[SKA123]

Hi, um I'm new here so I wasn't sure if this was where I should post a question or discussion etc. But I have a betta fish, and i just got him today. I live in a dorm room, so I try to keep the temperature warm enough for him. He has a little castle he likes to play with and hide behind, and I will feed him once a day and clean his water every week.

He's pretty active so far, and he knows his name, and he blows bubbles when I'm near him.

I just want to know any good tips on how to keep him healthy and happy. ^^:bounce::bounce:

 

[RandomMan]

The #1 cause of death of a new betta is ammonia poisoning. If the tank is new, its going to go through the cycling process which normally takes about 1 month to complete. During that time you'll get ammonia spikes which can burn the bettas gills, and lead to all sorts of complications. If you're already made it past that point, congratulations. Should be easy from here on out.

I highly suggest getting a Marina C10 heater (available at Petsmart). Unlike other "betta heaters" this one has a thermostat in it to make sure the water stays at 78F, which is the idea temperature for a betta.

Adding some java fern, anubias, or java moss to the tank will help keep the water oxygenated between changes, as well as help absorb ammonia caused by fish waste or uneaten food. They all do well in low light and don't need fertilizers added to the water.

Finally, when changing water, make sure to treat it with dechlorinator before adding it to the tank, and try to make sure the water going into the tank is the same temperature as the water coming out.

 

[SKA123]

Thank you for your tips! ^^

 

[NStarr]

The #1 cause of death for Bettas is a bowl. A 5 gallon with filtration and a heater should be used.

 

[ValMM]

Make sure not to overfeed him, bettas tend to be little piggies. Their stomach is about the size of their eye, 2 or 3 pellets should be enough for 1 day.

 

[SKA123]

I just fed him today and he ate like a little piggy, i gave him 3 pellets lol

 

[exv152]

Just make sure you dechlorinate the water that you put back into the bowl after water changes. I would change 25-50% of the bowl water weekly, or whenever it seems messy. No need for a heater and fancy gagets if you're keeping him in a small bowl. Good luck, I have two and they're easy to look after.

 

[sampster5000]

Its fine to keep him in a bowl but make sure you change the water out completely at the very least once a week. I disagree with 25-50% weekly. If there is no filter the ammonia build up will be insanely high after one day. I recommend a small aquarium that can fit a filter on it so you dont have to be changing the water out so much.

Occassionally I would show the bettas reflection for 3-5 minutes to keep him active. It is true that a betta can die from boredom. Make sure that you dont leave the reflection there for too long as this will stress him out.

Make sure that you dont overfeed. His stomach is the size of his eye. I would feed him some blood worms at least once a week or every other week.

 

[SKA123]

I just got him a 2.5 gallon tank with a hood. I've filled it up, not all the way tho. And i have put water conditioner in it, and I also got him a net. I feed him food pellets. I was told since the tank is so small I don't need a or have to get a filter, but that i should change his water once to twice a week? And i only feed him 2-3 pellets once a day. I haven't put him in the tank yet because i want the water to adjust first for him. He seems pretty active tho. Also in his bowl right now is a castle, some rocks and a plastic flower. Can i put them into his tank tomorrow when i put him in the tank tomorrow? or should i just wash them off now with warm water, (no soap) and put them in the tank now?

 

[CKJ]

I wouldn't wash them at all but maybe swish them a bit in the old tank water and put them in the new tank tomorrow. I hope he loves his new accomadations tomorrow. Just make sure what ever decor you put in with him doesn't have sharp edges to damage his beautiful finage.

I would probably get a filter when you can. Walmart would have a small one and probably be only around $10 bucks.

 

[sampster5000]

Look into a filter. Any size tank can use a filter. The smaller ones actually need it more than the larger ones as the nitrates build up in them much faster. Keep changing the water out frequently for the first month after you start up the filter to allow it to cycle. After that time you can go to monthly partial water changes (20-50%).

 

[NStarr]

+1 on the filter. The smaller the tank you have, the more difficult it is to control/stabilize water conditions.

 

[RandomMan]

Tom's makes a nice internal filter that's perfect for a betta bowl. They sell them at Petsmart.

 

[wendyjo]

I have a flter and a heater in my 2.5g betta tank. They are tropical fish and need to stay warm - around 78 degrees. You don't need to have a filter but if you cycle the tank it sure makes life easier. If not then you need to change out 100% of the water. How often you do this can easily be determined by testing the water for ammonia using a drop test kit. Give him 100% fresh water, then test the water each day. On the day that you get an ammonia reading you will need to start doing water changes on the day before. So for example if you get an ammonia reading on day 5 then in the future you should change the water out every 4 days. Ammonia is deadly and if you are getting an ammonia reading then it is harming your fish.