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How to care for bettas

5K views 32 replies 7 participants last post by  emc7 
#1 ·
Hi, I am planning on getting some bettas. What should they have to be healthy?
 
#2 ·
they need to be kept at a temp of approx. 80 F....a clean properly filtered tank..a variety of quality foods and weekly water changes.....
 
#4 ·
two and I am getting a 2.5 for the betta if i get 1
 
#5 · (Edited)
2.5g-

-1 betta
-1 small filter like this one
http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Whisper...8&qid=1356633241&sr=1-9&keywords=small+filter
-Silk or live plants are best (plastic can tear finnage, also make sure decor is gentle)
-1 heater like this one
http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-S...8&qid=1356633378&sr=1-1&keywords=tetra+heater
- turkey baster to help remove poop (dollar store)
- Measuring spoon set (dollar store)
- stress coat for each water change
- first aid - aquarium salt, epsom salt, & you can order Indian Almond Leaves on Ebay (they help with immunity and stress).

If you don't have live plants you can do 1 100% water change weekly and 1 50% water change weekly as well.
If you plant the tank, do 1 70% water change weekly, 1 50% ...of course always test water perams incase you need to increase water changes
A 2.5 tank is very difficult to cycle, so plan on doing consistant water changes for the duration of betta ownership.
If you decide to go for 5 gallon you can cycle a 5 gallon and you wont need to be as particular about water changes.

I googled images, betta 2.5 gallon planted.


And this is an example of how you can baffle the little filter (slows the current and flow)


Good luck! I love bettas!
 
#6 ·
That seems like overkill to me. I personally have a betta in a 2 gal without plants with carbon filtration and I do weekly 50 percent water changes. The fish is happy. Now that was a rescue that was with another betta in the same tank and getting monthly water changes and didn't have a heater. If I was going to start keeping bettas all over again and wanted the tank to be real pretty, I would buy a 5+ gallon kit, a heater because most don't have heaters, and some fish food. Bettas aren't too picky about what they eat. It's best to give them the nicest food, but it's really not needed. I personally feed mine earthworm flakes and spirulina flakes. If I could afford it, I would get a fluval flora fish tank for it, plant it, get some premium green fish food, http://premiumgreen.net/ which I have used on my bettas and a heater, but I doubt you really want to kick down $150 when a 60 dollar 5 gal hex would do just as well. Bettas are fun fish to keep. I currently have seven, and am planning on turning my closet into a betta rooom. I would also recommend joining a betta forum like http://bettasource.com/forums/.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I personally prefer overkill, ive been there done that with betta illness and fin rot within my first few months, I don't like taking that road with bettas I like and enjoy, sick bettas are a lot of work and arent enjoyable...since ive upgraded tank size, test water perams frequently, heavily planted and clean my tanks actively my bettas (knock of wood) have been extremely healthy, finnage is growing back beautifully, appetites are great, they are so active and happy. Everyone has different experiences...ive had bare tanks and now have fully planted tanks...you can def go either way, but if your going to do it at all and enjoy it, you might as well do it right the first time...thats coming from personal experience from someone who has made all the mistakes and is strapped with several different sized tanks/decor/filter/heaters et sitting up stairs collecting dust because they wont resell. And honestly plants for a 2.5 gal will be affordable, if you got low light plants, light from a window will do fine (not direct sunlight)...do what you feel and follow your heart with it, which ever you decide your betta will be happy to be out of that petstore cup and getting all kinds of attention from you regardless. Having a betta in a small space will work, I just prefer to add filtration, heat and plants to help keep their environment healthy and happy. Enjoy :)

Just shop around, you can get everything reasonable if you are on a budget...critter keepers come in 3 gallons are great first homes, you can plant them, decorate them, heat them, run a filter in them et.
 
#8 ·
geeeezzzz....$60 for a 5 gallon set up...watch on craigs list..just this afternoon i saw a 75 gallon tank for $40...have seen complete 55 gallon set ups for as little as $50...
i recently bought a 55 gallon set up..tank...solid pine custom cabinet stand..solid wood canopy..2 fluorescent hoods and a power filter for $50....
 
#9 ·
I agree. Petco overprices those things. They do come with a pretty good full spectrum light, and good power filter that lasts for years, and substrate, but it is still expensive. Craigslist is good. Or you could go to yard sales.
 
#10 ·
You guys are making me confused. Is it OK if I just get a heater with out the filter? I heard that you don't really need a filter.

Also could I put my Bushynose with the betta?
 
#11 ·
There won't be enough room for the bushynose but no you don't "need" a filter but it would help establish beneficial bacteria, even tho it wouldn't cycle it could still help keep the water clean. If you don't use a filter just make sure your good about doing water changes. Definitely need a heater.
 
#12 ·
Well, my Bushynose is small she's about 1 1/2 inches
 
#13 ·
You can try it but I advise agaisnt it...2.5 gals is just too small and the pleco will only add to the bio load regardless how small it is....I'd recommend at minimum a 5.5 gal if you want to add small tankmates such as tetras or minnows. Do as you will, but be prepared if it doesnt work out.
 
