I got a betta...

[Zic]

Hello, there fish people! I had a betta in my ten gallon community tank, but he died about two months ago. I liked him, though, so I decided to get another one. My tank is now full, so I decided to get a betta bowl.

I have two cats. I love them, but I would hate to have to kill them in anger over a spilled betta bowl (because of both the fish and the mess). So, I decided that a bowl will not do. PetSmart had a square tank that's only 2 1/2 gallons for ten bucks. I got it, a bag of natural colored gravel, a small rock decoration and a fake plant. Oh yeah, a got a betta, too A pretty red one with nice, large fins!

It's actually a cool set up. He seems happy. He ate within an hour of being put into the tank. Most of my other fish wouldn't eat the first day I got them.

Anyways, just thought I'd share.

 

[tkos]

Glad to hear that you didn't get the betta bowl. Those are just cruel. Bettas need swimming space too. I would never keep one in less than 2 gallon of water for any length of time.

 

[Punkymom]

That's great! I keep my Betta in one of those 2 gal hex things...he's weird...i don't know if it's because he's happy, or mad, or what...but every time I turn his light on to feed him, he flares at EVERYTHING in the room...it's too funny...good luck with your new Betta and the cats!

 

[1veedo]

My beta would fare at your finger then tackle the glass, he'd even tackle the glass if your finger wasn't there - weird. I had to remoove him when he killed my guppies. I took the opertunity to start my aquarium over, the plants are comming tomorrow.

I guess it was stupid to mix the two but the first couple weeks they were fine together.

 

[yellowjacket171]

I got my first betta in April of this year. I also have mine in a 2 gallon hex tank. He seems very happy and really responds to me when I approach his tank. Maybe its because he knows I feed him. I put a small mirror up to his tank for a couple minutes a day. Boy is active then. My betta is what made me want to start up my first tank. Just love my betta.

 

[SoCal]

Zic

congrats on the new betta, I just started owning bettas a few months ago and I am hooked. Every time I go to the LFS I go to the betta section and look at every cup to see if they have any unusual colored ones. I have 3 right now 2 male 1 female.


1veedo

I have a betta in a 20 gal tank with 3 adult guppies 5 guppy fry and 12 danio fry and he never bothers any of them. I guess it depends on the betta.

 

[1veedo]

I asked my dealer and he said it was because guppies have brightly collored tails. Betta recognize other bettas because of their bright colos. I think I read that somewhare too but can't remember which book. Anyhow I don't know if that's really the reason my other fish died but my dealer thought so.

 

[Zic]

My first betta was in a ten gallon tank with zebra danios and black mollies. He didn't bother them, but, they look nothing like he did. I could see where he might not like the guppies, with their long flowing fins. To him they may look like tweety looked to sylvester (like a fully cooked chicken with legs, or in this case, fins)

I have a few questions:
1) my betta tank has an almost airtight glass lid. Should I prop it open so he doesn't suffocate?

2) what can you tell me about little white bubbles in one corner of the tank?

3) I don't want to net him when I change the water. Can I remove him another way? Or can I just get a small gravel vac and change the water the same way as my bigger tanks (leaving him in the tank)?

 

[Punkymom]

You could try catching him in a little cup...I used to do that. The bubbles in the corner of the tank are his bubble nest. That's where he would put the eggs after mating with a little girly girl betta. Is there a hole in the lid? If so, he's probably fine. I am scared to use a gravel vac with my betta. His home is so small compared to my 55 gal...I take him out.

 

[TankGirl]

Is there a filter on this tank? Bettas are so cool because they actually come from still waters so you don't necessarily need a filter. If you don't have a filter, do partial water changes every day or every other day, and you don't have to worry about aerating the tank. I have a 2-gal tank and I use a tiny syphon that you move up and down to get the flow started, no sucking on the tube. I prefer this method, as I think it is less stressful than removing the fish so often. They do get used to the syphon. If he is happy he will always be working on his bubble nest. Gouramis do this too. Boy there sure are a lot of betta people on this board!

 

[tkos]

My betta loves to chase the gravel vacuum and often I have to nudge him out of the way. They are very curious fish and don't get too stressed about tank cleanings.

 

[SoCal]

I just got one of those 2.5 gallon tanks today for one of my bettas. The lid is almost air tight and I have the same concerns. I am going to put a few beads of silicone on the back side of the lid to prop it open a bit and on that little plastic handle. I almost broke the lid because I forgot that stupid handle slides right off.

 

[An t-iasg]

new betta

Hi Zic,
I have two bettas in a divided 5 1/2 gallon tank. Everyone has given you great advice!

I would prop open the lid a little. My lid doesn't fit real tight due to the divider. The divider keeps the lid from fitting flush with the tank, so mine get a little air that way. I also have a sponge filter that bubbles from its tube. The betta that's on that side of the tank loves to play with the bubbles -- he's doing it now!

