betta
- Thread starter bluefire
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
WilliamBanik
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
BF,
Bettas need a higher temperature then your current tank temperature. I'm surprised your sister managed to have one thrive in 64-degree water. In the past I noticed mine became lethargic in the low 70's. May I suggest you get a heater and try to bump the temperature up to 80 degrees?
Best regards,
William
Bettas need a higher temperature then your current tank temperature. I'm surprised your sister managed to have one thrive in 64-degree water. In the past I noticed mine became lethargic in the low 70's. May I suggest you get a heater and try to bump the temperature up to 80 degrees?
Best regards,
William
or the other option is to somehow to get the water to flow through it from my 39gal because there is a bench right abouve the 39gal where i could put it, do you guys have any ideas how i could do this if it is possible????
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
You would have to have some kind of overflow system, which could be done, but might be too much trouble. Is there currently any filtration in the 4-gal?
For heating the tank, you might consider a halogen desk lamp or maybe a wall-mounted halogen or incandescent, even, as the heat from the bulb might help warm the water, provided you have filtration to circulate the water. I use a 25w heater in my 5gal with excellent results. These fish need heat, preferably about 78-80 for optimum health. It is misleading because these fish are often kept in unheated containers, but in the wild their water is warm.
For heating the tank, you might consider a halogen desk lamp or maybe a wall-mounted halogen or incandescent, even, as the heat from the bulb might help warm the water, provided you have filtration to circulate the water. I use a 25w heater in my 5gal with excellent results. These fish need heat, preferably about 78-80 for optimum health. It is misleading because these fish are often kept in unheated containers, but in the wild their water is warm.
smallfry
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Compared to the other options that have been mentioned...it seems like purchasing a heater would be the easiest and best way to go. They aren't THAT expensive, and for the health/happiness of the betta it is worth it. Plus...if you were to use the 4g for any other fish down the road...you would need heated water anyway. 64 is definitely too cold for MOST fish (And this is summer time! Think of how cold it could become in the winter).
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
What is in the 4 gal tank now?
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm surprised that a betta did ok at a temperature in the 60s too. I bet it wasn't too happy! Bettas do need a heater. That is probably the easiest and cheapest way to make sure the water stays at the correct temperature for the betta. I keep my betta tanks at 80 degrees.
I would be cautious about warming the tank with the sun. You could get quite an algae breakout! The same goes for a halogen light. My betta tanks are under my kitchen cabinets. The under-cabinet lighting was halogen. That kind of lighting sure did keep the tank toasty. But at night, when the light went off, the tank temperature dipped rapidly, and caused stress (finrot) to the betta. In addition to the finrot, the halogen light caused a nasty algae outbreak too. I replaced the halogen strip over the tanks with an aquarium flourescent light.
There has been a lot of discussion here about adding aquarium salts to a freshwater tank, and what benefits there are to doing this. Some people add it, and some don't. I add 1/8 teaspoon to one gallon of tank water. If you do add some, I would not add more than 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.
I would be cautious about warming the tank with the sun. You could get quite an algae breakout! The same goes for a halogen light. My betta tanks are under my kitchen cabinets. The under-cabinet lighting was halogen. That kind of lighting sure did keep the tank toasty. But at night, when the light went off, the tank temperature dipped rapidly, and caused stress (finrot) to the betta. In addition to the finrot, the halogen light caused a nasty algae outbreak too. I replaced the halogen strip over the tanks with an aquarium flourescent light.
There has been a lot of discussion here about adding aquarium salts to a freshwater tank, and what benefits there are to doing this. Some people add it, and some don't. I add 1/8 teaspoon to one gallon of tank water. If you do add some, I would not add more than 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.
the thing is my dad said he doesn't want me to get any more heaters(i think im using a fair bit of electricity) at the moment there is a small comet goldfish in there and don't worry i will give it to our friend with a pond asap.
no there isn't any filtratoin in there
adn replying to smallfry's comment about it being winter, if he looked my locatoin is australia and we are currently having the coldest winter we have ever had since i was born probably so the temp isn't usually that cold it can only get hotter1
no there isn't any filtratoin in there
adn replying to smallfry's comment about it being winter, if he looked my locatoin is australia and we are currently having the coldest winter we have ever had since i was born probably so the temp isn't usually that cold it can only get hotter1
wow, that's a pretty tight environment for your betta and goldfish. The comet is a quite dirty tankmate, u'll have to change water frequently to keep a comet in a 4 gallon tank. The betta is probably vulnerable to diseases by now, why now put it in the heat room where it is at least 85 degrees in there.
WilliamBanik
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
BF,
If you dad doesn't want you to add another heater then you really have to consider not buying the Betta. It is so easy to disassociate ourselves from the responsibility of the fish we keep. I know I did in my early fish keeper days. Realizing one doesn't have the means to support an animal is something every successful fish keeper learns. What I like to do when I am considering a new purchase is use a dog or cat analogy. Can I afford the food, can I afford the quarters and requirements to provide the animal an environment in which it will thrive, can I afford the shots and preventive maintenance to keep the animal in good health, can I afford the pet long term. I think all these parameters apply to fish as well. As I see it you are already failing the parameter of providing the pet an environment in which it will thrive. A Betta has no place in 64 degree tank and if your dad doesn't want to pay the money for heater electricity you should hold off until he does or you can afford it yourself.
I thought about replying to SF's comment but figured you would.... Hottest summer I ever spent in AU was in January 97
You'll have to excuse the northern hemisphere bias....
Best regards,
William
If you dad doesn't want you to add another heater then you really have to consider not buying the Betta. It is so easy to disassociate ourselves from the responsibility of the fish we keep. I know I did in my early fish keeper days. Realizing one doesn't have the means to support an animal is something every successful fish keeper learns. What I like to do when I am considering a new purchase is use a dog or cat analogy. Can I afford the food, can I afford the quarters and requirements to provide the animal an environment in which it will thrive, can I afford the shots and preventive maintenance to keep the animal in good health, can I afford the pet long term. I think all these parameters apply to fish as well. As I see it you are already failing the parameter of providing the pet an environment in which it will thrive. A Betta has no place in 64 degree tank and if your dad doesn't want to pay the money for heater electricity you should hold off until he does or you can afford it yourself.
I thought about replying to SF's comment but figured you would.... Hottest summer I ever spent in AU was in January 97
You'll have to excuse the northern hemisphere bias....Best regards,
William
bluefire said:
smallfry
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I didn't notice where you were from until after I posted my reply....sorry about that....but a heater is still good because it will stabalize the temp. Betta's don't like wide temp. swings....so it would keep the temp at a steady 80 degrees or so....
(I'm in New England...so I was biased on the cold winters....sorry) I WISH I was in Australia!!!! 8)
William
Aquarium Advice Addict
First.
Explaion to your dad that, generally, him leaving the lightbulb on all night uses more power than your aquarium.
Second.
4Gal does not have much thermal mass [ The ability to retain heat over a period of time ], So the temp in that tank will be going up and down, up and down. Which will stress the fish to death.
You really should look for a small, 25watt or so heater to put in there if your going to do a beta.
and think about getting a bubble filter as well.
Explaion to your dad that, generally, him leaving the lightbulb on all night uses more power than your aquarium.
Second.
4Gal does not have much thermal mass [ The ability to retain heat over a period of time ], So the temp in that tank will be going up and down, up and down. Which will stress the fish to death.
You really should look for a small, 25watt or so heater to put in there if your going to do a beta.
and think about getting a bubble filter as well.
SHortyGeorge
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I don't think heaters use up all that much electricity ... maybe you could offer to pay your dad for some of your electricity use?
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