new to betta fish need help

[Myates]

Originally Posted by dnelli

thanks for all the great suggestions so far and one more question any opinion on an under gravel filter, do those work well?

I've used them years ago.. personally to me it's all your own preference. Never had issues with them. Whichever filter type you get, the cleaning will be the same each week. It all comes down to whether or not you want an air pump to run the under gravel filter, or want one that hooks to the side.

[LittleBlueFishlets]

If you don't mind plastic.... the large sized critter keepers are about 3 gallons. They're available from Petsmart, Petco and Amazon for about $15. They come with ventilated lids. (Some people don't like the lids because they let the heat and humidity out. On the other hand, they also let fresh air in.) I decided not to go with a filter, since it's pretty easy for me to just do frequent water changes. And I added a small heater for about $13. (Based on what I know now, I probably would have gone with an adjustable heater, but the ones I have are keeping the temp at a pretty consistent 79F.)

[Kytkattin]

I would not get the under gravel filter. The reasons being that 1) they have fallen out of favor with a large majority of the aquarium community, 2) they won't really help reduce your bio-load in a 2 gallon tank, 3) the bubbles and agitated surface they create will make it difficult if not impossible for your betta to create a bubble nest. Of course you can always get a tank with an under gravel filter and just not use it, but I would avoid paying extra for one.

And just to clarify what I said earlier, I recommend a desk lamp only for light for growing plants, not to heat the tank. Though CFL do get warm, they should not be close enough to the tank to make a significant change in temperature.