[carolinagirl]

Hi. Just bought a beautiful betta for my daughter and I need advice as to his care!!! The pet store completely lied to me :roll: and now I'm scrambling to get all the proper supplies for "Mr. Fishy". I have now bought a bigger aquarium with filtration and a heater but I'm not sure what type of gravel I need to buy. The only thing I'm sure of is that it needs to be smooth so as not to hurt him. So any advice would be greatly appreciated because he's a pretty cool little fish.

Oh, and will the new aquarium need to run for a day or two before I put him into his new home? And if that's the case, then I need to keep changing out the water in his smaller home to keep it clean and to keep the water warm because it seems a little cool to me. Thanks

 

[thekoimaiden]

Welcome to the forum and the hobby! We're glad that you're reaching out for help with your new fishy.

For gravel, anything that is rounded will do. I just have the small natural gravel in with my bettas and have never had a problem. It's also great for a beginner as it is easier to take care of than sand. You will want to stay away from bright flashy gravel as the brightness of the light shining on it will cause your fish to pale. Most fish show their best colors against a dark background, so you could even go with black gravel if you wanted.

What size is your new aquarium? If it's a 5 gal or larger you can cycle it to make water changes easier. You can read more about cycling here: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...inners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-47838/ If you chose to do a fin-in cycle you could even plop him in now, but make sure you have a water test kit. The API Master Freshwater kit is one of the best commonly available.

Is that your new fishie in your avatar? He's a pretty boy!

 

[carolinagirl]

Thanks. I have to admit I didn't realize the level of attention that would be needed!!! But it all makes sense. And to think that the fish store said something small would be fine. Maybe I should make them live in a bathroom for the rest of their lives and then they may feel a little different!! The new aquarium is a 5 gal and will be left downstairs cause he seems to be always watching us and I don't want to stick him in a bedroom.

All I want to do is get him out of his small tank. Do I need to worry about the water feeling cool? I feel I need to take him out and put in warmer water until the larger tank is ready but I don't want to stress him out too much.

 

[thekoimaiden]

Ya. The people at the petstores rarely know what they are talking about. "Sure a betta can live in a .5 gal unheated tank; sure goldfish can live in a bowl." <_< I just stop listening to them. A 5 gal is a great betta tank! I would keep him where he is warmest for right now. A few days in a small tank won't hurt him if the water is clean.

It's a great idea to have them in your living room or kitchen. I keep some of my guys there, too. They love all the action that comes from the epicenter of the house.

 

[carolinagirl]

Thanks Izzy. That's a relief!! I'm so glad to have stumbled across this forum!! Ya'll rock!!!

 

[thekoimaiden]

You are very welcome! We're glad to have you here. Every person we help is another betta helped. And sometimes more Most of us find it hard to stop at just one.

 

[carolinagirl]

Hi. Just thought I would post some pics of Bluegrass's new home!! :-D He seems much happier!!! I even PU some frozen blood worms because he seems to not always like his pellets. He also really likes his new cave

 

[thekoimaiden]

He's looks like he's got a great home! I love those floating logs. He's a lucky boy.

 

[daniomania]

WELCOME!!
any gravel from the pet store is fine. i have rounded black gravel (more vibrant coulour) i say you should cycle the tank but you dont nee dto keep changing his. room-tem is fine for a day. the njust let him warm up and place him in his new ohme!! good luck!!