Hardware

[WeeManDan]

Hi

My girlfriend is moving into her new place in the next couple of weeks and I want to get her a pressie.
She chose the Betta in my small community tank and so I am thinking about getting her a little boy as well.

As mine is in a community tank I have never looked for Betta hardware so can anyone point me in the right
direction please?

Cheers

WeeManDan

 

[lisa_perry75]

Hey wee man dan,
How much are you looking to spend?
You'll need to buy a heater (have to), and a small filter even an air driven one? Depending on the tank you got. Hmm. I quite like Fluval 500s as tanks. You get everything you need! (Atm there are tropical upgrades for free). If you want gravel it'll only take like one bag at £3-4. Its £52.50 at my LFS, but then your girlfriend will have a 40L (almost 10g) tank. So a betta will have a lovely home, and also some room for ADFs or cories or something. If you cant spend this much, I'll suggest something else.

 

[WeeManDan]

TBH I dont think she would have the space for that size tank.

I was think more around the 4 galllon size

Thanks

WeeManDan

 

[liz2]

My bettas are happy in the £4.99 tanks from Wilkinsons. I dont use gravel but those lovely glass pebbles you can get from same shop. Nice bit of real weed, if your house is really cold a small heater and one happy betta, and one grateful girlfriend cost £17.50 and cost of betta.

 

[vancouver]

You should be able to find small 2-3 gallon tanks with filter in them at big chain stores for a decent price. A heater really isn't neccessary, but some people like to have them.

 

[soritan]

If I were you, I would ask myself two things before deciding on the volume of the tank:

How much space do I have, max? (and) Will she want more than just the betta?

If you have enough room for a 5g+, go for it! The more water, the better. Easier care, easier medication, easier hardware, easier overall, and after all that 'easy', happy betta.

If she will want more than just the betta (we've all been there), think of her future options.

A 5g will leave very, very few options. Generally speaking (I do mean general), she'll be left with African Dwarf Frogs and Apple Snails between 2 and 5 US gallons of space.


I encourage you to get a heater. Now, if her home is warmish, it'll rarely turn on. On the plus side, when she experiences some sort of cold spell, it WILL, and the betta will not die. In tanks less than 5g, you generally are not able to get a heater. Heaters are only really reliable in volumes 2g and above. Between 2 and 5g, you can't control the temperature... not really. Commercially available heaters only heat a few degrees above room temperature, for that range. 5g+, you can get a dialed heater, which turns on and maintains (theoretically) the water temp when it dips too low.

A filter is optional at 5g, and generally unnecessary 5g -.

Basically, at 5g -, you make it pretty. At that point, it is your responsiblity (not the heater, not the filter, nothing) to maintain water params.


A betta in a tank that is 5g- is an actual responsibility. If you suspect that she might skip a day or two, consider a larger volume, your future pet will thank you.

 

[catxx]

you can pick up fish r fun tanks fairly cheap if you shop around, i have a 5 gal hex (smaller footprint than a long tank, space saving) which is good for a betta, lots of tall plants (a must as this is a tall tank) and a 50 watt heater and you're away!

 

[WeeManDan]

Th space is going to be minimal and so I was thinking below 5G.

The heating is not really an issue as I would definately get a heater (for saety and security) my main question is really what heater?

She is keen on the Goldfish bowl style bowls but are they big enough? Would a normal suction cap heater and filter be ok?

Another possibility that just popped into my head is a 5G tank with some Cory's? If I went this route I would simply go for a normal aqaurium, better measure her table I thinks!

Cheers

WeeManDan

 

[catxx]

if you go for corys in a 5g you'll only be able to get the pygmy species (which can be hard to come by) and make sure it's long rather than tall, but even then it is more likely than not to result in over stocking.

the goldfish bowl style, ehh harder to fit a heater in on curved sides, and its not recommended to have an open top with bettas as they're known jumpers.

 

[WeeManDan]

if you go for corys in a 5g you'll only be able to get the pygmy species (which can be hard to come by) and make sure it's long rather than tall, but even then it is more likely than not to result in over stocking.

the goldfish bowl style, ehh harder to fit a heater in on curved sides, and its not recommended to have an open top with bettas as they're known jumpers.

Ok looks like a small tank then, an links for the Fish R Fun

Cheers

WeeManDan

 

[catxx]

go on ebay for a bargin, i got mine for £20 less on ebay (including shipping) than in the shops.
and it got shipped safe and fine.

i got mine coldwater and got the heater seperately. but it depends if you want to double up or not, it may work out cheaper that way.