heater and other suggestions for beta

[Fishmanic]

my nephew went out and bought one betta fish yesterday and plans on putting it in a one gallon bowl. Of course I suggested a bigger tank but that is his choice. He did not plan on cycling or installing a heater or filter but plans to change 1/2 of the water per week as per store's suggestion.

His home is about 67F in the winter and about 70 in the summer. Would you suggest he add particular type of heater for this tiny tank...perhaps one that is just on all the time. like a 5 watt one? Any specific model? I can bring over some established media to squeeze into the water and can do this once a week for two or three weeks.

Any other suggestions for this setup? I personally never kept betta fish so am looking to learn so I can relay info to my nephew.

 

[Essjay]

I suggest you print this http://www.fishforums.net/threads/betta-splendens-caresheet.423362/ and give it to your nephew. And perhaps highlight the comments on:
Tank size (2.5 galls minimum)
Temperature (76 - 82 deg F)
Cleaning schedule (1 gall, unfiltered needs 100% changes every 2 days)

Make sure he reads the whole of the care sheet, not just those sections.


And somehow convince him not to listen to the shop.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Essjay has covered the main points.

In fact I would suggest that abetter tank would be a 5 gallon tank, this i easier to maintain water parameters than a 2.5 gal.

At the very least a heater and a simple sponge filter would be the minimum for bettas.

A 5 w heater would work, that is if you can find one with adjustable thermostat, but a 10w heater is perfectly fine, in fact probaby more economical with the 10w. Having a heater ensures there is no heat flucuation especially as its warmer during the day and colder at night.

Simple sponge filter will work fine as a betta has a low bioload.

Seeding the tank with a good squeezing of your filter sponge is a good suggestion, I have done this for my 5 gal shrimp tank, was cycled in a week! Only need to do this once really.

A couple of low tech plants will help as well, anubias is a popular choice as the broad leaves is usually appreciated by bettas to rest on.

Ensure you teach him the reasons why tank maintenance is important and to ensure water changes are done at least once a week to help keep the betta in good health.

And finally, as you know very well, LFS advice is to be taken with a large pinch of salt!

 

[nortonmad213]

i had a 10w heater in with mine for a couple years but a coil broke on it and the only other heater i had was a 50w. its on for about 5 seconds an hour now so nice and economical, just sticks out a bit ha

 

[GobyMaster11276]

Essjay and Ch4rlie covered almost everything. What chemicals does he have (e.g conditioner)? Definitely needs a heater and filter, though that has been covered. Make sure he gets a test kit, and maintains the tank weekly (via water changes, tests, so forth). One gallon is tiny, and to be honest, kind of cruel. He should at least aim for five. A bowl is also not ideal due to its shape, so a tank would be better (with a lid). What types of food does he plan to feed? On top of all this, he will need plants (preferably real, and if so with an appropriate light) and some type of substrate. They may be fish, but they need stimulation as well. Make sure he doesn't have plans for tank mates, because though it may seem like a nice idea to a social species like us, most bettas prefer to be alone. Sorry if this sounds rude or condescending, I really hope it doesn't. It's just that a lot of areas need to be covered.