# A Few Quick Betta Questions



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

OK - so I got bit by the Betta bug today while checking out the Tent Sale at IPU. I have never had a Betta before so I have a couple of quick questions:

- I bought a Betta kit ( Marina 3 litre / .8 gallon ) that included a small container of Betta Water Conditioner. Once that is finished will a regular water conditioner work OK or should I get more Betta Water Conditioner ???? Do I also need to add any Cycle ( or something similar ) when doing water changes ????

- do you prefer flakes or pellets for your Bettas ???? The kit I bought came with a packet of Betta Flakes but the guy at IPU said that he always recommends floating pellets for Bettas. Unfortunately there were no more Betta pellets of any brand at IPU so the flakes will have to do for awhile. I have regular floating and sinking pellets for my Community tank but I have read that Bettas should only eat Betta food due to their nutritional requirements.

- last question: obviously cleaning a bare tank is easier so is there any reason ( besides preferring the look ) to add gravel, rocks or a plant to your Betta tank ????

Any info will be greatly appreciated.


----------



## Crazy_NDN (Apr 21, 2010)

im still learning but mine wont touch flakes. you should have asked what they where feeding him, then you will know what he readily accepts, usually they like bloodworms, and you can get them use to pellets... probably flakes too with a few days time.


----------



## CloudySky (Apr 22, 2010)

Firstly, regular water conditioner will work fine. Cycle will help establish beneficial bacteria and is probably a good idea. Pellets work best because Bettas like to feed at the surface, as opposed to flakes which will become waterlogged. Finally, a live plant is good for a betta because it likes to rest on the leaves (not plastic, can scratch/tear the betta). I would also recommend bloodworms.


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

Crazy_NDN604 said:


> im still learning but mine wont touch flakes. you should have asked what they where feeding him, then you will know what he readily accepts, usually they like bloodworms, and you can get them use to pellets... probably flakes too with a few days time.


They had this open container of food right beside a Betta Tank display so I'm guessing that this is what they feed their Bettas.










Maybe it was because of all the Bettas being sold but IPU did not have any more of this brand or any other brand of pellets left in the store. I do have freeze-dried blood worms so with that and the flakes he should be OK for a few days. Thanks for the help.


----------



## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Congratulations on your new betta, BostonBob!

In my opinion, floating pellets are preferable mostly because you can feed the betta exactly what he wants, and nothing is left over to rot or fall to the bottom. They float. But if the betta will eat the flakes, there's nothing wrong with using them especially for awhile. Just don't overfeed! Your betta will also enjoy bloodworms, etc.

As far as plants go, some bettas like to sit on plant leaves (plastic or real). I don't know if all bettas do that. Since your container is small and there's no circulation (is there?) it might not matter. Mine is in a well planted tank so he is always under or in the middle of a plant, I really don't know if he would miss them or not, though.

You don't have to add Cycle to the water. And you can use any water conditioner. The betta water conditioner is geared towards small tanks (easy to measure for bowls, etc) and is buffered to a pH of 7, that's all. You can use whatever you usually use for your other tanks. If there's no filter on your bowl, then I'd recommend changing some of the water quite regularly.

Have fun! Can you post a pic?


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

CloudySky said:


> Firstly, regular water conditioner will work fine. Cycle will help establish beneficial bacteria and is probably a good idea. Pellets work best because Bettas like to feed at the surface, as opposed to flakes which will become waterlogged. Finally, a live plant is good for a betta because it likes to rest on the leaves (not plastic, can scratch/tear the betta). I would also recommend bloodworms.


Do they like to rest on the leaves if there is no water movement ???? Thanks for the help.


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

Morainy said:


> Congratulations on your new betta, BostonBob!
> 
> In my opinion, floating pellets are preferable mostly because you can feed the betta exactly what he wants, and nothing is left over to rot or fall to the bottom. They float. But if the betta will eat the flakes, there's nothing wrong with using them especially for awhile. Just don't overfeed! Your betta will also enjoy bloodworms, etc.
> 
> ...


Thanks for all the help. Boy this really is a great place to get help and to learn things.



