Think of getting a betta

[Sorceress]

On oct 3 got a aquatic gardens tank at the local thrift store and am think of using that as a betta tank it has underground filter need advice on care and water changes before i get the thing set up with gravel and live plants also can i put a small alge eater in with the betta?

Edit yesterday went and got the gravel and was told by pet store didn't need heater is this true? also got some water plant bulbs and planted those will run the tank for few weeks what else should i do once the few weeks is up?

[Flashygrrl]

How big is it?

Probably no on the algae eater. Either you're wanting to get a pleco that will end up growing to 1 Ft or dying before it gets the chance, or a chinese algae eater that eventually won't eat algae and instead feed off your betta's slime coat.

Yes...you need a heater. Need to know what size tank before we can advise on a heater.

[Sorceress]

it is a one gallon i showed it to the pet store fish lady and she said a small cat and betta would be fine i have had it running for almost a week without fish in it as i bought some plant bulbs and gravel oct 7th (the plants not growing ) but am going into town on the 14th for an apt so any advice will be much appreciated

[aunt kymmie]

A 1G will not safely or happily house a betta AND a catfish. I will reserve my comments regarding a 1G and a betta and let others respond who have more experience than I. It was only yesterday that I got my first betta.

[Sorceress]

the catfish the store showed me was really tiny but since this my first fish experience will get the catfish first and see how i do before getting the more expensive betta also the apt i live in is not geared toward bigger tanks

[kritas]

I advise that if u are going to put even the smallest type of algae eater in a tank, that it be at least 10 Gallons. Can you please post pictures of the catfish u think you are getting? Also give us the name that the pet store calls this catfish...

[Sorceress]

it is petco and i have to get the name of the fish but i do know that is can stick to the glass and i checked the condtion of the water in all the tanks and the bettas and they are cystal clear or i wouldn't be thinking of buying from there and ten gallons to large for this tiny apt

[kritas]

Are you sure you've ever actually seen what a 10G actually looks like?
It seems big compared to your current tanks of course, but in retrospect, they are actually quite small, and will fit in any apartment quite comfortably.
I would go as far as saying that a 6 foot would fit in an apartment comfortably, unless your apartment is cramped with other useless junk... JMHO, sorry if i offended you.

[aunt kymmie]

+1 on the 10G. My betta is housed in a 6G and the tank is so tiny it could very easily sit on my desk at work. I wish I would have gotten a 10G!
The added advantage of having the betta housed in a 10G (or even a 5G) is that he'll be much more prone (and able) to swim around the tank. It's the times that my betta swims that I'm able to see the full extension of his fins. Being kept in a 1G the most he'll be able to manage is to come up for air, then retreat to the bottom to "sit".

The sucker fish you see at Petco is most likely a pleco of some sort. I also did what you are thinking of doing! I bought about a 2 inch pleco to put in my 6G long before getting my betta. That sucker tripled his size in 6 months time. I "'donated" him to my LFS but felt badly about doing it. I think it's the only time I've ever returned or parted with an animal I aquired. It taught me to throughly research any fish I was contemplating on purchasing.

Sorry for my lengthy narrative. I'm hoping others can learn from my mistakes. Good luck with your decision.

[Sorceress]

ok will look into that ten gallon but am also on a small budget and can you say studio size living room with an equally small kitchen and bedroom bath had large tv and stand before that tv tanked was very cramped in here (i think it was a 15 inch fat moniter)

will get the catfishes name when i got in for my apt as i will be getting gravel cleaner thing