Need Help! New Betta Fish Owner!

[XSprinkleFaceX]

...well not yet. But I am thinking of getting a Betta Fish and I would like to know everything you need to take extra good care of it, and also what you need tank, plant etc. wise lol. I've had 3 other betta fish before but they never lasted more then 3 months -_-' Sad, I know. But I LOVE these fish and I would like to have another one.
Pictures of your betta fish's habitat would be much appreciated so I can get some ideas to perfect my Betta home.
Thanks alot! Hope to get an answer soon!
Michelle

[kelly528]

Say hello to your new best friend: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/b...are-faq-20058/

If your bettas have not done to well int he past, I am guessing

a) Their tanks were not heated.
b) Their water wasn't changed often enough.

Hopefully the care sheet wil help. The only thing I can add is that as far as Aquarium starter kits go...

• Anything under 2g is a piece of junk that doesn't suit the needs of a betta.
• The bigger the tank, the less you have to clean it :)
• Eclipse Systems are awesome, but their filter is just too strong for a betta. The current it produces catches on a betta's fins like wind on a kite and blows them around.
• The Minibow (available in 2.5g and 5g) is an awesome tank kit for bettas.

And some other tips

• Never buy or do anything based solely on the advice of a fish-store employee! They more often than not have no clue what they are talking about!
• Live plants are a great addition to the tank, just be sure to purchase very low-light plants... the medium-high light species will pretty much flop unless you have fancy lighting.
• A betta' stomach is the size of his eye so feed accordingly.
• Even using different brands of food will vary your betta's diet quite well.
• Stay away from freeze-dried. They don't make a good staple at all and should only be used as a treat.

It would also help if you read up on cycling (the process of establishing a nitrogen cycle in your tank to detoxify waste.


Hope that gets you started and welcome to the forum!

[XSprinkleFaceX]

Thanks so much! I'm sure that it'll help alot!
As for my other fish, I'm pretty sure it was the water temp problem. Im going to make sure I get a thermometre to keep the temp. monitored this time. His tank was pretty big and we'd clean it every 2 weeks. So yah:)
But thank you so much for the warm welcome. I'll update on my fishy as soon as I get him...Got to start thinking of some names. ^__^

[kelly528]

Wait man, a cleaning every 2 weeks is sufficient for... maybe 1 betta in a 15 gallon. How many gallons is the tank you're planning on getting?

[XSprinkleFaceX]

Ya it was about 15 gallons and I only had one Betta fish so... :)

[XSprinkleFaceX]

But Im not sure how big I want the new tank. I want something wth not SO much responsibility since I have University to wrry about soon, but I also want something that the fish is comfortable in.
What is your suggestion?

[kelly528]

The bigger the tank, the less responsibiliy. I know that sounds odd, but think of it this way: The solution to pollution is dilution! One betta in a 5 gallon will dirty the water far slower than one betta in a 1 gallon.

I suggest you go with the Mini-Bow 5 that I mentioned above. It is small enough that it fits well in your dorm or bedroom, and if you cycle it you will be good to change 20% of the water once per week. Cycling is also a good idea. If you don't cycle the tank, you will have to change it 100% every week since there are no bacteria to break down the wastes. So I definitely suggest that you cycle the tank. If you are near Vancouver, I can even provide you with some nitrifying bacteria from one of my mature aquariums.

Also, I know a lot of tank kits in Canada don't come with a heater so don't forget to pick one up.

Here are some good articles to read when you have the chance:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/f...ium-cycle-252/
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/m...-methods-3067/

[XSprinkleFaceX]

Oh cool! I'll look into it! I'm from Ontario so...we're pretty far. And I'll for sure pick up a heater lol! Poor fish will freeze with our winters!