Betta Setup

[Mei]

Hi, I'm seriously thinking about getting a Betta in the next month or so. Before I do, I know that I need to prepare for him.

I'm looking at a small tank somewhere between 2.5 and 5 gallons. The larger tanks definitely require a filter and cycling, but what is the lower end? Do 2.5 and 3 gallon tanks also need cycling, or just regular 50 and 100% water changes.

Also, I love live plants. Are 2.5 and 3 gallon tanks too small for a live plant? What kind of substrate am I looking at to keep a plant properly? How deep should each layer be, and how often should I clean, prune and rinse the plant?

Is a hood and light necessary for a happy, healthy betta, or can I just place him in a bright place (not direct sunlight though!)?

Depending on whether the tank needs to be cycled or not, how long should I have the tank set up before I get the fish?

And what is the proper way to acclimatize him to his new home. I've heard so many different ways (from just dropping him in, water and all, to taking 2 days to adjust him to the new water conditions) what's reasonable?

Sorry for all of the questions, but there's just so much conflicting information out there! Thanks! ;D

[abm]

Hi Mei, and welcome to HB
It's great that you're researching your soon-to-be-betta-friend's needs BEFORE getting him! So many of us got "on the job training" which is hard on the betta and the owner.

You're right, there is lots of conflicting info out there. I'll answer your questions briefly but I encourage you to read all the articles on the Healthy Betta website (http://healthybetta.com/article_main.html) that cover most of what you're confused about.

A little background: I have 8 male bettas, each in their own separate tank, each tank is between 2 and 3 gallons. None of my tanks are cycled (although it's a goal) so I do 100% water changes every week or two with partial changes and "turkey baster-ing" in between. This answers your first question: no, tanks do not have to be cycled; however, the water changes can be a pain, and if you want a more "natural" habitat for your betta, you will eventually want to cycle it.

Live plants do work in small tanks but I am not the member to get advice from on that - Rachel loves her Java moss and Java fern, and she has small uncycled tanks. (Give your post a few more hours and you'll hear from her )

My tanks do not have hoods or lights; but they do have heaters. Remember that bettas are tropical fish and need water temps to remain stable at about 78 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Look through the forum threads and you'll see MANY articles discussing heater brands and personal experiences

How to acclimate your new fish: What I do when I get a new guy (although it's been nearly a year since I adopted anyone ) is get the tank set up and the water conditioned (dechlorinated) and warm. Then I check the temp of the water in the bag and begin adding a bit of tank water to the bag. Over the course of several hours (between 2 and 3 I guess) continue removing small amounts of bag water and replacing it with tank water. During this time I float the bag in the tank to make sure the temps are equalized. When most of the bag water has been replaced by tank water and the fish is still active and happy, into his new home he goes (gently of course )

I'm sure the procedure is similar if you decide to cycle the tank first. Cycling is hard on the fish so if you decide to go that route definitely cycle the tank before adding the betta.

Guess what? Even with all these questions, and even after you read the articles, you'll have more questions ! And we'll be here!

~abm

[Rachel]

[shadow=blue,left,300]Welcome to HB![/shadow]

Looks like abm already did a great job of answering most of your questions.

I love live plants too Mei, as abm pointed out. As she mentioned, java moss and java ferns work great in any type of tank. I keep my bettas in 1-gallon tanks with live plants. You don't plant java ferns in substrate like most other aquatic plants, so they are just free-floating. Java moss is also, as it just sits in somewhat of a clump on top of your substrate. Both are very hardy and great for beginners. You don't really have to do much to maintain either of them, but java moss can be easily removed from the tank and rinsed out if you want to. Let me know if you'd like more info on their care. You can get a bit more info from this article: Live Plants
I'm afraid these two are the only types of plants that I have experience with though, so I cannot recommend anything else or comment on the appropriate substrate.

Let us know how your betta search goes.

[Mei]

Thank you so much, abm and Rachel. I really appreciate your input. How much would you gestimate a basic setup will cost? I realize that you can buy bits and pieces, but what should I have before my betta even gets here?

Obviously I need a tank, plants, water conditioner, substrate, water testing kit and a variety of foods.

Should I have a thermometer or even a heater? I've read that if a tank is smaller than 5 gallons, heaters are nixed, but on this site, several posters have stated that even 1 gallon tanks can support 25 watt heaters. Do such heaters need to be plugged in?

