New betta owner

[Seabass]

Hi everyone! I just got a betta fish, Sebastian or "Seabass" for short and although the store will sell you a goldfish bowl and food, I know that can't be right for him in the long run and I want to get what's best for him so that he's happy and healthy.

I have to feed him goldfish food tonight, unfortunately, and am going to try and go to the store tomorrow in hopes that they have betta food. However, what should I do about his tank? I found this one at walmart and was wondering if it'd be good: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-Aq...roduct+Reviews

It comes with a pump, and I read that they should have a pump that creates very little water movement--the reviews on this tank say "The pump that is provided is too weak to allow more than one small stream of bubbles" so would this be good for him?

Also, I should get some sort of separate heater too, right? Any suggestions?
I found one at walmart but not sure if it'd be suitable: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Heater-1-ct/10291808

I have a plant here I never used/grew from when I had a goldfish, it's called a "hardy aponogeton bulb" and would this be good for Seabass or should I get him something different?

I'm a newbie at this, so any advice appreciated! Thanks!

[LebronTheBetta]

I don't think you should get that Tank. The Height and Length seem Good. Except the Width. It seems too Thin. You could get one of those "Kritter Keepers". They are Sturdy, Cheap, and the Large or X-Large are almost 5 gallons. For a Heater, you could use a Hydor Mini Heater. It works Great for Small Tanks! For the Bulbs, Most of the Times they don't work, right? Only 2-3 Sprout I've heard if you Plant a Dozen.
Anyway, Good Luck with Seabass!!! And your Upgrades!!! :)

[Seabass]

Thanks for the reply! I'll see if I can find a wider one at walmart, I don't like the design of that one anyways. Do you think he'd really need an air pump/filter (because I hear bettas don't like much water movement) or would he be good with a plant that oxygenates the water and access to air at the top?

Oh, thanks for the tip on the heater--I'll definitely get that. Does it just go kind of under the rocks at the bottom of the tank?

[TheCheese909]

I've seen those tanks, they are actually really thin. The heater you show I have 5 of (i have 9 bettas). I like that heater alot, it works great!

If you're looking for a tank from WalMart in particular try these:

I own this one, I would get rid of the under gravel filter and replace it with the one I show at the bottom:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-Aq...-Pets/13448744

I have this one too, I love this little tank, it's just like the one above but shorter, it's also a good idea to replace the filter
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-Aq...-Pets/14660257

Filter:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-Aq...-Pets/14660257

Filter Pads:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Whis...s-6ct/17056827


They are great because your Betta cannot get caught in them like most filters.



You don't need any type of aeration since Bettas get most of their air from the surface.

Here are some things you'll want to look for for him:

-Silk plants. If you're new to fish keeping you don't want to dive into live plants just yet! Plastic plants can easily rip your Bettas fins apart. I suggest looking at PetCo or PetSmart for their silk plants. They are easy on his fins so he wont get tore up. Bettas love lots of plants and they love to lay in them and explore. You're going to want to have lots of hiding places for him so he doesn't get bored or stressed out.

-API Stress Coat+ .. This stuff has water conditioner in it already, so you can use it along side or in place of your regular water conditioner. It will help your guy not get so stressed out in his new home. You're going to want to use it every time you change his water. They don't sell it at WalMart you'll have to get it at PetCo or PetSmart, it may be at your LFS (local fish store).

-Betta Candy! Froze or freezedried, it's up to you! Frozen is much more nutritious then freezedried, but the freezedried stuff isn't as messy. Bloodworms, Glassworms, Brine Shrimp and Daphnia are all yummy treats for your guy. You can feed them along side or in place of his normal food. You only want to feed them to him 1 - 3 times a week though. They are just "candy" for him.

Foodwise you're going to want to look for these brands (they are my favorite):

New Life Spectrum (NLS)
for Bettas:
http://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spect.../dp/B0038JTL1Y
for Small Fish (my favorite:
http://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spect.../dp/B0002E7J94


Omega One Betta pellets and flakes:
pellets:
http://www.amazon.com/Omega-One-Bett.../dp/B0040BJBC8
flakes:
http://reviews.petsmart.com/4830/329...ws/reviews.htm


Aqueon Betta Pellets:
"Natural"
http://www.petco.com/product/112081/...etta-Food.aspx
"Color Enhancing"
(can't find the link, they sell it at PetCo)




No matter what the label says, all Betta food will help increase and brighten the colours of your Betta fish.


Flakes typically cloud the water up and they are a bit more difficult to tell how much you are feeding your fish. I suggest pellets over flakes, but if your fish doesn't like his pellets even if you try soaking them then you might have to use flakes. I have a fish who will not eat pellets no matter how hard I try, so I have to feed him flakes.



I hope some of this stuff helps you out. If you are interested in takes that are not from WalMart I can show you acouple others that I really love as well (that aren't round lol). I have 9 Bettas, most of them are in 2.5 gallons or 3 gallons, the largest tank I have is a 5.

[TheCheese909]

It wont let me edit, sorry for a double post!


http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-06226-S...pr_product_top

That right there will be a life saver. It's a gravel vacuum and can make water changes so much easier! It's the smallest i've come across and I love mine. It's great for heavily planted tanks or tanks that just happen to have alot of decoration. It's small but it's a beast! It takes water out very quickly and is just great to have.


If you want a live plant look for a Marimo Moss Ball. They are super easy to take care of and Bettas love to play with them. They also act as an extra filter. PetCo and PetSmart both sell them, PetSmart is the least expensive out of the two. There is a thread here on this website telling you how to care for them as well.

[harchambeault]

I have the Terra heater in my 2 gallon tank, it doesn't raise my water above 75. I just bought the HydorTheo 25 watt from Amazon, it's adjustable so hopefully will be better

[Seabass]

Fabulous, thanks for all the advice! I'm going with a walmart tank for now since that's closest to here--my sister gave me a goldfish bowl with him and I feel bad keeping him in that for a long amount of time, so the rest of the stuff I'll order and go get from Amazon and Petsmart.