Advice

[Bettafish]

Ive owned a few bettas in my life but i gave up for a year. so i was going through petco: obviously not looking for bettas and i saw the coolest looking betta evvvver! its a halfmoon tail male. its ot a whitish body and red fins with white towards the tips.

First - should i get this betta

Second i was thinking of getting a new tank. Around 10 gallons i think would be good. SO if i did get a tank like this, can i get a filter? and if i do how long does it need to cycle and what to do to have a perfect betta home- and how often do i have to clean and everything

too much info is actually a good thing in this situation so dont be afraid to cram everything into a message,
thanks

[pinkcupid765]

Get him if you'll be committed! 10 gallons, for one betta? Perfect! He'll love you forever! Yes, a filter is a must! I honestly never cycle my tanks and guess what? NOTHING has happened... lol. Anyways, I'd do a 50+% every 2 weeks. I prefer real plants over fake ones, because they make the water condition better adn they just look nicer. Bettas love hiding places so a cave or two would be nice. You can buy a tiny terra cotta pot at craft stores and home depot :) Thats my 2 cents. It's not rule for rule like some people think it should be, but i usually go by my own rules and.... NOTHING bad has happened. Only good things have occurred. Ah, i'm rambling now...

[Bettafish]

Thanks cupid :D
Ill go buy him tommorow.
Now i do have a question on the plants. i used fake ones only because the real ones use to dirty up the tank
I also have water conditioner and aquarim salts. should i use em?

[Myates]

Actually, you should be doing water changes weekly- as going a good time (that includes 2 weeks) without a water change and doing a larger one (such as a 50%) is risking the life/health of your fish. They can easily go into os shock by doing so. Best to always do weekly water changes to avoid that.
In a 10 gallon filtered with 1 betta I would recommend 30-40% water change per week with fake plants- with regular vacuuming.
In a 10 gallon filtered with 1 betta and live plants I would recommend weekly 25% with siphoning once or twice a month.

Use only the water conditioner- the salt should only be used for specific treatments, for specific length of time and specific dose.
Don't forget a heater.

Cycling with your fish in can be dangerous- you should actually test your water while doing so as new tanks like that can and do have spikes which could kill your fish. Just because some don't cycle, doesn't mean it's safe to do. Bettas are hardy and can adapt pretty well- but you never know.

Here is a guide to cycling

[pinkcupid765]

Fake plants aren't bad so feel free to use them! I, personally, haven't had any issues with plants dirtying up the water. Did you rinse the roots and pluck the dead leaves before you put them in? If you don't put water conditioner in, the betta will die. The conditioner removes the fluoride and chemicals that are put in there for us. Read the directions and put the proper amount in for each gallon. Now for Aquarium Salt. I LOVE AQ salt! I put some in every time i change their water! Overall it makes them more colorful and healthy~ i just sprinkle some in usually, but for a betta moving to a new home, it'll be stressful so put in 8-9 teaspoons of AQ salt :) You can also buy bacteria supplements that will make the water better, but that's just optional.

Thats just my opinion... Not perfect, but it's what i would do.

[Myates]

I HIGHLY suggest DON'T use AQ salt regularly, and if needed I can get most people here to help you in that regards-

Using AQ salt regularly is, in a sense (and easier to explain this way) dehydrating them. Over use, over exposure can and do cause kidney and liver failures, as well as bacteria and the fish can become resistant to the beneficial properties the salt has when treating for an illness- so the salt will become less effective, or none at all when it is actually needed.

Please, I ask not to use AQ salt on a regular basis as it it will catch up to them and can cause harm/death very easily. Bettas are freshwater fish, not brackish- so having them in salt only damages them and adds no benefits.
It does not soothe them, it does not prevent illnesses, it does not help keep them healthy, it has no affect on their coloration- good protein enriched food, warm water, weekly water changes will keep sickness away, make them happy and healthy and brighten their colors. Using something dangerous such as salt to make up for lack of proper water changes, nutrition, etc is doing more harm then good, I'm sorry.

Also, don't use bacterial supplements unless you are cycling and understand what they do- I've only seen them do more harm then good when just tossed in. Your tank will build up it's own beneficial bacteria on it's own.

[Bettafish]

Hmm. okay then. Im going with fake plants most likely.
But the one person said id have to do more water changes with fake one and less with live. doesnt make sense to me

[Myates]

Live plants will help keep some of the ammonia/nitrate/ites in check- it's hard to explain, but it reuses it in a sense.. so yes, you in turn don't do as large of a water change since the plants will help keep the bad stuff down.
But you would still need to clean it out weekly- there is nothing that removes proper care for an aquarium.

Here is a good plant guide to look at. You have to know what needs your plants have and if you can provide them.

[pinkcupid765]

What I have learned, personally, that with live plants, the water condition is better because plants add oxygen into the water, soak up ammonia and lower nitrates... I use AQ salt regularly and i have NEVER ever had any health issues with my bettas! No ich, no depression, no bloating, nothing. Fake plants are easier, but you risk the potential for ripped fins. Also if you don't properly treat the fake decor, chemicals and harmful particles can leech into the water, causing more problems than real plants would.

[pinkcupid765]

Myates is right though. "there is nothing that remove proper care for an aquarium." so yes weekly water changes is right.