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New owner and looking for a better setup... advice?

2K views 39 replies 10 participants last post by  VTAb182 
#1 ·
A couple months ago I was given a betta fish a pet (named him Seafood :]) and I'm really liking the company on my desk! Right now he lives in a 1 gallon (i think) bowl without a heater. The water is at about 69-70 degrees (mid day in my room). He isn't too active and mostly just chills. I want to get a better home for him and see if he perks up any, but I'm new to the fish world.

I've been reading up on bettas and it seems that a 2 or 2.5 gallon tank out fit my needs (bigger than the current one but still small enough for my desk) and a heater are the two things I really need. Any advice on either of these two items would be great (mostly the heater). And does a rounded bowl or a squared tank make a difference, or is it just personal preference?

For food I've been feeding him "Top Fin Color Enhancing Betta Bits." Is there a certain brand of food that is recommended for bettas, or is the kind I have now just fine?

Thanks in advance for all your help! And let me know if you need more info!
 
#2 ·
im not insanely experienced, and I'm hoping someone else will come here and either comfirm or elaborate what I'll say...but:

69-70 degrees is definitely too cool for him, which is probly why he doesnt move much...I'm glad youre getting a heater =)...I dont have a reccomendation there I'm afraid

as far as a tank I personally just bought a 2gal marineland aquarium system eclipse 2. it was $32 at a lfs and comes with a wonderfully quiet filter and a cute hood with a little fish shaped switch for the light. looks nice and its on my desk in my dorm, so perfect for a desk. I do reccomend if you choose this one though that you get some filter sponge and baffle the filter intake...my poor Marbles had trouble getting away from it...I also put a large plant where the water comes back in because that too created a pretty strong current.

Aquabow tanks seem to be pretty good too...I had the 1gal kit and you can buy 2.5 for like $35...again filter and light included.

Hope this helps! and welcome to the forum!

~H2
 
#3 ·
OH...also, bettas are healthier on a variety of foods...I recommend purchasing some freezedried bloodworms or brine shrimp and feed him two or three times a week with a couple to supplement his pellets. I feed my boy 2 pellets in the morning, 2 at night, the occasional one in between...and MWF i replace his evening meal with bloodworms. They love it and itll keep him healthy =D
 
#4 ·
shape is personal preference, 2-2.5 gal is ok nd defiantly a heater, you will find that seafood will perk up with warmer water being a tropical fish, your fishes water should sit 76-86F

things like frozen blood worms and brine shrimp are good to vary his diet.

but make sure you do water changes on the tank every 2nd day or so being so small and no filter :)




Welcome to the world of Betta's!
 
#5 ·
i feed only at night until i instal my guys in the custom tank. then I will determine a feeding schedule, Dastan gets 4-5 depending on his mood neros currently on one-2 cause of some bloating after his brineshrimp, Melvin benny and Tamina are on two-three pellets.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I hadn't even thought of getting a filter! I was just thinking of a plain jane glass tank. My desk is currently set up with my lamp right next to the bowl, so a light isn't a light on the tank isn't a necessity for me. But a filter does sound like a good investment. It would mean not having to change the water as often, right? I'll look into the tanks you mentioned (HayrideHaunter). Thanks!
 
#7 ·
yeah...feeding seems to depend a lot on the fish...watch him for bloating...some fish can only have a couple a day, some eat up to 7 or 8 without problems...seems like something thats a bit of cautious trial and error
 
#8 ·
yeah the filter isnt completely necessary, but it keeps his tank nice and clean between the less-frequent changes. As i mentioned i live in a dorm...= im a college student with very little time...so i change his tank once a week and he seems fine with the help of a filter
 
#9 ·
Just find a heater that is adjustable and suitable for the size of tank you are getting and you should be fine, but definatly get one, the temperature it's at now is too cold which is why he is not being very active and it could lead to problems.

I keep my betta at 79/80 degrees
 
#10 ·
Filters: i have a filter on my current main tank that will go onto my new tank ive not had to do a water change on it yet, dastan hasnt been in there a month yet
But hes due for one soon. but its a good aquaone filter and its 4.7 gall (18.2 liters)
 
#11 ·
Welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of Betta keeping...but to warn you...it can be addicting......lol......

You have already received great advice and I only wanted to add one thing about filters......regardless of filtration-water changes are needed-filters remove large particle from the water column but not from the tank and often what you can't see is often the most harmful......with filtration you can establish the nitrogen cycle and this can help reduce the amount of water changes but not the number of needed water changes in small volume tanks to maintain water quality and fin health.

