How do most of you keep bettas ?

[Rich T]

Im a little confused by the whole idea of keeping bettas.

Ive seen people keeping them in unheated, unlit little bowls with no filter etc just the odd plant.


Is this ok for the betta ?

I understand that you have to keep changing the water a lot so that 100% of the water is changed every 3 or 4 days.

Now as there is no filter in the bowls then is it necesary to dechlorinate the water as there is no bacteria in a filter to protect from the chlorines in tap water ?


Im looking at getting one male betta from lfs with a small bowl or possibly another 4 Gallon tank like I have below if I can run it as I do with my other tank.

If I buy a 4 Gallon tank with filter lighting heating etc can the water be changed for example 30% per week

Thanks
Rich T

 

[purple_drazi]

Bettas are pretty tough little guys so that's why you'll see them in every kind of set-up under the sun but to find out what's best for them may I suggest that you go to bettatalk.com? It's the best source for info (she's got something like over 400 pages) on bettas that you'll find.

You ask

Ive seen people keeping them in unheated, unlit little bowls with no filter etc just the odd plant. Is this ok for the betta ?

Define "little". If you mean those miniscule little glass cups that pet stores sell, no, they're not ok, 1g is about the smallest bowl you'd want to keep a betta in. Bettas *can* live in smaller containers but would you want to live in a closet? You *can*, but you wouldn't like it. Pet stores sell them because people buy them. People buy them because they don't know better.

I understand that you have to keep changing the water a lot so that 100% of the water is changed every 3 or 4 days.

It depends on the size of the container. A 1/4g needs a 100% water change once every 4 days, a 1/2 gal jar once every 5 to 6 days, and a 1 gal jars needs a 100% change once every 7 days. For more info on water changes go here: http/www.bettatalk.com/answer130.htm

Now as there is no filter in the bowls then is it necesary to dechlorinate the water as there is no bacteria in a filter to protect from the chlorines in tap water ?

It would be best if you check out this link:
http/www.bettatalk.com/water.htm
It will tell you everything you need to know. Hope that helps!

 

[endparenthesis]

Ive seen people keeping them in unheated, unlit little bowls with no filter etc just the odd plant.
Is this ok for the betta ?

Depends on how big the bowl is of course. Above a gallon it's usually ok... preferrably a little more. Heating is necessary if the water is typically under 70F, however heaters also help to buffer against temperature shifts that occur pretty quickly in small quantities of water (i.e. the bowl is in a room that gets 10 degrees hotter in the daytime). The more water the more gradual the shifts.

My smallest betta container is a 2.5 gallon, and I don't use heaters. The temperature doesn't change much in the room they're in.

Now as there is no filter in the bowls then is it necesary to dechlorinate the water as there is no bacteria in a filter to protect from the chlorines in tap water ?

The bacteria process ammonia, not chlorine. Dechlorination of water containing chlorine is always essential. Chlorine will kill fish and bacteria alike.

If I buy a 4 Gallon tank with filter lighting heating etc can the water be changed for example 30% per week

Definitely. You could probably even extend it to two week intervals.

 

[Logitech]

Basically, what everyone said in here. But if you live in colder climates, then obviously, you'd need a heater for your betta.

 

[f250fisherman]

The 4 gal would be easy to cycle. If you just let it cycle, it will take about 6 weeks. There are various ways to speed this up. Checking for ammonia is the only way to know just when you need to change water at first. Usually after 3 weeks, the ammonia will start to show. Doing a partial water change will lower the ammonia, and then you have to watch more closely. After cycling, I do a gravel wash in 2 weeks. 2 weeks later, I change the filter. Then in 2 weeks, do a gravel wash again. If you rotate the gravel wash and filter every 2 weeks, you should not have any trouble maintaining the cycle.
The chlorine has to be neutralized by treatment. Cycling does not affect chlorine. Using a thermometer in the tank is the only way to know if you need to heat it. Bettas can live in cooler water, eg.72-74 degrees, but their immune system does not work as well, and they will also be more lethargic. 78-82 is more what they need to be comfortable.

 

[Rich T]

By little tanks i mean plant vases etc not the cups that would just be totaly inhumane

If I were to buy a bowl of some sort it would be at least a 1 gallon bowl nothing smaller.

The bacteria process ammonia, not chlorine. Dechlorination of water containing chlorine is always essential. Chlorine will kill fish and bacteria alike.

Sorry I know the bacteria processes the amonia . What I meant was chlorine kills the bacteria in filters but as there is no filter in an unfiltered betta bowl is it necessary to dechlorinate.

