New to Betta keeping

[Videl]

Hi, i am new to betta keeping. i have a 1/2 US Gallon tank with a fake plant and gravel covering 3/4 of an inch from the bottom. This tank came from the "Marina Betta Kit" and i just want to know how and how often do i clean the tank. It occupies one betta with no filter. Thankyou for your help.
P.S. will my fish get stressed out with frequent water changes.

 

[Synirr]

Bettas really need a minimum of at least one gallon, but if you're determined to keep that 1/2 gallon for any period of time, it's going to need 100% water changes twice a week or more. It depends on the individual fish whether or not frequent water changes are stressful. Some of my bettas kinda sulk for a few hours after a water change, but most go right back to their business, probably wondering why I keep destroying their bubblenests

 

[SRC]

Personally if it is a 1/2 gallon I'd do 100% water changes every other day. You can scoop your guy out with a net...just herd him over to the side of the tank then scoop him out..don't chase him back and forth ...that can stress them out. Or you can pour him out..but be careful the gravel doesn't squish him though. (personally I'd go without gravel...just easier on a small tank)

Wash out your gravel and the plant...and you're done. I say every other day ..because with no filtration and such a low amount of water...they really need it or the ammonia builds up way too fast..and you'll get fin rot.

Might wanna get a silk plant, if it isn't already, because plastic ones tend to catch their fins and rip/shred them sometimes.

I usually feed mine while they are out of their tank...make them not dread water change time so badly...because they know they are gonna get something tasty.

Good luck with him..and welcome!!!

 

[3fsh]

I would do 50% water changes every other day.... but that's just an IMO. I think that if you can get some good beneficial bacteria in there, it would help a lot. (Plants usually have good bacteria at their roots.)

 

[SRC]

What would you need beneficial bacteria in a 1/2 gallon for? You can't cycle it lol.

 

[EinarKM]

Nice to see the info here, I decided a few days ago to enter the world of Bettas as well (I have over 50 other fish) and I got my self a Black/Blue/Turquoise Boy and 2 Girls, (They look like Dee & Tip from your site SRC), these are grown here in Iceland and are Veiltails.

I have them in a 6 Gallon tank with minimum gravel and Cabomba carolina plants.

 

[red-devil0602]

what did you use to devide them?

 

[EinarKM]

I dont have them separated in the 6 gallon tank as is. I build my own tanks and I am now in the process of making a perfect Betta breeding tank. But as dividers I have used Plexiglass with some part of it cut away for the net (has really proven it self.)

 

[MegTheFish]

Am I reading this right...your saying you have all 3 bettas (1 m, 2 f) in the same tank WITHOUT dividers???

 

[EinarKM]

Divider will go in today, I just had to act quick when I got those and did not have a tank ready with dividers, but they are doing just fine without it as is.

 

[Sorrell]

Absolutely need to do 100% water changes on a 1/2 gallon, or any non-filtered tank for that matter. I will second the every other day as well.

As for the other poster, get the dividers in ASAP. Bettas will be best buds on second and killing each other the next. In that size tank you can't add a bunch of females so with only two make sure to divide all three fish or the girls will kill each other too.

 

[3fsh]

Eeek! *Note to self*: never post anything when you are tired. I meant 50% changes every day. (Or 100% every other day.) Yeesh... sorry about that.

What would you need beneficial bacteria in a 1/2 gallon for? You can't cycle it lol.

It should help to get rid of any ammonia in the water before it can harm the betta. Plants have bacteria at their roots... as long as you don't scrub them or rinse them off, the bacteria will be present. It doesn't matter how large the tank is... bacteria is a good thing to have!

 

[EinarKM]

Thanks for all the info guys & gals.

The females are now in their own tanks and the male is building a nest like crazy, it will be interesting to see how things develop. In the short time all of them were in the same tank I saw which female the male was more interested in so I am going to see if I can get some breeding going on.

I´ll keep you all posted.

 

[Sorrell]

Eeek! *Note to self*: never post anything when you are tired. I meant 50% changes every day. (Or 100% every other day.) Yeesh... sorry about that.

What would you need beneficial bacteria in a 1/2 gallon for? You can't cycle it lol.

It should help to get rid of any ammonia in the water before it can harm the betta. Plants have bacteria at their roots... as long as you don't scrub them or rinse them off, the bacteria will be present. It doesn't matter how large the tank is... bacteria is a good thing to have!

Even if you do 50's every other day you will still have toxic buildups. In a tank without a filter all you are doing is diluting the concentration of ammonia, but never removing it. You'll still have bacteria on the surfaces of plants, gravel, and the tank walls themselves no matter what, but it is crucial to do 100s.

 

[SRC]

It doesn't matter how large the tank is... bacteria is a good thing to have!

I'll have to respectufully disagree. If you're tank is not cycled you shouldn't have anything other then clean water in your tanks. It really has no purpose when you do 100% water changes every other day IMHO.