New Betta Fish Mom

[Ladytcat2003]

Hi, everybody. I pray that all of you and your loved ones are being blessed and safe into this new year. I am not a stranger of aquariums. I dabbled in them at least 15 years ago. Nothing huge 20 gal max, and my fish only consisted of fancy goldfish, fan tails, Orandas...ect., and the occasional channel cat. Fast forward, I am setting up a small Betta tank, 5 gal to start, for one Betta and one Mystery Snail or Black Racer Nitrite snail. I wanted one that wouldn't have a zillion babies if by chance I got 2. Have no idea how to tell a mail from female. It's not as up front(rear) and personal as other animal species. All I know is growing up my grandfather had an aquarium with a few snails that ended up being a snail infestation in a matter of no time. That, I do not want. I researched and came up with the 2 likely candidates. I read that these snails and Betta fish are great tank-mates. But I ran across some reviews that said their Bettas were aggressive toward their newly introduced snails. If I got the Betta and the snail the same day and "floated" them together so they could see each other while they acclimate to the new tank, would that help to keep aggressive behaviors in check?? I wanted the snail to help with cleaning duties. Since it's only a 5 gal, I think about the only animal to have as a cleaner is a snail. I'm trying small until I get the hang of it and I don't kill them. Then I'll go bigger. Thanks for any advice.

 

[DancingBetta]

 

[Circus]

Welcome to the forum!

None of my betta fish really bothered my snails. For a 5 gallon, you are better off with the nerite snail, and they will not breed in the home aquarium (but might leave eggs the size and shape of 1/2 a grain of rice). My mystery snails both got bigger than any of my betta fish. I would wait until there is some biofilm for the snail to actually eat before adding it.

 

[Ladytcat2003]

Welcome to the forum!

None of my betta fish really bothered my snails. For a 5 gallon, you are better off with the nerite snail, and they will not breed in the home aquarium (but might leave eggs the size and shape of 1/2 a grain of rice). My mystery snails both got bigger than any of my betta fish. I would wait until there is some biofilm for the snail to actually eat before adding it.

Thank you for your reply. I was thinking about that as far as the feeding part. I did see some advice to use Spirulina Pellets for bottom feeders. There's just so much different info out here that my brain is on overload. Lol! I want to be a good and responsible Betta and tank-mate mom.

 

[Essjay]

But I ran across some reviews that said their Bettas were aggressive toward their newly introduced snails.

I've heard of bettas nipping the antennae of mystery snails - they are long and worm like so a betta could easily be confused.

I kept bettas for many years (one at a time) and always had a nerite snail in the tank. Only one of those bettas seemed to notice the snail, and that was only when the snail was on the glass. The betta would flare it it for a while then give up. He ignored the sanil when it was on the bottom of the tank or on some decor. I'm sure the betta thought it was a fish swimming in the water when it was on the glass

 

[Ladytcat2003]

I've heard of bettas nipping the antennae of mystery snails - they are long and worm like so a betta could easily be confused.

I kept bettas for many years (one at a time) and always had a nerite snail in the tank. Only one of those bettas seemed to notice the snail, and that was only when the snail was on the glass. The betta would flare it it for a while then give up. He ignored the sanil when it was on the bottom of the tank or on some decor. I'm sure the betta thought it was a fish swimming in the water when it was on the glass

Thank you. This will be my first Betta. I researched about them and I had no idea that there were so many different species of Bettas. I've always saw the ones they kept in little cups at the pet store. I've always thought that was cruel. The males were all colorful and fancy and the females more plain looking. I want one of those really fancy ones with the bright color and flowing fins. But most of all I want to be a good Betta mom.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Welcome to the forum.

Be sure to read up on cycling your tank before adding fish, it's much easier (and less stressful) than doing a fish-in cycle.

Read about fishless cycling here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/fishless-cycling.113861/

 

[Ladytcat2003]

Welcome to the forum.

Be sure to read up on cycling your tank before adding fish, it's much easier (and less stressful) than doing a fish-in cycle.

Read about fishless cycling here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/fishless-cycling.113861/

Thank you. I did read the link you provided. It was very informative. There is just so much information out here. It can be a bit overwhelming. In reading the link, it was talking about bacteria in the filter, gravel and decorations. I was aware that a new aquarium should be started and ran at a minimum 24 hours before you add your fish. Will bacteria still grow in the filter if I ran the aquarium for a long time(days, weeks) before adding the fish?? I had a 1.5 gal aquarium to put my Betta in and I ran it, without fish, for over a month. The more I looked at it, the more I felt like it was still to small, even for one Beta. So I updated the aquarium with a 5 gal., added more gravel and decorations. But I used the same filter(not the pump), gravel and decorations from the tiny aquarium. I also added a 50w heater(since Bettas like a warmer temp) and an air stone. There was a slight slime on the river stones and base of the decorations. I thought it might have been algae, even without fish ever being in it. I did rinse those off but not the filter. The new aquarium has been running since last night and I was thinking about adding my Betta and snail Monday. Will there be the bacteria that the link mentioned?

