Another Heating Question

[DrowningFishy]

I have an itty bitty teeny tiney betta. To put it more into terms how big she is she's half the size of my rosey/fathead minnows. I recently got her because, well, I felt sorry for her. She was floating on top of the water and hardly moved when picked up. It's been 4 days now and she's getting better now. However since I lack heat in my room (I live in California some places don't have heat) I've been getting concerned with the colder days. I have a tiney heater blowing on her dish and at night I slip her up in a thermal lunch box with bags of hot water. I DID buy a heater, but it completely failed to heat the water. It was for a 2-5 gallon tank, I had it in a half gallon of water. It's one of petsmart top fins. I don't have a lot of money to get some fancy heater, and to be honest not 100% certian she'll make it. Does anyone have any idea how I can heat her or the best heater for something small. She's literally a small fry (no pun intended) she won't out grow that dish till maybe summer.

PS: Note she's in her own tupperware dish right now not with the minnows. She has plenty of room in the dish and I am just keeping her there till she gains weight and becomes more active and able to swim better.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Well before I even mention it I want to say that what I am going to say is not the best advice or recommended but I picked up a betta a few days ago (impulse buy) but boy he is the most gorgeous betta I have ever seen and literally could not walk away (well I could have lol) but anywho...I got him home got him in the tank (ten gallon to himself) that was a grow out/hospital tank so it was already cycled an ready for him and low and behold the heater stopped working....of course it did!! lol but he has been fine for the last 4-5 days not as active as Id like him to be but he is eating and swimming and exploring but where I am at its FREEZING below 30s atleast and my room is the coldest in the house and I often leave the window open and the air on and like I said for the time being he is fine. But you can get rather cheap reliable little heaters for her as soon as you can. Sorry this was super long!! But I think you will be ok for a little bit as long as the waters not icing over But like I said this isnt the best advice seeing as bettas are tropical but since you have no options for now I think shell be okay

 

[aqua_chem]

I would strongly advise you move him into a larger tank, at least 2g. Beyond the obvious arguments, larger tanks allow you physically more space for basic hardware that is all to often neglected with betta. They really do need a filter and a quality heater, and it's often simply not possible to fit everything into smaller tanks and still look reasonable. Having a heater blowing directly on the tank is probably a very bad idea long term, as you have very little control over the temperature and it's definitely not designed to work like that.

 

[DrowningFishy]

Well I do know the water is getting into teh 60s and she don't seem to like that much. She becomes less active.

Also I forgot to mention she IS having trouble swimming. Not in the swimbladder type way but in a way she wasn't moving her tail for some odd reason. She more or less was moving her front fins or rolling along. She was exploring and doing well till I kinda, sorta >_< Dropped her dish. Took me a good minute to find her and another few seconds to figure out how to pick her up. I do plan to move her up eventually but her health has to return first.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i59/Apple__Ro/betta.jpg The little guy yesturday.

 

[aqua_chem]

I usually recommend that betta-only tanks be kept around 80. 60 is way to low, and is probably contributing to her sickness.

 

[DrowningFishy]

Thus why I asked the heating question, which I have not found much help on. Well guess it's abck to trial and error.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Yes I definitely agree on the larger the tank the better. I do also realize its not always an option. But you could atleast do a 5 gallon. They arent very expensive and dont take up any room hardly at all and youll have room for a filter and heater that way and I bet shell perk right up! I dont think my betta knew what to do when I put him in a 10 gallon to himself haha

 

[brennae]

If you can't upgrade they make small heating pad type heaters that are preset and rest at the bottom of the tank. They are rather small. My Bettas are at 80 degrees and they are very active. WHen my heater was broken and before I could replace it my tank got down to 70 and my Betta was very unhappy. Listless even.