Betta fish heater

[dmglus]

Hey guys, I just rescued a male betta fish from someone who had him in a 1 gallon, unfiltered, unheated tank in an office. I got him a new filtered tank with a light (3 gallons, as it is what I have space for, and I've read 2.5 is the minimum), and his heater is supposed to be coming in today. It is a marina c10 compact heater with a preset to 78 degrees.

https://www.amazon.com/Marina-C10-Compact-Heater-10-Watt/dp/B003TLWWOO

I was wondering if y'all have any tips to help acclimate him or if suddenly giving him a heater after he's never had one for his whole life would do harm to him?

 

[Autumnsky]

Do you know the temp right now?

You can add the heater without worrying about the fish.

As a precaution, I would put the heater into a gallon pitcher /container for around 12 and check the temp but for probably 24 hours, so that you can first verify it works properly and doesn't heat out of control. Not likely but I would feel better knowing it is running properly, so safe for the little guy.

 

[dmglus]

Do you know the temp right now?

You can add the heater without worrying about the fish.

As a precaution, I would put the heater into a gallon pitcher /container for around 12 and check the temp but for probably 24 hours, so that you can first verify it works properly and doesn't heat out of control. Not likely but I would feel better knowing it is running properly, so safe for the little guy.

I would say the temperature is around 70, maybe a degree or two higher. The thermometer reads the middle of 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. I will put it in his old one gallon tank and see how it does.

 

[Autumnsky]

If it seems to be safely running, I would add it in the morning after a nice pwc with slightly warmer water than 70, so mixing the 70F with say 73ish making it up just a little and then the heater will continuously be on warm til 78F. Probably just take 3-4 hours, maybe less.

I have seen big Watt heaters in testing get to temp in an hour or so in larger tanks.

This is much smaller W. so might take a longer. You can always monitor a 3G amount of 70F water when you are testing it to see how fast it get to 78F.

I think it will be alright. Just like a nice warm day in the sunshine.

Do you have an air bubbler you could add while he gets used to the warming water?

As temps go up O2 becomes less available in the water, of course a Betta can breathe air but it might make it more comfortable as the temp goes up.

The are only around $5-10 at the store if not, and always a handy thing to have around.

 

[dmglus]

If it seems to be safely running, I would add it in the morning after a nice pwc with slightly warmer water than 70, so mixing the 70F with say 73ish making it up just a little and then the heater will continuously be on warm til 78F. Probably just take 3-4 hours, maybe less.

I have seen big Watt heaters in testing get to temp in an hour or so in larger tanks.

This is much smaller W. so might take a longer. You can always monitor a 3G amount of 70F water when you are testing it to see how fast it get to 78F.

I think it will be alright. Just like a nice warm day in the sunshine.

Do you have an air bubbler you could add while he gets used to the warming water?

As temps go up O2 becomes less available in the water, of course a Betta can breathe air but it might make it more comfortable as the temp goes up.

The are only around $5-10 at the store if not, and always a handy thing to have around.

I'm thinking about adding it tomorrow when I get home, because I have school and practice tomorrow. I don't have a bubbler, I read they are bad for bettas, but I haven't done much research on them. Poor thing is hovering around the filter which I assume is warm. He's not struggling against the intake and his fins aren't even moving when he's close to the prefilter sponge, so I think he's okay.