Valuable Lesson Learned - New to Betta

[hksusa]

First, i'd like to thank everyone that post and answer questions on this forum. Without this community, i'd have a dead betta fish. I've had bad luck with goldfishes before getting this current betta fish.

My Step Daughter came home from a street fair with a betta fish in a cup, my first reaction was "Oh boy, hope i don't kill this fish too quickly". Instead of going to the petstore and "winging it", i Googled how to care for a betta fish and this forum came up. I armed myself with knowledge i gained and we went to the petco.

I decided to go cheap, as i didn't know if the fish was going to survive with my track record, and i did not want to drop a lot of money only to have a fish die.

Tank:
Marina Betta Kit - came with gravel, plant, food, and water conditioner - $13
I know the min is 2.5gal. I lack space and did not want to invest alot

Thermometer - 2bux

I did not use the gravel, as it would be harder to clean. The Betta loved his bigger tank, i saw a bubble nest the day. I do a 100% change every 3days and inbetween, i made a small vaccum out of air tube, telflon tape and a mcd straw, to suck poop and food that sits on the bottom.

I've added a betta hammock and finally a hydro 25w heater.

The lesson

Last night i was doing the 100% water change and had the betta in the small cup, the betta goes crazy in the cup, i think it doesnt like the small space. As i left the betta in the cup, and wait for the heater to heat water up i leave for 15-20mins and i come back to check on it and i do not see the fish in the cup! I look closer and its behind the cup and not flopping around. I move the cup and it does a flop, i slow pick it up and put into the tank. It was pretty stressed as it took a while before it would stop huffing and puffing but i think its ok. Lesson learned, put a cover on the cup/tank!

Also the .5gal tank is too small, getting crowded in there but it working out so far.

Thanks for reading. Let me know of any tips/tricks.

[Hershey]

Once you start getting comfortable, try a 5 gallon.

[OrangeAugust]

I agree with Hershey. Bettas are so much more lively and interesting when they have a lot of room to move around.

[LadyVictorian]

My boy loves his five gallon tank but currently my female is in a 2.5 gallon and is doing fine but she is also still very much a young teen. Next month she is getting moved into a 10 gallon which may end up being a small ADF/Shrimp community tank to live in.