New to bettas

[suddenbettalover]

Hi, I'm new to bettas and to this forum. I just got my first betta from my boyfriend for Valentines Day, and already I'm completely taken with him. Unfortunately, we made a couple of rookie mistakes with him in the first couples of days (bowl in cold area of house, didn't skim out uneaten food so the water got cloudy), but after doing some research on sites like this one I think we've made him more comfortable. He's been making small bubble nests, and he just ate some of his flakes for the first time today (yesterday he took a couple, but spit them out right away)! ;D I'm going to go to the pet store this weekend and get him a better variety of food, just in case he just doesn't like the flakes all that much.

Because I don't want to make any more mistakes (I've been worried about the combination of the cold and the cloudy water, but he's nice and warm and clean and looking happy/healthy now), I am hoping that someone can answer a question about his water. On another thread someone mentioned that dechlorinated tap water is actually better for bettas than spring water. I've been using spring water in his bowl, and I'm wondering how much of a difference this makes. I'm sort of hesitant to use our tap water even if it's dechlorinated, because we do get rust stains, indicating to me that there's some sort of unhealthy metal in there - and I don't know whether water treatments get rid of that too, or what.

Also, it just seems counter-intuitive to me that tap water would be better than spring water, so if anyone could explain it to me I would greatly appreciate it.

I also have a question about the size of bettas and their bowls. My betta seems smaller than usual - his body is only about an inch and half long - and right now he's in a pretty small bowl (probably less than a half gallon). I plan on getting a bigger bowl, but he seems to have plenty of room to swim around right now. Does anyone think it likely that he is a baby/junenile and will grow substantially, such that I should get at least a gallon bowl, maybe larger? I'm just not sure how varied adult bettas tend to be in size.

Thanks in advance for any help any of you can provide. This seems like a great forum, and as I become more experienced with bettas I will try to help out future rookies like myself.

[Jenny]

I have never heard that spring water is worse than tap water for bettas. What is not good for them is distilled water. Also you should check the ph of the water because brands vary greatly. Most pet stores will do this for you for free.

You should definitely get a bigger bowl/tank for your betta. It is possible that he is young and will grow, or he could just be a small betta. They vary in size a bit, but not a whole lot. Even if it looks like there is room for him to swim, there are reasons to get him a bigger tank. For one the waste in a smaller tank will build up quickly and pollute the water making it dangerous for the fish. In the half gallon bowl you should be doing 100% water changes at least twice a week. Also smaller amounts of water can't buffer and slow changes in temperature, and sudden temperature shifts can be stressful for bettas. The minimun size of tank I would recommend for a betta is one gallon, although I expect he would probably like the extra space of a larger one.

For betta food, I would recommend pellets rather than flakes. Flakes are harder to feed consistent amounts of, and it is difficult for fish to eat all of them, so they tend to dirty the water quicker.

[suddenbettalover]

Thank you for responding Jenny.

Yeah, I think mickey85 said on one of the urgent board's threads that spring water was okay, but he recommended dechlorinated tap water instead. I guess this is just his preference, so I won't worry about it. Just wasn't sure if that was a commonly held belief or what.

I will definitely get him a bigger bowl - unfortunately my boyfriend relied on the pet store people for info, who told him a small bowl was fine, to only feed the fish 2 or 3 times per week (!) and to only change 1/3 of the water once per week (which as I understand would be appropriate for a tank, but not a bowl). So that's why he's in a small bowl for now. I wasn't planning on keeping him there long term (it is really a small bowl) - I just wanted to be clear that he has enough room so that he's not suffering until I get him a bigger bowl, and I guess I failed miserably at being clear. Sorry.

I guess the reason I was asking about the size of his bowl is because there seem to be different opinions as to the minimum bowl size for bettas - some people say 1/2 gallon, others say 1 gallon - and I was thinking maybe 3/4 gallon would be okay if he's small. I do have space constraints and am not sure if I could accomodate a larger tank. I guess probably either way I will just get at least a 1 gallon bowl, and maybe bigger depending on how much space they take up (I'll have to look at the pet store).

Anyway, thanks for your advice. I will definitely get him some pellets rather than flakes, too!

[Denise]