Morainy said:


> Can you post a pic?


Sorry - I don't have a camera but I will ask a buddy to bring one over next time he visits. Thanks again.


----------



## kelly528 (Apr 21, 2010)

I would be testing the ammonia in that tank daily. Normally I am not one for the IPG rule but you just put a 2 inch fish in a <1g tank. You may find that you have to clean it multiple times per week. When I had my guy in a 1g tank it got really manky REALLY fast  gave up and switched to a well-planted 5g. There. Done. No running around changing water every other day during the school year


----------



## snowflakie (Apr 22, 2010)

I feed both of my bettas Hikari Pellets, they LOVE them. Bettas will be more active in warm water, I have heaters in both my betta tanks and they are constantly frolicking around. Neither of my bettas bother with the plants in their tanks, they like to sleep in the caves we put in them. They bash themselves up a bit when they are groggy in the morning but I tried taking one of their caves away and it didn't go well. 

Enjoy your new betta, they are great characters with big personalities if they have the room to show them


----------



## Scholz (Apr 21, 2010)

BostonBob said:


> OK - so I got bit by the Betta bug today while checking out the Tent Sale at IPU. I have never had a Betta before so I have a couple of quick questions:
> 
> - I bought a Betta kit ( Marina 3 litre / .8 gallon ) that included a small container of Betta Water Conditioner. Once that is finished will a regular water conditioner work OK or should I get more Betta Water Conditioner ???? Do I also need to add any Cycle ( or something similar ) when doing water changes ????
> 
> ...


A little Gravel/sand gives a place for the good bacteria to grow... The plant helps eat the nitrates that build up in the water....

You can also just root a plant in the water and have it grow out of the tank. Almost all vines will root in water....

You are going to wanna watch your water quaility closely. Cause he's in a small space that hasn't cycled yet.

I would add a ramshorn snail in there too... Helps break down the waste...


----------



## plantedinvertz (Apr 21, 2010)

I feed my betta pellets and flakes...
When he is bloated and doesnt move much i give him some shrimpcuisine(food for shrimp)
and it gets better

I got mine from IPU too! He is yellow and a little blue.


----------



## BettaGuy (Apr 22, 2010)

Here is a decent Betta Breeder's website that has a lot of the information you'll be looking for! I've directed you to the "health and care" page. http://bettysplendens.com/articles/catview.imp?catid=854

When you run out of your betta conditioner, it's okay to use a regular water conditioner. They are basically the same thing and I assume you already have some conditioner for your other tank.

Working with less than a gallon of space, I don't think it would be that practical to have gravel even when it is cycled. THat being said, I could imagine a gallon going almost a week if cycled and your fish is not overfed, so it's your call. With a tank that small, it's not recommended you get a heater, so I will have to assume your tank will end up being around 72 degrees farenheit. At lower temperatures your fish's metabolism will be slower and you will not need to feed him like a pig unless you enjoy doing frequent water changes.

Should You decide you will want to use gravel, you probably don't need to use cycle to introduce bacteria colonies. I would personally just use some of the gravel from your other cycled tanks and throw it in there to introduce some. Don't do it if your tank has sick fish for obvious reasons.

For feeding, Bettas should have some variety in their diet, so not just flakes is preferable. Why not buy some frozen bloodworms? You can feed a couple per meal, and your fish probably doesn't need more than 2 meals a day. Alternate between flakes and worms. IF you use any dried or freeze dried foods like pellets and freeze-dried bloodworms, make sure you soak them for 5 minutes to let them expand. You wouldn't want them to expand in their intestines and and kill the fish due to constipation would ya ? hehe

Best of luck!

I don't know


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

BettaGuy said:


> Here is a decent Betta Breeder's website that has a lot of the information you'll be looking for! I've directed you to the "health and care" page. http://bettysplendens.com/articles/catview.imp?catid=854
> 
> When you run out of your betta conditioner, it's okay to use a regular water conditioner. They are basically the same thing and I assume you already have some conditioner for your other tank.
> 
> ...


