Betta Questions??

1. Females have shorter fins.. plakats are a bit harder to tell apart, but you won't likely find an unlabeled one in a LFS since they're a little pricey.

1) Females are as everyone has said. Actually you can buy a plakat at Petco, but they are bit more. They are $12.99 now but they are almost twice the size of normal male betta.

2) I really wouldn't buy the "betta water" I work at Petco and even we think that it is a ripe off, $4.99 for 2 quarts of water. It is really geared for people who have their bettas in a bowl, because it says that the water is oxygenated. Test your water out of the tap don't use the strips either. If it is that bad just use Prime and tap water.

3) I have some shrimp in my 3 gallon tank and so far so good but it is a gamble and the betta will probably win.

4) I do a 20% weekly

5) My tank is a constant 78

6) I feed mine 3-4 pellets once a day

7) I have live plants so I leave my lights about 8 hours

8) I don't see a need for an air pump if you have the filter that it comes with. I have the same tank but I upgraded the filter since I'm not a fan of the Whisper internal filter. Also if you use an air pump you will have faster evaporation.

9) The life span length is had to say since most bettas are adults when you get them at the store. I have one now that I have had for over 2 years now.
 
To me it looks closer to 2 then 6 but it could be my monitor. You can use more then what the typical dosage of prime. I would use spring water if any, not distilled it is RO water. While I use it for my saltwater tank I wouldn't use it for freshwater it is more acidic. In saltwater you add minerals to the tank by adding salt.

Also like I said it is $4.99 a 2 quart bottle in the store you can buy a lot of bottle water for that.
 
the only reason im gonna use the betta water is because im only gonna have a betta in there and i have reallyyyyyyyyyyyy bad tap water, my ammonia is about 6 and ph is 8.8...

If this is true, call the EPA and a lawyer. ;)
 
On the snail question, our current 2 each have a dime-sized rams horn buddy and there's never a baby snail in the tank. Our previous betta attacked the only snail we tried to introduce him to instantly and very aggressively. Depends on the betta.
 
To me it looks closer to 2 then 6 but it could be my monitor. You can use more then what the typical dosage of prime. I would use spring water if any, not distilled it is RO water. While I use it for my saltwater tank I wouldn't use it for freshwater it is more acidic. In saltwater you add minerals to the tank by adding salt.

Also like I said it is $4.99 a 2 quart bottle in the store you can buy a lot of bottle water for that.
what about this stuff cause i dont like my tap i haven't had any luck with the fish and im doing everything right...http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?sku=425184

thats 2 gallons..and ill pay for it idc the price

or should i use springwater like a cheaper version of zephrhills? will the betta care if its springwater or that petco stuff.?
 
i m not goin to re-answer ur questions , but here s my 2 cents :
1-just search google images for male and female betta , unlike lotsa fishes there are huge differences between male and female bettas , u r not gonna miss it ,
3-don go with crawfish or crabs , bettas love to sleep at the top or at the bottom of the tank , and if they sleep at the bottom the crab or craw will hunt them on sight , they will HUNT anythin they can believe me ,
8-i don think u need air pump , bettas are air breather , i wouldn t use it , less current is better for bettas ,
9-depends ... i heard they can live up to 5 years ,

i would add some big leavz hardy plants like anubias that doesn t need much light in there , bettas LOVVVVVEE plants ,
and add some caves or somethin they can go in there and hide and play , they love it ,
and keep the current as low as u can , bettas HATE current in their castle .
don use HOB filters i would go for small canister or atleast a top filter ,
 
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i m not goin to re-answer ur questions , but here s my 2 cents :
1-just search google images for male and female betta , unlike lotsa fishes there are huge differences between male and female bettas , u r not gonna miss it ,
3-don go with crawfish or crabs , bettas love to sleep at the top or at the bottom of the tank , and if they sleep at the bottom the crab or craw will hunt them on sight , they will HUNT anythin they can believe me ,
8-i don think u need air pump , bettas are air breather , i wouldn t use it , less current is better for bettas ,
9-depends ... i heard they can live up to 5 years ,

i would add some big leavz hardy plants like anubias that doesn t need much light in there , bettas LOVVVVVEE plants ,
and add some caves or somethin they can go in there and hide and play , they love it ,
and keep the current as low as u can , bettas HATE current in their castle .
don use HOB filters i would go for small canister or atleast a top filter ,
if i use this stuff http://www.petco.com/product/103784/PETCO-Freshwater-One-For-Freshwater-Tanks.aspx can i use live plants???

i have a mini bow 5 and there isn't good lighting so would that work with the anubias plant
 
if i use this stuff http://www.petco.com/product/103784/PETCO-Freshwater-One-For-Freshwater-Tanks.aspx can i use live plants???

i have a mini bow 5 and there isn't good lighting so would that work with the anubias plant
i guarentee thats tap water without chlorine... also id use your tap water with live plants they'll eat up that ammonia! 80% bottled to 20% tap would be good with live plants but be sure to get flourescent 5000-6000k bulbs! I use CFL screw ins on my smaller tanks and a tube bulb on my 30. all the ammonia id imagine would be like fertilizer. dont take my word though im not 100% on it
 
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