TANK ^ It's a 2.5gal I got at walmart. It came with a tiny filter... I don't know how strong the current is.
BETTA^ He wouldn't hold still. His name is Royal because he's bright blue.
MOSS BALL^ Just a marimo moss ball I got at the pet store. Named Ben.
Anyway, I know this is like the minimum size for a betta tank. The think in the middle and like a cube and has levels, which Royal rests on or hides behind.
I know I need a heater...what could I get that wouldn't melt the plastic sides of the tank? They're not very thick.
Also, is the current too strong? I'm concerned about that since reading it can't be strong.
Anything else I need to do, please let me know as I am new to this.
You set it up nice and you are just starting out but try to get a bigger tank ASAP (even clean and return the one you have if the cost is half or similar)He should have a much bigger tank when you can do it this is a great value:
You get almost everthing you need. If space is limited walmart sells another complete kit where it's five gallons but it looks like it takes up less space.
It can work he's better off than being in the cup or a bowl for sure. You have to water changes really often. They say larger enviroment is more enriching for your betta. It's goal you can look toward if possible. There are aquariums that are taller than wider so they take up less space. This one has a smaller footprint only 14 inches long:
If you read the stickys about water changes you can provide a good enviroment for him for awhile. I have seen betta bowl heaters at Petsmart. I am not sure if they will warm the water enough. Keep your reciepts in case you have to exchange it. I bought a flat topfin that is working well for my tank. The 7.5 water didn't make the water warm enough but I have 5 gallons it might work for 2.5 gallons though. Be sure to get a thermometer. The flat ones that stick to the side of the tank are fine and are not very expensive. Congratulations on your new fish!
Thank you very much! I'm going to petsmart tomorrow to get the heater and thermometer. And perhaps something else for him to hide in.
I bought him to go to college with me in the fall, as I CANNOT survive without pets. I'm not sure what University i'm going to yet, so I don't know how big of a tank I can have. In time, he'll probably be living in a mansion just like my other pets.
The size of tank is perfectly fine so long as you keep up with water changes. MANY forum members have bettas in small tanks and have kept them healthy successfully for years (including myself).
You can always upgrade when you have the time/money/space, but for right now that setup is just fine for him.
Heater-wise you can get 25watt adjustable heaters from most petstores that sell fish. If you can get one, great! The only alternative is the non-adjustable ones that tend to not be so reliable with keeping a constant temperature. So keeping him in a place in your home where temperatures dont fluctuate greatly or is very warm would be good for him.
I use a 10W non-adjustable in my 3 gallon and it works fine to keep the water between 78-80F.
As for the flow, looking at your filter it looks like it's prlly the small whisper filter. In my experience those dont have too strong a flow, and walmart sells aeriation kits (tubing, connectors and air stones) that have a little black connecting piece that also has a dial on it so you can alter how much flow there is through the tubing. Very easy to install, it's like legos but with plastic xD
Its usually the betta's with broader fins that have more trouble with flow because the water pushes them around. But I'd say let your little guy get used to it and see what he does. You may find he uses the flow of water to play in, or to deliver food to him. I have several that dont mind a medium flow filter, and one that even sat with his nose in the outflow like a shower.
But your fish will tell you if something is wrong =)
My personal opinion is that a 2.5 gallon tank is fine. You'll just need to keep up with water changes, so that the ammonia and waste levels don't build up. Here is a link to OFL's water recommendation thread.
As mentioned, Bettas are tropical fish, so a heater is needed. Many people prefer adjustable heaters, so that you can set the temperature to whatever is needed/desired. I have preset (nonadjustable) heaters in my 3 gallon tanks, but if I ever need to adjust the temp (to treat an illness, etc), I will need to upgrade to an adjustable heater.
Thermometers are a necessity, as they allow you to monitor the water temp. I like the glass 'floating' thermometers, like this one: Petsmart floating glass thermometer for $2.99.
Thank you guys so much for the links. This is making my life so much easier!
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