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[Atolon]

Hi, I just bought my first Betta male a few hours ago from PetLand. It's a dark blue fish with some red lining on it's fins.I purchased a Betta starter kit while I was there, which includes a small tank, some red pebbles, a fake tree, the liquid that calms it down (Not sure what its called), and food. I decided to call him Midnight. I filled his small tank with water, and gave him food.

What tips do you guys have on keeping him healthy? Also, I noticed he falls asleep between the fake branches of the tree, as if it was a bed. Should I be worried about that?

[soccerdog693]

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=20058 is the thread that has a comprehensive guide to betta keeping. I suggest you look there for tips from the experts!

And welcome to the betta keeping hobby! I'm a newbie too :D

That liquid could be anything from stresszyme, to water conditioner, to aquarium salt. Make sure you do use water conditioner though that detoxifies chlorine, chloramine, and ammonia from tap water. Also, what size tank is he in? Most of those starter kits are horrendously tiny :( Most people here recommended a 2.5-5 gallon minimum for bettas. I personally have a 2.5 gal and my Xander is quite happy in it.

Bettas also need to be kept in warm water, so make sure your water is always stable and between 76-82 degrees. To keep it there, you will probably need a small heater.

But those are just the very very basics, there i SOOO much more to learn! Check out that other thread to find out exactly what you need - and have fun! Bettas are wonderful pets and can be quite entertaining and fun when maintained properly

[Atolon]

I would say that the tank is less then a gallon, and I just touched his water... And to be honest it's, in my opinion, a little chilly. I currently don't have a heater or anything to provide warmth for his water. How long do you think I have before it poses a serious problem?


The liquid I purchased is labeled Stress Coat and it's a water conditioner for salt and tap water.

[soccerdog693]

For right now put him in the warmest place in the house and use a thermometer to see how cold his water is. You want it warm, but not so warm that he overheats (above 83). Honestly though I would suggest you get him a heater as soon as you can. Bettas get very lethargic in cold water. Low 70s can leave him open to some kind of infection and low 60s can kill him. As far as I know he will be fine for the night though as long as he's in a decently warm area. (I'm in the states so it's almost 11 right now)

As for heaters, I have a tetra submersible heater that keeps my 2.5 gal tank at 78 degrees, which is perfect. I think you'll have a really hard time to find any heater for less than 2 gal, so while your out you might want to pick up a bigger tank. If you're strapped for cash you can get good size critter keeper for 10 bucks and get a filter for it later if you'd like (filters are recommended but not required)

Stress coat is a good conditioner, but there are debates if the slime coat it gives the fish is beneficial or not. I personally have never used it.

[Atolon]

Ah, okay. I probably won't be able to buy a new tank till the weekend. I'll look around for a cheap heater as well. Reading around the forums and seeing nice pictures makes me want to collect a few a breed them. They look so nice.

[soccerdog693]

Bettas are awesome! I live in a dorm, so I can only have one, but if I could get more I would. But breeding takes a lot of time, money, and experience, nothing that should be rushed into. Try making sure the betta you have is happy and healthy and get good at taking care of bettas for a long time before you try breeding. There are SO many considerations that need to be taken to mind.

But yeah, take a look at the breeding forum to see if it's something you might want to look into for the future! I was amazed to see how much work it actually is!