Hello and Need Basic Betta Advice!

Welcome. Good to know you are doing research and trying to do whats best for your new pet. My sig has a link to the cycling article. I suggest you read it to get an idea of how waste is processed. Seeing as you already have the fish, you would not want to add ammonia. You could try the fishless cycle with the new tank if you like. You will need to do some tests. The strips are inaccurate, but will do in a pinch. A proper liquid test kit can be had for about $30 and will last a very long time. Your water change schedule will be based on those tests. during the first week or 2 it will be some amount daily. after a while and especially after you have the 5 gal, it will be a smaller amount weekly. Basically you are trying to limit the exposure to amonia, nitrIte and nitrAte untill enough bacteria is established to process the first 2. after that, nitrate will be removed in the weekly water changes. (best to read the article to fully understand)

I find normal gravel fine to manage, you can get a gravel vac that will suck up most of the solids. That comes down to personal preference. Unless you plan on having live plants, then you would want something that will work with them.

Bettas usually tend to hang near the top most of the time, so only perhaps a floating plant would give him cover. I don't think it's needed, but would make him more happy. Always fun to watch any fish interact with its surroundings.

Bettas are pretty easy. as long as you keep the water clean it will live a long time. Im not sure about your heater, but I prefer ones you can adjust to the preset ones. Also, are you going to have a filter? and if so, what kind?

Since you already have the betta, I'd put in the small tank you have and do daily 50% water changes until you get at least the API ammonia tester. Then see if you get ammonia readings by testing every day and do WC if you get a positive reading. When you can go a week without a positive reading, then it's cycled. But do 50% WC once a week from there on. You won't even have to test after that point if It's just this betta.

I've used clear marbles as substrate so I can see when I need to use a clear flexible tubing I bought at ACE to vacuum the bottom of the tank. Or you can do pool filter sand that you can buy at a pool supply store. Play sand that you can buy at Home Depot is ok but you have to rinse it countless times to get rid of very fine grid, else your tank will be very cloudy for a day or so.

If you want real plants, sand is better. I'd do anubias nana and java ferns. They will grow using the CHI lights. Petco sells them on driftwood so if you get those it will speed up your cycling and your betta would like that.

If your studio is heated I wouldn't even bother with a heater. I don't have heaters in any of my tanks. In winter my house is set at 76 and with tanks light most of my tanks run between 76 and 78. Less equipment you have in a small tank, the better it looks.

As for feeding, I'd do every other day.

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I would say that the nitrAte test kit would be better. Looks like that tank has an integral filter, so once it has established, you likely wont see any ammonia or nitrIte. Plants really help out with removing waste, so don't be too scared to try them. Find out from your friend what they are and how easy they are too keep. Just keep in mind that if they start to die, they will increase the amount of waste.

Pics comming soon?

One smallish tank is how it always begins..... Welcome to the hobby.

Kannan Fodder said:

One smallish tank is how it always begins..... Welcome to the hobby.

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I remembered my brother keeping an arrowana, a JD, a FM and some other assorted fish in a 40 some odd gallon tank when I was little. My mom got us a 10 gal that was a disasterous mix of tetras( 1 of about 7 kinds) , loaches, a pleco. was a mess. After I moved out I got a 10 gallon, then I saw an add for a free 55. then I had a friend give me his 30 he no longer wanted, along the way I aquired 2 more 10 gallons, as well as a 5 gal saltwater nano. yeah it's like crack. just a little bit doesn't work like it used to

Since you did your homework and are keeping the beta in an appropriate sized tank you should have no problems! I had a beta live 5 years in a biorhythm (about 5 gallons) healthy and happy.

I too started out with a smaller tank (55g) kept accumulating tanks until I had 7 at one point lol and about 3 years ( and up trading to a 75, then a 110) after getting the 55 I had upgraded to my current 165g. A.d.d.i.c.t.i.n.g.


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