New Betta Keeper

[Tygh]

This is Herbert, and I am a new fish owner!

okay....how do I get an image in here?

I was told that a brandy snifter would be big enough. They lied. Moved him into a pitcher the first night, and this 3gal the next day, and now I'm wonder/worrying about getting a heater. and more plants. And a cave...wonder if he cares at all for the little ceramic cup I put in there...

He is delightfully active in the tank (he sulked in the pitcher), but I worry about him finding his food.

Hey, would he get along with a flock of tetras? I've always wanted tetras. How do the diff fish figure out which food to eat....I just need some hand (or fin) holding.

Submitted for your approval,
Tygh

[bettafish15]

I'd definitely get a heater and some more hides :D The temp should be 78-83F. I'm afraid no other fish can go in a 3 gallon. A snail, however, would be fine. If you got a 10 gallon you could have more fish in with him, but even then it might not work as it depends on his personality. The reason he cant have buddies in a 3 gal is because it's just too small ;) You got a pretty boy!

[ChicagoPete]

Hi and welcome! Id like to firstly say that in a 3 gal theres really only enough room for him and no one else. Unless a snail or 1 ghost shrimp. A heater is needed with these lil guys along with twice weekly water changes with tap water treated with a declorinater. One 50 % water only change and one 100 perscent cleaning the gravel throughly. Hope this helps ya.

[PewPewPew]

He very well could live with tetras, but not in a three gal. That's too small for that many fish.
Get a heater! DO IT! XD Theyre extreamly important; bettas will get lethargic at temps below 75' (and possibly a bit higher) It is typically recommended they live at 77-82' :)
I have a $20 marineland 10w heater in my 5 gallon that likes to keep it at 84 (LOL, stupid heater), so it def. works. I recommend one, and highly recommend NOT getting a tetra 2-10gallon heater. Theyre awful, IME. Awwwffull.

Why are you worried about his food? Im sure he'll see it!

Get more plants! Yeah! :D Anything that will snag a pair of panty hose will snag their fins. Make sure theyre rinsed really well before going in, and that any kind of "cave" you want to put in has at least quarter-sized or bigger openings and a smooth(!!) inside to avoid getting stuck or hurt. Small terracotta pots with sealed/plugged up holes on the bottom work great. Some bettas, like mine, dont give a rats katookus about caves and will ignore them :P

since you said you we3re new to this, make sure you're using water conditioner and are doing frequent enough water changes :D <3

Good luck!

[Tygh]

Thanks, all! that was quick! Okay, Herb will go it solo unless I find ghost shrimp sometime.

Next question...is it okay to do daily water changes...perhaps a 10th of the tank a day? I would take out a large glass of water a day, replace it with same amt of dechlorinated. For me it would be easier to encorporate a daily chore than a weekly one.

Weird to see him so different. Yesterday he was a beautiful blue blob...today he is fully active, all levels of the water and all corners. Will he need more than the 4 dots of food the retail place recommended?

[ChicagoPete]

You should probably do closer to 20% dailey water only changes but you still whould need to do a week to every other week 100% change and throughly rinse the substrate. Its where all the poo and uneaten food goes and isn't good to be left there to long because it creates ammonia witch is a poisinus to fish. As for the food as long as its a High quality Pellot a daily ammount of 4 is ok.

[PewPewPew]

Idk, Id say that's okish, but you're still going to need to do a 100% or rinse/clean that gravel unless you cycle..
Its a 3 gal, right?

[Tygh]

"cycle"? I have a filtration thing going, if that is what you mean. I'm trying to figure out how to dechlorinate 3 gal of water and bring it to temp. I read that a shrimp will help. What about live plants? Will they help clean the tank?