Once the nitrogen cycle establishes the good bacteria that colonize in the filter media, top layer of the substrate and surface areas inside the tank- will help remove some byproducts produced by the fish...by making twice weekly 50% water changes...1-50% water only and 1-50% that include the substrate by vacuum or stir and dip should maintain water quality

You also need to give the filter media a good swish/rinse in old tank water with a water change a couple of times a week and when the water flow slows to get the big pieces of gunk off to maintain good water flow....you want the filter media to look dirty...this is good bacteria.....

On another note....you don't have to have a filter with this species of fish and sometimes in small aquariums the filter water flow can be too strong and sometimes cause tattered fins especially with the long heavy fin males and without a filter the water changes would need to be 1-50% and 1-100% a week to maintain water quality and fin health......

Again welcome and look forward to seeing some pic of your new wet-pet and setup.......
 
#12 ·
OFL, I have always wanted to ask, when you say "give the filter media a good swish/rinse in old tank water" do you mean the actual filter itself, or do you mean the tubes ect connecting to the filter? Or both?

Also, how often should I change my filter cartridge and how should I do it to avoid messing up my cycle. I have a bio-wheel, do good bacteria build up on the wheel as well?
 
#13 ·
I just made a trip out to the pet store and picked up a thermometer and some freeze-dried bloodworms. They didn't have the right heater in stock so i ordered one online (adjustable 25W) for $15 shipped. They had an Aqueon Mini Bow 2.5gal tank there that has a filter and light for $30, but before picking it up I thought I'd ask you all if you think this is a good tank or not?

I was also talking to a friend today who has had a betta for almost 2 years and he's never had a heater for it! Someone mentioned that being in cold water for too long could cause damage... what kind of damage would this be?
 
#15 ·
haha Aqueon Mini bow was the tank I was referring to...I said "aquabow"...that was my bad

I had the 1gal version...it was obviously too small, but while i had Marbles in it he was a happy fish...the tank is a good one, pretty quiet IME and looks nice...i recommend it =D
 
#14 ·
If someone already mentioned this, sorry, I missed it...

Water conditioner is a must for EVERY water change. The short story: Water conditioners neutralize bad chemicals which may be in your tap water, to make it safe for your fish to live in.

Some water conditioners claim to have benefical bacteria to help cycle a tank. Other claim to be best for bettas, or provide stress-relief and help promote the fish's natural slime coat.
 
#16 ·
I forgot to say earlier that I do have water conditioner. I got it when I got Seafood and use it every water change. It's a betta specific kind.

haha Aqueon Mini bow was the tank I was referring to...I said "aquabow"...that was my bad

I had the 1gal version...it was obviously too small, but while i had Marbles in it he was a happy fish...the tank is a good one, pretty quiet IME and looks nice...i recommend it =D
I thought that might have been the case because a google search of aquabow didn't come up with any results :]
 
#18 ·
VTAb182,

"I was also talking to a friend today who has had a betta for almost 2 years and he's never had a heater for it! Someone mentioned that being in cold water for too long could cause damage... what kind of damage would this be? "

DEATH.

Here's the dealio on bettas:

Bettas come from warm tropical waters. If you could keep your room temperature at an even 76F year round, you wouldn't need a heater. The surrounding air would heat the bowl to the temperature the betta needs.

Most people can't manage a constant room temperture, however. My room temperture, for example, is at 60F. While 60F is fine for cold water fish (like goldfish), it is 16F too cool for a betta.

Small fish bowls are particularly sensitive to air temperature changes, and bettas are particularly sensitive to water temperture changes. They can go into temperture shock, which weakens their immune system. A fish can turn desperately ill overnight in these conditions.

If the cold bowl conditions are not too severe and are constant, a betta's metabolism will slow down in cold water. He may survive awhile, but he'll be inactive and his colors will dull. He will not be the active (and re-active) beautiful and healthy fish he could be.

Also, a betta breathes air differently than a goldfish. Bettas breath more like us. They need to be able to come to the water's surface to breath, and the air must be warm and moist, or their breathing apperatus (the labyrinth organ) will be damaged. A heated, covered bowl (or small tank) is the kindest thing you can do for a betta. :)
 
#20 ·
DEATH.

Here's the dealio on bettas:

Bettas come from warm tropical waters. If you could keep your room temperature at an even 76F year round, you wouldn't need a heater. The surrounding air would heat the bowl to the temperature the betta needs.

Most people can't manage a constant room temperture, however. My room temperture, for example, is at 60F. While 60F is fine for cold water fish (like goldfish), it is 16F too cool for a betta.

Small fish bowls are particularly sensitive to air temperature changes, and bettas are particularly sensitive to water temperture changes. They can go into temperture shock, which weakens their immune system. A fish can turn desperately ill overnight in these conditions.

If the cold bowl conditions are not too severe and are constant, a betta's metabolism will slow down in cold water. He may survive awhile, but he'll be inactive and his colors will dull. He will not be the active (and re-active) beautiful and healthy fish he could be.

