Beta in a 10 gallon community

[slease]

I have a beta in with a school of Danios and he's just getting acclimated to the tank. But I can tell he prefers it to his cup and a half walmart bowl. When feeding time comes around he's not quite fast enough to get to the flakes so I was wondering what a good substitute sinking food would be to throw in for him while the danios were distracted with the flakes. Or if anyone else in a common situation has any ideas.

[slease]

Also, there is no fin nipping going on, the danios keep to themselves.

[tomm10]

As I'm finding out with my betta, they can be picky eaters. Flakes aren't really a choice food for them any way.

A couple of companies make floating betta bites. These float on the surface so you could feed the danios at one end of the tank and the betta at the other. You can also feed them one at a time to make sure he's getting them.

Frozen (not freeze dried) bloodworms are a treat that both the betta and the danios should love as are frozen brine shrimp. these tend to fall through the water column so everybody should have a shot at them.

[TKOS]

That is one of the reasons I moved my betta from my 10 gallon. In his early days he was a much pickier eater and was much slower than the white clouds. Try some freeze dried blood worms. They float and are a good food to start most bettas on IMO.

[Leopardess]

If he was just recently put in, his muscles are probably still atrophied from being stuck in a cup. He never built them up to swim and so now being in a *big* tank with a filter/current is a lot to adjust to.

As far as him eating, he's also never had to chase his food around the surface before since there was no water movement in his cup. I bet he's having a hard time even figuring out how to get at his food. Many people turn the filters off during feeding time for newly acclimated bettas so that they can eat in peace while they build their muscles up to normal strength.

But yah, bettas shouldn't eat flakes. They much prefer betta bites...I like Hikaris Bio Gold or Wardleys Betta Micro Pellets...the latter of which is a lot smaller and seems to be easier to get down than some of the others. Mine absolutely adore frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp too.

And, I'd avoid feeding them sinking foods ...they're "top" feeders anyway:)

EDIT: if you use frozen bloodworms, they sink a little slowly, so while the other fsih are paying attention to the flakes, the betta would be able to eat the worms...

[TKOS]

There is a floating betta flake made, my betta finally will eat some of it. Tetra makes it. Remember that bettas have there own nutritional needs so get a food made for them, but also get a couple of kinds of food. Variety will help keep him that much healthier.

[Aquarius0015]

I'm really lucky with my bettas. They try to eat just about everything that I put into the tank, including fingers, plants, flakes, pellets, and even sinking shrimp pellets. Sometimes when I am not dropping the food fast enough and they see my hand they even jump out of the water as if to say HURRY IT UP. Maybe I should go on Letterman.

[slease]

I went ahead and purchased the Wardleys Beta Bites and tried feeding him. He went after them immediately but he had trouble eating them, it looked like they were too large for him. Should I try a smaller beta capsule or look into bloodworms? I also purchased squares of tubiflex worms hoping both varieties of fish would like them but neither has shown interest yet. The danios went after the wardleys bites but quickly realized they were too big for them, I do like that the danios can't eat the food but I hope the beta will be able to.

[Leopardess]

That is the problem i have with four of my bettas - they wont eat those pellets because they are too big (one of my other bettas will only eat these ones, go figure:rolleyes: ). Thats why I recommended the micro pellets....they are really much smaller and easier to eat, especially for a little guy, which i presume yours is since he's new:)

Also, you can try boiled skinned peas...some bettas supposedly love 'em.

Either food you get, however, I would get some frozen bloodworms as well. A varied diet is a healthy diet...and all the fish would *greatly* appreciate such a yummy meal every now and then.

[kveeti]

You can crush the bigger food between 2 spoons. Don't crush down too hard, or you will have virtually powder. Pick out the bigger pieces for your betta; the other fish may enjoy the smaller residue.

[slease]

Well, now in my feeding repetoire are Tetramin Flakes, Bloodworms, Tubiflex worm cubes and Wardley Betta Bites. I've tried variations on these and have even crunched up the the pellets but have had little luck getting the beta to eat. He's either feeding when I'm not watching or I'm going to assume he's still getting used to the feeding schedule. But the danios sure love the food variety, lol. Thanks for your help everyone. I'm sure he'll come around.

[TKOS]

If he is healthy and hungry he will eat. Sometimes they are just picky at first. They all come around.

[dethjam316]

Originally posted by Leopardess
If he was just recently put in, his muscles are probably still atrophied from being stuck in a cup. He never built them up to swim and so now being in a *big* tank with a filter/current is a lot to adjust to. i'm just curious, but is this an exaggeration to make a point against those little cups or is some truth to this?

