yay, got a male and female betta fish (with pics!)

[Guest]

ok, so i put the female into my community aquarium and she seems to be doing wonderful... my angels sniffed her out a little bit and her colors got really pale, but now she's colored back up alot... and my male is all alone in his 5 gallon world..

i had said i was going to try having the male betta in the community aquarium, but i really don't think he'd be happy in there. I think he deserves his 5 gallons after being in that little tiny bowl

ive attached some pictures. (please excuse the messy kitchen in the background) as you can see i don't have any decor in the tank yet.. becuase i don't have a light im thinking of getting a pond plant i can grow out of the top.. what do you guys think? i know its kinda weerd but i wanted to try something different, i can't find a light small enough to fit on top.. also i don't really want any plugs or cords ecause its on top of my counter bar. My betta doesn't need a filter or air or heater right? as long as i do 50% water changes twice a week???
sorry the last time i kept a betta was in a tiny bowl for 3 years when i didn't know any better... and i want this one to be happy.
but im open to all suggestions.

And here is the female, she is in my 55 gallon community

have you ever seen a female with horizontal stripes like that???? sorry the pics are blurry (cam phone)

 

[Hrafnkel]

I've found that some bettas can be very happy in a community tank, mine actually got depressed when I had to remove him for a little while and he was by himself. At least he seemed depressed, he always laid on the gravel in the small container when he was alone, when he went back in with the others fish he started swimming around again.

 

[Fluff]

Nice betta. What color is the female?

 

[Hrafnkel]

Yeah, what color? Forgot to ask that in my post. I like the colors on your male, btw.

 

[Guest]

just added a pic of the female... shes kinda purple and red.. the male is all red.

 

[Guest]

also, please give me some decor advice.. do i need a heater.. filter? or are the water changes fine.. how often should i do water changes in the 5 gallon, and how much

should i get a hood light and live plants? or is my pond plant idea any good? Letting a pond plant grow out of the top as long as i keep the part in the water trimmed... like a peace lilly or something.

As i said, i would like to keep it low maintenance without cords/plugs,etc but i am open to all advice as its been a long time since ive kept a betta.

 

[Hrafnkel]

A filter couldn't hurt, but it depends on the betta. Some don't like the current. A heater would make him more comfortable.

 

[Guest]

well my house is never below 75 degrees .. even in the winter time, and i live in FL so sometimes in the summer the downstairs gets up to about 80 inside. so do you really think a heater would be needed? i use one in my big tank to keep it at 75, but i never see it turn on unless ive just done a water change
thanks

 

[Hrafnkel]

I dunno. Depends, I forget the exact range on bettas for temperature.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Skip the heater, if your house is always above 75 degrees, you'll be fine.

 

[Guest]

cool thanks... any comments on my decoration ideas?

 

[Fluff]

I agree you would probably be ok without a heater. If you plan to add a filter, I would add a small sponge filter so he's not being beaten by a strong overflow. As for decor, maybe some silk plants for him to lay on, a small piece of driftwood and some small rocks would look nice. Not to sure about live plants without having a light on the tank. Maybe add a few shrimp in there with him to help clean up.

 

[Puriti]

have you ever seen a female with horizontal stripes like that????

She's either a bit stressed, so light in color that they show (which doesn't look like it, or she's just plain being moody lol My female does that on occasion for no apparent reason sometimes but she will get them if I start trying to catch fish with the net. Don't worry she'll color back up when she feels more comfortable

I might've been slow on that *shifty eyes* lol

 

[Guest]

the shrimp seem like a good idea, but i was thinking a pond plant, that would grow out of the top of the tank.. not like an underwater plant.. becuase my house gets sunlight.

 

[Fluff]

There are a few types of floating pond plants but honestly, anything I can think of for a pond would be to big for such a small tank. Maybe if you can find a small water lettuce or hyacinth. They are floating plants. The bog plants I think would need more room.

 

[Guest]

no no, i mean like a peace lily, something so that only one stem or some roots are in the water.

also i read that the Verticle stripes on a female mean she's ready to bread.. and the horizontal stripes are her fear stripes, meaning she's showing submission in a fight or something... or that she is stressed.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

no no, i mean like a peace lily, something so that only one stem or some roots are in the water.

One of our neighbors has a betta vase with a peace lily growing out of it, but aren't peace lilies bog plants?

 

[Guest]

well i don't really want the vase thing becausei have a 5 gallon plant, but i saw some pond plants that have like one stem and lots of leaves at the very way top. I was just wondering if i could plant those in the middle and let them grow out of the top.. i thought it would be interesting but different.

 

[Fluff]

I dont' know of anything you could plant and have grow out the top. How about a philodendron? Get a few cuttings and plop them in there. They will root and grow and you could stretch the vine along your bar. Or keep cutting it back and putting it back into the tank to make it thicker.

 

[krap101]

peace lillies arent really aquatic i dont think... just go to walmart and get some of those dwarf lilly bulbs. they'll need some pruning... because mines are just hitting the top of my 29 gallon