Also, a betta breathes air differently than a goldfish. Bettas breath more like us. They need to be able to come to the water's surface to breath, and the air must be warm and moist, or their breathing apperatus (the labyrinth organ) will be damaged. A heated, covered bowl (or small tank) is the kindest thing you can do for a betta. :)
Oh wow that's good to know. I'll pass it on to him. If he gets a heater and all now would his betta be able to recover to a fun, active state or is the damage irreversible?
 
#21 ·
Yep, he'll be active again! It's like people. When I lived in Alaska people weren't active at all, and I moved to Hawaii and everyone's active. Everything slows down, but if the Betta recieves heat he will speed back up! An example of a Betta like this... my sister kept a Betta in an unheated half gallon bowl for 6 months and he was a slug. I took him in and with heat we was super active.
 
#22 · (Edited)
If you plan on cycling you can get a filter but if you don't plan on cycling your tank then I wouldn't bother with it.

You only get to change the water less often AFTER you do a lot of partial water changes to fish-in cycle your tank.

You'll also want to have your own liquid test kit (API's Freshwater Master Test Kit) if you plan to cycle so that you can get readings and know where you are and when your tank is cycled.

I recommend 2 things:

1. Do the twice weekly water changes like OldFishLady (OFL) suggested. One 50% and one 100%.

2. Getting a bunch of stem plants (anacharis, water sprite, water wisteria, creeping jenny, hornwort, and any other stem plant you want), an outlet timer from a hardware store, and a better lighbulb for your lamp. (a Daylight lightbulb (rated at 6,500 K(kelvins)) with a low wattage)

After everything starts growing you can do fewer water changes.

You definitely want to get some kind of test kit though or get your water tested twice a week at the petstore to see if the plants have started sucking up the ammonia and nitrite in the tank.

You then want to keep testing the water once every 3 days to see if your ammonia levels have gotten too close to 2.5 (the dangerous level for fish). If they have then do a water change. If they haven't then let things sit.

Also do you know for sure that your container is 1 gallon? A lot of containers are advertised as 1 gallon or seem like they'd hold a gallon but actually hold less than that.

I'd check using a gallon jug of water from the super market. (but don't actually use that water continue to use your tap water.

Also until you get things set up and running do you know how to do a 100% water change and have you been doing them regularly?

^^^^^^ Note that my suggestions are my suggestions and opinions. There are lots of ways to keep fish.

Choose what you're most comfortable with. If you need plant help there's a ton of people here to help you.

If you need cycling help there's not only a sticky thread that tells you how to cycle your tank but tons more people on here that have done it and can walk you through it.

whatever you decide good luck to you and your betta! =]
 
#23 ·
I hadn't planned on cycling the tank. From what I read it sounds like more work than I'm looking to put in to it. Are your two recommendations for if I am cycling the tank or just in general for either way?

Will the plants you mentioned getting act kind of like filters in the sense that they take some of the unwanted chemicals out of the water (I know it's different than the function of the filter, but you get comparison).

Will the filter still help keep the water cleaner, even if the same amount of water changes are still necessary? Because I figured that if I'm getting a new tank anyways I'd go for one that has a light and filter. But if a filter isn't going to help me I could just get a plain square tank and put an external light on top. Although as someone said before having a hood on the tank makes the air good for him to breathe. As you can see I'm still going back and forth with myself on this one.

Well I measured by figuring that I use 2 pitcherfulls of water to fill up the bowl, and the pitcher holds 8 cups, so 2 pitchers=16cups=1gallon (yeah math! :])
 
#24 ·
Nice so your tank is legit! =] I'd say yay math but me and math have never gotten along! :'D

My 2 suggestions were for a non-cycled tank. =]

The plants don't take chemicals out. They take the Ammonia and Nitrite out. =] It works pretty much the way a cycled filtered tank works. =] The plants eat the ammonia your fish makes and it helps them to grow. =] You'll still need your water conditioner. ;]

I wouldn't get the filter but it's up to you. =]

I like your idea of just the tank, the heater, and the light. That's what I'm doing in my 2.5 =] I'm actually transferring my boy Firedrake to the 2 gallon with the floaters because the plants are dying from lack of ammonia and I don't want to feed them with fish food anymore (as fish food will mold if it isn't eaten. >n<).

You'll want to get some clear plastic wrap to put over the top of the tank though and poke some holes in it. During winter the air above the water can be too cold and dry for bettas and can sometimes damage their labyrinth organ (lungs). The plastic wrap should help keep heat and moisture in and make the air above the water nice and humid. And if it's clear your light will still go through. ;]
 
#25 · (Edited)
Wait a minute. I think I had cycling misunderstood. Is it something you only have to do once (by once i mean the whole process) when you get a new tank, or is a continuous process that you have to keep on doing? I originally thought it was continuous, but now I'm thinking I was wrong. If it is a one time deal then it sounds like a good idea to me because it would mean somewhat less upkeep in the long run for putting the work in now.

