Bowl to a Tank: A few questions...

[OrionWisehart]

Hey there, guys.

Okay, so I got myself a new betta last night. I also posted a thread earlier that day about the tank I accidentally washed with a semi-soapy sponge about how to properly rid the tank of the chemicals so it wouldn't get harmful to him at all. All great advice; I plan on taking it but I have a few questions about actually housing a betta in a tank rather than a bowl, which is what I have him in now until this whole tank situation is figured out.

The tank is ten gallons, I believe. I've had it for a while so I can't remember for sure but all the tanks I looked at in the store that were about the same size were ten gallons. I'm going to measure though.

1.) Gravel vacuum?
I keep reading about gravel vacuums. I don't really own one but it's in all the reading I've been doing while researching on how to properly care for a tank-housed betta. Is there any way to get around having to buy that at all or is it a completely necessity?

2.) Filter?
Again, in all the reading I've been doing, I'm getting mixed vibes. I know in like... bowls and such, they're not needed and that they need to be on a low setting any how but are they absolutely needed for a tank of this size? I've been using a water conditioner; will that be enough?

3.) Tank mate?
I know bettas are solitary creatures by nature so I wouldn't want you know... a school of fish. But maybe one tetra or something? Would that be recommended with a male betta in a ten gallon tank? And if I do put a tank mate like a tetra in there, would the water conditioner be enough to sustain the tetra as well or would I in that case have to get a filtration system installed?

[shellieca]

Originally Posted by OrionWisehart

Hey there, guys.

Okay, so I got myself a new betta last night. I also posted a thread earlier that day about the tank I accidentally washed with a semi-soapy sponge about how to properly rid the tank of the chemicals so it wouldn't get harmful to him at all. All great advice; I plan on taking it but I have a few questions about actually housing a betta in a tank rather than a bowl, which is what I have him in now until this whole tank situation is figured out.

The tank is ten gallons, I believe. I've had it for a while so I can't remember for sure but all the tanks I looked at in the store that were about the same size were ten gallons. I'm going to measure though.

1.) Gravel vacuum?
I keep reading about gravel vacuums. I don't really own one but it's in all the reading I've been doing while researching on how to properly care for a tank-housed betta. Is there any way to get around having to buy that at all or is it a completely necessity?
IMO, yes it's a necessity. They're not that expensive, I have the manual one that use on my 10g tanks & my 5.5g. It sucks up the gunk & syphons out the water at the same time. I have 2 buckets, 1 for nothing but clean water & the other for the water I syphon out.
2.) Filter?
Again, in all the reading I've been doing, I'm getting mixed vibes. I know in like... bowls and such, they're not needed and that they need to be on a low setting any how but are they absolutely needed for a tank of this size? I've been using a water conditioner; will that be enough?
I set up a new 10g tank today & went with a sponge filter & I think I'm going switch all my smaller tanks over to sponge filters. They're easy & create less current. A filter is not absolutely needed but I think they're beneficial.

3.) Tank mate?
I know bettas are solitary creatures by nature so I wouldn't want you know... a school of fish. But maybe one tetra or something? Would that be recommended with a male betta in a ten gallon tank? And if I do put a tank mate like a tetra in there, would the water conditioner be enough to sustain the tetra as well or would I in that case have to get a filtration system installed?

You would need filtration for other fish because they aren't all labyrinth fish. Tetras from my understanding are a schooling fish but I could be wrong. My 10g tanks consist of a Male Betta, 1 Mystery Snail & 1-2 nerite snails. I think you could add Pygmy cories but you need something to add oxygen to the water such as an HOB/internal or sponge filter.

....

[itsuki]

shellieca has some good points

1. with tank mates and just thru time you'll see the doo doo collect on the bottom and thatll alone will make u want to get a gravel cleaner
2. the aquaslim 20 has a dial to regulate the water output/current so that is good for bettas, that so some diy mods to slow down output usually extra sponges/filters
3. i have 3 otos (to eat algae, maybe shouldve just gotten 1 or 2), and 2 mystery snails