Blue Betta HELP!

Bettas are just fine at room temp. You don't need to worry about heating the water. If the water gets TOO hot, that is a problem, mostly because much less oxygen dissolves in hot water vs. cool water. I.e. if your fish doesn't cook in too-warm water, he could certainly suffocate from lack of oxygen.

As for the light, I would just arrange it so it doesn't affect the water's temperature and leave it on for several hours a day, just for his day/night cycle. Actually, if the room he's in is lit, either with overhead lights or from daylight, that is fine. Just make sure his tank is not in direct sunlight.

He is really a very hardy, low-maintenance fish. And pretty too.

BTW I wouldn't turn the light on and off at one-hour intervals if I were you. It could mess up his sleep/wake cycle.

Well, bettas enjoy waters over 75 degrees...
I have a 2.5 like you do, and just got a heater

but whatever you want, really.

Mine lives in a 2 gallon tank. The only light he gets is what comes in through the window. A decent amount. My house is almost always 72 degrees so temperature is not a concern for me. I give him 2 pellets a day and he'll only sometimes eat one and ignore the other. He's a happy fish.

My guess is he will get used to it, but I have never had that problem before.

I would say give him time. If he is frantic then you may want to try to cut down on the glare but he'll get used to his little fishie friend in the glare and learn to play for a little and swim away to rest. I keep a mirror on both of mine for a little flaring fun and they get tired and go swim around or nap.

As far as the water I would suggest a Jr. heater 7.5 watt. I have mine and the water is usually at 78 and he is very happy. 60 is VERY cold for him .

As far as the UGF, you may find he doesn't mind it or he may hate it. Mine hated his and I decided not to filter either one of my tanks. They don't require oxygenated water like other fish as they get their oxygen from the surface. You could also try a sponge filter and try to slow the bubbles if you want. This is kind of debatable as I think in the way that a filter is not needed and meerly tollerated by some bettas. I want my fish happy, not meerly tollerating a not so plesant atmosphere.

Enjoy your betta. They are wonderful pets.

The fish that got me back into aquarium keeping a few years ago was a betta. My mother-in-law bought it for me, one of those bettas in a jar with a plant on top. After a few months, I felt bad for him in his little jar, so I went to Wal-Mart and got him a 10gal tank kit.

He flipped out about the filter at first to the point I worried he was stressing out too much, but after a few days he got used to it and would swim against the water current (without being flared up and upset). He should get used to his new home soon. My betta lived nearly 3 years in there without any troubles.

Unless you can place his tank in a warmer spot that would keep his water closer to 70, I'd get a small heater. I kept mine set at 74 and he was very happy

Good luck with him!

I agree with the last post. If you can't keep the room temp above 70 degrees (day and night), then you need a heater. Bettas are actually from rice patties, which are in pretty slow flowing, hot areas of the Orient. He is not FINE in 60 degrees. I have my Betta in a 20 community with a few Neons, Cories, Ottos, and Ghost Shrimp. I have a gentle current throughout the tank and little surface disturbance (which is nice for my plants). They come from slightly acid waters but they are pretty hardy in water chemistry areas.

I know many people say that bowls or jars are fine for bettas, but I cannot believe that when the two that I've owned have really enjoyed swimming around the entire tank in my 20 gallon. I'm sure they would enjoy a 55 gallon also! My temperature stays around 77 to 78. I have heard some people comment that their betta only stayed up in one of the top corners of his small aquarium, but I believe he was being stressed somehow. Their natural environments are actually quite clean and nice. They are generally friendly with almost any other community fish except other betta/gourami relatives. They may get upset at other long finned fish with showy colors, though, so beware! I also wouldn't house them with fin-nippers, like tiger barbs, and such, since they are very large, slow-moving, obvious targets.

I feel they make great additions to a peaceful community tank. They are great "showcase" fish, and most people have never heard of them being housed with other fish. They always ask me, " Man, won't they eat those other fish?!!" It's a great conversation starter.