Thanks for all your help and the link to that Betta site.


----------



## BettaGuy (Apr 22, 2010)

np! oops i don't know how the " i don't know" got into that previous message, i think i was multi tasking... anyhow take care


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

BettaGuy said:


> np! oops i don't know how the " i don't know" got into that previous message, i think i was multi tasking... anyhow take care


I saw that and just figured that you started to add something and then decided against it.

Anyway don't


----------



## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

If its one fish i cant seem to have luck with its betta's.I do my water changes,watch what i feed and how much,add plants to aid the cycle, and after 6months to 12 i lose them all.This weekend i visited the tent sale at Island Pets and picked up a healthy and vibrant half moon betta.I set him in his own 2 gallon setup , added some anubias and conditioned the water.This time around i went without gravel , but added a few pebbles.Whats your take on bare bottom guys/gals ? yes or no ? I also added a mini heater to his home.I found the temperature in my place seems to be around 19-21c. Also good or no ? Thanks for the help.

Luke


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

OK - I have one more question for you Betta experts out there as I have come across conflicting information on some sites I checked out. My Betta is in a 3 litre / .8 gallon tank and it is currently without any stones or plants although I will be adding a plant for him to rest on. A few sites I looked at said that with anything under a full gallon you should do a full water change once a week while other sites said that using that size you should do 2 full water changes per week. Also - should all the water changes be full water changes or would partial water changes be less stressful on the fish ???? Oh - and what kind of plant can I could use that is big enough for him to rest on but small enough to fit into such a small area ??? OK - that was actually 3 questions but any info or advice will be greatly appreciated.

This is the tank I am using:









I was thinking of doing something like this with stones and 1 or 2 real bamboo shoots - is this a good option ???? There are no leaves but I guess he could rest on part of a shoot.


----------



## kelly528 (Apr 21, 2010)

Okay first, you need to be doing full water changes on an uncycled tank. That is the least stressful way to go. So long as the temperature, pH, GH and KH (don't worry about the last three, they will be more or less the same if you are using the same tap) of the new water are matched to that of the old water, everything will be fine.

2... You will be needing to change that tank multiple times per week. I would estimate about 3, actually. Frequency of water changes is based on how fast the water chemistry goes downhill so with every setup it will be different. Basically what you need to do is buy an ammonia test kit, and test daily. When the water turns to .25, do a 100% change. Proceed like that for a few weeks and you should get an idea of how many days your tank can go without a change.

3: Get the bamboo, it sucks ammonia up with relative speed which is what you NEED to keep this tank viable without changing the water every few days.

Just to be clear, you are working with a very small amount of water, even for a betta. Most forums recommend a bare minimum of 1g, the decent ones say 2.5g but most hobbyists say 5g is a good size. Additionally to this, there are no heaters on the market that will safely heat less than a gallon, which becomes an issue when keeping a fish hailing from one of the hottest regions in the world. Truthfully I would tell you to throw that tank out and get a 5g but I'm tired of trying to convert people and its up to you. I understand its frustrating to buy a tank then realise its too small.

Here's a good article on choosing tank size... pay close attention to the polls

Good luck with the new setup!!!


----------



## Scholz (Apr 21, 2010)

It would be possible to get your tank down to 25 % weekly water changes....

The problem is that by the time you've done all the work he wouldn't have alot of room left to swim around.....

but if you must know how it could be done here's how....

you would need to put a layer of earth pellets on the base of the tank 

( IF YOU ARE GOING TO SEED THE TANK WITH GRAVEL FROM ANOTHER TANK PUT THE EARTH PELLETS ONTOP OF A THIN LAYER OF THAT GRAVEL )

you would then need at least 4 lucky bambo plants
also a vineing plant rooted aquatically. 
some java moss
one ramshorn snail 

the tank would need to be fully cycled without the fish in there... useing mullen and some gravel from another tank would help. or use a ready bacteria cycle product. While the tank is cycleing the snail can be in there and add the amount of fish food you would feed every day.... when the levels test zero's your good to go..

the tank would need to be tested closely for the first month at least...

a turkey baster to do water changes stuck down into the earth pellets to suck up extra waste wouldn't be a bad idea either.. but if there is a good enough bio filter in effect it isn't nesscary.