[OrionGirl]

IME, it's true. I've bought bettas that were kept in large tanks with other tropicals, and never seen the new fish spend time hiding behind a plant or decoration. IT would immediately begin inspecting the entire tank, very active. Bettas from the cups tend to take up to 2 week to venture far and wide in the tank, despite no sign of any health issue.

[TKOS]

That is interesting. I never really thought of that . The last few bettas I bought at WalMart (yes, I know). But this was before they switched over to the cups and used to put their bettas in with the rest of the fish. So mine never had any problems with current or anything in big tanks. My first few bettas were from cups but only went into 1 gallon containers so I didn't get to see any significant change. Good info to keep ahold of.

[dethjam316]

it'd be an interesting vein of research, if perhaps brief. there are many reasons why a betta would hide and not venture about...it's like...fish psychology v. anatomy. is it a physical cause or a psychological one? if actual atrophy of muscles occurs, it's a very different issue than perhaps a simple fear of a new and huge living venue. i'd be interesting to know if anyone had any sources actually looking into such an issue. lots of fish, in my experience, hide for days or weeks before acclimating, and they aren't all kept in small solitary confinement like bettas.

[Aquarius0015]

Come to think of it, my 2 'cup' bettas did take a much longer time to become active than my late betta who came out of his own 10ish gallon from Petsmart. Interesting theory, but I do not have to room, time, or money to test the idea. Maybe I should apply for a research grant.... nah.

[OrionGirl]

I guess I can't really say whether it was a matter of muscle tissue, or a matter of agoraphobia. The betta I have now came from a tank, and was immediately playing in the return flow. The betta before him spent about 1 week buried in the plants, venturing only to the edges of the tank, never into the strong current. Could be either, or a combination of both, I'd guess.

[Leopardess]

Welll...think about it...

If a person is bed ridden for months and months...and say one day they magically feel better....and try to stand up and walk. They wouldn't be able to. Their muscles would have weakened.


Look at veal and other pharm raised animals. They are hung in hammocks often. There have been rescues where they release the animal from the hammock - only to have it fall over.

What makes a fish different? It would also have to deal with a different water pressure than it has ever known , as well as a filter current, as well as being with other fish (if its in a community tank) when it has probably never even SEEN a fish other than a betta, let alone being in a tank with one.

Then, like I said, when they were fed in their cup, the food just sits right on top. Still. In the new tank, they have to swim, say, a foot up, and the food is buzzing all around the surface of the tank - plus it would have to compete with other fish to eat.

Putting a betta into a tank is like introducing it into a whole other world. The only thing thats the same is the water they're in (and even then its likely to be a shock to have water that is *gasp* clean!).


Thats just my two cents...

[Slappy*McFish]

Leopardess, your 55g is looking great...huge difference in growth there from the original pic. Nice.

[Leopardess]

(thanks:) I'm still not really satisfied with it. Some stuff needs to fill in and some others need to be moved around...but at least it seems to be growing! Now if the 10g would fill in...I'd be one happy girl! And I can't wait to start the new planted 10g this week:))

[Slappy*McFish]

I'd like to get some updated pics of my tanks, as well(just need to borrow my friend's digital camera again). They look so much better now than in my original pics too. Especially my Java fern...it has nearly doubled in size and coverage...and my foreground is completely covered with anubias and crypts now.:)...my loaches love it in there..especially around that fern-covered driftwood. I repositioned the wood so there is a little overhang now that the loaches enjoy 'chillin in the shade' under. I am getting a bit more spot algae now though..and with as many anubias as I have, it can be a bit of a nuisance on all those older leaves. I really should thin out the fish population a bit as all the fish are full grown, or near grown, now and really are getting 'too big' for my tank. I just can't decide on whom to get rid of:(...I'm attached to them all..lol. That's one of the things I admire about your tank, with it being relatively understocked as it is.

[Leopardess]

oh yah, i hear you about those darn anubias. Sheesh. Half of my nana is black...although my "congensis" (changed to barteri subspecies:rolleyes: ) is algae free. *Hopes I didn't just jinx it*

My cories love hiding in the wisteria and under that big driftwood. The only problem is that now I hardly ever see them! But oh well, as long as the little buggers are happy:)

Ah, crypts. I wish mine would stop melting everytime I first introduce them to the tank;) But, the most recent one I had is coming back into it and now is like three mini plants rather than one. They'll be going in the middle behind the riccia rocks.

I will actually be adding the boesmani to this tank. It was in the 29, but that goyder is a DEVIL. He killed my turquoise:(:( and harassed the boesmani to the point where he got stressed and developed mouth fungus. Sigh. So, I'm hoping I can get rid of that and then he'll go in this tank. By himself, but better than getting beat up a lot. I'd love to get two more boesmani, but I think that would be too much. I was thinking I had more fish in this tank than I wanted anyway! lol.