 

[Slaphppy7]

It usually takes 3+ weeks to do a fishless cycle, sometimes more, if you don't start with seeded bacteria from another established tank.
If you add the betta sooner, you will be doing a fish-in cycle, which is much more time consuming, and stressful, on both the fish and you.

 

[Ladytcat2003]

It usually takes 3+ weeks to do a fishless cycle, sometimes more, if you don't start with seeded bacteria from another established tank.
If you add the betta sooner, you will be doing a fish-in cycle, which is much more time consuming, and stressful, on both the fish and you.

Oh ok. Well, I've got to take my kitty to Banfield Vet(located in Petsmart) for her booster shot. Maybe I can get them to give me a little of their gravel or something that has the bacteria. I was going to get my Betta then but I'm going to wait now, until I have established the "cycle". And if I wait until it's a little warmer, there will be a better selection of Bettas. Since it's cold and they don't do well in shipping when it's cold, there isn't much to choose from.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Good plan, take your time, nothing "good" happens "fast" in fishkeeping.
Avoid putting anything from a tank from a pet store to jump start your cycle, no telling what is in those tanks, as far as nasties go.
Just concentrate on getting the supplies you need, I recommend these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00025694O/?tag=ff0d01-20

Ace Ammonia Scent Ammonia Liquid 1 gal - Ace Hardware

Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH3. A stable binary hydride and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct characteristic of a pungent smell.Find the AMMONIA GAL ACE at Ace.

www.acehardware.com

You don't need a full gallon of the Ace ammonia, try to find the quart size...just make sure there's no additives (surfactants, perfumes)...you want plain, pure ammonia

 

[Ladytcat2003]

Good plan, take your time, nothing "good" happens "fast" in fishkeeping.
Avoid putting anything from a tank from a pet store to jump start your cycle, no telling what is in those tanks, as far as nasties go.
Just concentrate on getting the supplies you need, I recommend these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00025694O/?tag=ff0d01-20

Ace Ammonia Scent Ammonia Liquid 1 gal - Ace Hardware

Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH3. A stable binary hydride and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct characteristic of a pungent smell.Find the AMMONIA GAL ACE at Ace.

www.acehardware.com

You don't need a full gallon of the Ace ammonia, try to find the quart size...just make sure there's no additives (surfactants, perfumes)...you want plain, pure ammonia

You are right about those tanks at the pet stores. I actually was thinking the same thing when I read your reply. It's been quite a while since I've had an aquarium but I do remember buying a couple of fish back then that had ick. I did remedy the situation quickly. The thing I used back then was called Coppersafe, if I'm remembering correctly. And it covered a broad spectrum of fish ailments. I was trying to find it online but I haven't found it anywhere. I don't know what happened to it. They may have found that it caused all kinds of side effects, like human meds do. Sometimes the side effects are worse than the actual issue. Lol!!

 

[Essjay]

A lot of fish medications have been reformulated or the manufacturer has been taken over and the name of the product changed.

But if your fish ever get ich this time around, heat is the best treatment - raise the water temperature to 86 deg F/30 deg C for 2 weeks.

 

[Essjay]

I had no idea that there were so many different species of Bettas.

The bettas in stores are usually all the same species, Betta splendens. There are other betta species, but few stores sell them.
But there are many different types of B. splendens - different tail types, different colours, even different sizes with king bettas being bigger than usual.

 

[Ladytcat2003]

A lot of fish medications have been reformulated or the manufacturer has been taken over and the name of the product changed.

But if your fish ever get ich this time around, heat is the best treatment - raise the water temperature to 86 deg F/30 deg C for 2 weeks.

Oh wow! Heat, really? I thought ick was a fungal infection. Kind of like yeast. And heat makes yeast grow. I've got to get another thermometer. I got one of those sticky ones you put on the side against my better judgment. And it hasn't done anything...at all. But it sticks good. The original one I ordered arrived broken. Red stuff all in its packaging. The replacement one was on the spur of the moment purchase. I'm going to stick with my original plan and use the old fashioned type. Old and reliable.