#14 ·
Ok. Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.
 
G
#15 ·
Pleco: I have kept bettas. Bettas need a filter and heater, but they can survive without a heater and filter. In order for your betta to live a long life, it will need a filter and heater. Now about the bushynose pleco, they grow to 6 1/2 inches, so a 20 gallon is the right size for one as a minimum. I have a 55 gallon tank with two bristlenose plecos and they are 6 1/2 inches.
 
#16 ·
Bettas do not need heaters or filters. What they do need is clean water that is 80+ degrees with enough space to swim around some. Many betta breeders keep their bettas in betta barracks which is an effective way to keep bettas and have no filters. If you ask betta breeders what their setup for each individual male is, they will most likely tell you they have them in a jar or barracks system without a filter.
 
#17 ·
Well I finally got a blue male betta and it said it was a community fish. Weird.

I am keeping it in an isolation net in my 10 gallon tank. Tomorrow, after my 29 gallon is done cycling I'll just move all the other fish to that one and leave the betta there. Maybe I'll leave the Bushynose behind with it.
 
G
#18 ·
Betta man: why do you always contradict yourself all the time. On some posts about bettas, you say that a heater and filter is needed but on others you say that a heater and filter isn't needed. You really need to read up on the care of bettas. I am going to read up on the care of bettas right now, and I bet you that I can find at least three articles that say that bettas need a heater and filter.
 
G
#19 ·
Pleco: That is cool. Male bettas can be community fish, they just need to be the last fish that goes in a community tank because of their aggressiveness and territorialness. Keep the heater and filtration, your betta will love it and survive longer than a betta living without a heater and filter.
 
#20 ·
I call it clarifying, but you can call it whatever you'd like.
 
#21 · (Edited)
IMO a filter is the easiest way to keep water clean. No fish actually needs a filter, just change 100% of the water 3 times a day. But unless you have a 80F river in your backyard, a filter is easier.

Betta are more tolerant of ammonia than most fish, but ammonia will still burn gills and erode fins and kill betta if you don't do water changes in unfiltered containers. Keeping a small container "cycled" is challenging, so bigger is better. Especially for an "only fish". But a 5 gallon filtered, heated tank for each of a single spawn's male offspring is seldom practical. Breeders learn how to manage or they kill fish.

Most betta breeders I talk to either have a drip (clean water in, dirty water out) continuous water change system, or they have flow-through barracks with a single large filter for all the fish. However you will still find some that dump all the little cups twice a day in their 82F room. Fill a cup, move a fish, dump the cup, repeat.

Betta as community fish are hit or miss. Some are too passive and get beaten to the food by all other fish or get nibbled on by nippy fish. Some will aggressively attack other fish. Some do okay for years, some for a while and then seem to change personality. If you try a betta with other fish, watch the tank a lot and have a back-up plan.
 
#22 ·
Well he's not really eating the worm flakes that I am giving him and I put him into my 10 gallon. Can I have some help?
 
#23 · (Edited)
Generally bettas won't eat for a few days, watch to make sure he's getting food though, sometimes in communities the quicker fishes will eat up the food before Mr betta can get to it, feeding in other areas of the tank may help...but I wouldnt worry about him not eating, give him a couple of days to get comfy. Sorry bettaman, I have to disagree with you on this one, unless pleco is able to keep the room heated at 85-90 that bettas going to get cold...Can they live without heat, yes...but they're more susceptible to disease and are less active. A few yrs back I picked up a beautiful blue betta, I had no idea they needed heat, he died within 2 months a sad slow lethargic death...then I learned about their need for heat. I keep my fish at mums while my bf fixes up our house, we can't afford to keep heat up high enough to heat the fish, that would be RIDICULOUS...best to keep a heater in the tank plain and simple....
Anywho...congrats on your new fish! Have fun with him. Would love to pics of him sometime! :)
 
#25 ·
I said that they need 80 degree water. If you can't keep the tank that warm without a heater, by all means use one. Bettas do not require heaters. They require heat.
 
#24 ·
Ok, I'll try to get one in.
 
G
#26 ·
Take a look at this video Betta man: you will have to scroll down to see the video

http://bettafishcare.us/

Bettas do need heaters in their tank to stay warm. Water cannot stay warm without a heater. So therefore bettas do need a heater in their tank to stay warm, they are nothing like goldfish who do not need a heater at all in the tank.
 
#27 ·
You obviously aren't getting my point. My point is that if you keep your house temp at 85, the fish will be fine without a heater. I think you may be taking me out of context. I am speaking of an aquarium heater. Sure, the sun is a heater. It heats the earth, but I'm not talking about the sun. It is far more efficient to heat a room than to heat each individual container. Angelclown, I do not know if you are purposefully taking my words out of context, but I will assume you are not as you seem like you are probably a nice person. Please think about the context and the words instead of just the words. Thank you.
 
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