I was happy to get those pics up at all! Its a borrowed camera I use, as well. And I forgot to grab the tripod. Plus my batteries kept running out and I was sucking every last bit of juice out of them.

[belmont0182]

i just got a small two gallon tank, and i was thinking about putting a betta in it....the problem is that all the bettas at the store always look depressed or sick. can someone give me some sort of a purchasing guide for bettas?

[Wippit Guud]

Get the betta out of the cup, it'll look better :)

[Leopardess]

Try and find ones that they keep in the actual tanks. If they don't have any (or any that you like) you can ask them to transfer it into a bigger container, or you could bring your own. Though you won't notice too much difference since they aren't going to just up and start swimming.

Just look for fin rot/fungus, dull eyes, any other obvious ailment, a sunken belly, etc.

Spin the cup a little bit, does it just rest on the bottom or does it start turning inside the cup? you want a seemingly active one. Perhaps ask them to give you some of their food and feed the couple that you're considering. Do htey have a good appetite, etc?


And thats all assuming they'll let you do those things...

[belmont0182]

do bettas need to have water at a certain temp? The new 2 gallon i have does not come with a heater, i have an old one that i could rig up into the 2 gallon, but is there any risk of boiling the fish if that heater is too powerful.

What other fish could i put in the small tank with one betta?

[Wippit Guud]

2 gallon?

Not much... maybe a couple of cories or a couple of neons... although I'd forego the heater and just keep the betta by himself.

[Leopardess]

a snail.


I wouldn't put cories or neons in a 2g. Especially if its one of those ones that are taller than they are long.

You could get a couple of pigmy cories, but then you would need the heater and good filtration.

Or you could spend 50$ and go pick up the deluxe 10g kit at walmart.

[slease]

I think that 10 gallon kit is actually on sale for 30 right now.

[Leopardess]

Really? the Deluxe one? Cuz there is one that is 27$ normally, but I believe that it comes without a heater and net and some of the other stuff.

If it is the deluxe one, i wonder if the non deluxe one is on sale too, because that would be a score.

[duck]

I work at walmart and it is where I got my 10 gallon. The Starter version is 27 bucks... The Deluxe is still 59.99
I went ahead and got the starter I figured by the for the 33 dollar I saved by not getting the deluxe Ic ould go to my LFS and find some of the things I wanted. SCORE... I got a bigger neat for 98 cents .. a bigger automatic heater for 10 bucks and the Gravel I needed. I also had enough left over to get a 25 strip water test kit. The advantages were great.. also instead of the Florecent lighting it came with the normal light bulb. which I prefer (I picked up a true blue light that really shows off the colors of my Tiger barbs.)

I got a Glass thermometer from walmart while I was there for less then 2 bucks.. so for about the same money was able to get the same stuff or better... plus gravel and a water test kit.

[slease]

I was mistaken, it was the regular non heater kit for 30. My bad.

[belmont0182]

i already have a 10 gallon, and i am in a college dorm so i dont have room for another 10. anyway i already bought the 2 gallon. if i got a betta i would probably put him in the 10 gallon eventually, but the 2 gallon would be to get him used to the larger space. i hope to use my 2 gallon as a hospital tank, or a fry tank. seeing as i dont have any sick fish or fry i was thinking about putting some sort of a fish in there cause i feel like im wasting money having a tank sitting around with no fish

[slease]

My beta looks so much better after being in the 10 gallon for a week. I wish the males got along better so I could save more. Space is a bit limited though to get another aquarium.

[belmont0182]

how do bettas handle aggrssive fish, i was under the impression that they were pretty tough fish that the other fish would leave alone. I ask cause i have a molly that controls my tank and she can be a bit mean

[adblair]

Also, you can try boiled skinned peas...some bettas supposedly love 'em.

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:
Can somebody please tell me how the heck you skin a pea?
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[OrionGirl]

belmont0182--bettas are very aggressive to similar looking fish, like paradise fish and guppies, but ignore most other fish. They can chase smaller fish, but with anything that nips, they are pretty well sunk. Those pretty fins are a tempting target for other fish, so mixing them in a community tank can be risky--requires monitoring.

adblair--Squish the pea between your fingertips. The insides will come out, and leave a tough shell. If your betta is in a community tank with other herbivores, especially rasper types like ancistrus, they will love this shell as well.

[belmont0182]

i have mollys in my tank, they do chase each other around a bit, but i have never sees any fin nipping. Im looking them over as i type and they all have healthy fins.