What Type Of Betta

Hello, I have a 5 gallon tank with a filter, air stone and heater, one decoration and a few artificial plants (2 silk and 2 plastic I will be replacing the plastic with silk before adding the betta - I just found that out). I know my tank is suitable for a single Betta, I just have few questions.

1. My tank is still new (still in cycle - currently fish in with a zebra danios - I will be moving the zebra to a 12 gallon tank as soon as it is done fishless cycling and will convert the 5 gallon to a fishless cycle to finish it off). So basically I don't really have an algae problem yet, but I know that will be an issue down the road. I was planning to add a snail when that time comes to help with the aglae but I wasn't sure if a) a snail would do the job and b) if it was ok to put a snail with a betta (will probably be male but not sure yet). So my question is what kind of aglae eater should I put with a betta in a 5 gallon tank?

2. I origionally purchased the 5 gallon tank for zebra danios, I quickly learned that that really is not big enough for them thus I bought a 12 gallon for them. But none the less I had the tank set up for the zebra danio and added API freshwater aquarium salt. The LFS said to add it as it would help reduce disease in the tank. I really don't know if this has helped any but my fish has not had any problems (knock on wood) despite being in a fish in cycle. So the question here is, is it ok to leave the salt in for the Betta?

3. What type of Betta should I get? I have an asian theme going on in the tank with red and black gravel. I definately want a Betta that is colourful, but I also want it to look good the tank with out blending in too much with the black and red (the decoration is also a red colour - more of a deep red). I saw a white Betta in the LFS, a female, but it did not have the traditional large fins of a Betta (or at least as a newbie what I would consider a traditional Betta). I really did not know there were so many varities of Bettas untill I got to the fish store, any suggestions?

Thanks

I'd say a Plakat/d for the Type of Betta, Like Blue or Aqua!

About the algea eater, none as the tank is too small, so a nerite snail would be best!

betta_246 said:

I'd say a Plakat/d for the Type of Betta, Like Blue or Aqua!

About the algea eater, none as the tank is too small, so a nerite snail would be best!

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Thanks - I new an algea eater would not really work as the tank was too small, I just wasn't sure what type of snail would work with the Betta. I will call the LFS and make sure they carry nerite snails. thanks again

hello rebrn, you may want to hear varied views but here are mine

1. Snails can sometimes add more waste than good. I have some nerite snails in mine they produce a lot of waste but are excellent at clearing the extortionate algae I get, you may be lucky and be able to keep ontop of the algae with weekly water changes and cleanings. More live plants will also help. As to whether the betta will accept the snail, depends on the betta as they all have individual personalities. I have some with the snails but there are one or two I wouldnt dare try it, it is a case of try and learn and have a back up plan In a 5g I would probably say only snails such as nerites and apples?

2. Not sure on the salt, Im sure it wont do too much harm but perhaps do some water changes before and lower the levels as bettas can be senstive.

3. There are many varieties! Depends what you are after, how much money and how far you are willing to go for it! White would look great, or black (I currently have a white CT and also a black rosetail, the black though has a real silver sheen to the body). You can always pick a matching colour and go with a copper sheen. The varieties are massive out there, from personal experience though I would just get looking as with mine there has usually been "the one". Whether it is striking finnage, colour or on my latest addition sheer personality. My red veiltail, generally not keen on the bog standard blues and red VTS that litter local stores, but he was striking and came up to play against the glass to play with me and it was instant love at first sight. I have a themed tank where I have black sand oneside with a white CT and white sand the other with teh black rosetail. But their personalities also won me

p.s. my local stores didnt know what nerite snails were but carried them and they were called zebras!

lilacamy931 said:

hello rebrn, you may want to hear varied views but here are mine

1. Snails can sometimes add more waste than good. I have some nerite snails in mine they produce a lot of waste but are excellent at clearing the extortionate algae I get, you may be lucky and be able to keep ontop of the algae with weekly water changes and cleanings. More live plants will also help. As to whether the betta will accept the snail, depends on the betta as they all have individual personalities. I have some with the snails but there are one or two I wouldnt dare try it, it is a case of try and learn and have a back up plan In a 5g I would probably say only snails such as nerites and apples?

