OoooOooOooOooh.... fresh victims.
I LOVE them. heh heh
Well, first - i MUST warn you. If you get one, you'll want SEVERAL more. I'm going on number 6 now, and I've only been keeping them for 4 months. lol
Oh, and welcome to the addiction!
Here's a quick list of things you could/should maybe consider, and then GO FOR IT!
A tank - 2 gallons are great, 2.5 gallons are great, either one. Even a 1 gallon works fine, but you'll most likely want to heat it so I'd go with a 2 or 2.5G tank cuz they don't really make any heaters that will work very well in a 1 gallon tank. You can either go to your lfs, or PetSmart or WalMart (eek) and get the tank. If you go to the lfs, you can usually get a glass tank for about 8 or 9$. Then you'll need a glass lid (and if you want, you can get a lighted hood - or you can always buy that a little later) I think the glass lids are 3$ or so. If you go to WM, you can get a sweet little 2G hex tank with an airstone for 20$. That gives you the tank, and hood/lid with light, airstone and pump - it's a pretty good deal, actually. One of my boys is in a tank like this. Then all that is left to get is a heater and the decorations. OH! And the fishy!
If you can find one, get a Mini Hydor heater to go in your tank. They're WONDERFUL. I have them in all my betta tanks - they raise the temp up between 2 - 5 degrees above room temp. They're flat and they stick right on the side of the tank w/suction cups. and all my boys love to sit up near the top between the tank wall and the cord - it's their favorite place to hang out and rest.
They also love plants - I have all silk plants so I don't have to worry about lighting, dying plants, etc. etc. Don't bother with plastic plants - they'll rip their tails. AND MAKE SURE you don't get any decorations that are scratchy. Run your hand over the entire surface of your decs, and imagine if you had nylons over your hand - if you think the decs would rip the nylons, DON'T get it.
One thing that I have in every single one of my fish's tanks is a little blue archway. Oh, here it is in this picture of Harvey's tank:
- it's over on the right side of the tank. They love to swim thru it. I think they sell them at WM so if you get a tank there you could get one of those. I get mine at PetWorld cuz I don't buy anything but fishes at WM
They're really smooth and they really have fun going thru it. They like to even hide out in there. (They THINK you can't see them in there, for some reason lol)
Don't forget to pick up a thermometer - the kind that go inside the tank and stick on the side are the best and most accurate - but just make sure you don't stick it right next to the heater! They like to be in temps between 76 - 82.
and MOST IMPORTANTLY - get dechlorinator. I believe that WalMart also has "Start Right" by Jungle. You'll definitely need that before you put your little boy into his new home - it takes the chlorine outta the water.
Lemme know if you have more questions.
OH - as far as weekend feedings - mine go just fine without feedings on saturday and sunday. I just give them an extra pellet or two on friday afternoon before I leave and they get along just fine.