EDIT: Another cycling question: wouldn't doing a 100% water change and cleaning/scrubbing the tank, gravel, and decorations remove all the beneficial bacteria that colonized during cycling?
 
#26 · (Edited)
Yep you only cycle once and you're correct about the 100% change in a cycled tank too. You NEVER do a 100% change in a cycled tank because you'll kill off and get rid of all the beneficial bacteria.

In my original reply I said I wouldn't recommend cycling.


But at the same time I also assume you haven't cycled yet. In uncycled tanks you need to do regular 100% water changes unless they're "plant cycled" aka plant growth replaces the need for beneficial bacteria.

For cycling questions first read this thread's original posts. =]

In all truth like Old Fish Lady said in her original reply it's actually not less upkeep. Even when your 2.5 gallon tank is cycled it will still require 2 water changes per (work) week.

Uncycled tank: 2 100% changes per week
Cycled tank: 2 50% changes per week if you have substrate in your tank you'll want to siphon your gravel to get the gunk out of it. You/ll also want to swish your filter media in the tank water before you do the water change on the second 50%.

Cycling smaller tanks can be worth it for some people Say a 3 gallon or a 4 gallon.

But I really don't see the point in cycling a 2.5 gallon.

Also if you're going to keep your 1 gallon there's no point in trying to cycle it because you'd still be doing water changes every other day (like you should be now) except they'd be 50% changes as opposed to 100% changes.

If you get a 5 gallon I'd cycle it but as it is it's pretty much the same amount of work. :/

It's up to you though. This is just my opinion! XD
 
#27 ·
Hmmm that's a good point. I suppose live plants would make it look pretty nice anyways. If I get a tank that has a hood with a filter and light, would I be able to just take out the filter entirely so it's not in the way if I'm not going to be using it?

And how many/what kind of plants would you recommend getting to start with in a 2/2.5 gallon tank?

Thank you so much wallywestisthebest333 for all your help and input on this!!
 
#30 ·
Bogwood is also an easy way to soak up chemicals. c:
Plus it looks epic. I love the frill+bogwood side of my tank. Frill is really full and...well frilly LOL. And the bogwood gives it an earthy look.

I also like my bacopa. If tall enough and in bunches, the betta can rest on them near the surface.

Also. As far as filters being too strong, I use one that uses my air pump to filter and it works great. Doesn't even bother my fish next to it. He's even blown a bubble nest over night. :)D First one!)
 
#31 ·
i dont really know much about how marimos would help cycling? i just think theyre adorable heh...sorry if im spamming your thread >.<
 
#32 ·
VTAb182,

"would I be able to just take out the filter entirely so it's not in the way if I'm not going to be using it?"

That's what I've done. My 1 gallon (QT) tank had an undergravel filter in it. Since I knew I was looking at frequent water changes, I thought it would be easier (IMHO) to leave it out. I was also planning to put a heater in it, and with the filter in too it would have been pretty crowded...


 
#33 ·
Sorry I've been bouncing around from active to inactive on this forum today! XD

In all truth if you're not going to use a filter I wouldn't buy a tank kit with one.

For light all you really need (especially for something as small as a 2.5 gallon) is a desk lamp. =]

The bulbs that you purchase for your lamp will definitely determine your success with planted tanks.

You'll want a Daylight (rated at 6,500 K(kelvins)) CFL (swirly energy-saving bulbs).

Here's an example of the packaging for one of more of these bulbs:
<-- The word Daylight and the Kelvin rating should be clearly visible somewhere on the package.

You only want about 2-3 watts per gallon. As this is difficult with 2.5 gallons I'd say just keep your lamp elevated above your tank. =] The smallets wattage I found was a 13 watt.

You'll also want to pick up an outlet timer from the hardware store so that you can time your light to be on for 4 hours, off for 4-5 hours and then back on for another 4-5 hours

Did I not include a plant list earlier? It might've been a different thread. XD
Whoops!

Marimo won't help you to "plant cycle" your tank no. It DOES look really cool though! ;]

Plants that help you to "Plant Cycle" your tank are fast growing stem plants.

Examples of some great fast-growing stem plants:

Anacharis
Water Sprite
Water Wisteria
Bacopas
Creeping Jenny
Hornwort

You'll likely only need one or two though. ;] As your tank is so small. and you'll likely only need a small amount.

To balance out all the different light greens I advise buying some Java Fern and an Anubias to add some dark green. The marimo would do that as well.

In my experience it's nearly impossibly to kill watersprite and anacharis. =] I've even almost frozen it and it's ok! =]

Really hardy plants (well... hornwort can be tricky but that's just hornwort).

Good luck with your tank! =]
 
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