Planning on getting a larger tank...

[heythereitsv]

I'm new to this stuff, but I've done quite a bit of reading over the past three days (which is when I got my little buddy). Right now, he's in a 1 gallon tank (this one). After reading/researching, I realized this isn't the best setup I could give the little guy (even though he's doing fine right now, pretty active, eating normally, he's still warming up to me though).

So I want to get a 5+ gallon tank. And everything else that's advisable. Right now, he's in the tank with no heater/filtration/cycling of any kind, only gravel, a couple of artificial plants, and a little crab ornament.

What tanks would you recommend? Also, could someone point me to a good guide on cycling? I've gotten pretty confused on that stuff, it seems like there's a pretty big learning curve between new fish owners and experienced ones lol. And is there any quicker way of cycling? I don't want the poor little guy to wait for a while.

I also want to be absolutely sure about the stuff I buy- my dad's already ticked off about me spending close to $40 on fish products, and all of this is coming out of MY pocket (I'm 14, and have about $70 saved up, which I also need for other things). So my budget is about $40...

*EDIT*
My dad doesn't like buying online too much, so I'd prefer it if I could buy it in Petsmart or any other ground store.

[JBosley]

Hey!
You can get a 10 gallon, plain glass aquarium for really cheap at Petsmart. They also have a 5.5 gallon starter kit for a good price as well! If you go with the plain glass aquarium, it may not have a lid, but I use a piece or 2 of craft mesh for a lid

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...3Bamp%3B+Bowls

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...3Bamp%3B+Bowls

[Perseusmom]

Bless your heart for wanting to do what is best for your Betta and spending all your have saved up at 14 years old thats a blessing to hear about ! You should check out Petco or Petsmart and Walmart for the best deals on larger bowls or tanks since you cant shop on line I got mine at Wag.com which has some good deals on tanks. Good luck in your shopping and best wishes to you and your little guy !

[megaredize]

you can always get the petco bookshelf aquarium. its 6.6 gallons and is long which bettas seems to love. I have seen people on this forum with it and they love it. Supposedly its on sale a lot in store. its worth checking out. heres a link from their site http://www.petco.com/product/14978/P...-Aquarium.aspx

[sparkyjoe]

I have one of my boys in a basic 5.5 gallon I got at Petsmart. It's a kit that includes the tank, a filter and an incandescent hood. (I plan to eventually swap out the basic bulb with a florescent one, but so far my low light plants are thriving.)

I seem to remember the kit itself costing less than $40, but it didn't include a heater so that would be extra.
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[gwenny]

I think the 5.5 gallon kit from Petsmart is your best bet. Then all you need is a heater...Sadly the cheap heaters at Petsmart and Petco are poor quality and aren't too reliable. There are much nicer ones on Amazon for cheaper.

For example, this Elite one is popular among people in this forum: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ms_ohs_product

[emeraldsky]

From what I've found, the kits at walmart are cheaper (At least where I live) The 5 and 10 gallon starter kits are both around 30 dollars.

Petco is also having its dollar per gallon sale (Once again, at least where I live) and you can buy a 10 gallon for 10$. Its only for the tank though, no filter or hood.


Also, the bookshelf aquarium looks fantastic, I want one myself, just waiting for the right sale X)

[heythereitsv]

Thanks guys for the advice! I think I'm going to end up going with the 5.5 gallon, it seems like it'd fit the area nicely, and while a bit pricey, I think I can handle it. What about cycling and water care? From what I've heard, that's the biggest problem with smaller tanks...