How complete of a betta first aid kit should I get? A friend of mine swears by melafix. Is that sufficient, or is there more I should have? Should I add salt everytime I change the water as a preventative, or only if my betta gets sick? A couple of sites I've been on recommend adding a dose of Aquari-sol during every water change. Is this necessary? Is there a water conditioner that is superior to others? If I decide to get a small filter, then what brand do you recommend for the fishless cycle.

I've read a lot about the above that is conflicting on various websites. I realize that as with many things, much of people's opinions are just that--opinion, however, I do want to make sure that any pet I get leads a reasonably long, healthy, and happy life. I understand the basic principles (an acquaintance of mine is a goldfish nut, which are far more difficult pets,) but the gray areas are what confuse me....

Sorry for all of the questions. I just want to know what I'm getting myself into.

[amanichen]

Excuse me for butting in here

How much would you gestimate a basic setup will cost?

Minimum of $30 USD, but probably closer to $50.

I realize that you can buy bits and pieces, but what should I have before my betta even gets here?

Tank and heater at least. You don't necessarily have to use a filter, but if you do, have the tank cycled before the betta gets in.

Should I have a thermometer or even a heater? I've read that if a tank is smaller than 5 gallons, heaters are nixed, but on this site, several posters have stated that even 1 gallon tanks can support 25 watt heaters.

The problems come with temperature overshoot, and the themostat not being able to respond quickly enough. Sometimes the tank temperature is already at the desired level before the themostat in the heater can respond, and thus the heater stays on for longer than it needs to. What this means is really you should be very careful with adjustments, and check the temperature several times daily. There are small 7.5W heaters you can get at wal mart...those do not have thermostats, but in the right situation they can work well enough.

Of course there's the problem of the heater malfunctioning and staying on, and killing the fish. Not only is this very rare with quality submerisble heaters (don't buy a cheap clamp on one) it's something you shouldn't really lose sleep over. If your heater is reasonably powered for your tank, then a malfuction is going to cause problems ANYWAY, regardless of whether or not you're using 25W in 2 gallons of water or 5 gallons of water.

How complete of a betta first aid kit should I get? A friend of mine swears by melafix. Is that sufficient, or is there more I should have? Should I add salt everytime I change the water as a preventative, or only if my betta gets sick? A couple of sites I've been on recommend adding a dose of Aquari-sol during every water change. Is this necessary?

Melafix is a decent med to have around. It's the only one that I personally keep on hand. I don't deal with fish diseases very often anymore, so I end up just buying what I need, when I need it. Lots of people spend tons of money stocking up on meds, and it's really not necessary. What is necessary though is keeping up on your maintenance, and creating a stable living environment for your fish. By doing this you'll basically eliminate the need for medications. You also need to be able to recognize when there might be a problem and acting quickly about it -- don't wait a week, ask if you're unsure. While you can read up on disease symptoms, much of this can really only come through experience and watching to see the (normal) behaviors of fish. Watching your fish is one of the best ways to learn about them, and lots of novices freak out when they see normal fish behaviors, and it's obvious who's watching and who isn't

Is there a water conditioner that is superior to others?

You can't really go wrong with Aquasafe, Novaqua or Prime, but my personal preference is Prime. The reasons for this are stated in another post, again it's something I've considered -- I haven't made it "my preference" just because someone else recommended it.

If I decide to get a small filter, then what brand do you recommend for the fishless cycle.

What brand? Really it's about adding ammonia. Any filter (assuming it has the necessary surface area for bacteria) will work =)

I've read a lot about the above that is conflicting on various websites. I realize that as with many things, much of people's opinions are just that--opinion,

You are correct about this. Lots of people make blind recommendations, and do things without any solid logical basis for them. Lots of advice you get will really be opinions, and some opinions are worth more than others. Opinions that have a basis in fact (as opposed to baseless ones) and opinions that come from veteran fishkeepers are much more valuable than those given by people with less experience. Now not everybody with one to two years of fish experience is totally clueless, it's just that the people newer to the hobby tend to (more often) step outside their realm of knowledge when giving out advice.

And lots of the advice you will get can often fall into the category of "widely believed myths and superstitions." A good fishkeeper will always give a reason for doing something, while people who spread the superstitions around, generally cannot. Adding salt and aquarisol at every water change tend to fall under this category

Sure, if your fish is a new arrival, it might make sense to have an anti-ich medication in the water, and if your water lacks electrolytes (such as R/O water) adding salt will be beneficial. But other than that, lots of novice fishkeepers add both chemicals to the water with no better reasoning than word of mouth telling them "it's a good idea to." And most times there's no real benefit from using them on a regular basis, and there can even be negative consequences associated with habitual use of aquarisol and/or other meds.