Heating a 1 gallon tank?

[pa1ntbru5h]

Hi everyone. I am a new owner of a betta.
He is currently living in this:
http://www.petco.com/product/106657/...t=OnSiteSearch

Now, the problem im having is.. I'm reading that they need to be in water that is heated. Is there any way I can heat this tank?

You guys are probably going to hate me for keeping him in a small 1 gallon tank. But I dont have room for a big tank, and it's only 1 betta. =/

Should I invest in a 3 gallon eclipse? Even though it'll hit my wallet kinda hard considering im a college student.

[doubleatheman]

Some 10w heaters are made with a thermostat.

http://iphone.ebay.com/Pages/ViewIte...ct=off&sflag=1


That heater is the perfect size for one gallon tanks. But it is near impossible to find it in any local stores. It's online only, and it's more expensive than other 50w heaters on the market.

Petco carries a Hydor heater (7.5w) http://www.petco.com/product/102429/...um-Heater.aspx.

That heater has no thermostat so it's up to you to unplug the heater when the tank gets too hot. But it's better than nothing.

The 3 gallon would be good!

Pecto and petsmart carry a $21-25, 2 gallon tank.

Walmart has a $14 tetra 50w heater that is rated for tanks 2-15 gallons.

Also a 5 gallon tank from walmart is $30, which is cheaper than the Eclipse 3.

[doggyhog]

The smallest tank I'd put a heater in is a 2g. The temp can fluctuate and kill your fish SO quickly.

There are many options for tanks. Check craigslist, freecycle, or even just get a 2-5g storage bin until you can find him a better home.

[pa1ntbru5h]

so i might run out to petco or petsmart today and try to find him a Eclipse System 3. should I still get a heater? ive heard some people say the light heats the water quite a bit.
and if i do get a heater, where do i put in? ive read that some go under the tank, but its advertised as submergable?
what else should i buy when im out there? like will i need extra filters anytime soon or anything like that?
i'll probably pick up some plants. are there certain types that go well with bettas?
Also, when transferring him to his new home, how should i do this? fill the new tank with water and wait a day or something?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm totally new to owning fish, but I really appreciate the help.
Thanks everyone.

[pa1ntbru5h]

okay so ive been researching more.. and I think im going to go with the walmart 50wt heater since that one says it has a thermostat and keeps the temp at 78.

and for the tank. Im leaning more toward the eclipse system 3. or maybe this?
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-5-Ga...undle/13228131

Which one do you think would be better? If money wasn't an issue, which would you pick for quality? the eclipse? or the tetra 5?

And I'm going to try to find some silk plants because ive read that wont snag onto the fish's tail or anything.

Another thing, my fish wont eat pellets.. he'll only eat flakes. is that weird? should i keep trying to feed him the pellets anyways?

[doubleatheman]

Are they flakes made just for Bettas?

And for the tank the Eclipse is nice, but the walmart tank is decent. I would go for the cheaper walmart tank if I had room.

Depends on how much you want to pay for a "hidden" in hood filter, vs clipon walmart.

Also I beloved the eclipse 3 is plastic, which in my past I always manage to scratch.

I only got a 2 gallon recently because I want to beable to move my beta easily. On hot days I'm going to be moving him downstairs. (my roo gets well over 90 on a hot day). My next choice was the walmart tank.

[xxabc]

I don't feel comfortable with a plastic, but that's just me and my opinion entirely. You should get the 5 gallon, it won't disappoint, I promise. However if you really are worried about money, then go ahead with the 3 gallon. Either one is much better for the betta! And yeah, definitely get a thermometer. But they're so cheap.

[FancyFins]

Just if you get the walmart tank make good and sure the little filter guard thing is firmly in place because if not it can suck up your fish :(

[xxabc]

Fancyfins - What?? Did this happen to you??

[pa1ntbru5h]

okay so with your help, I went out and got:
- Eclipse System 3 Tank
- Marineland 10w heater
- Thermometer sticker
- Blue/Green gravel

It's currently running it with conditioned water and no fish. I plan on running it 24 to 48 hours before putting my betta in. Is this enough time?