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new betta owner wanting to upgrade

2K views 79 replies 8 participants last post by  resa 
#1 ·
some of you may already know i have a few threads already open..... i have a VT male ....he's only in a 1 gallon tank with no heater but thermometer stats the temps are perfectly fine.... he's not eating pellets or tropical flakes but when i get the money (maybe today or tomorrow) i will be getting the bloodworms to see if he eats it... (unless he's eating the pellets and flakes and i don't see it)....... anyways point of this thread is because i have another tank my sister in law is giving me. unsure how many gallons but its a nice size... what i'd like to do is buy my betta (name is zeek) decorations, plants etc. and i need advice on the type of decorations i should b getting him... what i'd also like to do is place other fishies in the tank with him that wont cause a problem..... and that would be just as happy with the decorations and planting i use for zeek...... (i know i'll need a heater as well :) )....... so any thoughts and suggestions are appreciated. :) :lol:
 
#4 ·
The minimum for other fish in a tank is a 10 gallon sized tank. Even so, the stocking for a 10 gallon is alittle limited but you're betta would still be very happy with that size.

Try to avoid plastic plants unless you are sure they aren't sharp; most of the time they can shred your betta's fins. Bettas love to squeeze in tight spots so the less plastics you ahve, the better. A good choice of plant decor is silk plants.

If you get a decoration with a cave, make sure your betta can easily fit in and out of it; you don't want him getting stuck lol.

If you want to get a larger tank, try craigslist as you can find great deals and bigger sized tanks that come with absolutely everything you need to start off (including heaters).

Lastly, you definitely want to get a heater even if in the day your temp is fine. A heater will turn off when it reaches the set/desired temp therefore maintaining a steady temperature. Most of the time, a betta won't eat if the temperature is low or not very consistent...
 
#5 ·
i did as u suggested, looking on craigslist and i found someone selling aquarium accessories not a tank but wanted your opinion on what accessories i'll need to get from them to add to a tank i'll eventually get.... i have the link to the sellers post but wasnt sure if i can post it here... their selling multiple things from fresh water to salt water to turtle aquarium accessories.... please get back with me i appreciate your time :)
 
#6 ·
ok i'm hopefully going at midnight central time to get a 10 gallon tank at walmart. i seen one that comes with a filter and i want to post the link to see if the filter is appropriate for my betta. also i'd like to know if you can recommend a very cheap heater from walmart as well http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aquaculture-Home-Starter-Kit-10-Aquarium-1kt-Fish-Aquatic-Pets/10312734

i may or may not get other decor at this time due to the price of the tank. also what about the lights that are included with the tank i posted there? is the light good enough for a little while or is it an absolute no?
 
#8 ·

Make sure you clean it very well before putting it in. Some people have had problems with the tetra heaters and the chemicals that come on them, their fish have died. I don't want to scare you, but I don't want you to end up with a dead fish. If you clean it very well (better than what the instructions say), you should be fine. A lot of people use vinegar water to clean their accessories, so you could probably use that for this heater.
 
#10 ·
Sorry about the late reply. Air pumps are defintely not something you need to have. It basically airates the tank and promotes good bio bacteria. It' better to stick with a filter in my opinion.

On craigslist, the accesories I was referring to was, along with the tank and filter, a heater and gravel. Try and find an adjustable heater. Those are very reliable and heat tanks very well with no problem.

I see you are buying a tank from walmart. It comes only with the tank, hood and light, and a filter. You'll need to get a heater; you an get one also at walmart I am sure. I bought a good 27 dollar heater for my 10 gallon because I didn't want to get a cheap one that would break down. Fluval is my favorite brand but just go around each store's sites looking for good deals and reviews.

The light in that picture will not be blue. It will be like the lights in many of the tanks you will see on this forum. he reason it looks blue is because of the background they have on there. Hmm I think this answers all of your questions... Good luck! :)
 
#12 ·
sponge filters? i've never heard of those....are they better than electric filters? and are they cheaper? sorry i have alot of questions i just wanna make sure i do it right....like whats the pros and cons of the 2 different types of filters...or is there a site i can go to, to find out? thanks for everyones help :) and zeek still hasn't eaten :( i dont know how he's staying alive without eating....unless i just dont see it however i do see the food still floating at the top and some on bottom after ive fed him...
 
#14 · (Edited)
HOB means hang on back filter in case you are a little confused.

I just wanted to say that if you get a filter you should look up these threads about cycling which is the main job of the filter: to become a home for ammonia eating bacteria. That help you keep your tank cleaner, and maintain water quality you will do less water changes, but they are needed nonetheless.

A beginner's guide to cycling:it will help understand what is cycling and the methods

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=47838

Step to step cycling by Olympia:

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=111960

Betta specific cycling by OldFishLady
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=107771

For cycling you will need a water testing kit as well.
 
#16 ·
thats alot to read.....and unfortunately my cognitive skills are slower since i now i have brain damage...anyways when i finally get a 10 gallon tank from petsmart or walmart (preferrably petsmart) i'll speak to the associates and they can direct me to which filters and decor i'll need i'm sure... now i do have one more question.... as far as plants (i'll mostly use plastic) which is the bettas most favorite one live plant to have? thats inexpensive too :) i'm sure more questions from me will arise as i read here and there about the betta fish :)
 
#19 ·
i dont know what happened to me i cant remember it AT ALL.... it happened in oct of last year and the bf i was with at the time tried to convince the hospital i jumped out the vehicle however they knew it was a lie bc i didnt have road rash or whatever its called .....resulting in me to have 8 skull fractures 2 blk eyes and a broken nose...i was not suppose to live overnight the hospital told my whole family that........welll............HERE I AM :) a miracle in progress.....
 
#20 ·
ok on that mini kit ...now that i'm actually reading it ...it has different mini kits its referring to.... please visit the site i provided for those kits and please inform me which one i actually have to have. if this is not something that is a must please inform me..... thank you
 
#29 ·
ok i have officially bought a new 10 gallon tank. it came with a filter already which was the aqua tech 5-15 model.... on the instructions that came with filter it states not to put fish in tank for 24 hours so the filter can run..... is that necessary? also in the instruction from tetra care aquarium setup guide it states before putting fish in tank to add Jungle Start Zyme is that necessary? i also separately purchased tetra submersible heater 2-15 gallon... it came with a suction cup which was good and it states that the red light would come on when its heating... however its not coming on anyone know why? does it turn its self off when its reached its designated temp? i hope to get replies tonight bc my poor betta is still in his bowl which is now empty of decor and such bc i put it in the new tank... thanks
 
#30 · (Edited)
Get the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Cycling was very confusing to me but it's not quite as difficult as it sounds. Also, the heater should turn off when it reaches the desired temp.

Also, running the filter isn't really necessary and neither is the start zyme... Just make sure to slowly acclimate him to the new tank.
 
#36 ·
well thank you very much for that information. so does this mean i can put zeek in the tank now? and does the filter need to be off or on? and as for the master kit i have to wait until i get paid again bc i spent almost 100 bucks for the little things i got.
 
#31 ·
I find API test kits innacurate. It said the Ammonia in a 30 gallon tank with one stunted Comet that never gets water changes is 0.
 
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