The trick is not to change the water out at all while it is cycling and to let the tank mature.

personally i'd use a bigger tank

here's my reasons for it.

1. you can get a bigger bio filter going
2. you can plant it with way more cool plants and stuff
3. you don't need a filter because there is enough of a bio filter in effect
4. you can put a heater in it
5. if done right you can take the water changes to one 25% water change once a month...
6. less chance of a sudden crash

as for giving him a spot to rest.... it doesn't have to be a plant just something he can sit on near the surface. couple inches from the top of the water... 

but plant wise i'd use anubias nana mounted on something so that there's 3 inches to the top of the water.... he'll sleep on it for sure


----------



## Scholz (Apr 21, 2010)

Luke78 said:


> If its one fish i cant seem to have luck with its betta's.I do my water changes,watch what i feed and how much,add plants to aid the cycle, and after 6months to 12 i lose them all.This weekend i visited the tent sale at Island Pets and picked up a healthy and vibrant half moon betta.I set him in his own 2 gallon setup , added some anubias and conditioned the water.This time around i went without gravel , but added a few pebbles.Whats your take on bare bottom guys/gals ? yes or no ? I also added a mini heater to his home.I found the temperature in my place seems to be around 19-21c. Also good or no ? Thanks for the help.
> 
> Luke


Hi Luke,

are you running a filter?

personally I like gravel or substrate rather. that way i can grow more plants. the more plants growing the cleaner the water is. Do you add anything to your water? what's your ph kh gh? do you have a lighted tank? Fish need light in order to get vitamine d just like us. what do you feed them? Have you ever had your water tested for copper?

sorry for all the questions just trying to help you figure out what is going on with your little friends...

betta fish like to be kept at a water temperature of 25 to 30 celcius

scholz


----------



## snowflakie (Apr 22, 2010)

I agree with Kelly... get a 5gal. I have my little 3/4" betta in one with two ottos and 3 amano shrimp and plants and he LOVES it. Always swimming around and checking things out. I realize "fish are not people" but they are living creatures and should be treated how you want to be treated. Less than a gallon would be akin to you living in a cold closet.  I'm not being mean, just truthful  Plus in 5gal or bigger, you can have better plants, a nice cave for him to go in (mine love theirs) and some cleaner fish/shrimp to make your life easier 

Check out the equipment classified section, I saw a couple people had 5gal tanks for cheap!


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

Thanks everybody for all your help. I will be getting a 5 gallon tank ( at least )for my Betta just ASAP. If anybody has one for sale or knows where to get one then please send me a PM. I guess that I will keep the Marina tank as a Hospital Tank or something since I'm pretty sure Grant at IPU won't take mine back.  Once again - I really do appreciate all the help. There are really some very nice people on this site.


----------



## kelly528 (Apr 21, 2010)

Cool! We'll all keep our eyes peeled... I think you will find a 5g a huuuge break as far as maintenance goes. I mean I consider a 2.5g but personally I find them start looking 'grubby' within only a few days and you have no flexibility as far as cleaning goes. If I'm having a hectic week I can easily put off cleaning my 5g for a good week without having any water quality issues. It's planted too though.

Usually you an get a nice 5g setup for $20-30. If you want to speed things up, put up a LF ad in the equipment section.


----------



## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Scholz,

Yes iam running a mini HOB that came with the 2 gallon setup.This unit also has a light fixture with a compact bulb (9 watts). I leave the lights on about 9 hours or so , some times less.He also has a Hydor mini heater in there. I just have some anubias in there right now , some tied up and some floating.My betta doesnt mind the floating stuff and actually rests on the leaves.There is a but more flow that i dont like , even with the adjustment valve.Any ideas on how to drop it back a bit ? No gravel other than a few pebbles.I dont mind the look , dont plan on growing any serious plants(doubt i can).

