new to bettas and clueless

[fishbguy]

okay...i have a 5.5 gallon that i'm gonna put a betta in. i have never had a betta before so i have a few questions.

1. what do i feed it? do i have to get those betta pellets or will my tropical flakes do with some occasional black or blood worms?

2. i have a whisper 10 on it for filteration. is this too much current?

3. does he need some floating plants or something to hide in?

4. is there room for another male betta if i divided the tank in half? i don't really care about geting another one but i was ust courious.

Andrew

[mousey]

yes the filter is way too big!!
I put one on my tank yesterday and the poor betta flew head over tail thru the water. They are a stagnant water fish.
Get a little sponge filter or a mini PENNPLAX that just sticks on the side. I think they are called 'small world'. That is what my betta has had in his five gal. They like to be warm- get a heater. yes they like plants- they sleep in them.
In theory you can divide the tank and have 2 but IME they jump the divider and beat each other up. Sometimes one dies!
I have tried that repeatedly and all goes well for a few months, then one day you find one in the others space and one will be either dead or all torn up.
Better to get another type of fish for him as company.
Mine has a small loach and a couple of juvie platys in with him.
They are usually raised on pellets but will eat flake and they love the worms once they figure out they can eat them.

[JustOneMore20]

Originally Posted by fishbguy

1. what do i feed it? do i have to get those betta pellets or will my tropical flakes do with some occasional black or blood worms?

Most bettas will eat flakes. You may have to give them a few days to adjust as some won't eat them readily, but they'll eventually learn that its food. Occasional snacks of black or blood worms is good too. You could even get some of the pellets and alternate just for a variety with the flakes.

Originally Posted by fishbguy

2. i have a whisper 10 on it for filteration. is this too much current?

Its probably going to be too much current. But, you can still use the filter. What I have done is take a water or coke bottle (~20oz or similar size) and cut a piece of it to wrap around the output of a HOB filter to slow down the current. Here's a link with pictures: http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/13/347/. Its excellent and you won't have to get a new filter.

Originally Posted by fishbguy

3. does he need some floating plants or something to hide in?

Its not necessary, but if you can find some floating plants, I'm sure he'd like them. If you get fake plants for the tank, make sure they are silk and not plastic. Plastic plants can tear a bettas tail.

Originally Posted by fishbguy

4. is there room for another male betta if i divided the tank in half? i don't really care about geting another one but i was just courious.

In a 5.5g I really don't think its enough to be divided. I know some people keep their bettas in small tanks, but I like to give them atleast 3-4 gallons each. My bettas have always been pretty active, so 2 gallons would be kind of small for them.

[Sowilu]

I keep mine in a 29g with my community fish and he loves to eat the flake food. He is pretty much the boss of the tank.

[fishbguy]

thanks for all the help guys. the filter is a top fin 10, not a whisper..lol

thanks for the link kristin. i was gonna put fome plants in the out put to slow it down. i did it with my bamboo shrimp and they were always feeding on the plants but i lke your idea better.

i think i'll get some betta pellets for him. he'll get pellets one day, flakes the next, pellets, then flakes, etc. worms as a treat once or twice a week. depends on if i have them an dif i remember them so i can thaw the blood worms....lol

I thoght of another question...lol

5. can i put a mystery snail and 6 or so ghost shrimp in the tank with him? the betta will prolly eat the shrimp but ghost shrimp are supposed to be feeders, right? if he does kill them, he gets a fresh shrimp diner that night for only 30 cents..lol

[JustOneMore20]

The shrimp would be fine to keep with him. And if he eats them...well they are cheap. The snail might be ok...sometimes Bettas will pick on snails, but alot of people keep them together successfully.

[kristian18f]

I have a 5g and 3 ghost shrimp in with him. My betta doesn't bother them. I have heard some do, and if they do I wouldn't get anymore unless you want to give him fresh shrimp.

Thnks for the filter link! I had to take my filter out because my betta didn't like the current and he would always sit next to the basket and let his fins 'rest' on it. I have a little bubbler in there right now to keep the water moving a little. I will try the coke bottle next time i Syphon and see of I can find something to stick over the basket as well.