Betta Noob

[AmeliaB]

Hi. I have a Betta in a two gallon fish bowl. I bought him a few months ago. I've read mixed messages about what kind of a home that he should be in. Is there already a thread or FAQ that you would suggest? Is a 10 gallon sufficient? I've read that I should have a filter but that it needs to be low/slow. Also, I've been seeing things about "cycling" the tank before you put the fish in. I am confused about this as well. Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks. Amelia

 

[-Mac-]

What this newbie has learned so far....

Bettas are from a warm country, so a heated tank is lovely. They lived in their own small corner of a giant rice paddy before they were caught and shipped across the world to us, so a couple gallons at the bare minimum, 3 to 5 is better; with 10 you could risk a few docile buddies... if your betta is a mellow kinda guy.

Yes, the filter should be at a low setting so that the surface isn't rippling too much to mess with a bubble nest if your boy wants to build one, but how this is accomplished is still a mystery to me. It has been suggested to me that you are best off buying something that is rated for twice your gallon size, so buy for twenty gallons if you choose a ten gallon tank.

Cycling go here ---> http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/the-almost-complete-guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html


Good luck,
M

 

[bettasanddwarfcichlids]

10 gallon is awesome and you'll really see his personality come out. with cycling you'll need a test kit API is best, you'll also need either pure ammonia from ace hardware or some raw shrimp. you wanna do a fishless cycle. here's what my 10 gallon was gonna look like but i might do a etta sorority instead.
1-male betta
6-neon tetras
2 african dwarf frogs

 

[rich311k]

I keep my bettas in ten gallon tanks, A nice planted tank with a colorful healthy betta stalking around is a real pleasure to watch.

 

[AmeliaB]

Thank you everyone! I have read the fishless cycle instructions and am ready to start buying appropriate supplies. My little buddy (his name is Gustav) will just have to survive a little longer in his fish bowl.

I do have a few more questions- what temperature do you suggest keeping the water at?

Also is there a thread on how to do a partial water change? Do you take your fish out or leave them in? Do you use the vacuum thing even though you are not vacuuming the gravel? Do you put the dechlorinator in the water while the fish are still in there?

Thanks again.

 

[BeavisMom62]

good for you amelia. I keep my betta in a 23 gal tank with two bristlenose plecos and some nerite snails. The temp should be 78-80F. A partial water change is simple. Use a gravel vac, it will still suck up water even if you don't vacuum the gravel. But for the most part you should always vac the gravel. You can leave the fish in there while you change the water. You should add dechlor to your bucket of new water but if you fill up your tank at the sink (like I am lucky enough to do with one of my tanks), then you add the dechlor to the tank. It won't hurt the fish. Whatever you do, don't add water to the tank without putting dechlor in it (either the bucket or tank).

 

[Dylan5359]

Thank you everyone! I have read the fishless cycle instructions and am ready to start buying appropriate supplies. My little buddy (his name is Gustav) will just have to survive a little longer in his fish bowl.

I do have a few more questions- what temperature do you suggest keeping the water at?

Also is there a thread on how to do a partial water change? Do you take your fish out or leave them in? Do you use the vacuum thing even though you are not vacuuming the gravel? Do you put the dechlorinator in the water while the fish are still in there?

Thanks again.

You would want to dechlorinate the water your using to do a PWC (partial water change) in a small bucket. Siphon (the vacuum thing) the water out with the fish inside, removing him will just add unnecessary stress. Remove as much water as you want. Then when the dechlorinated water is clean of all the tap water nasties, just gently pour it in without moving gravel and decorations around. You don't need a siphon but it makes everything easier so just go ahead and pick one up. So are you upgrading to a ten gallon? Believe me betta's personalities really come out in a ten.! Hope this all helped, good luck!

 

[siva]

Hey, good for you for upgrading your betta! I have over a dozen bettas and they make the greatest pets..like little water puppies!

And welcome to AA

I would get a heater with a dial and not a preset temp, otherwise they typically won't get warm enough. Bettas do best at 80F. He may be fine with the filter flow..personally in 5's and 10's I always baffle the filter for males. Here's how:
Filter Currents: A Betta's Worst Nightmare

Bettas are very prone to things like constipation, bloating, and swim bladder disease, so diet is important. I feed a high quality small pellet such as Hikari or New Life Spectrum 3-4 days a week, and thawed frozen food such as bloodworms or brine shrimp 2-3 days a week. 1 day per week feed only a few pellet sized peices of blanched shelled pea. This will help clear them out and prevent these common issues. Avoid freeze dried foods. Their fins are incredibly sensitive. Everything that will go in their tank needs to be checked over thoroughly. The pantyhose test is one method..run pantyhose over everything going in the tank and if it snags the pantyhose, it will snag the betta. I use a metal nail file to smooth out any sharp edges or points on decor, and generally stick with live and silk plants. A couple of my male bettas lay on the ground so I typically use a nice smooth substrate in their tanks as well.

A side note, I do not recommend betta sororites. I just split up my sorority of 6 females. After keeping so many bettas solo and in community tanks, I could tell these girls just weren't happy. They were surviving, but not thriving in the same fashion.

Also to clarify, you'll want to gravel vac always when you do your weekly pwc

 

[Dylan5359]

Hey, good for you for upgrading your betta! I have over a dozen bettas and they make the greatest pets..like little water puppies!

And welcome to AA

I would get a heater with a dial and not a preset temp, otherwise they typically won't get warm enough. Bettas do best at 80F. He may be fine with the filter flow..personally in 5's and 10's I always baffle the filter for males. Here's how:
Filter Currents: A Betta's Worst Nightmare

Bettas are very prone to things like constipation, bloating, and swim bladder diseas, so diet is important. I feed a high quality small pellet such as Hikari or New Life Spectrum 3-4 days a week, and thawed frozen food such as bloodworms or brine shrimp 2-3 days a week. 1 day per week feed only a few pellet sized peices of blanched shelled pea. This will help clear them out and prevent these common issues. Avoid freeze dried foods. Their fins are incredibly sensitive. Everything that will go in their tank needs to be checked over thoroughly. The pantyhose test is one method..run pantyhose over everything going in the tank and if it snags the pantyhose, it will snag the betta. I use a metal nailfile to smooth out any sharp edges or points on decor, and generally stick with live and silk plants. A couple of my male bettas lay on the ground so I typically use a nice smooth substrate in their tanks as well.

A side note, I do not recommend betta sororites. I just split up my sorority of 6 females. After keeping so many bettas solo and in community tanks, I could tell these girls just weren't happy. They were surviving, but not thriving in the same fashion.

Also to clarify, you'll want to gravel vac always when you do your weekly pwc

Great info. Siva.