New To Bettas

[Jumpspin]

Hi all, I'm a enthusiastic fish keeper who has a nice little 35 litre community tank and i love it to bits!

Recently I won a competition at my LFS to win an Aquaspace 28 and won! they gave me some pebbles for decoration and gave me a Betta of my choice to go with it! Lucky i know!

Here is my tank with my unnamed Betta in.

I've added the plant myself, I just want to have some opinions and any advice on what Bettas prefer in their tank and about breeding maybe?

Thanks!
Sam.

 

[AundieRae]

When I got my Betta about 2 years ago (Tony passed about a couple months ago , It was so hard. Looking to start again fresh soon ) He survived quite a bit, including cycling, broken heaters, and many many tank mates.
Tony never really made bubble nests because in my 10 gallon walmart fish tank, the filter rippled the surface too much. Atleast, until I added live plants. Tony LOVED the live plants. The first night I added one, I woke up with a bubble nest. And his mood just improved with the more that I added!
He also enjoyed having many structures to hide behind and inside. I had a buddah head with a crack in the top that he would live and rest in and when I went to the tank for feeding time he would swim right out, although be careful because he scraped himself on it once and took off some scales and I had to help him regrow them.
I also noticed that if I fed my betta too much, his stomach would buldge out like a marble. So I decided to fast him once a week and he was fine. (Ex. Feed twice monday-thursday, feed once friday morning, feed again sunday night, repeat.)
I wouldn't get plastic plants if you can avoid it. Tony's tail was very tattered by the time I added live plants from snagging them so much on the plastic plants.
Tony liked having a couple tank mates such as platties and mollies, but with your tank size I'd suggest that you stay with just your 1 betta there.
And when it comes to breeding, from what I've read, you need a very extensive set up. A large fry tank, a grow out tank, a breeding tank, not to mention conditioning and 2 tanks for the male and female.
If you're interested in breeding I'd suggest Mollies or platties, babies in no time
Enjoy!

 

[Jumpspin]

When I got my Betta about 2 years ago (Tony passed about a couple months ago , It was so hard. Looking to start again fresh soon ) He survived quite a bit, including cycling, broken heaters, and many many tank mates.
Tony never really made bubble nests because in my 10 gallon walmart fish tank, the filter rippled the surface too much. Atleast, until I added live plants. Tony LOVED the live plants. The first night I added one, I woke up with a bubble nest. And his mood just improved with the more that I added!
He also enjoyed having many structures to hide behind and inside. I had a buddah head with a crack in the top that he would live and rest in and when I went to the tank for feeding time he would swim right out, although be careful because he scraped himself on it once and took off some scales and I had to help him regrow them.
I also noticed that if I fed my betta too much, his stomach would buldge out like a marble. So I decided to fast him once a week and he was fine. (Ex. Feed twice monday-thursday, feed once friday morning, feed again sunday night, repeat.)
I wouldn't get plastic plants if you can avoid it. Tony's tail was very tattered by the time I added live plants from snagging them so much on the plastic plants.
Tony liked having a couple tank mates such as platties and mollies, but with your tank size I'd suggest that you stay with just your 1 betta there.
And when it comes to breeding, from what I've read, you need a very extensive set up. A large fry tank, a grow out tank, a breeding tank, not to mention conditioning and 2 tanks for the male and female.
If you're interested in breeding I'd suggest Mollies or platties, babies in no time
Enjoy!

Wow Thank you so much! It's crazy to think what individually personalities these fish have! I'm going to buy a small Stump with a few holes in to see if he likes them. I think I'm going to feed him like you said, maybe on a thusday and sunday and no more unless necessary.

Sorry to hear about Tony as well!
Hope you fill that hole soon!

Sam

 

[pablothebetta]

Bettas certainly do have their own little personalities - it's probably my favourite thing about them. Mine swims up to me almost every time I go within a few feet of his tank That betta looks quite similar to mine - does he have a blue-ish 'shimmer' to him when the light's right? Any idea for names, or are you going to leave him unnamed?

I'd suggest maybe more plants/cover, maybe something he can rest in/on? Java fern and anubias are both hardy plants you could try, though they do need attaching to something, such as wood. What about untying the plant you have in there already and planting it in the pebbles? Might provide a little more extra 'cover' for the betta. What about a coconut cave? I've wondered myself if my betta might like one to hide in.

I usually feed my betta 3-4 Hikari Betta Bio Gold pellets daily between 2 'feedings', with the occasional treat of freeze-dried bloodworms or pea (which he likes to 'play' with before eating). Sometimes I'll give him a 'rest day' where I won't feed him, too.

Just wondering, what's the volume of the tank? Do you have a heater in there?

