Question regarding moving my betta

[Seki]

My betta is currently in a 1/2 gallon bowl that was sold to me at the petstore where I bought him. They told me that was a perfectly good size for him and he would be happy and healthy there if I did once a week 100% water changes. But now I am having second thoughts about whether that is big enough for him or not. I have a 2.5 gallon tank in the garage (one of my brother's old tanks) that I am thinking about cleaning up and putting him in instead. I have several questions, though...

1) He seems genuinely happy in his tank right now. He loves hiding behind his plant, he zooms around, and he has built a bubblenest that covers more than half the surface of the tank (and he is always adding to it). Should I keep him in this tank because he likes it here?

2) If I do move him, should I wait for a bit? He is bloated right now due to constipation, I think, so should I wait for that to resolve itself before thinking about changing his environment and stressing him out?

3) What sort of maintenance needs to be performed for a 2.5 gallon tank? It has a light and I believe is also has a filter. I would buy gravel and a couple plants to put into it, but what else would I need? How often would I do water changes, and how much water would I change when I did?

I probably have more questions, but sometimes I lose my train of thought... If I think of any more questions, I'll post them. Thanks for any help you can give me!

[Freyja]

The 2.5 gallon would definitely be better. Anything under 1 gallon is just not enough. In the 2.5 g you should do 50% water changes twice a week. Aside from the light and filter you need a heater. Also some type of cave for him to hide. Your boy is quite the looker.

[teeneythebetta]

Bubble nests are instinctive, it doesn't necessarily mean they're happy.
The 2.5 gal would be great, be sure to get him an adjustable heater with a thermostat and set it to 78-80 degrees. :)

Your best bet would be to put water in the 2.5 gallon, place the heater in. Give it awhile and check the temp on your thermometer. When it reaches a stable temp, place your betta in a cup/bag (make sure he can reach the surface to breathe) and float him in the tank for at least 30 mins to adjust to the new temperature. :)

[Seki]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I am really thinking he'll do better in the 2.5 gallon, so I'll probably be moving him into that. I am planning on getting it cleaned up and getting a heater for it so I can get him moved in there pretty soon. I really do want to get his constipation sorted out before I stress him out, though. Poor little guy hasn't been pooing at all :(

This tank has been sitting in the garage for a few years, any tips on how to clean it best? I was planning on just wiping it out and rinsing it a lot with just water, no soap or anything. Also, how thick should the layer of gravel be on the bottom of the tank? The one he is in now came with a bag of gravel, so I didn't have to measure, I just put the whole bag in. Last, how much conditioner needs to go in a 2.5 gallon tank? The conditioner I have is Nutrafin, and it came with instructions for the little 1/2 gallon, but it doesn't say how much to use for bigger tanks.

Sorry for all the questions, I'm brand new at betta ownership! I just wanna do what's best for my little fishy~

[teeneythebetta]

Warm water is okay but if it makes you feel better, a vinegar water solution will sanitize it. Vinegar is natural, so even if you were to not fully rinse out the tank after using it, your fish would be okay, that's shy it is preferred rather than soap.

Wait, does the label on the conditioner say how much to add per gallon? If so, use accordingly. If it says how much to use for 1/2 gallon- just multiply it by 5, since .5 gal x 5 = 2.5 gal.

As for gravel- usually you use 1 to 1.5 pounds per gallon. So you would Want 2.5 - 4 pounds, it depends on how deep you really want it. If you're using live plants that go in the substrate, more gravel would help bury them more :)

No worries, it is good to ask questions, that way you can ensure you're doing everything right! Any more questions, feel free to ask :)

[Seki]

Okay, new question... lol I guess the filter is not complete and in working order with this tank. Is a filter strictly necessary in a betta tank of this size? I don't have a filter in his current tank and he seems to be okay without it. If I do more frequent water changes, will he be okay without a filter?

[LebronTheBetta]

A tank without a filter is fine. All you have to do is 1 100% and 1 50% per week, no matter what the tank size is. If your tank has a filter, you don't have to do 100% changes. But it would be close to impossible to cycle a 2.5 Gallon. Hope I helped you. :)

[Seki]

Thank you so much LebronTheBetta and teeneythebetta! You guys have been incredibly helpful and I'm sure Sheik is going to LOVE his new home! I'm so excited to get it cleaned out and set up for him. I'll show you all pictures once I get the tank set up and he's swimming in his new home! :)

[teeneythebetta]

Originally Posted by Seki

Thank you so much LebronTheBetta and teeneythebetta! You guys have been incredibly helpful and I'm sure Sheik is going to LOVE his new home! I'm so excited to get it cleaned out and set up for him. I'll show you all pictures once I get the tank set up and he's swimming in his new home! :)

Okay. Looking forward to see the little guy :)