[Tamyu]

My beautiful pair is set to arrive tomorrow, and I am wondering if there is anything specific to bettas that I should know in terms of preparation.

The male is going into a 3.5 gallon heated to 78F with a weak HOB filter. The female is going to go into a plastic 3 gallon (with 2.5 gallons in it to match the heater strength) heated at 75F with a slowed box filter in a corner. The heater is weak, so if I fill it up it drops to 72F... I guess the thermostat on it is messed up. Hopefully I will be able to move her over into my WCMM tank after I am certain she carries no illness... And if she is willing. :-D

They both have large leaf silk plants and a few strands of hornwort to play in.

Will this be good for them? I have seen mentions of tea in the water - I have access to just about any green tea available (I live in Japan) but not access to the tea that is commonly listed. (The r-something one.) What type of tea would be best?

I have other fish, so am not exactly a beginner when it comes to aquariums - but I am a beginner when it comes to bettas. Is there anything special I should do for them other than what is usually done for new fish? (matching temp, slowly mixing water, no feeding for a day, etc)

Thanks!

 

[Bombalurina]

The r-something is roiboos tea (it's South African and tasty ). You don't need to add tea to their water at all, though. If you want to add something, I'd suggest Indian Almond Leaves - you can't go wrong with those.

I would suggest getting a bigger tank/better filter for the female. Females are active and may appreciate a larger space than the slower males. 75 is also a tad on the cold side - 76 is really the minimum, with 78-82 being ideal.

I'd also rethink the WCMM idea - white clouds being sub-tropical prefer temps under 75, whereas the betta will prefer a temperature over that. Someone will be uncomfortable.

Also: Japan? Very cool.

 

[thekoimaiden]

Bomba has some very good suggestions. A better heater for the female is a great idea. At lower than ideal temps betta's immune systems are weakened. I would also not add her to the WCMM tank as they are a very active fish that are best kept in a species-only tank. The temperature is also a big factor as she would have to kept at less than ideal temps which will compound the stress from living with more active (and rather nippy) fish. The female will be more than happy on her own.

 

[Tamyu]

Thanks. I am definitely planning on a bigger tank for the female. I was originally planning on two males in a divided 8 gallon, but I felt kind of sorry for the females that nobody seems to want to buy. Plus, I had the creeping sensation that I may someday want to breed.
I know that I shouldn't do a male and female in the same tank, so I have pulled out my smaller tanks. The 3.5 and 2.5. The heater in the smaller tank has managed to get its act together and it is now also between 76 and 78.

I breed WCMM, so their tank is kept at 76 - it makes them more likely to spawn. But with summer coming up, fewer people want them as killifish come into boom. At the moment, I only have space for smaller tanks, so may pick up another 3.5 for her.