As for the water conditions , PH is 6.8--Temperature is steady at 27.5(have a digital thermo to take the temps)-- 0 Ammonia--0 Nitrite.Water changes are about 25 percent a week.He gets feed frozen or dried bloodworms(Hagen product) once a week sometimes even less,Brine shrimp,and his main course he seems to like NLS 1mm pellets.Loves those alot (4-5 pellets twice a day).So far so good , hes active and responsive and knows when i come around, buzzing around the front of the tank



Scholz said:


> Hi Luke,
> 
> are you running a filter?
> 
> ...


----------



## Scholz (Apr 21, 2010)

Luke sorry to say it but you're over feeding.... 10 pellets a day is alot of food for a betta.... I'd cut that back to 4 to 5 once a day... younger betta's that are still growing need more food than a full grown one. Also once a week don't feed him anything at all. It helps clean out his digestive track so he won't get constipated. A member lost his betta to over feeding and constipation not long ago. If you want to slow the filter down there are a couple tricks... Is there foam on the intake? If there isn't you could try some foam or nylons on the intake first. You could stuff the intake pipe with some filter floss. You could clip a blade or two off the impeller... Your temperature is perfect. Just cut back on the food some.



Luke78 said:


> Scholz,
> 
> Yes iam running a mini HOB that came with the 2 gallon setup.This unit also has a light fixture with a compact bulb (9 watts). I leave the lights on about 9 hours or so , some times less.He also has a Hydor mini heater in there. I just have some anubias in there right now , some tied up and some floating.My betta doesnt mind the floating stuff and actually rests on the leaves.There is a but more flow that i dont like , even with the adjustment valve.Any ideas on how to drop it back a bit ? No gravel other than a few pebbles.I dont mind the look , dont plan on growing any serious plants(doubt i can).
> 
> As for the water conditions , PH is 6.8--Temperature is steady at 27.5(have a digital thermo to take the temps)-- 0 Ammonia--0 Nitrite.Water changes are about 25 percent a week.He gets feed frozen or dried bloodworms(Hagen product) once a week sometimes even less,Brine shrimp,and his main course he seems to like NLS 1mm pellets.Loves those alot (4-5 pellets twice a day).So far so good , hes active and responsive and knows when i come around, buzzing around the front of the tank


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

I just wanted to thank everybody once again for all their help and suggestions. A special thank you goes out to Pamela who gave me a nice 2.5 bowfront tank. Not only did she refuse to take anything for it but she also included a small piece of driftwood, a baggie filled with almond leaves and a few bamboo plants. I was told that this site was filled with some very generous people but this still blew me away. Anyway - with almost 3 times the space my Betta seems very content.


----------



## kelly528 (Apr 21, 2010)

PICTURES.


----------



## BostonBob (Apr 24, 2010)

kelly528 said:


> PICTURES.


Still waiting for my buddy to come over with his camera.


----------



## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Scholz said:


> Luke sorry to say it but you're over feeding.... 10 pellets a day is alot of food for a betta.... I'd cut that back to 4 to 5 once a day... younger betta's that are still growing need more food than a full grown one. Also once a week don't feed him anything at all. It helps clean out his digestive track so he won't get constipated. A member lost his betta to over feeding and constipation not long ago. If you want to slow the filter down there are a couple tricks... Is there foam on the intake? If there isn't you could try some foam or nylons on the intake first. You could stuff the intake pipe with some filter floss. You could clip a blade or two off the impeller... Your temperature is perfect. Just cut back on the food some.


Agreed . I just wanted say that I feed all my Bettas about 4 -5 Pellets 5 days a week. 6th Day they get freeze dried brine shrimp and blood worm. It is nice to mix it up sometimes. 7th day they fast .

Hope your Bettas are well


----------



## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Atom , Scholz

Thanks for the pointers , i will make the changes asap.Like the idea of fasting or a cleanse sort of speak.

Bostonbob 

Best wishes with your new setup , and photos are nice when you get a chance.Wish i had one kicking around so i could take a few of mine.


----------



## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm glad that your betta has a new home that he enjoys. Really nice of Pamela to help him out.


----------

