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I'm really clueless...

1K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  Chicklet 
#1 ·
I recently got my first betta.
He was a birthday gift for my best friend from her boyfriend. They broke up and she "... can't stand looking at the thing anymore." Haha.
I've had him for almost 3 days. When I got him he was still in the plastic walmart cup. I haven't had fish in a long time so all my old tanks are being used for reptiles at the moment. I now have him in a one gallon bowl, just until I can get to the pet store. I was just wondering is there is anything really special I need to do since he was in that cup for almost 3 months(plus store time)? I'm a huge animal lover and want to do whatever I can. He really doesn't have much color, what can I do to change that?
Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Hello and welcome to Fish Forum!

Ew, three months in one of those little cups, what a mess. Good to hear you've at least go him out of that now.
The stickies at the top of the forum will be really helpful if you haven't gone through those already.
Bettas are best kept in tanks of 2.5 gallons or larger. They are also tropical fish, and thereby like warm water. The most important thing about keeping a betta (aside from clean water) is probably keeping a warm temperature. You can buy aquarium heaters from most pet stores, and some wal-marts may even carry them. Bettas are happiest in temperatures between 78 and 82 degrees, you will see an inmprovement in his activity level, and overall health.

Bettas come in a variety of colors, so it's not neccessarily unusual that he doesn't seem very colorful. Cellophane bettas are a color variation which pretty much lacks all pigment, and are see-through, you can see their internal organs. But if he's just pale and his colors are looking a bit washed out, a little TLC can fix that in a week or two. Bigger tank, clean water, warm water, and the right food will get him back into his full glory.

Food - I don't know if he came with food when you got him? Anyhow, bettas are carnivourous, and so normal fish flakes (which ar most ly vegetable matter) won't cut it for them. Betta pellets are what he needs, and it's a general consensus I believe that Hikari Betta Bio-gold is the best brand of pellets out there for them. A good diet is also known to help a betta regain their colors, but be careful, don't overfeed your betta, that can make him worse than he was before!
 
#3 · (Edited)
Mmkay, I went to the pet store last night. My betta is now in his very own ten gallon tank. I'm still getting the water just right, I've got it up to 77. I'm looking for the type of food you recommended. I also got a live plant and a little cave that he really seems to love. I also named him Josh, after my friends ex. Haha.
 
#4 ·
Congrats on the new betta! I'm sure he's loving his new home and the plant and cave. I feed mine the Hikari bio gold that Nataku mentioned. I give mine 2 pellets in the morning and 2 at night.I also feed mine freeze dried brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworms, once a week each.
 
#5 ·
Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new betta. I really enjoy mine and I know you will yours. I feed mine in the same manner that dramaqueen feeds hers. I'm also one who believes Hikari Betta Bio-Gold is the best staple food for these fish. My fish came home in their little cups looking rather drab but after about a week on their new diet they colored up very nicely. I love that you purchased a 10g for him and I'm loving his new name...:lol:
 
#11 · (Edited)
Some Betta's find a transfer to a large tank very stressful and somewhat of a shock to them.

Most over come this within a few days,

But there is the few who doesn't so easily, I have had some like that,
I ended up doing the downsizing and slowly acclimating them to larger sizes,

Start with a half gallon if you got an old ice cream container that's empty and clean, will work ok, Give him a few days to a week in that, once he seems settled and not stressed Then try the big tank again.. You should see a big difference in him, If not go back to a gallon size for a few days or so, then try the big tank again...
 
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