Do I need to cycle a betta tank/bowl?

[Metalette]

I'm thinking about getting a small tank/large bowl for a male betta. Do I need to cycle the tank/bowl? I've never heard of anyone doing this, but I don't see why it wouldn't need to be done.

Is there anything special I need to know about bettas? All I really know is that I can't put 2 males together in the same tank, and that I have to make sure there isn't anything sharp that they can cut their fins on.

Any advice about bettas would help, thanks!

 

[joy13]

Bettas do best in at least a 2.5 gallon with heat and some type of filter. You can cycle a tank that small but be prepared for a mini cycle at any time. A 5 gallon is better and easier to keep cycled.

 

[DragonFish71]

I agree with joy13 on going with the 5g. It will give the betta room to wander but not freak it out having so much space to defend.

Let it cycle first. Get a good heater, good filter, gravel the you like and that will best compliment the betta. Use silk or live plants not plastic as the can cause damage to the betta. Remember, they have small stomachs so only feed a couple of pellets soaked in tank water or whatever food you plan to use, just feed sparingly. Do weekly water changes, clean the gravel at the same time. Use de-chlor in the fresh water and make sure it's close to the same temp as the tank.

It sounds like a lot of work, but bettas really are some of the easiest fish to care for. Guess that's why we have 4 betta tanks now. lol

 

[Metalette]

Thanks for you help. Also, is it ok to put a male and a female in the same tank? Or will they end up fighting?...

 

[DragonFish71]

They will fight. If you want both, you'll need to make a divider. I have pics of our 5.5 divided with male and female bettas.

Although, the other morning when I turned on their light to feed them, the female had gotten into the male's side and they were both fine. No torn fins, no scales missing. They swam side by side. Weirdest darn thing because our blue female is more aggressive than the male.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

A male and female betta should only be in the same tank while you are breading them. Once they have mated, they must be seperated.

It is possible to place several females together in what is known as a betta sorority. But before doing anything like that, you have to research the subject of "betta sororities" first.

Because bettas are hearty fish and can breath air, they don't have the same requirements as other fish. You don't have to cycle a tank for a betta, but that just means you have to do frequent 100% water changes. The only reason some people go the way of betta tanks and not cycling them is that an uncycled betta tank will have one betta, they don't require a lot of food, and therefore it takes several days for the ammonia to build up in the tank.

As a comparison, I had a feeder comet goldfish and a rosie red goldfish in an uncycled 10 gallon tank. While I waited for the tank to cycle, I had to do a 75% water change every-other day to keep the ammonia levels from getting too high. But when I get a new betta, I first QT them in a one gallon tank (actually a 99 cent plastic shoe box, because I've started a sorrority before and needed to QT eight girls from each other all at once). Well a betta in one gallon of water needed a 100% water change every 4th day... and that was in only 1 gallon of water.

If you want to learn more about bettas specifically, another forum to try is UltimateBettas