Btw, is that a snail in the tank? If it is a snail, I'd remove it if you don't want a whole load of them - one could mean a few, which could mean loads of them pretty quickly. I once got a plant and found a single tiny, little did I know that it'd take months to get rid of the things

 

[LucyB]

Hey he's a beauty!

Sorry but I have to ask, is the filter cycled? If not, you can take the media (sponge inside the filter) and cram it into your 35 litre community tank's filter and leave it there for a few days. Then put the sponge back into the betta tank's filter. This will give the filter sponge the beneficial bacteria that it needs to break down the waste from your betta fish. Then he will be happy and healthy and live for many years!

By the way, if you haven't named him already, I like the name Blaze... just sayin'

 

[Jumpspin]

Bettas certainly do have their own little personalities - it's probably my favourite thing about them. Mine swims up to me almost every time I go within a few feet of his tank That betta looks quite similar to mine - does he have a blue-ish 'shimmer' to him when the light's right? Any idea for names, or are you going to leave him unnamed?

I'd suggest maybe more plants/cover, maybe something he can rest in/on? Java fern and anubias are both hardy plants you could try, though they do need attaching to something, such as wood. What about untying the plant you have in there already and planting it in the pebbles? Might provide a little more extra 'cover' for the betta. What about a coconut cave? I've wondered myself if my betta might like one to hide in.

I usually feed my betta 3-4 Hikari Betta Bio Gold pellets daily between 2 'feedings', with the occasional treat of freeze-dried bloodworms or pea (which he likes to 'play' with before eating). Sometimes I'll give him a 'rest day' where I won't feed him, too.

Just wondering, what's the volume of the tank? Do you have a heater in there?

Btw, is that a snail in the tank? If it is a snail, I'd remove it if you don't want a whole load of them - one could mean a few, which could mean loads of them pretty quickly. I once got a plant and found a single tiny, little did I know that it'd take months to get rid of the things

He does have a blue shimmer! I've bought a new ornament for him and a new heater, I'm increasing the temp very slightly over a few days - is that the best thing to do? Also its a 12 litre. And i've had the snail problem in my 35 litre so im going to buy some assassins soon : )

Hey he's a beauty!

Sorry but I have to ask, is the filter cycled? If not, you can take the media (sponge inside the filter) and cram it into your 35 litre community tank's filter and leave it there for a few days. Then put the sponge back into the betta tank's filter. This will give the filter sponge the beneficial bacteria that it needs to break down the waste from your betta fish. Then he will be happy and healthy and live for many years!

By the way, if you haven't named him already, I like the name Blaze... just sayin'

It has been cycled thanks for asking lucy! Blaze will definitely go down on the list for names though!

Sam

 

[pablothebetta]

I'd imagine that increasing gradually is the way to go. 12L is fairly small, but I'm sure it could work - people do keep them in that and smaller. Assassins did seem to help for me, though I must say mine seem to laze around far more than anything else

 

[Jumpspin]

I'd imagine that increasing gradually is the way to go. 12L is fairly small, but I'm sure it could work - people do keep them in that and smaller. Assassins did seem to help for me, though I must say mine seem to laze around far more than anything else

Just popped to my LFS and they don't have any assasins oh well! I've also found out my betta only makes nests when the light is off, and if i'm not watching him! Maybe he's embarrassed! Any who here's an update of my tank, the bag has a female betta in who I rescued from the shop and putting her in her own tank after I've planted it etc..

 

[LucyB]

Wait? Are you putting that female in with the male? Apologies if I am misunderstanding, but one of them will end up dead...

 

[Jumpspin]

Wait? Are you putting that female in with the male? Apologies if I am misunderstanding, but one of them will end up dead...

Oh god no! shes going in her own tank! maybe ill breed them one day when im in good knowledge of Bettas but for now she is on the road to recovery

 

[LucyB]

Wait? Are you putting that female in with the male? Apologies if I am misunderstanding, but one of them will end up dead...

Oh god no! shes going in her own tank! maybe ill breed them one day when im in good knowledge of Bettas but for now she is on the road to recovery

Okay, thought not So have you got a tank set up for her then? Unless it's the one in the pic but that looks identical to the male betta's tank... Confused!

 

[Jumpspin]

she has her own tank, I just planted a few things before I put her in so put her in there instead of the floor!

 

[pablothebetta]

Any pics of her tank?

 

[Jumpspin]

Any pics of her tank?

I will do but its my sisters and shes taking her to her new apartment so I'm kinda gutted!

 

[jasonh_000]

I've also found out my betta only makes nests when the light is off, and if i'm not watching him!

i have been in the habit of keeping my hood lights off. i think it stresses the fish to have them turned on for hours.
i have most of my tanks on a metal rack and i have led strips that i use to light that area..