It does seem like a dumb question now though


Right then I will have to find out if my desk can hold the weight of another 4 gallon tank without collapsing

 

[SnowyzMom]

Oh heck, what's another 32 pounds of water? (8 lbs per gallon) Just take all the books you're finished reading and jack up the desk underneath with a pile of them and forge ahead! Seriously, always dechlorinate. Bettas aren't as tough as THAT. How do you tell if a Betta is getting stressed? All the stressed ones I've seen lose a LOT of their colour, and get their wild bars back on their sides. They pale right out. Good luck! Definitely with a 4 or 5 gallon you don't need to change oftener than once a week. Now winter is coming I'm definitely adding a heater to my 5 gallon so Jack doesn't need winter woolies to put on!

 

[Rich T]

Lol at your bettas name

Jack Sparrow Pirates of the carribean fan or just a johnny depp fan ?

 

[bkk_group]

Bettas are pretty tough little guys so that's why you'll see them in every kind of set-up under the sun but to find out what's best for them may I suggest that you go to bettatalk.com? It's the best source for info (she's got something like over 400 pages) on bettas that you'll find.

You ask

Ive seen people keeping them in unheated, unlit little bowls with no filter etc just the odd plant.  Is this ok for the betta ?

Define "little". If you mean those miniscule little glass cups that pet stores sell, no, they're not ok, 1g is about the smallest bowl you'd want to keep a betta in. Bettas *can* live in smaller containers but would you want to live in a closet? You *can*, but you wouldn't like it. Pet stores sell them because people buy them. People buy them because they don't know better.

I understand that you have to keep changing the water a lot so that 100% of the water is changed every 3 or 4 days.

It depends on the size of the container. A 1/4g needs a 100% water change once every 4 days, a 1/2 gal jar once every 5 to 6 days, and a 1 gal jars needs a 100% change once every 7 days. For more info on water changes go here: http/www.bettatalk.com/answer130.htm

Now as there is no filter in the bowls then is it necesary to dechlorinate the water as there is no bacteria in a filter to protect from the chlorines in tap water ?

It would be best if you check out this link:
http/www.bettatalk.com/water.htm
It will tell you everything you need to know. Hope that helps!

you know, wuv spent a lot of time coming up with the pinned topic "betta basics". instead of name-dropping that horribly wretched site "faith talk" all the time maybe we could find some of those answers we look for right here on this site, what do you think?

 

[Synastic]

you know, wuv spent a lot of time coming up with the pinned topic "betta basics". instead of name-dropping that horribly wretched site "faith talk" all the time maybe we could find some of those answers we look for right here on this site, what do you think?

I must agree with you on this one Bkk, why mention "Betta Talk".... All the info you need is on the forum.

 

[purple_drazi]

"name-dropping"? hardly. I'm simply directing Rich to the best betta site I know of. And as for calling it a "horribly wretched site", sounds like somebody here has got issues.


This forum is a handy reference, sure. But you have to admit that to go through all of the threads the search engine pulls up for even the simplest questions and to try & figure out which answer is correct when you get the inevitable conflict of opinion can be more confusing than not.

What, we shouldn't direct a newbie to a site that is comprehensive and correct because...they should spend all of their time looking here?
Sorry, that's lame.

 

[bkk_group]

"name-dropping"? hardly. I'm simply directing Rich to the best betta site I know of. And as for calling it a "horribly wretched site", sounds like somebody here has got issues.


This forum is a handy reference, sure. But you have to admit that to go through all of the threads the search engine pulls up for even the simplest questions and to try & figure out which answer is correct when you get the inevitable conflict of opinion can be more confusing than not.

What, we shouldn't direct a newbie to a site that is comprehensive and correct because...they should spend all of their time looking here?
Sorry, that's lame.

how many times have you mentioned "betta talk" in the last little while?
it seems that almost every one of your posts has some reference to faith's site. you aren't on her payroll now are you?

 

[wuvmybetta]

That was sweet,bkk,thanks
Not trying to hijack but I gotta confess....people don't see her the way they used to. I was browsing her site the other day looking for strain info on some ct's I had purchased earlier this year and I found a new link where she was saying "I was the one who started betta auctions,and I was the one who started this and that"....I couldn't help but bust out laughing because it sounded like a little kid getting mad because they weren't the center of attention anymore

 

[coconutman39]

im just here to refer to the non-dechlorinater thing, yes you need to dechlorinate. chlorine is not the best thing for fish and should be removed. most of the time when you buy products they do 2 things. take slime-coat for instance, that even declorinates water.

 

[Rich T]

Guys lol stop fighting I appreciate all the info going and that site is pretty good for looking at all the different types of betta so thanks for that.

Ive mulled over the betta basics thread a few times before posting the above questions as I was unsure of a few things.


Would a bowl like this be good for a betta ?

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...4323094495&rd=1

Im not sure of its capacity though