Starting a tank for a betta

[ccg]

Hello everyone,

I have several tanks and I have decided I would like to setup a small betta tank on my desk. I am not a fan of really small tanks so I was thinking of giving him a 10 gallon.

All that is on this tank is a heater, and the temp is sitting about 78 (can be changed for the betta) and has matured sponge filter in the tank. This tank has been used for fry recently (well still is). I have read that betta's do not like much water flow, and there currently isn't much in the tank other then the movement from the sponge filter. However the only form of a filter is the sponge filter.

This will be my first betta ever, so I'm sure I have lots to learn. I am just wondeirng what the ideal tank would be for him. I plan to use a 10 gal, what will have to be changed in this setup? How should I go about filtering this tank etc.

Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it.

 

[rollntider]

sponge filter will be fine I have several tanks that have them and that little bit of movement is fine. I find they like to have a little place to hide. so find som ornament that allows them hang out in.

 

[Raechal]

Two of my male bettas have a 10 gallon all to themselves and they seem to love it. I have some soft fake plants in there with them along with a few hardy live plants and a cave for each of them to hide in. (They are in separate tanks of course) Try a floating plant as well, one of my boys likes to rest on a floating plant at night.

 

[BettaMomma]

You're going to have a lucky little fella there

As has already been said, soft, silk plants work the best. 78 degrees is just about an ideal temp. You could even up that one or two degrees.

I have 7 betta boys, and the favorite thing of them all is silk plants to lay in and rest at night. They also really do love real plants, especially something like hornwort to lay in at night.

That filter should be okay. They also really like little places to swim through, like little arches and things. Like the one in this picture:

- the one off to the right. You can also get other rock arches. Just make sure that whatever you put into the tank doesn't have any sharp edges in it that can get caught on flowing fins or scratch them. AND.. do make sure there aren't any little holes that they could potentially get stuck in. They are very nosy and curious and will swim through anything that they "think" they can fit through.

I would also pick up some stress coat and use that as dechlorinator - I use that all the time for dechlor and it works very well - and also adds slime to the fish's coat which promotes healing.

Good luck!

 

[ccg]

How do I got about cycling a tank for a betta?

I was just going to use water from my 35 or 45 gallon to start. I have stress coat that I will add as well.

What type if filter if any should be used? I like to have good filteration on all my tanks, but if it is not really required then I can just use this sponge filter or something.