View Full Version : What will I need to keep a marine betta?
ThePBM
08-07-2007, 9:29 PM
I've always been a huge fan of these beautiful fish, but never seriously thought about getting a saltwater setup. So just out of curiosity, what kind of setup would i be looking at if i wanted to keep a marine betta? Please try to be conservative, comments such as "you need a 600 gallon tank, MINIMUM" are not of much help and often times hypocritical of your own setup.
Other questions I have are- can saltwater tanks be run on canister filters? what other filtration options are there other than w/d or sumps? there are so many bottles of various chemicals for saltwater tanks, do i need all of them?
Grins
08-07-2007, 10:06 PM
We have one at the store..it is gorgeous but they are very difficult to get to eat prepared foods and our's doesn't seem to be any different. I keep hoping it might take frozen but it doesn't seem to be.
We can help you with what you'd need to start a SW tank, for instance this thread here will give you things to consider for purchases: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118995
If you decide you want to keep a comet (marine betta) I'd not personally put one in anything smaller than a 55g. I've seen some books say 30g but after seeing an adult in person I think that is too small. It will be a threat to shrimp and may be harrassed by more aggressive fish. If you do get it to eat it could very well be outcompeted for food by them as well.
They are beautiful and as I said I'm tempted by the one at the store I now work at but unless I saw one eating prepared foods I'd not personally get one.
SHK_ATK
08-08-2007, 1:41 PM
55 would work 75 would be even better as you could add more semi-aggresive fish as the Marine bettas is not Reef or invert safe, and some of the fish that fall into that same catt. would require a 75G tank min. I will def add a Marine betta to my pred tank but since I dont have a stand It might be a while...
KenyanSandBoa
08-08-2007, 3:47 PM
55 would work 75 would be even better as you could add more semi-aggresive fish as the Marine bettas is not Reef or invert safe, and some of the fish that fall into that same catt. would require a 75G tank min. I will def add a Marine betta to my pred tank but since I dont have a stand It might be a while...
I agree...I would go with a 75 as well. The comets can be VERY reclusive as well, so you will probably want to add something else to try to entice it to come out and feed and hang out in the open a little more.
It can be difficult to get these guys on to prepared foods. I've had luck with placing food into the flow of the power head or filter return so it "animates" the food and will trigger a feeding response in the fish.
Best of luck if you decide to get him...they are fantastic fish.
ThePBM
08-08-2007, 5:47 PM
i read that most people are mistaken when they believe this to be an aggressive fish. the one i saw at my lfs didn't look agressive at all, it shyed away from a trigger half its size.
SHK_ATK
08-08-2007, 5:52 PM
i read that most people are mistaken when they believe this to be an aggressive fish. the one i saw at my lfs didn't look agressive at all, it shyed away from a trigger half its size.
Alot of aggresive fish are very shy look at a purple or yellow tang aggressive yes but very shy, I think even eels are somewhat shy as they come out only to feed only to retreat back to their cave once they get some food. Id be shy to if I was placed inside a box and had peoples hands inside the box and all I could see was their big ol head looking at me!!
joander123
08-08-2007, 6:05 PM
i think a marine betta would be ok in a reef. I've read many reports of people keeping theres in a reef, and it thriving off of the conditions. From what i hear it is pretty much harmless to corals (not any more of a risk than a dwarf angel) but will pick and occasionally eat crustaceans.
I was kind of considering getting one myself, and i may still end up doing so. I think the things it needs to be watched around the most are shrimps and possibly crabs (non hermits, hermits have a shell to hide in, and are harder to get at, therefore less tempting for the fish).
Just what i've read and have come to a conclusion about with this fish. =)
55 would work 75 would be even better as you could add more semi-aggresive fish as the Marine bettas is not Reef or invert safe, and some of the fish that fall into that same catt. would require a 75G tank min. I will def add a Marine betta to my pred tank but since I dont have a stand It might be a while...
Shk come rescue ours! I saw him eating some frozen today. It was all I could do not to take him or the orange spotted filefish home.
They aren't a threat to corals, but rather to shrimp and other ornamental crustacenas and possibly inverts like starfish.
i read that most people are mistaken when they believe this to be an aggressive fish. the one i saw at my lfs didn't look agressive at all, it shyed away from a trigger half its size.
I don't think they are aggressive either...well unless you try two in the same tank.
KenyanSandBoa
08-09-2007, 9:49 AM
I don't think they are aggressive either...well unless you try two in the same tank.
Agreed...they act very similar to groupers when it comes to conspecifics. It can get very ugly. :eek3:
The one in the store greeted me today. I guess he has decided he likes shrimp afterall.
joander123
08-09-2007, 8:33 PM
how big is that one grins?