It sounds like your betta has made a bubble nest! That means he is healthy and happy. As other posters have said, he would place the eggs in this nest if he were to mate. I have never mated my bettas, and they have never seen a girl (except me! LOL!) so I think they build the nest by instinct if they are healthy. You probably never noticed it in your community tank because the current may have broken it up, or the betta didn't feel quite like nest building with lots of other fish.

I think you can use your gravel vac to clean the tank. I used to have my bettas in one gallon bowls before I set up this tank for them. I used the little vac in the bowls too. They pretty much ignore the vac. One tried to play with it! I agree with the others who say that this is much less stressful than netting. He will get used to, and ignore, the vac. My gravel vac is 6 inches long and 1 inch wide.

Good luck with your new betta!

 

[Zic]

Yes, us betta people are taking over!

There's no hole in the lid, it's solid glass, but there is a little space between the sides of the lid and the top of the tank, so I think it'll be okay.

Maybe I might get a girly girl (as opposed to a boyish girl. Not that there's anything wrong with boyish girls ) so they can make sweet fishy love. Then I could buy a bunch of glass bowls and give them away as presents.

No filter here. Water changes everyday? I bought a 2 1/2 gallon tank in hopes that I could do it once a week. What do you think?

 

[1veedo]

You may be able to get away with a %50 water change every week. But i'd do %20 twice a week. Just keep a close look on nitrats and ph. If he acts funny go with twice a week.

 

[An t-iasg]

Betta in 2 1/2 gallon tank

I would monitor the ammonia in this small tank too. When I had my bettas in one gallon bowls, their ammonia would get high about every 4-5 days. I would do 50% change, or a little more. They didn't get a biological filter in the bowl, but in the 2 1/2 gallon they may. Keep checking all your parameters. I agree with 1veedo to change 20% of the water twice a week. It won't be inconvenient to change because it's a small tank. You could consider a fillter too. I've seen small Penn Plax or Lee's or Whisper that stick on the side of the tank with suction cups. I've never used one, so I don't know if that little filter will give you any biological filtration. You'll have to see. I have a bio. filter in my 5 1/2 gallon tank with a Jungle Jr. Dirt Magnet sponge filter.

I don't want to mate my fish, but I've read that you shouldn't have any gravel in the tank when they mate. The male picks up the eggs in his mouth and puts them in the bubble nest. He will have a hard time finding them in the gravel.

 

[Zic]

I would think that the gravel itself would be a biological filter, the same as in my big tank. I could see that if you had the betta in a bowl with no substrate, there would be nowhere for bacteria to grow. The gravel should be a great place for bacteria to grow.

Sounds like SoCal has the exact same tank. It's a TopFin, right. The way you described the lid is exactly the way mine is.

I could do a change twice a week. I was going to try to be lazy and do it once a week, but I could put the proberbial flame under my own Non-proverbial butt and do it. The only reason is that I had a hard time remembering when I changed the water in my big tanks. So, I just decided that I would do it every Saturday. I'm home from work then anyways and now there's no questioning myself. If it's Saturday, I know it's been a week since I did a change and I do it without thinking about it!

Does anyone else keep a little notebook to track their water changes and filter cleanings and whatnot?

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi Zic, Your tank (2 1/2 gallon, right?) should be big enough, and have enough gravel, for a biological filter. Can you put some gravel from your big tank in the betta tank? That will introduce some bacteria (you probably already know that )When my bettas were in their bowls, I didn't have much gravel (for ease of cleaning) and only one fake plant. I now have 5 lbs of gravel, 6 fake plants, and a sponge filter. The bacteria can live on the plants too, right? When I clean I've only been rinsing 1 or 2 plants at a time. My nitrites went down last night, so that's good -- the cycle should be coming along. I've been keeping a little notecard during the cycling process, and also I keep track of what meds I give them. I'm going to try to keep track of which plants I rinse off too, so I don't end up rinsing all the bacteria away, and I think I'll rinse out the sponge filter, in the old tank water, once a month. I will keep track of all this. I think I'll remember, but I know I won't! I had to give them some medicine in the middle of cycling, which I didn't really want to do, but I couldn't ignore their fin and tail rot either. It's taken care of, for now! The one is fine, but the other seems more susceptable to fin/tail rot.

 

[Zic]

Yes, I could add one piece of gravel from my big tank. I did that to quicken the cycling on one of my bigger tanks and it worked great.

And yes, bacteria will grow on the plants, too.

It's easier to keep a little notebook than trying to remember. When you first set up your tank, you will remember things ( "Ok. I know I cleaned this plant and not this one, since I've never cleaned that plant"). But, the longer you have the tank, it's hard to remember what you did last week, compared to what you did two weeks ago.

I would just clean off the plants when they get covered in algae, not in some specific time frame (like every week or two weeks).

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi Zic, That's a good idea about cleaning the plants just when they need it. It would probably be better for the bacteria, and also less work for me!