Future of a betta tank

[X45KyleKatarn]

Hey guys I got my first betta (since I was little and didn't know how to take care of them well) yesterday, and he seems pretty happy. I got him a 5.5 Gal
Eventually, I'd like to add a heater, filter, and some inverts as a cleanup crew. My questions would be
1)What kind of filter would you guys suggest? I imagine they don't like currents, and I don't know much about filters.
2) what type of heater should I get? (Do I need one? I keep my betta in my reptile room, so it's 75-78 and I keep a heat lamp over the water)
3) what are the best tank mates for bettas? I'm thinking Snails, because their hard to kill, and I really like crustaceans if any would be suitable for the betta.
4) what are good live plants for bettas/any link on how to make aquatic plants thrive?
5) Do you guys have any other suggestions for me, advice, or other knowledge?

Thanks guys, I'm a huge animal lover, mainly of small pets like reptiles and birds, so I'd love to start understanding fish too. Aquatics are exciting to me, as water conditions add a bunch of stuff to learn, and ecosystemic activity is easier to observe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brookster123]

I just set up my first betta tank too, it was actually a fry tank but now it's for a baby betta it's a 5.5gal, tetra 10i filter with sponge over intake, a Tetra 10 static heater (maintains 78 deg.) Pool filter sand bottom, 4 amano shrimp, 2 assassin snails. Java moss, anarchis, crypt wendti and java fern

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[X45KyleKatarn]

Wow I may totally rip off your setup, thanks a bunch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brookster123]

Go for it!! Its cheap too, all the tetra brand stuff is short money and has been running fine for almost a year..I'll post a pic for you when I get it finished

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[X45KyleKatarn]

Is this the filter you use?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brookster123]

No, it's a hang on back.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Bloodroot]

Thanks guys, I'm a huge animal lover, mainly of small pets like reptiles and birds, so I'd love to start understanding fish too. Aquatics are exciting to me, as water conditions add a bunch of stuff to learn, and ecosystemic activity is easier to observe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome! I have had about 6 bettas over the last 6 years, each of them living about 3 years. I love the little guys!

My first choice of tank mate will always be mystery/apple snails! I have actually had one betta that was petrified of the snail... so the snail chased him around the tank... funny yet slow. Anyway apple snails can have just as much personality as your betta. The only warning I have for you is that snails can actually (extremely rarly) kill a Betta. What happens is the betta bites on to the snail, who then retacts really fast back into his shell, dragging the betta's head into the shell... then the snails trap door... well lets just say it's not pretty. However, this has NEVER happened to me. The key is just watch them carfully when they are introduced and if you get worried seperate them by a screen or something so the Betta gets used to having him in the tank. Assassin snails are cool... but they don't get as big as the apple snails and they can reproduce easily(ie wothout the opposite sex). Where as apple snails NEED both a male and female to breed.

Any filter should work fine. As long as there are calm spots in the tank. My current betta plays in the current a bit, but he does like calm water. Do you know the basic premises behind cycling a new tank?

Heater wise, if you can keep the tank at around 78 you shouldnt need one. The only scenario that I can see where you might would be if you need to raise the temp for a medical reason (like ick).

Good live plants... hmmm... pretty much anything, but note that if you bring in live plants they tend to come with pond snails. Which can be very benificial... or they can get out of hand and take over your tank. I personally stick with fake plants in my betta tank because I am not sure how compitant my betta would be at controling the snail population. (this would be a good case to get assassin snails as they love eating pond snails)

Other suggestions... have frozen bloodworms on hand, most bettas will go nuts for them!

A betta's stomach is approximatly the size of his eye ball. So only feed them that amount once a day! If you feed them more (this is especially true with pellet food) they tend to get constipated... or they eat themselves to death. The inside of a single frozen pea is good to give them now and again... keeps their digestive track moving smoothy; even thought they are carnivours. Or if you do get snails you will probably see, from time to time, your betta dinning on the algea pellet you will feed your snail.

It is actucally good for their health to make them flare out once ever couple days, they need to use and work those muscles to keep healthy. My guy flares at me when he thinks he should be feed... so that is every time I am near his tank.

They do spend a lot of time watching what is going on outside their tank. I used to have comics on the wall really close to the tank and my last betta would sit there and 'read' them.

Sad truth about betta fish is that they tend to have a lot of disease and genetic things wrong with them. Depending on your lfs stock and where they get their bettas will depend a lot on their life span. I have a general rule for bettas I get from big chain stores... if they live 3 months they will very likly live out the rest of their life with you(2-3 years). I have a semi horrible tradition of not naming mine till 3 months have passed. However I have now found a new lfs that is amazing.

Good luck! And don't hessitate to pm me if you have questions.


Sent from my SGH-I337M using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Bloodroot]

Here is my last Apple snail. Mr. Speedy... oh yeah I'm original...

And my newest Betta, who is just about to reach 3 month so I will have to think of a name for him.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Lpglizard]

Hi Brookster. Did your Betta attack your Amano shrimps. I had 2 ghost shrimps with my betta Sushi and he killed them quick. I wanted a couple of Amanos in Sushi ' s tank but I am afraid that they will suffer a similar fate. Original plan were for the Amanos to clean up the algae on my anubias.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Brookster123]

Hi Brookster. Did your Betta attack your Amano shrimps. I had 2 ghost shrimps with my betta Sushi and he killed them quick. I wanted a couple of Amanos in Sushi ' s tank but I am afraid that they will suffer a similar fate. Original plan were for the Amanos to clean up the algae on my anubias.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

My betta is still tiny, about 1", I've heard mixed results when it comes to bettas and shrimp, I'm hoping that growing him up with shrimp will leave them more as tank mates and less as a mid day snack.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Lpglizard]

I think the size of the tank matters as well. I have Toro (a female betta) and she is fine with 6 amanos and 2?ghost shrimp in a 10 gallon. Other tank mates were 6 neon tetras and 5 rasboras. She is not really a passive betta as she tore up another betta pretty good when the other betta was sick.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[X45KyleKatarn]

Ey, just as a note I went with a Golden Rabbit snail, and two african dwarf frogs as tank mates.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk