Another Person - New To Bettas

[Mink]

Hello, It seems I'm yet another person posting here, new to bettas.

Well - I am experienced with fish, I had a 10 gallon as a little girl with community fish and was given a 20 gallon for one birthday.
I've had swordtails, plattys, mollies, guppies, tetras, barbs, angelfish, loaches, cory cats, plecos, and a whole bunch of others.
At one point I was moving a lot so stopped buying new fish.
A couple years ago I won a couple goldfish at a fair and had them for about a year, I got pretty attached to them.
Anyhow, its been a couple years.

So, I have an acquaintance and friended her on facebook, she has been posting so many pics and stuff about her collection of bettas.
I thought it would be nice to have a betta of my own someday. I visited bettas when at a few pet stores I frequent, but never bought any.
Today I was at the store and they had a over-the-top display for bettas with every thing you'd need and a bunch of cool aquariums to check out.
Well, the 'aquariums' were nice but all around 1 liter and I thought too small.
My brother's friend has a good dozen bettas and said I could just get a large vase for a lot less money and it'd be fine.
They said I wouldn't need a heater. (I'm pretty sure I do - after further research.)

I couldn't help it - I saw 1 betta that caught my eye and I thought he was perfect.
I couldn't leave him behind. I always feel kinda bad for them, but this was worse then usual.

I got the largest vase I could find, i think about 2.5 liters?
I bought a silk plant, some food, and some pebbles.

After more research, I want to get a larger aquarium - I now read 1 gallon would be the most basic.. I might get between 1 and 2 gallon.
I wanted to have a little companion on my computer desk since I use my computer a lot in the evening.
I have a 2.5 gallon that a family member gave me - it needs a new light-bulb and a lot of cleaning, and it would be a tight squeeze.
But I really dislike that these 1 gallon aquariums are priced around $25.00
There was one aquarium I saw online that comes with water conditioner, food, and everything but a heater.

I think I also need a heater - right?

I read conflicting advice, about heaters.
Also about filters.. I read that people with low filters for bettas still end up doing frequent water changes anyways.
Outlets are an issue, but 2 things - heater and light should be okay.

OK, so.... any recommendations / insight about aquariums, heaters, etc.?

Yup, the store employee told me I wouldn't need much more than a 1 liter tank, no heater or anything.
Just a small tank and change the water. >_<

Sorry for my rambling!

As a reward, Here's my guy, still deciding on a name

 

[The_Betta_Lady]

You are right to question what you was told by the worker at the LFS. You do need a heater yes, the fluctuations in temperature can cause problems for your betta and if its too cold he will just become sluggish, dull and very unhappy. A filter is not so important as long as you do regular changes. With a 1gal tank I would change the water by 50% - 75% at least every other day. Its sad that so many staff don't know how to properly care for bettas and give out the wrong advice

You can get nice little heaters for small tanks, they are about 25watt, from your LFS. If you do decide to go for a filter you will need to make sure it is one that isn't too strong otherwise your betta will struggle with it and spend all his time in the one place there is hardly any current (this is why I always go for the water changes)

I hope this helps you a little and no doubt others will be along to add things. He is a very lovely looking little fella

 

[lilfishie]

as sad he will be needing a heater, and a tank is much better than a vase (more surface area) which is important as these lil guys breath air from the surface.

Bueatiful lil guy either way

 

[Fish are AWE]

Wow, That guy is amazing! I love his red and blue colour that blends in with him. Um the only thing that i might disagree with you is that the tank is kind of too small for him. So i would recommend at least a 10 litre aquarium. I hope you have the best time with him!

 

[Mink]

He was a surprise, I wasn't expecting to go home with him lol.
BUT today, I spent about an hour in the fish section going over everything with a fine-tooth comb.

They were trying to sell 1 gallon square type tanks with open tops for nearly $20.
I went and found a terrarium-type container (I read many people love these for betta)
- that the 1 gallon tank fit into with and extra inch or two, so I know its a bit bigger than a gallon. This terrarium was only $8.
I just emptied an entire 1 gallon spring water plus a liter (don't trust my well-water)and it still could use another inch.

I also bought a "betta under-gravel heater" good for up to 3 gallons, supposedly. Plus a little tank sticker thermometer.
I have some natural-looking pebbles on the bottom, two silk plants, and I bought a nice smooth rock with a hole in it.

Right now, the tank has all the gravel, heater, plants, and rock set-up with water in it.
I added the 10 drops of Betta water conditioner.

The rock is making little bubbles, expelling air I assume? Is it something to worry about?
I am letting the heater go to work before moving my guy... would cooler water to warmer water stun him?
I know how to do the water acclimation but it will be tricky since he is in the vase right now.

please help

 

[Fish are AWE]

Hmm... if you still have a fish plastic bag you can use the method when introducing new fish to an aquarium, but if you dont make sure that the temp is the same one as the other.

 

[The_Betta_Lady]

The stone producing bubbles is normal at first, once all the trapped air has escaped or settled it will stop. What you have got sounds great and he will be much happier in his new home.

Really you need to acclimatise him to the new temp, you could shock his system from moving him from one to another even if it is cool to warmer. Do you have a sandwich bag or a small plastic bag with no holes? If so scoop up water out of his vase into the bag and put him in that, then put that in his new tank and slowly the water he is in will warm giving him time to adjust. remember to make sure he is able to get air to breath. Also if you mean will warmer water suit him to live in, then yes most definitely. I think I have covered every thing. If not just shout

 

[Mink]

okay, well I set the tank up, turned off the heater and let it settle for like 5 hours last night.
After that time, the new home and old home had the same room-temperature water.
I put the vase and new tank as close as possible (touching) and then carefully moved my guy over with a net.
Then I turned the heater on so it would gradually get warmer for him. *phew!*

Here's his new home.

He was doing well for the remainder of the night, he hung out in one corner at first and was flaring up - trying to fight his reflection, I think.
He seemed happy this morning. When I got home from work and fed him, I found this:

And he's still been working on it: (but never when I'm looking!)

I think its a good sign?

 

[lilfishie]

good sign means he is happy with his new home

 

[The_Betta_Lady]

Awww bless, he is happy

 

[Dieses Madchen]

He's a beautiful little guy. Looks just like my "Rockstar!"