharp edges. They do enjoy having a peice of decor to go inside. The pantyhose test is best...run pantyhose over the things you want to add to the tank and anywhere that snags the hose will snag your bettas fins. Sharp edges on decor can usually be filed with a metal nail file. Some like to lay on the substrate so I like to use smooth rocks or sand. For your dechlorinator I reco Prime. A weekly partial water change of 30% should keep the water perfect. If you have a HOB filter the flow might bother the betta, you can deflect it with a pop bottle like this Filter Currents: A Betta's Worst Nightmare. The diet I think is best is hikari betta pellets every other day alternating with frozen bloodworms for 6 days. On the 7th day feed a couple small peices of a blanched shelled pea (or fast) to prevent constipation. When introducing the betta to it's new tank, or any new water, it's best to acclimate slowly. When adding to the tank float the betta in a bag or cup for 15 mins then start slowly removing a little bag water and adding a little tank water every 10 mins or so until the bag has become almost completely tank water, then release the betta. I reco keeping a nerite snail with them for algea clean up :)
 
Awesome thanks for the advice. So the one unanswered question was can I just use treated tap water if I have plants in the tank? Oop, and also how often do I feed betas? I got some "Beta color enhancing pellet food." Is this good enough for him or will he require something of better quality?
 
I prefer Hikari Betta Bio-Gold pellets, and feed my bettas 2 soaked pellets, twice a day, and I feed them boiled, shelled peas once a week instead of pellets.
Make sure you have a filter, even a small one.
I use Prime in my tanks to dechlorinate the water, and it helps if you have any ammonia or nitrites.
Since you already have the fish, you won't be able to do a fishless cycle, and it will be better for him in the 10 gallon tank, rather than the jar, since there is more water volume to dillute the toxins.
Keep the tank at 78-82*.
 
I prefer Hikari Betta Bio-Gold pellets, and feed my bettas 2 soaked pellets, twice a day, and I feed them boiled, shelled peas once a week instead of pellets.
Make sure you have a filter, even a small one.
I use Prime in my tanks to dechlorinate the water, and it helps if you have any ammonia or nitrites.
Since you already have the fish, you won't be able to do a fishless cycle, and it will be better for him in the 10 gallon tank, rather than the jar, since there is more water volume to dillute the toxins.
Keep the tank at 78-82*.

You don't think fish would be better off in the jar while the tank cycles? Of course it would need a daily water change. I thought about it both ways and figured some time in a smaller container would be better than going through the cycle..
 
jenatronQT3.14159 said:
The jar will cycle too..? It will be much worse in the jar.

Exactly. And the 100% water changes are too stressful for the fish. It will be better in the tank.

Courtesy of Dakota's iPod.
 
No the jar won't cycle..ammo will just continue to build up if water isn't changed. I wasn't suggesting 100% water changes. Depending on the size of the jar 50% should suffice and IMO should not stress the betta worse than going through the tank cycle...I think nitrites are more damaging than a too small space w/ water changes is for a bit. Make sure you have a fw master test kit. Whether cycling in the tank or leaving in the jar while you cycle, you want to do enough water changes so that the fish isn't in more than .25ppm ammo or nitrite.
 
siva said:
No the jar won't cycle..ammo will just continue to build up if water isn't changed. I wasn't suggesting 100% water changes. Depending on the size of the jar 50% should suffice and IMO should not stress the betta worse than going through the tank cycle. Make sure you have a fw master test kit. Whether cycling in the tank or leaving in the jar while you cycle, you want to do enough water changes so that the fish isn't in more than .25ppm ammo or nitrite.

How would a jar not cycle? The bacteria is still present. It will cycle on it's own.

Courtesy of Dakota's iPod.
 
The jar will cycle. The bacteria will live on whatever surfaces (the jar itself, sand, a decoration, etc.) are in the jar.
The point is: both will cycle. In the 10 gallon you have so much more water volume to dilute the ammonia, etc. The 10 gallon would much less stressful and harmful.
 
There's no way a jar is going to cycle in the time a tank with a filter will. As I
aquired my famales for my sorority I kept them in temp containers for a short while because they all needed to be added to the tank at the same time..there was never anything but ammo present. Never went to nitrite.
 
But that's fine. Like I said, either way the parameters need watched closely.
 
Get a ten gallon tank if you can find the space. Pretty much everything from decent heaters with temp dials to fish meds are either more difficult to work with or nonexistant for smaller tanks. Your betta will love the extra room to swim too.
 
Your question about feeding was never really answered. I advise flakes, (no particular reason) once per day. Bettas stomachs are only as big as their eye. So only feed what he can eat in 5 minutes. Let me know if you need any other betta help. I've been keeping them for a while.
 
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