2. Not sure on the salt, Im sure it wont do too much harm but perhaps do some water changes before and lower the levels as bettas can be senstive.

3. There are many varieties! Depends what you are after, how much money and how far you are willing to go for it! White would look great, or black (I currently have a white CT and also a black rosetail, the black though has a real silver sheen to the body). You can always pick a matching colour and go with a copper sheen. The varieties are massive out there, from personal experience though I would just get looking as with mine there has usually been "the one". Whether it is striking finnage, colour or on my latest addition sheer personality. My red veiltail, generally not keen on the bog standard blues and red VTS that litter local stores, but he was striking and came up to play against the glass to play with me and it was instant love at first sight. I have a themed tank where I have black sand oneside with a white CT and white sand the other with teh black rosetail. But their personalities also won me

p.s. my local stores didnt know what nerite snails were but carried them and they were called zebras!

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Great thanks. The LFS said that the salt would be fine but they have yet to give me good advise, big surprise Also, it is common here in the US for Bettas to be kept in small plastic containers, not aquariums or bowls. So when you buy them you get a fish in essentially a margrine container not in a bag. I could float the continer in the tanks but since it would be virtually imposible to add my tank water to the container the fish comes in, would it be ok for me to transfer the fish into a clean zip top bag once I got it home and float him in that rather then the small plastic container? If I transfer him to a bag at home I would at least be able to add some tank water to the zip top bag after floating him for a while, and make the transition a little easier.

rebrn said:

Great thanks. The LFS said that the salt would be fine but they have yet to give me good advise, big surprise Also, it is common here in the US for Bettas to be kept in small plastic containers, not aquariums or bowls. So when you buy them you get a fish in essentially a margrine container not in a bag. I could float the continer in the tanks but since it would be virtually imposible to add my tank water to the container the fish comes in, would it be ok for me to transfer the fish into a clean zip top bag once I got it home and float him in that rather then the small plastic container? If I transfer him to a bag at home I would at least be able to add some tank water to the zip top bag after floating him for a while, and make the transition a little easier.

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Yes thats fine. Excellent infact!
Just make sure you dont close the bag and dont fill it right to the top.

betta_246 said:

rebrn said:

Great thanks. The LFS said that the salt would be fine but they have yet to give me good advise, big surprise Also, it is common here in the US for Bettas to be kept in small plastic containers, not aquariums or bowls. So when you buy them you get a fish in essentially a margrine container not in a bag. I could float the continer in the tanks but since it would be virtually imposible to add my tank water to the container the fish comes in, would it be ok for me to transfer the fish into a clean zip top bag once I got it home and float him in that rather then the small plastic container? If I transfer him to a bag at home I would at least be able to add some tank water to the zip top bag after floating him for a while, and make the transition a little easier.

Click to expand...

Yes thats fine. Excellent infact!
Just make sure you dont close the bag and dont fill it right to the top.

Click to expand...

Excellent thanks

5 gallons filtered and heated is the correct size and setup so that's excellent for a betta . The airstone is not nessecary and may disturb the betta but see how he likes it when you get one. If he sulks just take it out.

The Tail type of your chosen betta will depend somewhat on how strong the flow from your filter is. If the flow noticeaby moves the plants around and disturbs the surface a lot, then a long tailed variety as often seen in stores, will most likely struggle with such a current and be unhappy. If that is the type you want then make sure your filter's flow can be turned down low so the fish isn't blown about or struggling to swim against the current.

If you can turn down the flow at all or enough for a long tailed variety, then a short finned Plakat betta ( closest to the wild style of fin shape basically ) is a better choice. I have one in a 5 gallon aquastart with a filter on moderate to slow flow, and he does absolutely fine in that.

What type of filter DO you have?