Hi,

Opinions and preferences will differ with almost everyone you talk to and it can be very confusing at first until you gather enough advice and experience to decide what works best for you and your betta. If you do not trust your tap water and you only have one betta, I think spring water is a good way to go. This becomes impossible when you have a lot of fish, but with one it won't be too expensive. Like Jenny said, different brands of water will vary in their mineral content and it is important to be consistent. A neutral pH is best for your betta, but they seem to do okay in a slightly higher pH. Most bottled spring water has a slightly high pH, but if you test several brands, you may find one that is just right. Even though he may be young and small, I also recommend at least one gallon for his health and happiness. Larger tanks are nice too, but a one gallon bowl is very easy to handle (not too heavy) and only needs to be 100% cleaned once a week. I also do a 1/3 partial water change after three days to guard against ammonia. Many pet store employees are untrained and inexperienced and, unfortunately, do not give the best advice unless you are lucky enough to find someone really good. The fact that pet stores even sell those tiny little containers as betta bowls is your first clue that they are clueless as to the health and well-being of the betta! You will get much better advice right here at HB. I have ten happy bettas in one gallon bowls and most of them are going on two years old, so they are doing pretty good. Also, be sure you cover your betta's bowl with some kind of lid because he can jump out. Most bowls do not come with lids, so people come up with all kinds of creative ideas to make their own lids. The lid must have air holes. One way to make a quick lid for your betta's safety is to use some netting material or even a piece of nylon stocking and fasten it over the top of the bowl with elastic or a large rubber band. Also, if you haven't already, I suggest getting your betta a pretty fabric aquarium plant for inside his bowl. It will help him feel secure (shelter) and he will enjoy swimming through the leaves and resting on them. Many fabric plants are too large even for a one gallon bowl, but I have found that most can be trimmed down so the leaves are at least one inch below the surface. Also, be sure to trim off any sharp points on the plastic stems and tips so they won't tear the betta's fins. I also prefer to feed pellet food. Most bettas like the HBH Bites and Hikari Bio-Gold. A turkey baster makes a great mini-syphon for getting out any food that drops and waste from the bottom bewteen bowl cleanings. Good luck to you and your new betta. I'm sure he will be very happy with you!

[abm]

Hello,

Denise's post is a good one and covers a lot of important points. I would like to add one or two, if I might.

First, about the food - I've learned that most commercially available betta foods are just fine for normal feeding. My 8 guys prefer the pellet form, but my daughter's two like flakes. It's personal preference and convenience more than anything. Just fight the temptation to overfeed (especially when they're a bit sick - we try to feed the fish and hope the illness disappears on its own b/c we feel so helpless) and in an uncycled small tank (which is what i have, eight of them) be sure to remove any uneaten food promptly so it doesn't add to water soils.

Second, about the tank size - Denise is right, at least one gallon is really best for a healthy, happy fish - but if you are at all like me, you'll soon want to be able to provide a heated environment (since bettas do best around 80 degrees and heaters are too dangerous in small tanks). I gradually moved my guys from one-gallon bowls into 2 to 3 gallon "real" aquariums, but I don't use the filters and aerators that come with the aquariums...a summer project for my son is to cycle a tank - "at least one, right Mom???" I've found the Hagen mini-submersible 25 watt heaters do extremely well and are reliable and stable in these size tanks - they are recommended for 5 gallons and under, but all of mine are smaller and do not vary much once they're set.

About your guy's small size: I have one fully-grown male betta who is just about 1/2 the size of some of my others. He's beautiful and all I can assume is that God intended for him to be tiny and lovely! As long as your betta is eating and pooping and acting happy, don't worry if he could beat up the fish next door - they are called fighting fish but they don't have to actually fight.

Also, about the tap water - tap water has minerals that your betta needs to make him healthy. Bottled water is certainly safe but properly treated tap water is apparently better for them. I say apparently b/c I've never used bottled water except during emergency water changes and no other water was available.

It sounds like you're off to a great start - enjoy!

[suddenbettalover]

Thank you so much for all of the extremely helpful information! I am starting to think now that I will get a 1 or 2 gallon mini-aquarium - that way it will be covered so he doesn't jump out - with a nice silk plant for him to hide in. I'm not sure if I will mess with a heater just yet - I want him to be cozy, but with my inexperience I am nervous about putting one on such a small container (some people say they don't recommend heaters for anything smaller than 5 gallons).
If I go with a 2 gallon, I suppose I would probably switch to treated tap water, gradually, of course.
Do you know of any reliable water treatments that remove metals in addition to chlorine? I'm sure I could probably find one by reading labels, but a recommendation would be helpful, too.

Thanks again for all your help!

[Denise]

Hi again,

I don't have any experience with heaters since my guys are in one gallon bowls, but many people use the small heaters with success in under five gallon tanks. I keep my guys warm by keeping my house heater on and by filling up plastic soda bottles with hot water and placing them next to the bowls at night. I also live in a fairly warm climate (So. Calif.) so that helps.

Regarding water conditioners, I have used the combination of Amquel and Novaqua by Kordon for over ten years in my goldfish aquarium and for all of my bettas. There have been surveys on this board about water conditioners and I believe these products always came in first as the favorite of most fish keepers. There are many other good water conditioners too. Like you said, read the label and make sure it removes chlorine, chloramine, toxic metals, plus adds slime coat protection. You ususally have to use a second product to remove ammonia, which is why I use Amquel as well as Novaqua.

Bottled SPRING water does have minerals for your betta, but distilled and reverse osmosis water do not. Do not listen to any pet store employee who tells you to use distilled water for a betta. If you decide to switch to treated tap water, do so gradually over a period of several weeks by using his bottled water plus some tap water with each water change, gradually increasing the amount of tap water each week. He needs time to adjust to the new type of water.

You are doing the right thing by seeking out information, and I think everyone here has given you great advice so far. Best of luck to you and your new guy!

[suddenbettalover]

Thanks for all your help Denise!