New Betta

[dixaisy930]

On a spontanious act, I adopted a betta yesterday. He's a dark brown color with light yellow fins. I figured he'd probably have a hard time getting a home, since he wasn't as "flashy" as the other bettas there.

Currently (I hope you don't through virtual rocks at me lol), he is in a one gallon fish bowl. Normally I would never consider keeping a fish in one of these, but I read over and over that they can do fine in there because they can breath air. I had a betta years and years ago, and I kept him in a one gallow fish bowl, but it was the flat kind that had alot more surface area. That betta seemed to live forever, and was always making bubble nests. Oscar (the new betta) seems happy in his new home. He swims around, and always comes up to the surface when I come to the bowl. His fins aren't droopy, and he's been eating really well. (but I suppose he would be happy in anything other than those dixie cups Speaking of which, how much should I feed him? He always acts hungry, but I just gave him three little pellets this morning.

Thanks for taking the time for my questions, which I'm sure you all have heard thousands of times already. lol

 

[akhtar]

try getting a 3 gallon tank, its easier and doesnt take much more space!

its probably happy, but i bet he/she would love a 3 gallon house!!!

try it and give him a nice soft bushy plant, he will do ok in a 1 gallon tank i think, im not so experienced but through what i know, hee will like a 3 gallon aquarium!

thanks bye

 

[MAM]

granted, they live fine in those little cups you buy them in, so the fish bowl is certainly an improvement. but he might be happier in something witha a plant and a little cave to "hide" in. don't know where you are or your financial status (how much youre willing to spend on fish), but places like walmart and petsmart and petco sell these great one gallon tanks with an undergravel filter (i know, some of you out there hate these things, but so far, they've worked great for my bettas), a hood with a small light and an air pump. you just have to get some gravel and an extra plant (some kits include a small amount of gravel but not enough and usually one ugly plastic plant, somehave a cave too but some don't, but they're cheap too), and they only cost around $10 u.s. dollars. fit great on a shelf or tabletop or counter. and the air pumps are pretty quiet. theres room for the betta to swim, they aren't too deep so he can easily get to the top. i really like them.

 

[White Whale]

He swims around, and always comes up to the surface when I come to the bowl. His fins aren't droopy, and he's been eating really well. (but I suppose he would be happy in anything other than those dixie cups Speaking of which, how much should I feed him? He always acts hungry, but I just gave him three little pellets this morning.

You're lucky. My bettas shy away from me. Do I need a bath? Or maybe a Tic-Tac?And how are the pellets? I feed my two guys freeze-dried bloodworms, but only every other day in order to keep them a bit hungry to minimize waste in their bowls.

 

[Where the river goes]

a word of caution though....use live of silk plants as plastic plants may damage the bettas fins.

 

[dixaisy930]

I trimmed some of the live plants in my 10g (I would put my betta in there in a seccond, but my mollies are rather bossy, and I know my dwarf puffer would shred his poor tail). He nipped at the plants at first (I imagine this is the first time he's ever seen them ). What other kind of food do bettas like? He's rather fond of the betta pellets, but I also have freeze dried and frozen brine shrimp, frozen and freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex worms (freeze dried), and zuccinni. Yes, my fish are very spoiled....lol I've seen two gallon "tanks" in Wal-Mart with underground filters and what-not...maybe I'll eventually get him one of those.

 

[MAM]

my bettas love the little betta bits things, trying the hikari betta food but they don't seem to care for it as much, spit it out a lot. they also love freeze dried bloodworms, which i only give them once every couple of days.

 

[Liz05]

This is what Ive always kept bettas in, and with a small plant and gravel he will probably be quite content. However, if $10-20 won't set you back too much, I would consider buying a 1 or 2 gallon tank from Wal Mart. They're lighted, so you can see him better, and most come with a small plant. They have a UGF (which is better than no filter at all!) They come with a small air pump and stone, which are nice although he doesn't need it. I think they're quite nice for so cheap!

 

[BettaBoyz]

granted, the small desktop tank kits that Liz described are good for a while, but it completely depends on a lot of things. i bought one and kept my Betta, Pierce, in it. he's been there two weeks now. he's a messy boy, and the filter cannot handle the type of food i feed him (Wardley Brine Shrine Pellet Formula- half a dusted pellet) even if he eats it all! he refuses to eat a chunk so i dust it, and the dust dissolves like sugar in the water and turns it brown, but the filter does nothing. it handles flakes well, so i'm giving it to my brother for some Guppies.

i'd actually suggest keeping the bowl for a while, you'll want to get him a small two gallon tank at some point, or maybe you're addiction will grow and you'll end out with a ten gallon tank that you'd like to put him and some other fish in. if you'd really like to move him, get an Aquaterium. i think that's what they're called. they're big, round tank-bowl mutations that come with lids, made by Penn Plax i believe. Penn Plax things scratch easy, but this tank is quite good for Bettas. the largest is 3 gallons, smallest is 1 gallon. you could easily fit a layer of gravel or glass marbles on the bottom, several live of silk plants and a cave in there for him, and maybe even squish in a pair of Cories (check the third calculator in the top pinned thread, it'll tell you how many fish you can fit into the tank)

most Bettas eat three or four pellets in the morning and again at night. you may want to vary his diet with other neat things, like Brine Shrimp or Bloodworms. i can't get ahold of them, so my boys have settled with what they get and don't complain. in fact they refuse any other kinds of food!

good luck with Oscar, but remember; one becomes two, and two becomes three, and three becomes four...

that's how it always starts =)

 

[sandyd]

hi, glad to hear that another betta is in a spoiled home. I think he should be fine in the tank he is in for now, with regular water changes since there is not a filter. I have 6 bettas now, 5 boys and 1 girl. I have a couple in 1 gallons, and they are ok, but i do 100% water changes every 4-5 days. My others are all in devided 10 gallon tanks. I feed mine those HIkari Bio-Gold Pelletts, 3-4 pelletts in am and pm, as well as i feed them bloodworms, but only every other day. I also will give them a peeled pea once a week to help with their pottying. I truthfully feed peas that have been cooked and peeled to all of my fish 1 night a week, every fish i have ever had, seems to like them. Good luck with your new betta, they are additive, i only started with 1 blue one and now look, there are 6 in my house and if i had more tanks, there would probably be more. LOL
Sandy