Also, you will need far more plants than just 2 or 3. These fish love to hide and rest on long tall plants, and do come from heavily vegetated areas. Perhaps plant up one half or one corner with a good bunch of plants including tall ones to rest on , and shorter ones for the foreground and the general look of the thing.

If you want an insanely easy to care for live plant that looks nice, then I highly suggest Marimo Moss balls. You can get packs of them on ebay and you just chuck them in and leave them. They look really nice and add a bit of a quirk to the bottom of the tank.

Hi,
I have my female betta in a 10-gallon tank and bought a filter for her and even with her small fins, she still has a problem with the current. She hates it. With both her tank and another betta tank I have, I put filter media and wrapped it around both the intake and out take valves and that has slowed the water to their liking.

Honeythorn said:

5 gallons filtered and heated is the correct size and setup so that's excellent for a betta . The airstone is not nessecary and may disturb the betta but see how he likes it when you get one. If he sulks just take it out.

The Tail type of your chosen betta will depend somewhat on how strong the flow from your filter is. If the flow noticeaby moves the plants around and disturbs the surface a lot, then a long tailed variety as often seen in stores, will most likely struggle with such a current and be unhappy. If that is the type you want then make sure your filter's flow can be turned down low so the fish isn't blown about or struggling to swim against the current.

If you can turn down the flow at all or enough for a long tailed variety, then a short finned Plakat betta ( closest to the wild style of fin shape basically ) is a better choice. I have one in a 5 gallon aquastart with a filter on moderate to slow flow, and he does absolutely fine in that.

What type of filter DO you have?

Also, you will need far more plants than just 2 or 3. These fish love to hide and rest on long tall plants, and do come from heavily vegetated areas. Perhaps plant up one half or one corner with a good bunch of plants including tall ones to rest on , and shorter ones for the foreground and the general look of the thing.

If you want an insanely easy to care for live plant that looks nice, then I highly suggest Marimo Moss balls. You can get packs of them on ebay and you just chuck them in and leave them. They look really nice and add a bit of a quirk to the bottom of the tank.

Click to expand...

I am not sure of the type of filter, it came with my Aqueon kit. There is a slight current on the water surface, but the plants really don't move. I do know that there is no speed control on the filter, bit I was told by a friend that I can add a second filter insert (or buy a thicker one) and that would slow down the current, but honestly it is not that strong and it is solely at the surface. To be honest, I think the airstone adds more current then the filter, when I unplugged the airstone the current virtually stops. As for the plants I actually had 6 in there, 2 large at the back, 2 medium at the sides and 2 small at the front (foreground plants). The 2 side ones are actually plastic and I have heard that plastic is not good for Bettas so I removed them and will be replacing them with simillar silk plants (that way they will all be silk total of 6).

Thanks for the tips

I would add live plants, but thats just me.

As for the filter, is it inside or outside the tank. It's probably a HOB (Hang on Back). It has a little tube that goes into the tank, which goes up outside the tank to a little box, and comes down in a little waterfall next to the input. Is that accurate?

llamalord305 said:

I would add live plants, but thats just me.

As for the filter, is it inside or outside the tank. It's probably a HOB (Hang on Back). It has a little tube that goes into the tank, which goes up outside the tank to a little box, and comes down in a little waterfall next to the input. Is that accurate?

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Yep that is it, except that it doesn't hang on the back, the tank has a built in holder for it so it is actually under the hood. But it has an intake valve that is in the tank and pulls the water up into the carbon filter and back out into the tank. The only part that is actually in the tank essentially is the tube. The bottom of the box that holds the carbon filter touches the top of the water only because of the built in holder. I added some pictures if that helps, sorry they aren't too good taken with my cell phone. The first is the side of the filter, and the second is the top under the hood. Like I said I know the filter is very basic, after all it came with the kit

Ahhh ok I get it. I had a similar type once. They're usually fine and slow enough ^^

Honeythorn said:

Ahhh ok I get it. I had a similar type once. They're usually fine and slow enough ^^

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great thanks